Here Be Dragons

WARNING:
Bearded Dragons can be addictive.

Puff Watching a Beardie Video

No one told me that when I chose my sweet little bearded dragon as a Christmas present from Morgan (Christmas 2010).  I named her Puff (the Magic Dragon) and took her to school every day to get her used to being handled, but I had to take her home every night because she needed to be fed several times a day. Beardies can grow to be 2 feet long if given the proper nutrition. After I had adjusted to spending all of my lunch money on crickets for Puff's insatiable gullet, I began to crave an addition to my happy home. Adults (I read) are mostly vegetarian, requiring much less protein than the juveniles.  I started keeping my eyes open for beardies on the reptile forums I had joined. Finally, in April, I found one in my limited price range and made arrangements to meet him. When I picked him up, I also acquired two leopard geckos that were so skinny I felt I was making a rescue.  Upon arriving back home, I was able to inspect "Spike" a little more closely, I realized where all of the geckos' groceries had been going. "Spike" was very chubby, and very nervous. I wasn't brave enough to pick him up, and decided to gain his trust slowly. 

I also decided that he must have a new name - "Spike" was absolutely too cliche. I wanted a name that would make him seem less intimidating, since he was more than intimidating on his own.  I picked "Pookie," but several of my co-workers objected. Morgan suggested "Navarog." This was the name of a demon-dragon in a series she had read named Fablehaven.  I couldn't get used to "Navarog," but finally compromised by calling him "Navi" for short.
Two weeks after this acquisition, my reptile mentor (Mark) came over to deliver an albino corn snake I had adopted and I asked him to take a look at Navi. I was worried that he might be impacted because he hadn't defecated since I brought him home (TMI?). Mark picked him right up without incident. However, he pronounced him "obese" and instructed me to not feed him for a week, and then only greens - no more crickets for Navi.
After I watched how Mark handled him, I was comfortable picking him up and reserved to handle him every day so he would become more comfortable with human contact. He has been a wonderful addition to my family, and I have enjoyed getting to know him.