The authoritative information and advice you need, illustrated throughout with full-colour photographs--now revised and redesigned to be even more reader-friendly!

Bearded dragons are increasingly popular; they may soon overtake the green iguana as the most popular reptile in the U.S. With their unique appearance, docile nature, and minimal care requirements, beardies make a great introduction to reptile keeping. With colorful photos, charts, and tables, this guide covers the basics, including:

• The beardie's background and the various breeds of bearded dragons
• Choosing your bearded dragon
• Setting up and maintaining your beardie's home, complete with a basking area and lighting
• Feeding and caring for your bearded dragon

Hardcover - 128 pages

Author - Steve Grenard is an avid herpetologist with more than forty years of experience with amphibians and reptiles; he published a paper on the reproduction of the Marsupial Frog in 1958. In the summer of 2000, he published a controversial and widely debated review in Natural History Magazine on the possibility of American rattlesnake venoms evolving new properties.

Table of Contents :

Part I: The Wonderful Lizard of Oz.
Chapter 1: What Is the Lizard of Oz?
The Types of Bearded Dragons.

Chapter 2: The Wild Life of the Bearded Dragon.
Temperature Regulation.
Predator and Prey.
Beardie Social Interactions.
Bearded Dragons as Pets.
Courtship and Mating.

Chapter 3: Beardies in and out of Oz.
Australian Wildlife Crises.
How the Bearded Dragon Left Oz.
An Australian Perspective.
Part II: Your Pet Bearded Dragon.

Chapter 4: The Biology of Beardies.
Beardie Anatomy.
Beardie Physiology.
Beardie Senses.

Chapter 5: Choosing a Pet Bearded Dragon.
Bring Home a Healthy Beardie.
Color Variations and Designer Beardies.
Where to Get Your Bearded Dragon.

Chapter 6: Setting Up Your Beardie's Home.
Indoor Housing.
Lighting the Lizard of Oz.
Providing Heat.
Cage Cleaning and Maintenance.
Outdoor Housing.
Part III: Caring for Your Bearded Dragon.

Chapter 7: Feeding Your Bearded Dragon.
Fruits and Veggies.
Commercial Lizard Foods.
Insects.
Feeding Babies - Newborn to 4 Months Old.
Feeding Adults 4 Months to Adulthood.
Water for Your Beardies.

Chapter 8: Keeping Your Beardie Healthy.
Choosing a Veterinarian.
Hereditary Diseases.
Nutritional Disorders.
Traumatic Injuries.
Infectious Diseases.
Parasitic Infections.
Handling Do's and Don'ts.
Dystocia.
Neurological Disorders.
Environmental Toxins.
Brumation.

Chapter 9: Breeding Bearded Dragons.
Sexing.
Conditioning and Nutrition.
Getting to Know You.
Egg Laying.
Incubating Bearded Dragon Eggs.
Hatching Eggs.
Baby Dragons.

Appendix: Learning More About Your Bearded Dragon.
Some Good Books.
Magazines.
Internet Resources.
Reptile Veterinarians.
Shows, Expos, and Swap Meets.
Shopping on the Internet.
Index.