# Netted Dragons 'vs' Bearded Dragons?



## M-Van86 (Aug 4, 2010)

Hey guys, 

I'm just wondering what the differences in care needs and such are between Central Netted Dragons and Bearded Dragons?

I've seen both species in a local store, am gonna buy a lizard in the future (and only have enough room for one) and I like them both a lot so just wanted to know more.


----------



## richoman_3 (Aug 4, 2010)

sorry i cant help you on this, but im pretty sure its mostly the same

but may i ask which store it was ?

Nick


----------



## LadyJ (Aug 4, 2010)

Well... I know if you're after something you can handle I'd go with the bearded - they're generally great lizards and very hardy.


----------



## timboslice (Aug 4, 2010)

i think beardies are easyer to look after but netteds look way cooler.


----------



## M-Van86 (Aug 4, 2010)

Totally Reptiles


----------



## GeckoJosh (Aug 4, 2010)

Netteds are an active lizard with alot of personality, beardies are usually so docile you can flick them in the face and they wouldn't care (not that i would lol), they will usually sit in the same spot unless its feeding time.
If you want a lizard thats fun to watch get a Netted (if your only getting one then get a male) and try to get a pair as they are really fun to watch interacting.
If you want a lizard thats really hardy and will sit on your head get a beardie
Netteds dont require as much space either, you can keep a pair in a 3 footer, beardies you should provide need at least 4 foot for a pair


----------



## burger (Aug 4, 2010)

re:Geckoman, its true, my beardie regularly crawls up and perches himself on my head while i watch tv!

beardies are really quite 'boring' in the sense that they dont do much most of the day, but they are really easy to keep, and they are cool little fellas. very relaxed, and very forgiving. excellent pets, if you dont want something that will run around all day (or at all).


----------



## M-Van86 (Aug 4, 2010)

Thanks for the replies so far guys 

Since it's being pointed out as a factor I should consider:  

I want a fairly active Lizard that I can enjoy looking at and watching move around in daylight, as my Spotted Python (cool as he is) usually hides under his newspaper all day. But I would also like to be able to handle the Lizard.

Which species does that best describe?


----------



## GeckoJosh (Aug 4, 2010)

Oh and also beardies stink to high hell, you havent smelt a rank dropping until you have had a beardie that ate 50 Silkworms the day before, they also make alot more mess.
Netteds dropping are alot smaller and easier to manage, they also hardly smell at all.

You can handle netteds but they dont like it, besides you will soon grow bored of handling them anyway.
Beardies are really the only lizard i can think of that dont mind regular handling, but as already said they dont do much apart from eat and bask.

I think Blue tongues can be handled but i haven't kept them so im sure someone else will let you know if thats an option for you


----------



## jbowers (Aug 4, 2010)

Also, buy from a private breeder. Between here, herptrader, gumtree, petlink and petpages you will find something far cheaper and in better health than what you'd find at totally reptiles. I go in there occasionally as it's my local reptile store to get emergency crickets. Their bearded dragons look terribly unhealthy as do most of their animals. Tiny enclosures and insufficient lighting for most of them.


----------



## jbowers (Aug 4, 2010)

You seem to be describing an Ackie monitor, btw. I don't own one, but soon will. Apparently very active, but can be relatively handle-able with some effort. Beardies are crazy easy to handle, but not very entertaining to watch. I have a hunch that there isn't too much going on upstairs with them....


----------



## M-Van86 (Aug 4, 2010)

jbowers said:


> Also, buy from a private breeder. Between here, herptrader, gumtree, petlink and petpages you will find something far cheaper and in better health than what you'd find at totally reptiles. I go in there occasionally as it's my local reptile store to get emergency crickets. Their bearded dragons look terribly unhealthy as do most of their animals. Tiny enclosures and insufficient lighting for most of them.


Hhmm, I've always found the Reps at Totally Reptiles to be looking healthy and active with enough room - as opposed to an Aquarium I know that sells Reps and Fish, now those animals look absolutely miserable and pathetic.


----------



## jbowers (Aug 4, 2010)

Eh, they are ok. I've seen worse, but I've seen a lot better. Recently the beardies i've seen in there (about 3-4 weeks ago) seemed to be looking underweight and lethargic. They are also charging insane prices for certain things. If you can be bothered, it's seriously worth it to just go to a breeder directly.


----------



## M-Van86 (Aug 4, 2010)

jbowers said:


> Eh, they are ok. I've seen worse, but I've seen a lot better. Recently the beardies i've seen in there (about 3-4 weeks ago) seemed to be looking underweight and lethargic. They are also charging insane prices for certain things. If you can be bothered, it's seriously worth it to just go to a breeder directly.


Haven't seen many reptile stores around (maybe I live in the wrong part of the state) so don't have too much to judge by but I've always thought they look fairly good. The Aquarium I mentioned, they don't have enough staff and so the animals don't look too good - nor do the enclosures (mess, lots of condensation on the windows).

Some of the price things are true enough though.


----------



## jbowers (Aug 4, 2010)

One of the issues I've had with this place is, I have often walked in to fine 3-4 staff members standing around, chatting to someone else in the store, presumably a delivery guy they know well. Whilst this is happening there is usually atleast 2, sometimes much more, uncleaned poos in the lizard enclosures.

Basically by 'seen better', I mean I've seen better in peoples homes.... I imagine it is very hard to run a viable shop whilst still keeping the animals in the kind of condition we enthusiasts like to keep them.


----------



## M-Van86 (Aug 4, 2010)

jbowers said:


> One of the issues I've had with this place is, I have often walked in to fine 3-4 staff members standing around, chatting to someone else in the store, presumably a delivery guy they know well. Whilst this is happening there is usually atleast 2, sometimes much more, uncleaned poos in the lizard enclosures.
> 
> Basically by 'seen better', I mean I've seen better in peoples homes.... I imagine it is very hard to run a viable shop whilst still keeping the animals in the kind of condition we enthusiasts like to keep them.


Yeah, I've noticed they do get side tracked talking a lot - and when it's to someone who tends to hang around one does wonder why they can't go around doing things while they're talking. That said the Aquarium I'm referring to only ever has 1-2 people on call, so unless it's a quiet day they've too busy dealing with customers to do anything.

I still remember the last time I went in, there were a group of blue-tongues together in an enclosure that had condensation on the glass, I think there were some insects in there as well, and they just looked so miserable (if I go back and see it like that again I'll be tempted to call the Department)... And a lot of the others tended to just stay put or more really slowly. 

By comparison the animals at Totally always seem fairly upbeat (I've certainly never seen one that made me think it was miserable), active, usually well fed and comfy. 

Definitely is an area that having a business in would be difficult, cause you have to try to find a balancing act between the business stuff and the animals needs. 

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. I'd definitely like to be able to handle whatever I get and see it moving around - seems like a bit of a pickle from what I'm hearing; Beardies don't mind being handled but are a little lazy, Netteds don't like being handled but are active and interesting.


----------



## jbowers (Aug 4, 2010)

Just to clear it up, I reckon totally reptiles is one of the better stores around, at least in melbourne. That's not saying much though.

I liked my beardie a lot, but I got rid of him because, despite how good he was to handle, I just don't find them to be hugely engaging animals. Monitors are my favourite, but I'm very glad I did the time with a good beginner reptile like a beardie because I learned a lot with an animal that is quite forgiving.


----------



## M-Van86 (Aug 4, 2010)

jbowers said:


> Just to clear it up, I reckon totally reptiles is one of the better stores around, at least in melbourne. That's not saying much though.
> 
> I liked my beardie a lot, but I got rid of him because, despite how good he was to handle, I just don't find them to be hugely engaging animals. Monitors are my favourite, but I'm very glad I did the time with a good beginner reptile like a beardie because I learned a lot with an animal that is quite forgiving.


 Ah okay. I must confess there have been times their habit of talking to someone rather than giving me service or checking their animals has got on my nerves so I can understand where you're coming from. Still I've had good advice and help from them so it's a balancing thing.

Yeah it's certainly sad, especially considering how many cool reptiles we have in Australia, that there aren't a lot of Reptile stores. Hhhmm, yeah I can understand that - the fact my Spotted Python hides under his newspaper during the day makes him a little less engaging (although I find it's made up for a little when he's moving about at night and when I handle him).

Got to say I'm not sure I want something that'll look good in a viv but won't take kindly to me handling it (not that I'll be picking it up every minute of every day that I can; it's a living animal not a toy).


----------



## petesmith81 (Aug 5, 2010)

jbowers said:


> Just to clear it up, I reckon totally reptiles is one of the better stores around, at least in melbourne. That's not saying much though.
> 
> I liked my beardie a lot, but I got rid of him because, despite how good he was to handle, I just don't find them to be hugely engaging animals. Monitors are my favourite, but I'm very glad I did the time with a good beginner reptile like a beardie because I learned a lot with an animal that is quite forgiving.


 

Agreed jbowers, Totally Reptiles is one of the better ones in Metro Melbourne, i have found Menton and Coburg Aquariums are reasonably good too, however the selection of reptiles is not quite as large


----------



## Metalbeard (Aug 5, 2010)

I have 4 young beardies around the 8month age, all totally different. They are set up beside my computer so i can watch them all the time. They all have different personalities, One is just lazy just chills all day till Feeding but doesnt like being handled to much, one just loves climbing and just falls asleep on you when handle her. One is just crazy all the time just loves to 'hunt' When i handle her she just tries to get higher by climbing my shirt (my Favourite child).

I dont know much about Netted Dragons so i cant say anything nice.With beardies just be sure to stay ontop of thier droppings like gecko said cause they get alittle smelly if your not careful. 

But If you were considering Sand monitors i hear good things.


----------



## M-Van86 (Aug 5, 2010)

Monitors are a bit big for the amount of space I have available to me.

Only really have enough space for another roughly 100cm long enclosure.


----------



## jbowers (Aug 5, 2010)

That's not ideal for a beardie. Generally people recommend 4x2x2 feet. In that space you can house a pair of ackie monitors. Just sayin....


----------



## GeckoJosh (Aug 5, 2010)

jbowers said:


> That's not ideal for a beardie. Generally people recommend 4x2x2 feet. In that space you can house a pair of ackie monitors. Just sayin....


 A 3 foot tank is not big enough for a pair of adult ackies imo, they are just as big as Beardies and far more active


----------



## M-Van86 (Aug 5, 2010)

jbowers said:


> That's not ideal for a beardie. Generally people recommend 4x2x2 feet. In that space you can house a pair of ackie monitors. Just sayin....


Okay.

Currently have a 97cms by 47cms by 47.5cms enclosure for my Spotted Python. I can probably manage a 117cms long enclosure in my room (don't have too many solid bases to rest things on), with another possible 42cms available (if I can find a prop up). 

What size are Ackie Monitors? Can't find info on them.


----------



## jbowers (Aug 5, 2010)

Sorry, I was saying a 4 foot was enough. Wasn't very clear. Just trying to point out that ackies require roughly the same space as beardies.


----------



## M-Van86 (Aug 5, 2010)

jbowers said:


> Sorry, I was saying a 4 foot was enough. Wasn't very clear. Just trying to point out that ackies require roughly the same space as beardies.


 Oh okay. 

I see, interesting.


----------



## Chris1 (Aug 6, 2010)

beardies are the best!! 
active, affectionate and easy going.
if u have time to put them in a sink half filled with warm water daily (or every second) you wont have to deal with a stinky enclosure. (warm baths make them poo, mine have a bath and shower while im getting ready for work.)


----------



## mckellar007 (Aug 8, 2010)

jbowers:

i have been working at totally reptiles for 3 years, and compared to the other shops i have seen, all the enclosures are pretty clean, yeah, they do get dirty, and sometimes when you have a busy shop, and only one person working, you have to serve customers instead of clean out the crap in the enclosures. but when you have over 100 animals, its not an easy job to keep everything spotless. also all the lighting in the shop is correct, i dont know where you got the idea that some of the animals are kept with incorrect lighting. 



jbowers said:


> Also, buy from a private breeder. Between here, herptrader, gumtree, petlink and petpages you will find something far cheaper and in better health than what you'd find at totally reptiles. I go in there occasionally as it's my local reptile store to get emergency crickets. Their bearded dragons look terribly unhealthy as do most of their animals. Tiny enclosures and insufficient lighting for most of them.



none of the animals in the shop are unhealthy, anything that is unwell is kept out the back, and most of the time its because customers have bought their animal from another shop(ie living jungle) and they have been given the wrong advice or kept it with the innappropriate lighting. and because the shop they have got it from dont care about the animal once they have gotten their money for it.




jbowers said:


> One of the issues I've had with this place is, I have often walked in to fine 3-4 staff members standing around, chatting to someone else in the store, presumably a delivery guy they know well. Whilst this is happening there is usually atleast 2, sometimes much more, uncleaned poos in the lizard enclosures.
> 
> Basically by 'seen better', I mean I've seen better in peoples homes.... I imagine it is very hard to run a viable shop whilst still keeping the animals in the kind of condition we enthusiasts like to keep them.



there is only 4 people that work at the shop, and only ever 2 staff on at any given time, normally only one. 2 uncleaned poo's in a beardie enclosure isn't much when you have over 100 animals to look after, all the animals get cleaned out atleast once a week, lizards are usually cleaned 2-3 times a week because there is normally more then one in an enclosure and when they are fed every day its something that needs to be done. 

the shop is in no worse condition then my animals at home, and all my animals are healthy and happy.


----------



## jbowers (Aug 8, 2010)

I went in there the other day actually, and I thought about my comments, and I was certainly a little harsh on the place. The enclosures all looked clean and nearly all the animals seemed to be in great shape. The bad looking ones were 2 or 3 adult beardies who seemed to have very little condition on them at all, especially one who was brumating.

I could be wrong about the staff member thing, maybe it was delivery people etc there as well so I won't guess any further!

One thing I don't agree with is the use of compact UV globes, but that's a personal thing based on research I've done, they might very well be fine. I've also read that using a uv bulb without another source of bright light in the enclosure can cause retina damage to bearded dragons - and the shop seems to use red and blue bulbs mostly in the beardie enclosures from what i've seen.

That's just one thing though, and a small thing. I was harsh, and I'm sorry about that. I think I was just bored...


----------



## anntay (Aug 8, 2010)

beardies are easier to handle and like to be out and sit on you were as netted's are mostly just for show and looking at not good to handle. netted's are smaller then the beardies. it all depends on what u like to do. i will get my netted out for 1-2 minutes every now and then always holding him.


----------



## mckellar007 (Aug 8, 2010)

jbowers said:


> I went in there the other day actually, and I thought about my comments, and I was certainly a little harsh on the place. The enclosures all looked clean and nearly all the animals seemed to be in great shape. The bad looking ones were 2 or 3 adult beardies who seemed to have very little condition on them at all, especially one who was brumating.
> 
> I could be wrong about the staff member thing, maybe it was delivery people etc there as well so I won't guess any further!
> 
> ...



the only reason compact UV bulbs are used is because the enclosure is too small for a 2 ft fluro, and the 1 ft ones are harder to come by. i'd like to see a copy of the research you have done if you have it handy, i havent heard about the retina damage in beardies, sounds interesting as i have been keeping beardies like this for years without any ill effects. all the animals are healthy accept one beardie who i personally went out and confiscated from a customer because he had really bad MBD and wasnt eating. we have gotten him eating but the MBD still shows. the beardies get fed fruit and vege twice a week and crickets every day. so none of them are underweight, some have little condition on them when they come in, but thats because of people that have had them before hand.

if you see a problem with any of the animals, your more then welcome to come up to me or one of the other staff and let us know, we can explain what is going on with that particular animal.


----------



## jbowers (Aug 8, 2010)

Thanks for being so upfront and transparent. Really helped mate.

I can't remember where I read it. I stumbled upon it when I used to own a beardie and read beardeddragon.org forums.

About the compact bulbs, a quick google search found these 2 discussions: The Reptile Whisperer: Compact UVB bulbs, harmful to reptiles?

Compact UVB lights harmful? - Gecko Resource Forums

I have noticed that some of the bad looking dragons are 'visiting' rather than for sale. Cleared it up.


----------



## andyscott (Aug 9, 2010)

I have noticed that since you made your 1st post and Jason has made comment you have eased up a bit.

Now I have been a customer of the shop for many years.
I know the owner very well, and as far as I can see.
Jody and her staff never give out false information on the care of any animal.
Infact Id say the information they give their customers is 1st rate.

The only time I have seen sick, unhealthy or mistreated animals at the shop is, as Jason stated,
mistreated animals that have been brought into the shop for care and to be saved.
Known Reptile Vet, Dr Peter Cameron is at the shop every other week (how many shops do that?)

I also know that a lot of their animals are bred by breeders that dont sell on the open market.
Some are even members of this forum, people that breed reptiles and cant be bothered with tyre kickers and advertising their hatchlings ect. So Jody gets the pick of the clutches, sometimes the whole clutch for the shop.

I would like to know if the next time your in the shop buying crickets, will you put your hand up and say,
''Im jbowers, Im the one that tried to discredit the shop on an open forum''
Next time you feel the need to try and discredit someone, go out to your car, open the door, place your typing hand in there and slam the door shut.
Please do this before you start typing your BS again.


----------



## clouded_mind (Aug 9, 2010)

This thread is a hoot, just way too funny.











Oh and predictable and common also


----------



## jbowers (Aug 9, 2010)

andyscott said:


> I would like to know if the next time your in the shop buying crickets, will you put your hand up and say,
> ''Im jbowers, Im the one that tried to discredit the shop on an open forum''
> Next time you feel the need to try and discredit someone, go out to your car, open the door, place your typing hand in there and slam the door shut.
> Please do this before you start typing your BS again.


 
I won't be doing this.

I have already apologised, and am more than willing to have my first and second post about this shop deleted. I had a surface level understanding of what was going on in this shop, and made some remarks that were unfair and inaccurate. I didn't make the comments with the intention of stirring up **** or dissing the reputation of that store either, though it certainly had that effect. I was just generally concerned for the few poor looking beardies (I now know they are there to get healthier) that I saw there. This was exacerbated by my recent travels to other pet stores where I have seen much worse, and this undoubtedly caused me to want to lump them all in to the same category. That was **** of me. 

That's awesome about the vet, btw.

I'm pretty sure Jason knows who I am already, seeing as last time I was in there i talked about getting ackies of snake_freak and now I have just posted here saying I have got them. If he is the guy who works there that I think he is anyway...

So yeah, sorry. Will I be slamming my hand in a car door? Seeing as my main source of income is performing as a pianist and keyboard player, I don't think I will. There is really no need to get so aggressive about this.

Edit: Sorry for sidetracking this thread so much. If anyone has anything further to say about this discussion, PM me.


----------



## BigWillieStyles (Aug 9, 2010)

Chris1 said:


> beardies are the best!!
> active, affectionate and easy going.
> if u have time to put them in a sink half filled with warm water daily (or every second) you wont have to deal with a stinky enclosure. (warm baths make them poo, mine have a bath and shower while im getting ready for work.)


 
I thought this post was pretty funny.


----------



## AllThingsReptile (Aug 9, 2010)

i dont live in melb or know much about the shops there but "amazing amazon" looks good, its got a website: amazingamazon.com and they have a lot of reps in there, also id go with netteds as they are just purely rarer, everyone has a beardie.
oh and by the way my beardies are energetic little physcos but VERY tame when being handled.
also beardies grow bigger..


----------



## GeckoJosh (Aug 9, 2010)

Edit


----------



## Megzz (Aug 9, 2010)

Chris1 said:


> beardies are the best!!
> active, affectionate and easy going.
> if u have time to put them in a sink half filled with warm water daily (or every second) you wont have to deal with a stinky enclosure. (warm baths make them poo, mine have a bath and shower while im getting ready for work.)



Haha thats cute.

Seriously though, the amount mine poop they'd practically have to live in the bath.


----------



## Chris1 (Aug 9, 2010)

seriously, they can be trained, and they learn quickly! a 2 year old i got a few months ago only did 2 in the wrong place right at the start, and has ONLY pooed in the shower since.

mine are house dragons and from 7 dragons i might find a stray poo once every 6 months.

they will hold on till bath time if in any way possible, sometimes theyre going as soon as they hit the water,..!! 
there are rare times they want second bath, and they let me know.


----------



## Megzz (Aug 9, 2010)

:shock: Are you joking? This would make my life A LOT less stinky!


----------



## Kristy_07 (Aug 9, 2010)

Megzz said:


> :shock: Are you joking? This would make my life A LOT less stinky!


 
No - mine hold's on til bath time or when he's let out on the grass, too


----------



## Megzz (Aug 9, 2010)

Thats awesome, looks like my 2 have a new routine starting tomorrow.


----------



## AllThingsReptile (Aug 9, 2010)

lol my beardies love to bath they just lie there enjoying it


----------

