‘They are a surprisingly amazing pet to have’: Calgary author pays tribute to bearded dragons

Teal Moulton has a fixed routine that she likes sticking to — every morning, the 11-year-old Calgarian watches cartoons for nearly 45 minutes with a loyal companion by her side. 

Buddy is a bearded dragon, a lizard with big eyes, a head shaped like a triangle and scales all over her body. She is known for being rather relaxed and gentle around others.

“She’s just such a calm, chill pet,” said Shayla Moulton, Teal’s mom and the author of a children’s book, Buddy the Bearded Dragon in a conversation on The Calgary Eyeopener.

“Buddy… fit into our family so well. You know she’s just, she’s such a sweet little girl and yeah, she just, we all are so in love with her.”

The Moulton family wasn’t sure at first about raising a bearded dragon as a pet. 

While Shayla and her husband had previously looked after one of the reptiles native to Australia, they weren’t certain Teal was ready for the responsibility that comes with having a bearded dragon at home.

Adopting a cat or a dog was not an option because Teal is allergic to them.

“We kept telling her, no, you know, it’s a lot of responsibility. It’s a lot of work. It’s a lot of cost. If something happens, you know, it’s very devastating,” Shayla said.

However, Teal was determined to change her parent’s minds. She took on a research project on bearded dragons in school and put in a special request with Santa, asking him for a bearded dragon for Christmas.

Her parents had no option but to relent. They surprised Teal with Buddy sitting underneath the Christmas tree, much to her delight.

“The whole story and how beautiful it was just really inspired me to write this book. I think that there’s a lot of stories about dogs and cats and, you know, common animals, but there’s not a whole lot about the bearded dragon,” Shayla said. 

“I thought it would be a cute way to share our story, but also to teach people about bearded dragons and how incredible they really are.”

If you’re wondering how people usually respond when they spot an unusual pet like Buddy, Shayla has a few answers.

“Once they open up and hold her for a moment, they realize how calm she is,” Shayla said.

“They’re [a] very calm animal. They’re not aggressive. They don’t bite … once you hold them and you spend a bit of time with them, you soon realize that they’re just a very friendly and nice animal.”

The Moultons have special memories attached to their pet — they even hosted a gender reveal party for Buddy when they first got her home.

You see, it’s not easy to tell whether a bearded dragon is male or female. The only way to know for sure is by taking your pet to a vet who can confirm its gender.

A vet graciously agreed to put Buddy’s gender in a sealed envelope. 

The family then got in touch with a party store and made arrangements to hide the envelope in a balloon with bright confetti for the gender reveal party.

“Teal actually popped the balloon and a bunch of pink confetti came out. And that’s when we learned that Buddy was a girl,” Shayla said.

Special requirements

While raising a bearded dragon can be a solid option for those who don’t want to adopt traditional pets, it comes with its challenges.

A bearded dragon like Buddy has an average lifespan of 10 to 15 years and needs to be kept in a special heated enclosure.

 “They are desert animals, right? So they have to be warm all the time,” Shayla said.

“So they have, you know, heat lamps, special heat lamps in their enclosure that they need to go under each day.”

This becomes even more important during the winter when the family needs to ensure Buddy stays warm throughout the day and night. 

They do step out with Buddy on a leash during the warmer summer months. However, once they’re back home, they put the pet back into its enclosure, which serves as its habitat.

At the end of the day, Shayla believes it’s worth giving docile pets like bearded dragons a chance.

“It makes for a really great pet for somebody who doesn’t want the responsibility of a dog or a cat and wants a little bit more freedom,” she said.

A long-term commitment

According to Jason Clevett, owner of Calgary Reptile Parties, a group that organizes interactive and educational sessions for kids on reptiles, it’s crucial to do your homework before welcoming a bearded dragon into your home.

“One of the things that’s really important before anyone keeps getting any kind of pet is to do a lot of research and figure out how big it’s going to get, what it eats, what environment it needs, how long it’s going to live,” he said.

According to Clevett, bearded dragons should be fed a diet filled with fresh vegetables, salad, dandelions, mustard greens, Swiss chard and… bugs. 

“A lot of people don’t give them the right diet, so they’ll give them these lettuces, but they need a wide variety of greens,” he said.