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Posted by desiree on January 11, 2003 at 21:35:15:
Twilight of the iguana?
By AMY SACKS
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Step aside, iguana. This is the year of the dragon.
Until recently, the iguana has been the top pet for reptile lovers. But the green lizard's popularity is being overshadowed by an unassuming, scaly Aussie known as the bearded dragon.
"They're packed with personality," said Bruce Lowder, 38, a life-long reptile hobbyist who runs Animal Encounters, an educational company in Westchester.
"They're big enough to be interesting but not big enough to be intimidating."
Its manageable size - 1 to 2 feet long - in addition to the spiny dinosaur look-alike's docile demeanor makes the bearded dragon a more desirable pet, he said.
The temperamental iguana is harder to handle, he said. "In three years you need a cage the size of a walk-in closet. It's got a tail like a whip, claws like a hawk, and you may need stitches after a good bite," Lowder said of the iguana. "The bearded dragon is a much better choice."
Today and Sunday, hundreds of vibrant-colored dragons will be on display at the New York Metro Reptile Expo, to take place at the Westchester County Center in White Plains. Also featured will be thousands of reptiles ranging from $20 corn snakes to $20,000 albino ball pythons.
They bob and wave
Beardies can range from $20 to $400. Males are known to bob their heads and females do a one-armed wave when showing submissiveness to a male. The spiky beard - the flap of skin under the jaw - puffs out and turns dark when they are feeling defensive or in the mood for love.
Sebastian Schmitt, 14, plans to scout the show for a mate for his 3-year-old male dragon, Puff, who has seemed lonesome lately.
"They display so much emotion," said Schmitt, of Freeport, L.I. He owns 10 reptiles and keeps them in his bedroom.
Caring for a bearded dragon includes providing live food - usually crickets, along with mealworms and waxworms. Reptiles also should have leafy greens and a calcium supplement in their diet.
Though originally from the wilds of Australia, all bearded dragons sold in this country are bred in captivity. For beginners, when buying a baby bearded dragon, Lowder suggests it be at least 2-1/2 months old.
"Look for an animal that's alert," he said. He also advises checking the tail to make sure it's not bony - a sign of poor health.
Equipment purchases include a 10-gallon tank for babies and a 55-gallon tank once they reach six months.
Craig Lopez of Manhattan thrives on the challenge of raising his beardie.
Lopez, 37, traipses around his lower East Side apartment with 8-month-old Bob perched on his shoulders. After the winter, Lopez will move the orange-and-gray lizard to Accidental CDs Records and Tapes, his East Village shop, so the two can spend more time together. "The other night I was watching TV and he fell asleep on me," Lopez said. "Hey, you just can't beat that feeling."
The expo runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $7 for adults, $3 for children 7 to 12. Kids under 7 are free. For more info, call (845) 526-4845, or visit expo's Web site at reptileexpo.com.
E-mail: amysacks1@hotmail.com
Originally published on January 11, 2003
