Is a blue tongue skink or bearded dragon easier to care for?

[turtlesrule101]

Hi guys! Thinking about getting one of the two lizards in October and wanted to hear your opinion.
Thanks!
Brooke

 

[Itort]

They are both great lizards. The basic care is same with the only real difference is with a bearded dragon you need to feed some live food (crickets, roaches, ect) whereas a bluetongue doesn't require them. I prefer blue tongues as to me they seem more responsive to human contact.

 

[lisa127]

Blue tongues are much easier, IMO. UVB is less crucial to BTS than dragons, though most people do still supply it. Adult BTS eat maybe twice a week, and do not require live food. Dragons need live food and need to be fed daily. Both need the same size enclosures, though. I've had a BTS for 13 years now (he is at least 15 years old) and he has been healthy and hardy the whole time. No health problems whatsoever. They are very laid back lizards.

 

[turtlesrule101]

Thanks guys! I've been doing research and I think I going with the BTS

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

LOL...I'm biased, but I agree that BTS are less maintenance than beardies. And because of their longer lifespan, you get a little more bang for the buck, in a way, although their initial price may be more.

I will say that I do know a few folks that have raised beardies successfully on commercial diet and no live prey...but they are still higher maintenance because of their higher metabolism (they poop a lot more often!), which leads to more frequent cage cleanings.

 

[Sulcata tortoise665]

I would say bearded dragon because bts's defecate a lot and you have to clean the enclosure more often. Also beardies are really sweet!

 

[Tom]

I would say bearded dragon because bts's defecate a lot and you have to clean the enclosure more often. Also beardies are really sweet!

Have you kept both?

I have. Without exaggeration I would estimate that a beardie generates 4-5 times the waste of a BTS the same size.

BTSs are also MUCH easier to feed.

I like beardies. They are cool lizards. My vote in this case, however, is solidly for the BT. I have the Northern variety and I LOVE it. Got mine from JeffG here on this site.

 

[lisa127]

I would say bearded dragon because bts's defecate a lot and you have to clean the enclosure more often. Also beardies are really sweet!

Have you kept both?

I have. Without exaggeration I would estimate that a beardie generates 4-5 times the waste of a BTS the same size.

BTSs are also MUCH easier to feed.




I like beardies. They are cool lizards. My vote in this case, however, is solidly for the BT. I have the Northern variety and I LOVE it. Got mine from JeffG here on this site.

I agree with Tom. Beardies eat daily, and BTS do not. There's no way BTS go more than Beardies. My old BTS is only fed once a week now.

 

[Sulcata tortoise665]

No I haven't owned both. But someone I know has some and I've spent a lot of time around them. I've also read that they go more then bts's