The Bearded Dragon Cuddles But Doesn't Breathe Fire

First, let's talk about bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) in general. These reptiles are lizards native to Australia. In the wild, bearded dragons live in rocky and arid regions, lounging on branches, sunning on rocks, or chilling in the bushes and shade.

These large lizards have triangular heads and flat bodies, and they're covered with soft, spiny scales. Most bearded dragons make great pet reptiles because they don't get too big, they're omnivorous (which means they eat lots of different foods) and they're surprisingly gentle.

Despite being native to Australia, you don't get a pet bearded dragon from Down Under, that's for sure; exporting any flora or fauna from Australia has been illegal since the 1960s. All the bearded dragons sold as pets come from stock that has been bred in the United States for decades.

That means there are lots of ways to get one of these animals. Many pet stores have young bearded dragons, though the store may not know where the lizard originally came from or how it was raised before the store got it. You can also purchase a bearded dragon at a reptile expo or order one from a breeder.

Buying from a breeder lets you choose the type of dragon you want, even down to its color and markings, and you'll know things like how it was fed and caged since birth. Most online breeders can ship the baby beardies right to your door.

Keep in mind that a male bearded dragon may be larger than a female one when fully grown.

Bearded dragon care revolves around giving your scaly friends a lot of bugs and plants. Both fully grown and young bearded dragons eat mostly protein, along with a healthy diet of veggies. But the bearded dragon you buy from a breeder or a pet store will be a baby. And baby lizards eat a lot of protein.

That means in addition to raising a bearded dragon, you're also going to raise crickets — and maybe even roaches — for food.

Beardie owner Andrea Windler and her 9-year-old son Parker found that buying bulk crickets for their young bearded dragon, Draca, was far less expensive than buying a few crickets at a time. That's because Draca eats about 30 crickets a day.

As they get older, dragons need brightly colored veggies too. You should give your dragon vegetables every day and reduce their intake of insects to every other day once they're around 9 months old.

Most experts recommend chopping the veggies into tiny pieces that could fit in the space between their little dragon eyes. Collette Latimer of Atomic Lizard Ranch says her dragons love colorful nasturtium blossoms, though raw carrots and greens work, too.

Each type of beardie has distinct traits that make it special.

Depending on their size and coloring, bearded dragons can cost anywhere from about $50 to over $100.

You'll also need an aquarium that is at least 40 gallons (151 liters) for one dragon. That tank needs to have:

Don't include heat rocks, though, because they can get super hot.

Also, be sure to remember a "substrate," which means a lining for the bottom of the tank. You can opt for a reptile carpet or loose substrates.

Latimer recommends clean playground sand or kiln-dried all-purpose sand over pet store sand. Pet store sand is very fine and can clog up a dragon's digestive system if he eats it. (Bearded dragons poop a lot so you have to clean their home daily.)

A cozy, well-lit tank is essential for a healthy bearded dragon. You'll need a full-spectrum lamp for warmth and UVB rays. A light with both fluorescent and incandescent light is ideal.

If your dragon gets too hot, he'll sit with his mouth open. When that happens, just turn off some of your tank's lights and give him some time to chill.

Yes, both male and female bearded dragons like to cuddle. However, like all lizards, bearded dragons can carry salmonella, so be sure to wash your hands after your snuggle.

Latimer notes that — like their distant cousins, parrots — dragons can sometimes bond to their people. They can even stop eating if separated from their human. Windler says that Draca likes her tank in the family den where "she can see all the commotion."

Baby lizards can be skittish at first. Latimer points out that "they are at the bottom of the food chain." But once they get used to their people, they're happy to hang out. Parker visits his friends in the neighborhood with Draca on his shoulder.

Babies are about 6 inches (15 centimeters) long, and at about a year, they're fully grown. Latimer says the typical beardie averages 16 to 19 inches (15 to 48 centimeters) from the tip of its nose to the tip of its tail.

Bearded dragons are a commitment. They typically live 6 to 10 years, though they can live a little longer, depending on care and breeding.