I know some of you will think I've lost the plot and you could be right but ever since I had to give  up my parrots I've missed them terribly so I started to look at a new addition to my household of the non fur n feather variety. 

I now have 3mth old beardied dragon lizard who has just had her first shed since I had her two weeks ago so I know the gargantuan appetite is resulting in real growth not just an illusion lol.  She's 10 inches long with about another 14 to go before she's fully grown and can eat for the world crickets, mealworms, butter worms and the odd housefly who makes the mistake of flying past her too closely, you think dogs can eat I can't believe she gets through 200 crickets a week and about the same on the mealworm front as well as her greens.  I am told once she's more mature she'll eat a lot less ie every other day and more greens than her live food, certainly looking forward to that day as it takes more time to feed her live food than it does her!

Have to say as they lay eggs like my parrots did poo just like the parrots did and need to be incubated just like the parrots I am well and truly hooked on these monsters and am planning my lounge to hold a 6 ft viv and two 3ft ones along one wall so I can breed the dragons and rankin dragons too - sorry the dogs may just have to go -------- ok only kidding lol

i a, pleased for you- i too find these creatures fascinating.
however i really want a blue tongued skink- its just that i cant handle locusts or crickets or cope with having them in the house :(

Gosh Schip, this is trip down Memory Lane for me as the mother of a reptile/amphibian anorak...

It all started innocently enough with jars of tadpoles and ended up with a 12' Indian python, a brain-damaged boa constrictor and other snakes and reptiles too numerous to list here - not to mention all the various food items, living and dead, that had to be accommodated...I thought my poor mother-in-law was going to drop dead when she realised that the package she'd just removed from the freezer contained day old chicks (she never found the pinkies...) and then the day the gecko got out...and the day the python had a gargantuan pee in the bedroom...ah, happy days.  Thank God he's left home...

Seriously, I know these animals can indeed become an obsession.  Enjoy!

Linda

Hi Schip
I have 2 female BD's...11months old and approx 19 inches long.Most BD's don't get to 24''...most stop at 20-22.It's true that as they get older they eat less...well less live food but more fruit and veg.Butterworms should not be fed too often....mealworms are not good either as they have little nutritional value.Crickets are good ...but don't forget to dust them.Even though she may not be eating much greens she should still be offered a good variety of suitable fruits and veges.Mine LOVE locust...but they are expensive!
They are fascinating aren't they! Mine ask to come out every evening...too cute and love a bath!!!!
Archer

Knew I shouldn't believe everything I read in the books lol always used to tell folks new to parrots read it take it in then throw it away and ask those with more experience, just had similar replies from the guys on the forums.

Butterworms are a treat and just found out about the mealworms someone has said wax worms are better for her than the mealies and to keep the locusts down so she will carry on eating the crickets as they can get a tad fussy or is that greedy for the locusts?  I offer her endive, dandelion, carrot and tops, parsley and broccili at present which she's just starting to take last couple of days the guys did warn me she could take a while over the greens so make sure my live food has eaten plenty of veg before I fed them to her to make sure she gets the nutrition as well as the nutrobol on the crickets every other day.

I order my live food on line at livefood.co.uk they do large locusts at £4.24 for a tub of 25 which is way cheaper than the shops here where you'll pay £2 for just 5 and you lose a couple, I buy for myself and my friend who has the large locusts for her adult BD so cuts down on the postage too but it still works out cheaper for her like she says the locusts cost her £10 in the shops for the same amount and she's got mealies, locusts and waxworms for £8 so she's pleased and I can set it up to do a weekly delivery which is great.

She comes out to have a lounge on my shoulder or chest at night and yep she runs up and down the glass to make sure I know she wants out NOW lol, I give her a shower every other day and sometimes find her in her water having a bath rather than a drink, she also uses her plant as a hamock can understand where the phrase lounge lizard comes from watching her in zonk out mode lol.

lol...its not just the books...you wouldn't believe some of the crap some of the pet shops/reptile outlets will give you!!!When I bought my girls the bloke in the shop tried to tell me they were male and female..untill I checked and showed him how to sex them!!(BTW keeping 2 together is VERY risky but I'm lucky inthat my girls adore each other.)
You're right about locusts...once mine tried them they refused to eat crickets!! They do love the wax worms but they are very high in fat so again fed sparingly! Once your little one is bigger you can feed mario/superworms as a staple(huge meal worms)...they're cheaper.My 2 now only eat about 3-4 locusts every other day each or 10-15 superworms.Mealies aren't good cos theres too much exo-skeleton and not enough 'flesh'.However when they get to 'superworms' they are fine.Guess you know not to feed anything bigger than the gap between the eyes and can I ask what you are using on the vivarium floor?Hope you don't mind me asking but so many of these little chaps are kept incorrectly because of poor info and they're such freindly creatures I think they deserve the best!
I can give you a couple of excellent websites if you like
Nikki

Newspaper don't want to risk anything else till she's a bit bigger and at less risk of impaction due to eating substrate with her lively food, a D3 compact light for the UVB and UVA at 8% and fitting the ceramic ones on a timer for 12 hrs daily with a spot at 6o watts for basking with 60 watt red bulb at night both on a thermostate, a large piece of cork log for her to hide under and bask on top of and finally her rather large plastic plant hammock lol. 

She is in a 24 x 18 x 18 viv at present until she is ready to catch her food in a larger one am debating a 48 - 60 inch viv depending on whether she remains a singleton or has a viv mate  On some of the forums they say you can keep a trio for breeding but I'm not ready for that sort of setup yet enjoying learning at present, others swear you can't keep two together, certainly can understand males not living in peace due to them being territorial beasties and do wonder about the harem or 2 female setup.

Have to say I enjoy looking after the live food too how sick am I?  My kids think its terrible that I enjoy feeding them on good quality food so my lizard is healthy, youngest sits there going ' bad luck guys so harsh' when they go into the viv for dinner time lol.  Can I ask what fruits you feed as she's only really just starting to realise this non moving 'stuff' is food?      

[link]http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html[/link]

Have a look here at the food list..its excellent.
I must admit I don't like the creepy crawlies....think thats why I'm glad they prefer locusts....not soooo ? Disgusting? The worms are aweful....so Kimmi feeds them...YUK!!!!!
Keeping 2 is a risk...2 females seem to be the best option as in mixed sex vivariums the males can be shall we say 'too demanding' and can stress the females.Also the repeat production of eggs is draining on the females.My 2 girls are 'litter mates'...very similar in size.They both have individual basking spots and I make sure that there is no need to compete for food....up till now no problems but I was aware that it was possible that I would have to seperate them.One of the male 'litter mates' only had 3 legs..the result of male to male aggression! 
I brought a repti-hammock for mine! They love it
[link]http://www.beardeddragon.org/bjive/[/link]  ...this is the best BD site I've found....really helpful!
Nikki

PS....try squash(crated),spring(collard) greens and watercress.....