Re: iguanas with water dragons?

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Posted by Tmom on February 27, 2002 at 17:06:09:

In Reply to: iguanas with water dragons? posted by dougw on February 27, 2002 at 00:04:38:

sounds to me like you want a water dragon just because it looks cool. You stated : "was thinking of getting a couple of water dragons since they look pretty cool." so yes, you do want them because they look cool.

Might I jump onto my soapbox here and begin to rant and rave? maybe, we'll see the results.

to begin with, an animal needs to be loved for its personality, beauty --both in species, appearance, and characteristics/traits, and uniqueness. Wanting an animal just because it looks "cool" results in the following:

1) loss of interest in the animal, resulting in neglect, and abandonment.
2) impulse buying, resulting in either frantic searching for correct information, -or- realization in true needs of the animal, fear of the animal, neglect, abandonment
3) improper knowledge and preparation for the animal, resulting in the animal growing ou of control, the animal becoming potentially dangerous, etc., neglect, abandonment
4) DEATH of the animal

This is the kind of thing that happend when someone buys a retic, and then it grows to 10 feet within several months and is feeding on rabbits, biting, and unable to be handled --the irresponsible owner results in severe bites, infection, money problems(care of a large constrictor is very pricey!), and then gets dumped at a herp. societies' doorstep. I'm not shunning retics, there are some beautiful, calm, wonderful specimens out there --just one of the snakes often bought without proper knowledge.

You need to seriously consider what you are doing here. A water dragon needs similar caging of an iguana, but compeltely different food --dragons are insectivorious/carnivorous. Water Dragons grow to a fraction of the iguana's size. Water dragons are a piece of china, compared to a large male iguana, which is more like a bulky coffee mug. The tension, aggression, and SIZE of an enclosure for 4 iguana's alone, is immense, add a few water dragons and you've got yourself a ghastly situation! resulting in dead dragons and sick, stressed, injured iguana's.

The iguana's need to be housed serperately, or if they get along, in pairs. The dragons in their own enclosure, with their own furnishings, lighting, and feeding requirements.

-Lesya

Follow Ups:

Re: iguanas with water dragons? dougw 02/27/02 (2)
- Till death huh? Mark 02/27/02 (0)
- Re: iguanas with water dragons? Tmom 02/27/02 (0)

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: sounds to me like you want a water dragon just because it looks cool. You stated : "was thinking of getting a couple of water dragons since they look pretty cool." so yes, you do want them because they look cool. : Might I jump onto my soapbox here and begin to rant and rave? maybe, we'll see the results. : to begin with, an animal needs to be loved for its personality, beauty --both in species, appearance, and characteristics/traits, and uniqueness. Wanting an animal just because it looks "cool" results in the following: : 1) loss of interest in the animal, resulting in neglect, and abandonment. : 2) impulse buying, resulting in either frantic searching for correct information, -or- realization in true needs of the animal, fear of the animal, neglect, abandonment : 3) improper knowledge and preparation for the animal, resulting in the animal growing ou of control, the animal becoming potentially dangerous, etc., neglect, abandonment : 4) DEATH of the animal : This is the kind of thing that happend when someone buys a retic, and then it grows to 10 feet within several months and is feeding on rabbits, biting, and unable to be handled --the irresponsible owner results in severe bites, infection, money problems(care of a large constrictor is very pricey!), and then gets dumped at a herp. societies' doorstep. I'm not shunning retics, there are some beautiful, calm, wonderful specimens out there --just one of the snakes often bought without proper knowledge. : You need to seriously consider what you are doing here. A water dragon needs similar caging of an iguana, but compeltely different food --dragons are insectivorious/carnivorous. Water Dragons grow to a fraction of the iguana's size. Water dragons are a piece of china, compared to a large male iguana, which is more like a bulky coffee mug. The tension, aggression, and SIZE of an enclosure for 4 iguana's alone, is immense, add a few water dragons and you've got yourself a ghastly situation! resulting in dead dragons and sick, stressed, injured iguana's. : The iguana's need to be housed serperately, or if they get along, in pairs. The dragons in their own enclosure, with their own furnishings, lighting, and feeding requirements. : -Lesya

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