It is understandable for there to be concern, but there is a need for CB dragons. The majority of dragons are WC. Even if a CB dragon ended up in the wrong hands, at least a dragon from a wild population was spared. If breeding of dragons is discouraged, it will only encourage the continued capture of wild dragons from wild populations. The fact that there are many captive-kept dragons is not going to stop or even slow importers from importing - the competition of CB dragons will however. The reptile pet-trade is growing and WC dragons need to be replaced with CB dragons in order to leave the wild dragons where they belong - in the wild.

Discouraging the breeding of dragons is also not going to stop bad keepers from being bad keepers. It will only allow these keepers to get their hands on more WC dragons (which usually means that they do not have to go through a breeder or experienced keeper that could educate them) thus encouraging importers to catch/farm-hatch more wild dragons.

If you are capable of hatching the eggs and keeping the hatchlings until you can find homes for them, I say go for it. It also opens up the opportunity to educate future keepers.

Last I heard most CWDs are captive bred these days. At least thats what I have seen at every show and petstore.. So I'm a bit confused.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

I beleive that is a somewhat recent thing though, really started within the last few years from what it seems because there are articles around that talk about Chinese Water Dragon being a commomly imported thing, but usualy dated a few years old.

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"Nobody can do Everything, but Everybody can do Something."

I dont agree. Having so many babies is a very hard responsiblitity. Even if you do find homes for all of them. The space that you would need and the financial cost I would believe is huge. Of course it is her choice
And I would tend to believe Nicole...they are fast becoming the new throw away pet, which is sad. I see them at every pet store I go to and they are never in the right housing conditions.

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Just because you have an animal that isnt dead doesnt mean you know how to take care of it

That is sad that they are condidered that. Putting all emotions aside, and my heart, financially I can see how they would be perceived to be that way. (Definitely not how I view it though!) An average juvie dragon runs $20.00 in the pet store. The seller says all that you need is a $50.00 tank and a cat litter pan and some newspaper for the nottom of the tank. Feed it crickets and put a fish tank light over the top of it. All total, you have about $100.00 for a pet for your kid. Cheaper than a puppy and you don't have to clean up the carpet or the back yard. Follow the thinking? The sad thing is...obviously, this is the thought pattern. I get very attached to all of my animals...I know I couldn't sell any of the babies. As far as I can tell, Toledo is not a big herp town. I prolly would have a hard time finding that many families to adopt. In my ignorance about the possibilities of a couple dozen babies, I was excited about adding another dragon to my family. I will just add another juvie to the family someday by the normal means...go rescue another one from the pet store...lol

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"Dare to Dream! Without dreams, there is no Hope."
***Tami***

i'd suggest a breeder, or a good pet store, when you purchase one from a pet store it just lets them bring more in.

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"Nobody can do Everything, but Everybody can do Something."

schlegelbagel,
How would you know the water dragons you saw at the pet stores and reptile shows are captive bred? Were you shown photos of eggs hatching and/or parents breeding? If photos like these are unavailable when requested, it is quite safe to say the dragons are wild caught. Never believe a reptile is captive bred until a photo or several photos is/are produced (unless the animal is an Australian species that is only captive bred outside Australia). Pet stores etc. will lie and claim that their animals are captive bred even if it is not so. If photos are not available from a breeder or the pet store, the dragons are likely to be wild caught or farm hatched (it should not be assumed that they are captive bred) - a good breeder will provide photos.

Lucysfriend,
As I said:
There are not "too many" water dragons in captivity. They are not becoming a "throw-away pet" or being mistreated because there are "too many", but rather because of human ignorance and bad advice from unknowledgeable people. People who solely rely on the bad advice of a typical pet store end up getting an animal they cannot properly care for or are not ready for. They end up selling the dragon on sites such as "craigslist", as was mentioned, because: a) their child has become bored of the animal and they do not want to take care of it, b) they are too lazy to care for it, c) they cannot afford its care, d) it grew bigger than the pet store claimed it would, e) they are moving to an apartment that does not allow pets, f) etc.. The problem is not "too many" dragons, but a lack keepers that can properly care for the dragons - the reasons ranging from lack of money to lack of time - and, for the most part, reasons stemming from ignorance.

The dragons at pet stores are most likely wild caught animals, being improperly kept because of ignorance and an attempt to save money to increase profit - not because there are "too many" dragons. There are many (wild caught) dragons being sold at pet stores because people think they are "cool" or "pretty" and have simple care so many dragons are sold; when the animals die, people buy yet more dragons and so the pet store orders more wild caught animals and other stores catch on and also order wild caught dragons - all because of ignorance. If people were less ignorant and were properly informed, there would not be so many cases of dragons dieing due to improper care or being re-housed. Ignorance should be attacked, not breeding. These animals are not domesticated, over-bred animals that need to be neutered and spayed. If anything, there is a need for captive bred Physignathus cocincinus in captive populations to discourage the importing of wild caught animals.

Many dragons are still wild caught; I see no evidence of increased numbers of captive bred dragons in pet stores. Many sites online are also selling wild caught dragons - at least some of these sites are actually honest and admit that they are selling wild caught dragons rather than lying and claiming that the animals are captive bred. It is cheaper to import dragons than to hatch and raise them. If you hatch and raise dragons right, you are losing money (rather than profiting) when selling, so many dragons are still wild caught. The main sources of captive bred dragons seem to be caring, private keepers who have allowed their dragons to breed. Only devoted, or at least knowledgeable, keepers can hatch out hatchlings as it is not just a matter of breeding the animals (like it is with dogs and cats - which even a bad owner can easily breed, and accidentally!) but of properly caring for the eggs so that they hatch.

tlh9162,
Agreed.

If you cannot handle many dragon hatchlings, you do not have to hatch so many eggs. Dragons seem to lay 6-9 eggs or so per clutch - you will not have a couple dozen so soon. Plus, chances are that not all the eggs will hatch at a first try at hatching. If nine hatchlings at a time is your limit, you can hatch a clutch and then freeze and trash another if you get another too soon. Homes for dragons is not limited to your area. Shipping is an option and it is safe so long as it is done right. There are plenty of keepers looking for captive bred, healthy dragons.

ryanpb,
Agreed.

The decision to breed an animal or not, or to hatch eggs or not, rests solely with the keeper and no one else. It is up to that individual as to whether or not they wish to breed. And no one should look down on them for choosing not to do so!
After all they are the ones who will be having to do all the work and be out the expense of caring for the babies until they are ready to move and in the event that they cannot place the babies caring for the ones that are left.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I agree Merlin. I dont think anyone was "attacking" the decision to breed.
I know that ignorance is the problem. Education is what is needed.
I believe I stated that it was her choice.

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Just because you have an animal that isnt dead doesnt mean you know how to take care of it

I state that they are becoming the throw away pet,, because I get just as many phone calls for them now as I do iguanas, I have 16 ( I just looked at my books) on wait list to come in here ( I run a rescue,,, have done so for many years) First it was the iguana trend,, then people started coming down hard on the pet stores selling these iguanas, so a lot of stores have stopped selling them and switched to the water dragon,, which is now just as disposable as the iguana was and is.There is not a whole of difference in my opinion to the iguanas and the dragons,, both require UVB lighting which a lot of people are not willing to spend the money on, both require large enclosures, both have strict dietary needs that need to be met, or you have severe health problems.
i just had one die on me at the vets office in critical care,, serious Metabolic Bone Disease, pneumonia, and the list goes on. He tried but I got him too late. That still did not change the bill of over 2 grand.
I have one coming here next week off my wait list. I hate to say it,, but in the end I might end up with more dragons than iguanas,,which will be a first for me.
The only thing I can ask is that you find some local rescues and ask how many they have in at the moment. It will probably be pretty equal to the iguanas.
I do agree with Merlin,, it is the choice of the owner as to whether or not they want to breed the animal. The only thing I was thing to say in my original post,, was to be aware that they are already becoming an overload on the rescues. When people standing from all sides post, it allows the keeper to make an educated choice. And again that choice is theirs.

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I have sucker tattood on my forehead