Factors determining the price of a Bearded dragon

The price of a Bearded dragon is one of the first financial decisions a new keeper needs to make. Prices will vary significantly from country to country and even town to town. The financial value of a Bearded dragon is determined by a couple of factors. This article will discuss a couple of them.

Apart from the simplest of financial determining factors, i.e. the supply and demand chain, there are other factors determining the price of a Bearded dragon that is up for sale. These include, but is not limited to the country/area it is sold from, its size, colour and pattern morph, its quality, and the age it is sold at.

Because Bearded dragons are established pets and are bred in large numbers, their prices are relative low in comparison with other lizards and even snakes. Generally their prices are on the decline.

Area/country

When looking at one’s own country or area, the price of a new Bearded dragon will be relative to the cost of your own living standards. Prices will vary because of the possible need for permits, environmental temperatures, the commercial availability of accessories, etc. All these factors affects the price of keeping and sustaining the parents of the offspring to be sold.

Size, colour and pattern morphs

When it comes to special genes one would often fork out (significantly) more money. While some morphs are still possibly ‘undiscovered’, certain colour and pattern morphs are already available from some Bearded dragon breeders. The parents of special morphs were often expensive to obtain (and sustain) in the first place. What adds even more to their financial value is their rarity, the fact that it can take multiple generations to sustain and that controlled breeding should take place.

Quality

While some breeders will go the ‘extra mile’ to ensure healthy, well raised Bearded dragons, some Bearded dragons will not be lucky enough to enjoy the same compassion. To raise a strong, healthy Bearded dragon baby takes time, space, effort, knowledge and money. That is why these babies will be sold for higher prices.

Although not all stock might be imported illegally, or from the wild, imported Bearded dragons will often be sold for much cheaper prices. When a conscious decision has been made to support the trade of imported stock, one must consider high incidence of diseases.

Age

Older Bearded dragons have enjoyed the luxury of being looked after for a longer period of time – increasing their financial value. Juvenile Bearded dragons, as suppose to baby Bearded dragons, are often stronger and of higher quality, which makes them more suitable to be sold. One must be careful when it comes to adult Bearded dragons though. Old females that have reached the end of their breeding life might also be sold from time to time, and although more expensive, expectations must be carefully considered.

It is recommended to only buy healthy animals from reputable pet shops and breeders and to make sure to buy animals that are captive bred in your own country that it is not illegally imported or caught from the wild.