Why is there so much misinformation about beardie care?

[Aziara]

This is a question that has been rattling around in my brain since an awful experience with a local petshop owner.
He had one half grown beardie, no UVB, on sand. I asked him about it, and he says he usually doesn't carry beardies, that one was a 'trade-in' for something else. He says he 'can't stand them anymore because he used to breed them, and got sick of dealing with their parasites and diseases. Also, they poop so d#%n much', then proceeds to tell me 'they don't need UVB, I stopped using UVB, I didn't see any difference at all'.
There was no reasoning with they guy, so I left, although I feel awful for the juvenile in his care, and what he's going to tell its next owner.

So why the heck is there so much misinformation about beardie care, especially among petshops? Not all petshops are bad though, the other locally-owned petshop has their beardies in enclosures with powersuns (I think that's what it's called, heat + UVB in one) on paper towels. They ALSO used to breed them, but got out because the babies eat so much live food(which is honestly a better reason. At least they were giving them proper care)

I've heard everything from 'he doesn't need UVB' to 'His beard's black because he's happy' to 'they can eat all veggies' or the ever popular 'they love sand! They come from the desert, after all!"

I can almost understand the sand/calcisand, because the petshop knows you'll be back to buy more. Why don't they always suggest the UVB? You'd also be back to buy more, every 6 months or so.

Other pets don't have this level of misinformation running around. If you get a dog, the petshop isn't going to tell you to feed him chocolate everyday, if you get a cat, the petshop isn't going to tell you to make him a salad. They sell you a fish, they're not going to tell you to pour milk in the tank or something. And nobody thinks that snakes are omnivores...

So why are bearded dragons so misunderstood??

 

[Aziara]

Can admins please delete one of these? I accidentally put it up twice...

 

[PatsyB]

Can admins please delete one of these? I accidentally put it up twice...

Done!

I think because they are such new animals to have as pets, it's a constant learning experience and we are learning new things about them. I do disagree about the UVB, I think all animals even nocturnals, need UVB light. Someone on one of my Facebook pages posted a training video from Petco and it was all old information that hasn't been updated in I don't know how long!

Even when I started over 4 years ago things have changed. I was told that they absorbed water through their vents so you needed to soak them every other day so they can get hydration. Now it's found they don't and it's actually not recommended to bathe them unless they are dirty or they are having a difficult shed. Kale, it was a never feed item and now they've loosened up and say that it's actually good to feed them if it's mixed with other things.

 

[Aziara]

I do disagree about the UVB, I think all animals even nocturnals, need UVB light.

I wasn't saying the guy was correct, it is actually my thoughts that lack of UVB light and possibly poor diet is what led to the 'diseases and parasites'.
Even the wikipedia page for bearded dragons has better info than most people giving advice at pet stores:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pogona

 

[BeardedHippy]

I know what you mean. Last week I went into the pet store where I bought my dragons to get some waxworms. I must say, knowing what I know now I felt so sorry for the poor little things, crappy bulbs inches away from their heads and they were so skinny. He had obviously never kept them himself as a pet and just had general herp knowledge, to him it was just a business, and therein lies the problem.

 

[Aziara]

I think that may be some of it, that people are going by general herp knowledge... When I first mentioned I wanted to get a bearded dragon, my husband said, "Well, I suppose it won't need to eat that much, it is a reptile after all. You only feed a snake once a week, right?" It's a good thing the internet and this forum exist, or maybe I would have just gone with that and starved my poor critter.
Maybe a lot of people are the same, thinking you can give them the same care as a snake or tortoise, and think they'll be ok--and for some reason never bother to do their research...
It's the lack of research that really bugs me...They're getting a new creature they've never had, don't they think they should at least do a LITTLE research??? Some people...

 

[Hdrydr31]

I think that may be some of it, that people are going by general herp knowledge... When I first mentioned I wanted to get a bearded dragon, my husband said, "Well, I suppose it won't need to eat that much, it is a reptile after all. You only feed a snake once a week, right?" It's a good thing the internet and this forum exist, or maybe I would have just gone with that and starved my poor critter.
Maybe a lot of people are the same, thinking you can give them the same care as a snake or tortoise, and think they'll be ok--and for some reason never bother to do their research...
It's the lack of research that really bugs me...They're getting a new creature they've never had, don't they think they should at least do a LITTLE research??? Some people...

It is very sad when people just impulse buy without doing the research on whatever they end up buying.. Oh look how cute they are, then they grow up and the cuteness wears off..Dragon's like most critters are a lifetime commitment and they can live 10+ years!
Just another reason we try very hard here to be a source for good solid information

 

[Aziara]

I take it back about people not being misinformed about more common pets.
I just rescued two 'kittens', (guy said they were a year old, but they are the size of 3 month olds), the guy that had them plainly told me "You don't have to feed cats, they'll hunt." He said he hadn't provided them food for three months!!
Considering he started off with a momma cat and 5 kittens, and ended up with 3 emaciated kittens, somehow didn't tip him off that he was wrong. The fact that momma cat was eaten by her kittens after she died didn't tell him that they were starving to death, he just figured cats are 'evil little cannibals'. He insisted I leave him one, for 'hunting the mice', and the only reason I didn't take it anyway was he said 'I got no problem just feeding one.'... Also, I couldn't catch it.
If they showed their little faces on his porch, he would spray them with bleach. IN THE EYES...
Some people just don't care about the suffering or pain of animals. The funny thing is, the same guy has a dog he treats like a son....

 

[Hdrydr31]

I take it back about people not being misinformed about more common pets.
I just rescued two 'kittens', (guy said they were a year old, but they are the size of 3 month olds), the guy that had them plainly told me "You don't have to feed cats, they'll hunt." He said he hadn't provided them food for three months!!
Considering he started off with a momma cat and 5 kittens, and ended up with 3 emaciated kittens, somehow didn't tip him off that he was wrong. The fact that momma cat was eaten by her kittens after she died didn't tell him that they were starving to death, he just figured cats are 'evil little cannibals'. He insisted I leave him one, for 'hunting the mice', and the only reason I didn't take it anyway was he said 'I got no problem just feeding one.'... Also, I couldn't catch it.
If they showed their little faces on his porch, he would spray them with bleach. IN THE EYES...
Some people just don't care about the suffering or pain of animals. The funny thing is, the same guy has a dog he treats like a son....

OMG!!!

 

[BeardedHippy]

That is bad, really bad. There is no excuse for that sort of ignorance and cruelty, yet it goes on all the time. He should be prosecuted and banned from keeping animals for life, even the dog. Well, as Ive said before, thank goodness there are people like you, even though its a responsibility you shouldnt have to bear.

 

[Draeju's_world]

If true, he should be reported.

 

[Aziara]

I have honestly given up on reporting things in my area. The response is always: "Deal with it yourself, we're not."
Reporting a starving dog kept on a chain by a neighbor? "Go and ask him if he will give it to you."
Reporting abandoned cats? "Well, you're taking care of them now, problem solved."
Those are examples of actual conversations between local animal control, police, animal aid, etc -- and either myself or my family.
Nobody gives a crap.