PetSmart – There and back again, and again.
It all started innocently enough— with a cute little leopard gecko. Mom and Kiley had their reptile, Lizzie the leopard gecko, we brought home this tiny, spotted queen in early February. Lizzie’s charm was undeniable, and she quickly became the reigning monarch of her cozy terrarium. But little did we know, this would spark a chain reaction that would forever change the dynamic of our family... and our bedroom, computer room, living room, art room, and entertainment room! Enter a fire breathing dragon, well I mean Dads can dream right?
REPTILE FAMILY
AJS
1/27/20254 min read
The Quest for Bilbo Draggins
Just one week after Lizzie’s arrival, Dad—our resident fantasy fanatic—decided it was time to claim his stake in the reptile game. With his video library stacked with Game of Thrones, The Hobbit, and Lord of the Rings, there was only one logical choice: a dragon. Okay, maybe not a fire-breathing Smaug, but the next best thing—a bearded dragon.
The journey to find Dad’s perfect dragon wasn’t without its bumps in the road. Armed with excitement (and not enough research), we first turned to the local PetSmart. The first two bearded dragons we brought home didn’t quite fit the bill—one was lethargic, the other even more so, they both had some health concerns. As much as we wanted to make it work, each dragon had to be returned—first one after 30 days, and the second after just 14 days.
Determined not to give up, Dad dove deep into the world of online reptile breeders after finally doing some research. That’s when we discovered Morph Market, a haven for well-bred reptiles. It was there that we found our final dragon, our hero—Bilbo Draggins. He was a robust little guy with a spark of personality that practically screamed, “I’m ready for adventure!” From this point on we started do to research first, and reptile purchase second, after we were well enough informed. We suggest the same to anyone interested in this pet hobby.
Unlike his predecessors, Bilbo Draggins (the third) wasted no time settling in. Just an hour after emerging from his shipping box, he dove headfirst into his food dish like a hobbit at a feast. And he hasn’t stopped eating since. Kiley affectionately calls him “Beastboy” (because, she has an affinity for Teen Titans Go and the little dude who can turn into reptiles), but Dad’s epic naming skills have made "Bilbo Draggins" his official title.
Fun Facts About Bearded Dragons
Native to the arid regions of Australia, bearded dragons are masters of adaptation. In the wild, they can be found lounging on rocks, basking in the sun, or climbing trees. Their “beard” (a spiky throat pouch) isn’t just for show—it darkens and puffs up when they’re feeling threatened or trying to assert dominance.
To keep Bilbo healthy and happy, we’ve created a little slice of Australia in his tank. He is on his second iteration of the 4x2x2 enclosure, and it's now fully bioactive. Here are some tips we’ve picked up along the way:
Heat and Light: Bearded dragons are sun worshippers. They need a basking spot that’s around 95–110°F and UVB lighting to help them absorb calcium. Without it, they can develop serious health issues. We also mixed in two LED lights for plants as he is now in a fully Bioactive enclosure.
Diet: These guys are omnivores, so Bilbo’s meals are a mix of insects (Dubia roaches, and the occasional superworms) and fresh veggies that mostly consist of various leafy greens, with the occasional treat such as squash or carrots.
Tank Size: As Bilbo grows, so does his need for space. Adult bearded dragons need at least a 120-gallon tank to stretch out and thrive. Ours is a 4x2x2 from Reptile Habitats. As of late 2024 the new minimum recommendation is 5x2x2, but I feel if you take them out enough the 4x2x2 should do.
Substrate: 50% play sand, 30% organic topsoil, and 20% excavator clay. Another arid-like setup that is well formed to hold burrows.
Tank Décor: Plenty of hides and safe edible plants. They will destroy some plants we observed, but as long as they are provided with a salad each day, some will remain. We created a few basking rocks, dragon stone as a matter of fact, a cork bark hide, along with a hide made from pavers and slate on the warm side.
Our Growing Reptile Family
With Lizzie ruling her leopard gecko 40-gallon kingdom and Bilbo Draggins (aka Beastboy) dominating his larger 120-gallon desert domain, our home has turned into a reptile Jurassic Park. Every day is an adventure—whether it’s watching Lizzie scale her hideaway like a slow-moving ninja or marveling at Bilbo’s voracious appetite (seriously, we think he’s part dragon, part vacuum cleaner).
So, here’s to Lizzie, Bilbo Draggins, and the wild, scaly journey they’ve taken us on. Because sometimes, the best adventures don’t require a trip to Mordor—just a trip to the Morph Market or a local reptile expo – more about that later!
WARNING: Things I wish I had known prior to owning a bearded dragon? Just one thing really. Their poop STINKS!! I mean maybe the most foul-smelling excrement on the planet. No seriously… Good news is once they grow older the less often, they poop. But that first few months, every day, prepare to have a room air purifier or two.
Shout Out: If you find yourself in the Bearded Dragon market, I highly recommend checking out Dachiu Bearded Dragons. They were awesome to deal with, provided us with a healthy boy, and were willing to answer questions and support us for life!
Great Resources:
Bioactive Supplies – The Bio Dude or NEHERP.
Care Guides - ReptiFiles and we like Chief Sweets Universe on YouTube.
(Poor little fella, from PetSmart, after seeing the captive bred dragons from breeders you can just tell the ones at the big box stores are just unhealthy in some cases.)
(As you can see here, a much healthier looking dragon.)
