The Bearded Dragon Manual: Expert Advice for Keeping and Caring for a Healthy Bearded Dragon

by Philippe De Vosjoli, Terri M. Sommella, Robert Mailloux

The perfect book for anyone who owns—or wants to own—a bearded dragon! Reptiles are popular pets, and the bearded dragon is widely considered the best reptile to keep as a pet! The bearded dragon hails from Australia and is a favorite among herpetoculturists and hobbyists alike. This completely updated and expanded edition of the best-selling The Bearded Dragon Manual promises to excite new and seasoned herp enthusiasts with its in-depth discussion on all aspects of dragon keeping and its brilliant color photography. Packed with valuable information that will help you learn how to take quality care of your pet, this book takes a close look at all the characteristics that have made these attractive lizards so popular in the pet world. Learn all about breeding bearded dragons, including egg-laying and incubation, and take a look at their basic genetics; learn the history and characteristics of the different types of bearded dragons; discover how to select bearded dragons as pets or for breeding; create a comfortable habitat for your bearded dragon, emulating nature with proper heat and lighting; understand typical bearded-dragon behavior and personality quirks; learn how to feed your dragon a nutritionally sound diet throughout its life; learn how to recognize signs of disease and how to handle health issues; explore detailed health and feeding charts, and find helpful answers to dragon owners' frequently asked questions on tank size, feeder crickets, shedding issues, UVB, tail rot, and more. As a special bonus, you'll also find vividly illustrated chapters on beautiful color morphs and the care and breeding of frilled dragons. Written by a team of recognized herpetoculture authorities, veterinarians, and specialists, this reliable resource offers comprehensive information and guidelines that will be welcomed by newcomers who wish to add a bearded dragon to their vivarium and experienced bearded-dragon enthusiasts alike. With revised and expanded text and all-new photographs, including brilliantly colored morphs and fascinating frilled dragons, The Bearded Dragon Manual offers comprehensive ownership and care advice from experts in the fields of reptile husbandry, breeding, and veterinary medicine. Packed with information for the beginner, yet sophisticated enough to address more difficult care questions, this book provides a virtual course in bearded dragon husbandry for enthusiasts of any age. Learn all you need to know to provide your dragon with the best care, maintaining your pet in excellent health and condition throughout its life. Get the foundation you need to confidently purchase, set up, and care for your bearded dragon, and be prepared for what to expect, with The Bearded Dragon Manual !

Genres: Animals, Reference, Nonfiction, Childrens, Science

221 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2001

Reviews

[Jenna Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful.

[Blinkyzombie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very great book about how to take care of your beardie. Covers all the aspects of taking care of them, feeding, housing, diseases, breeding, and also dives a bit into Frilled dragons! Would recommend for any level of reptile enthusiast, but this would definitely come in handy for beginners!

[Caleb Block · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book actually helps care for your bearded dragon, and if not for this, I'm sure mine would not be the lizard she is today. Warning: The medical chapter is slightly graphic.

[Bonnie Yavanna Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adequate

[Carlo Ruggiero · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is some good information included, but got very technical in the section on diseases. Be prepared for a couple of photos which show the internal cavity and organs of a dragon.

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

7th

[Nancy Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exactly what any new Bearded Dragon Owner needs to know. I wish I'd had this book from the beginning.

[Hallie Ditzhazy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit dated, but some insight into unique topics!

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve owned bearded dragons for 11 years now, so much of the information in this book I already knew, but I wanted to read it to see how it was and maybe learn some stuff. I did learn a few things and was reminded of some. It would definitely be helpful for new dragon owners to get a good rundown on many important things to know about, such as housing, feeding, handling, behaviors and illnesses. However, I would not use this as your sole source of information and education. I don’t recall them now, but as I read this book I remember having thought, “but what about _______?” I know not everything could be covered in one book, but I know there were things not mentioned that I felt should have been. There were some times when he’d say something, using a term, and I’d think, “what’s that mean?” But I’d ignore it for the time being, thinking he’d explain it in another section. Sometimes he did and sometimes he didn’t, probably forgetting we don’t know as much as he does.

One thing that irritated me was the glaringly obvious typos throughout the entire book. I seriously wonder if it was even edited (I literally grabbed my book and there were two - TWO - editors!! Were they asleep?!). I also wondered about some of the author’s practices as I’ve been told (by knowledgeable dragon owners) to do some of them differently. So who knows? There are also a couple pictures that irritated me. One was a hand holding a hatching baby, yet the author says never to do this. Then why show that photo?? Also, there is a photo of a large bowl of chopped veggies saying that a variety of them helps keep your dragon nutritionally balanced. However, there are red onions in the bowl, which are toxic to many animals and could potentially be to dragons as well. Better to avoid them than take that kind of chance!

Also, there are only a select few of the morphs shown in photos. Why not have pictures of all the different morphs? Must be due to the specific morphs his company breeds I suppose.

I give this book 3 stars for the information and typos. An extra star was added for great photos throughout.

[Carlos Medina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is interesting because it talks about different species of bearded dragons. It talks about how some bearded dragons have brighter colors than others. I like how it shows what types of things should be in the bearded dragons cage. I thought it was cool how there are wild bearded dragons. I think the reason that we need to have a light for the bearded dragon is because they are use to living in the desert. I read about how there are bearded dragons in austrilia. I learned that bearded dragons can live from 15 to 30 years. That is a long time. A full grown bearded dragon can get anywhere from a foot and a half to two feet. Baby bearded dragons are about 5 to 6 inches long. Baby bearded dragons have a very small head. It is about the size of a full grown bearded dragons foot. I liked this book because it gave me alot of interesting facts about bearded dragons . I would recommend this book because it talks about how to take care of bearded dragons. Anyone that is thinking about getting a bearded dragon or already has one should definitely check out this book. I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars because it taught me knew things about bearded dragons and how to take care of them so they grow up healthy.

[Missy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is... AWESOME!! I call the manual my "Beardie Bible". I reference it as needed on ALL the important topics like lighting, environmental or medical issues and feeding schedules.

Plus for those wishing to do so, they have a Breeding/Breeders section. Also, a small (but well detailed) section regarding Frilled Dragons.

This is a well written book for all of a Bearded Dragon owner's needs. Everything is in full detail, and written with layman's terms, as to not make one question what the various authors are explaining.

[Ben Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Others have called this book the "beardie bible", and it is definitely my go to reference when it comes to bearded dragons. The book is put together by two herp vets and three veteran breeders. Unlike the majority of care and maintenance literature available for bearded dragons, all of the data in this book is either based on research or long-term observation. There is a lot of conflicting information out there, about different substrates, lighting, diets, etc. This book is instrumental in bypassing the swamp of misinformation and erroneous products found online and in pet stores.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

We recently adopted an adult bearded dragon. This book has taught me a great deal about her care and needs. There was a lot of information that I found online. The book helped fill in the missing gaps in instruction. She is a happy, healthy dragon thanks to the tips in this book. If you get a dragon, get this book!

[Victoria Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous photos in this book! It did not seem as informative as other Bearded dragon care guides that I have read and there are many noticeable typos and grammatical errors that the editing process should have caught especially since it is a 2nd edition. The beautiful photos make this book worth reading though.

[Kyla Stan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not that impressed with the info in this book. Some of the details conflicted, such as the use of alfalfa, co-habitation and the use of red lights at night. Also, the breeder talked about her business way too much. Also discussed the importance of coloration too much.

Some better sources are on my pet books reading list. Also, join beardeddragon.org. Fantastic site for questions and tips.

[Blaine Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Granted, this is the only book I’ve read about bearded dragons, but it is fantastic! Searching online gives various — and sometimes conflicting — ideas, information, and instructions. This book reflects those trustworthy sources online but keeps them all in one place for an excellent guide and resource.

[Tracy Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Learned a lot.

Learned a lot reading this book, but some things don't seem correct. So much controversy with raising Bearded Dragon's. Some believe absolutely no cohabitation and I have seen the affects of cohabitation and it can be so bad. This book does support cohabitation.

[Cameron Kelly-Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was useful information int he book And a lot of good pictures. But plenty of glaring errors, outdated information, and links to the website of the breeder who wrote it, over and over. You're better off just visiting their website unless you desperately want the information on paper.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

The bible of bearded dragon ownership.

[Apearl17 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome reference.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Bearded Dragon instruction / reference book I have read. I strongly recommend all owners buy.

[Harry Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book to read if you're thinking about getting a bearded dragon, a lot of useful information here.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was confusing and now I'm sure our bearded dragon is dying of like EVERYTHING. Or maybe it's just winter. Or imminent death. *sigh*

[Penny Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buying this one as a reference. Lots of good info. Vet recommended.

[Nicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome detailed advice. Liked it so much I bought it!

[JAMIE JACOBS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was very helpful for me! Everything you need to know about taking care of you beardie.

[Allie Balliet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cool, resourceful guide book for owning a bearded dragon.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

very informative