Name: Loki
Breed: Bearded Dragon
Likes: Blueberries, Dubia Roaches, Hornworms, Music, when people talk to him, looking out the window
Dislikes: Medicine, the ceiling fan (he thinks it’s a bird), cold, being handled roughly
About Loki: Loki is a fun and curious little bearded dragon. His body fits in the palm of my hand, but his tail reaches all the way to my elbow! Beardies are quite interactive with humans, and Loki is no exception. He is a great listener and loves when you talk with him. He likes to be held and to climb on people, curtains or whatever he can climb. He loves music – it is very easy to tell what he likes because he perks up when he hears it. Classic jazz is his favorite, especially Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong. He will come out from hiding spots to listen to them.
We got Loki a year ago as part of a Christmas gift for my daughter who loves reptiles. Making this decision, we knew we were making a commitment – bearded dragons can live 10-15 years in captivity and with good care. A friend suggested adopting an adult bearded dragon as baby and juvenile dragons can be quite fragile, and eat a lot! I found Blue Ridge Reptile Rescue, a non-profit that rescues all kinds of reptiles. After watching their site, we found Loki and put in an application and were approved. We fell in love with him immediately. While bearded dragons are not a lot of work day to day, caring for him is much more difficult than caring for a cat or dog. Beardies need way more space than the average terrarium sold in a pet store (Loki’s is 4 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet). They need a UVB light to mimic the UVB they would get in the desert, and a heat lamp – both set to timers. They need diets high in calcium and low in phosphates and eat a mixture of plants and insects. But they are terrible at communicating so it is hard to know what they need, or why they may be acting differently. It is important to watch them, do your research and to have a vet who specializes in reptiles.
We have been using Sit-A-Pet for over a decade, and have had the same pet sitter, Dean. He cares for our cats Leah and Izzy (who aren’t allowed to play with Loki because they both like to hunt things) and we were so glad that he was happy to watch (and feed) Loki as well.