Re: iguanas with water dragons?

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Posted by dougw on February 27, 2002 at 17:32:46:

In Reply to: Re: iguanas with water dragons? posted by Tmom on February 27, 2002 at 17:06:09:

I did say i want one cuz they look cool but let me tell you this, i have been a carer for lizards for over 25 years and I never discard them when i get bored of them. I keep them til death or sell them if needed. I will get a separate cage for the water dragons but they look like good pets and i can get them for only $9 a piece. sounds like to good of deal to pass up.

: 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:

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

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: I did say i want one cuz they look cool but let me tell you this, i have been a carer for lizards for over 25 years and I never discard them when i get bored of them. I keep them til death or sell them if needed. I will get a separate cage for the water dragons but they look like good pets and i can get them for only $9 a piece. sounds like to good of deal to pass up. : : 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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