Bearded Dragon Selection Guide [Owners Vote Their Favorite]
When I started to learn about bearded dragons, I got really confused. Whenever I went to a pet store or talked with another owner, they just steered up conversations about bearded dragon morphs. I had no idea what bearded dragon morphs even were! You’ll face the same predicament when selecting a bearded dragon in the pet store. There are numerous morphs and types, and if you have no idea like I did, you’ll really get confused on which one to get.
Most popular bearded dragon morph among owners is the Leatherback Bearded Dragon. The cheapest bearded dragon morph on the market is the Silkie Bearded Dragon. Fancy Bearded dragons are mostly available in the pet stores.
You might say I’ll just choose the one that seems most colorful or shows most personality. Well that is okay, but the behavior and requirement of the beardie can vary from morph to morph quite a bit. So, you need to know which morph you are getting and how to take care for that specific morph.
In this article, I’ll go through the whole bearded dragon selection guide, teach you some things about each of the popular morphs and hopefully, you’ll become a more knowledgeable bearded dragon owner!
What Is The Most Popular Bearded Dragon Morph?
Before writing this article, I seriously wanted to know which bearded dragon morph is getting quite popular among the owners. I know all the morphs are spectacular and special in their own ways. But on the popularity scale, some morphs are just on a whole other level than the others.
To measure the popularity, I did an easy study. I went to a very popular bearded dragon Facebook group, and posted a poll to see which bearded dragon morph gets the most vote. A vote meant one owner is keeping that morph.
Here’s what the post looked like:
From the pic, we can conclude the following:
The Leatherback bearded dragon morph is 71.4% more popular than any other bearded dragon morph.
So, we can fairly say Leatherback Bearded Dragons seem to be the most popular among the owners.
What Is A Fancy Bearded Dragon?
Fancy bearded dragon isn’t actually any morph. It is a term used for colorful, captive-bred bearded dragons used by shopkeepers to sell more dragons. The opposite of fancy bearded dragon is the wild, common bearded dragons.
In pet stores, you might come across these “fancy” bearded dragons. Don’t get fooled into thinking it’s a new morph. Trust me, I made that mistake. Just think of it as not any common or wild-bred bearded dragon.
9 Most Popular Bearded Dragon Morphs As Pets
1. Leatherback Bearded Dragon (Scalation Morph)
| Identifying Trait | Smooth Back |
| Spikes | No Spike on their back. Heads and sides have spikes. |
| Scales | Lots of smaller scales. The presence of smaller scales make the skin feel smooth and the color appear vivid. |
| Available Colors | Mostly red, orange, and citrus. |
| Variety | “Tiger” Leatherback varieties are getting available on the market such as “Orange Tiger Leatherback”, “Citrus Tiger Leatherback.” These dragons have darker contrasting stripes on their body as per the name of the ferocious cat. |
Leatherback bearded dragons are a great choice for beginners. They are mostly available on the online as well as offline stores.
Leatherback bearded dragons typically cost around $100 to $200. However, the cost can drastically increase with different types of mutilated leatherback dragons such as Hypo-Leatherback Dragon. A Hypo-Leatherback dragon can cost you around $800. On the other hand, a Hypo-Trans-Leatherback Bearded dragon is extremely rare and can easily cost over $1000.
If you are a beginner, I’ll suggest you to start with a very basic, healthy leatherback dragon. First you need to get experienced with keeping bearded dragons. After you’ve gained some experience, you can think about keeping prized beardies.
Here are some places where you can find Leatherback Bearded Dragons:
| Store Name | Available Leatherback Bearded Dragons | Price |
|---|---|---|
| MorphMarket | Hypo Leatherback Red-Hypo Leatherback Hypo-Trans Leatherback Leatherback Tiger | $100 to $1000++ |
| CBReptile | Regular Leatherback Dragons | $219.00 – $459.95 |
| LLLReptile | Baby Dunner Leatherback Bearded Dragons Baby Dunner Red Translucent Leatherback Bearded Dragons | $129.99 – $149.99 |
2. Citrus/Yellow Bearded Dragon (Color Morph)
| Identifying Trait | Bright yellow color with dark orange stripes along the sides and center of the body |
| Markings | Horizontal gray-blue markings may appear on some citrus dragons |
| Available Colors | Mostly red, yellow, and orange. |
| Variety | Green Bearded Dragons, Lemon Fire Bearded Dragons, Sandfire Gold Bearded Dragon |
Citrus or Yellow bearded dragons are also very popular and common in the pet stores. They have a very striking appearance which makes them an instant choice for the beginners. You can start out your bearded dragon keeping journey with this Citrus/Yellow bearded dragon.
I would recommend not starting with a baby bearded dragon as babies demand more maintenance and care. If you are an absolute beginner, start with an adult or juvenile bearded dragon.
| Store Name | Available Citrus Bearded Dragons | Price |
|---|---|---|
| XYZ Reptiles | 7-9 inches Citrus Bearded Dragon | $149 |
| MorphMarket | Hypo Trans Citrus Leatherback Hypo-Het-Trans Tiger | $150 to $300++ |
| CBReptile | Regular Citrus Bearded Dragons | $179.00 – $389.95 |
3. Hypo Bearded Dragon (Hypomelanistic Morph)
| Identifying Trait | Not as colorful as other bearded dragons. Hypomelanistic is a technical term for ‘muted colors/below average color’ |
| Spikes | Spikes appear like a regular bearded dragon |
| Other Markings | Clear nails |
| Available Colors | Pastel, pink to blue, snowy, pale orange, etc. |
| Variety | hypo-translucent, hypo-witblits, hypo-leatherback, etc. |
Hypo bearded dragons are a bit more rare than the other two we talked about. They are not as colorful as a citrus bearded dragon. If you are just starting out with bearded dragons, I won’t recommend starting with a hypo morph. They can be quite expensive as they are rare.
However, if you are an intermediate or advanced keeper and know what you are doing, you’re more than welcome to bond with this amazing morph.
| Store Name | Available Hypo Bearded Dragons | Price |
|---|---|---|
| MorphMarket | Hypo Trans Citrus Red-Orange Hypo Hypo-Trans Leatherback Orange-Citrus Hypo | $250 to $600++ |
| CBReptile | Regular Leatherback Dragons | $189.95 – $389.95 |
| LLLReptile | Baby Hypo Bearded Dragon | $79.99 |
4. Witblit Bearded Dragon (More Muted Than Hypo)
| Identifying Trait | Solid Muted Pale Color |
| Availability | Extremely rare and expensive |
| Marking | No pattern or marking |
| Fun Trivia | The name ‘Witblit’ came from White Lightning |
| Available Colors | Grey, dull pastel or earth color. No color on shoulders at all! |
Witblit dragons are very rare and it’s a challenge to find them. In most of the cases, you’ll have to get them from a breeder rather than from a pet store. Being very rare, Witblit bearded dragons are not a very good choice for beginners. As they have very muted pale color, most beginners tend not to choose them as their first bearded dragon as well.
| Store Name | Available Witblit Bearded Dragons | Price |
|---|---|---|
| MorphMarket | Zero Trans Leatherback Witblit Tiger-Trans Witblit Leatherback-Tiger Witblit | $300 to $1000++ |
| CBReptile | Regular Leatherback Dragons | $299.95 – $799.00 |
5. Zero Bearded Dragon (Completely Muted)
| Identifying Trait | Absolutely no color or pattern |
| Availability | Extremely rare and expensive |
| Marking | No pattern or marking |
| Fun Trivia | Only thing different from a Witblit is their black shoulder pads |
| Available Colors | White, Whitish, Sliver, Gray |
Like the Witblit Bearded Dragons, the Zero morph is also quite rare and not a popular choice for beginners. I have seen intermediate or advanced keepers cherish the Zero morph quite a lot than the beginners. Normally Zero bearded dragons have a pale whitish/silverish color which make them unique and quite attractive.
| Store Name | Available Zero Bearded Dragons | Price |
|---|---|---|
| MorphMarket | Zero Trans Leatherback Hypo-Translucent-Leatherback Zero | $600++ |
| CBReptile | Regular Leatherback Dragons | $229.00 – $599.95 |
6. Red Bearded Dragon (Color Morph)
| Identifying Trait | Very reddish color |
| Spikes | Spikes appear like a regular bearded dragon |
| Fun Trivia | Offspring gets redder than the parents |
| Available Colors | Different shades of red |
| Variety | Red bearded dragon, Blood-red bearded dragon, Ruby red bearded dragon |
The Red Bearded Dragons are quite as popular as the Citrus/Yellow bearded dragons. The vivid red color makes them a popular choice among beginners. Also as this morph is commonly available, you can get it at quite a cheaper price than the rare morphs.
If you want to start your bearded dragon keeping journey with the Red morph, I’ll recommend to start with an adult or juvenile one.
| Store Name | Available Red Bearded Dragons | Price |
|---|---|---|
| XYZ Reptiles | 7-9 inches | $199 |
| MorphMarket | Red Orange Hypo Trans Red Hypo Het Trans Red Hypo Translucent | $300 to $600++ |
| CBReptile | Regular Citrus Bearded Dragons | $299.95 – $799.95 |
7. Translucent Bearded Dragon (See-through skin)
| Identifying Trait | See-through skin, spikes, and scales. |
| Unique Trait | Solid black eyes. No visible iris. |
| Fun Trivia | Babies have very thin skin. With age, the skin gets thicker. |
| Available Colors | Very light in color. Babies show a clear blue belly. |
| Variety | Partial translucent bearded dragons (doesn’t possess full trait of a translucent dragon) |
Pure translucent bearded dragons are very rare. They have a very unique trait which is the see-through skin. This unique trait makes the Translucent morph quite a cherished one in the market. This also results in a steeper price for this morph.
| Store Name | Available Translucent Bearded Dragons | Price |
|---|---|---|
| MorphMarket | Zero Trans Leatherback Hypo-Translucent-Leatherback Zero | $200 to $400++ |
| Underground Reptiles | Baby Hypo Translucent Bearded Dragon | $99.99 |
8. Dunner Bearded Dragon (Scalation/Pattern Morph)
| Identifying Trait | No stripes. Blotched/Spotty markings over the body. |
| Marking | Thicker nails, bigger feet. |
| Scales | Scales create a haphazard look by point in all directions |
| Fun Trivia | Named after the inventor Kevin Dunn. |
The Dunner Bearded Dragons are named after their breeder who first bred this morph. This morph is quite similar to a classic bearded dragon appearance. However, an experienced eye will mark out some differences like: no obvious pattern or markings on the body, disorganized scales, blotchy spots, etc.
| Store Name | Available Dunner Bearded Dragons | Price |
|---|---|---|
| MorphMarket | Red-Hypo Leatherback Red-Hypo Trans | $200 to $1000++ |
| LLLReptile | Baby Dunner Bearded Dragon Baby Dunner Leatherback Baby Dunner Red Translucent Baby Dunner Red Translucent Leatherback | $129.99 – $149.99 |
9. Silkback/Silkie Bearded Dragon (Scalation Morph)
| Identifying Trait | No classical spikes like other bearded dragons |
| Skin | Very smooth skin with vibrant color |
| Fun Trivia | Also called silkies because of their soft skin |
| Important Notes | Very difficult to keep in captivity. Unusual skin makes it difficult to absorb UV rays. |
Like the Translucent morph, Silkback Bearded Dragons are also very unique and cherished for their completely spike-less body. Silkback bearded dragons have a very smooth skin that shows a bright vivid color. Some owners also refer to them as Silkies because of how soft their skin is.
| Store Name | Available Silkback Bearded Dragons | Price |
|---|---|---|
| CBReptile | Regular Silkback/Silkie Bearded Dragons | $89.95 – $249.95 |
What Is The Best Type of Bearded Dragon to Get?
For beginners, the best type of bearded dragon to get will be Leatherback Bearded Dragon, Citrus/Yellow Bearded Dragon, or Red Bearded Dragon. Advanced bearded dragon keepers can get any morph they want if they are able to keep up with the maintenance.
I am recommending these specific morphs because they are widely available in the stores as well as online, easy to take care of, and can adapt themselves well to the captive environment. The rare morphs are pretty hard to get by and extremely sensitive to the environment. As a result, they can die easily.
So, if you are not an advanced bearded dragon keeper, don’t try to keep any of the rare & sensitive bearded dragon morphs.
Is It Better to Have 1 or 2 Bearded Dragons?
It is always better to keep a single bearded dragon because bearded dragons can fight each other for establishing dominance. The male bearded dragons are very territorial and never should be kept together. The female bearded dragons are slightly less temperamental, but it is still recommended to keep only 1 bearded dragon.
What Size Bearded Dragon Should I Buy?
It is recommended to get a 6-8 inch juvenile bearded dragon rather than a 4 inch baby bearded dragon. This is because, the juvenile bearded dragons have a much higher survival rate than the baby bearded dragons.
The Juvenile bearded dragons might cost a bit extra than the babies. However, the extra price is completely worth it because the bearded dragon has passed the most critical stage of its life and has a higher probability of living to its fullest.
What Is The Best Age To Get A Bearded Dragon?
5 to 7 months is the best age to get a bearded dragon when it reaches the juvenile stage. At this stage, the bearded dragon should be 6 to 8 inches long.
I know many hobbyists like to start their hobby with a baby bearded dragon (below 4 inch). Babies are very cute and tempting to get, but baby bearded dragons have a lower chance of survival than a juvenile or young adult bearded dragon.
That’s why for beginners, it is always recommended to start with at least a juvenile bearded dragon that has 6 to 8 inches in length.
Things You Need To Check Before Buying A Bearded Dragon
It doesn’t matter from where you are getting the bearded dragon, always check these before paying the money:
1. Is The Bearded Dragon Active?
Bearded dragons are diurnal and stay active during the day. They are very curious animals, like to explore and bask under the UVB lamp. Is the bearded dragon showing these signs? Then good. If not, the dragon might be lethargic. Lethargic behavior can be caused by sickness, disease, lack of care, lack of diet, and so on. Never buy a lethargic bearded dragon.
You can ask the shopkeeper to handle the bearded dragon for you. It will let you see how well the dragon is responding to the shopkeeper’s handling. A healthy dragon should be alert while getting handled.
Also, you can try to hold the dragon yourself. If the dragon tries to escape, that’s a good sign. It means the dragon is not sick and alert to its environment.
2. Signs of Diseases
Here are some of the symptoms of a sick bearded dragon. Avoid the dragon if it is showing any of these symptoms:
- mucus in the nose/eyes
- froth coming from the mouth
- bending the back
- tail kinking
- swollen limbs
- Inconsistent color patch somewhere on the body (dark patch on the tail that seems inconsistent)
3. Condition of the Pet Store
- The pet store needs to be clean and healthy
- The bearded dragon cages should be well-maintained and clean
- The cages should have the basic requirements a bearded dragon needs to stay healthy and active
- Each of the cages should not keep too many bearded dragons (preferably 1-3 if the dragons are baby)
Final Words
So, we are at the end of the guide. I hope the guide has made the selection process easier for you. I am just recapping the article in 2-3 lines.
If you are a beginner, start with a common bearded dragon morph, don’t get into any of the expensive or rare morphs as they are very hard to take care of. Try to get a juvenile bearded dragon rather than a baby. Also, keep in mind the checking factors I talked about in the previous section before buying the bearded dragon.
If you follow these simple tips, you should be able to get a healthy bearded dragon that can accompany you for years to come!
About Author
Hello, I’m Muntaseer Rahman, the owner of AcuarioPets.com. I’m passionate about aquarium pets like shrimps, snails, crabs, and crayfish. I’ve created this website to share my expertise and help you provide better care for these amazing pets.
Disclaimer
This site is owned and operated by Muntaseer Rahman. AcuarioPets.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.