I suppose it really depends what you are looking for in your pet. I keep a beardie and have had her since a very young age... it's been great to watch and help her grow and she's now a monster with her own little personality.

I handle her regularly and also mix between letting her catch her food or hand feeding. She has tamed down very easily with regular contact and will quite happily sit on my shoulder whilst I watch tv or surf the net.

I've read a lot of post about BTS's and their owners seem over the moon... so I'm sure someone will come along soon and say how wonderful they are.

In the end the decision is yours. Maybe try and see some in real life and handle them... that might help you decide.

Enjoy

...

 

I've read a lot of post about BTS's and their owners seem over the moon... so I'm sure someone will come along soon and say how wonderful they are.

And here I am
I can't tell you much about Bearded dragons since I’ve never kept them myself, I do keep Bluetongue skinks. Can't recommend bluetongueskink.net - blue tongue skink Resources and Information. enough if you want more information from more BTS keepers. Anyway:

Pro's:
- Smart
- Wide range of variations in appearance without genetic inbreeding (well, not as much as bearded dragons anyway)
- Wild caught animals (of some species) can still be obtained
- Laidback/lazy/calm
- Omnivorous
- Ovoviviparous (live bearing)
- Have noticeable personalities with different likes and dislikes

Con's
- Not all species are readily available and/or expensive
- Wild caught animals (of some species) can still be obtained
- Laidback/lazy/calm
- Ovoviviparous (live bearing)
- It's not recommended to keep pairs in the same viv
- Can be somewhat hard to sex properly

To explain: Wild caught are both a pro and a con. Wild animals are taken from the wild which is not preferable. But it prevents inbreeding in the already captured population and gives easy access to new bloodlines. This is only applies to Indonesian species of course, Australian species can't be (legally) exported from Australia.

Being laidback/lazy/calm means it adjust better to living in a restricted space but it also means it's less likely to be found running laps in its viv though.

Live bearing means you don’t have to worry about incubating eggs, but it's harder to regulate how many young you want to raise. Since it's recommended not house skinks together, it only can be a problem if you decide to breed them.

Like Retinal said: handling both might make up your mind.

Good luck

 

Having owned both...

Bts has more personality, isn't as generic and is MUCH cheaper to feed. Sorry for the short post but there's not much more to be said!

 

I have both, and 4ft tank is only ideal for sub adults of both 1-2 years old.

I have:-
Normal BD
Citrus Leatherback BD
Tanimbar Island BTS
Irian Java BTS
Northern BTS

Beardies at adulthood need a min of 5ft and depending on sub species of BTS, the min is 6ft.


Both are easy lizards to keep, both will practically eat anything, both like to be handled regulary, both prone to obesity due to overfeeding.

Only difference - price & ecosystem.

BD £40-£300
BTS £150 - £4000

BD females pairs can be kept, but BTS have to be kept solo, regardless of sex (which is difficult to determine)

Hope you find the right one. I would go with my Blues any time.