Whereas elevating a bearded dragon will be thrilling and adventurous, it’s additionally a long-term dedication that requires ardour, understanding, and ongoing take care of these scaly, lovable Australian creatures. After I grew to become a first-time reptile proprietor to a juvenile feminine beardie, my aim was to supply her with the longest, happiest, and healthiest life doable. This meant prioritizing her well being above all else with correct housing, weight-reduction plan, cleanings, and most significantly, wellness checkups with an unique pet veterinarian. It wasn’t till my beardie’s first wellness checkup that I discovered she had a excessive rely of pinworms in her fecal examination and was eligible for sickness and harm protection by unique pet insurance coverage. As a newbie beardie proprietor I used to be not conscious previous to that go to that pet insurance coverage existed for reptiles.
After I discovered that my beardie would want antibiotics to scale back well being dangers and repeated fecal exams with this parasite downside, I enrolled her in an inexpensive pet insurance coverage plan to maintain her well being protected and my future out-of-pocket vet prices down. To all of the beardie homeowners on the market who need to elevate their beardies correctly from the get-go – critically contemplate unique pet insurance coverage.
What’s Unique Pet Insurance coverage?
Unique pet insurance coverage is a medical health insurance coverage designed to cowl veterinary bills for non-traditional animals together with reptiles, amphibians, birds, fish, and small mammals. Non- conventional animals which might be usually excluded from protection beneath unique pet insurance coverage are harmful, high-risk reptiles reminiscent of alligators, crocodiles and a few venomous snakes, endangered animals, non-domesticated animals reminiscent of lions and tigers, livestock reminiscent of goats, cows and horses since they’re usually coated by livestock insurance coverage, and marine life reminiscent of sharks, whales, and dolphins.
Ollie the bearded dragon throughout her morning bask. Picture by Lana Van Demark
In contrast to the usual pet insurance coverage that covers canines and cats who obtain veterinary providers beneath a basic veterinarian, unique pet insurance coverage covers veterinary providers for these non-traditional animals supplied beneath an unique pet veterinarian. Unique pet veterinarians are conventional veterinarians who maintain a further license in unique pet drugs. Unique pet veterinarians can deal with canines and cats along with unique pets. Unique pet veterinarians are usually not discovered round each nook, so it’s greatest to analysis the closest unique pet vet to you previous to adopting a beardie.
Why Insure a Bearded Dragon?
The common lifespan of a bearded dragon residing in captivity ranges between 10-15 years when correctly cared for. These cold-blooded, fragile creatures can develop diseases and maintain accidents simply as a lot as canines, cats, and people can. A number of the most typical diseases and accidents bearded dragons can encounter are parasites, tail rot, mouth rot, fungal infections, respiratory infections, ear infections, eye infections, impaction, Metabolic Bone Illness, Dystocia (egg binding in females), Dysecdysis (irregular shedding), bone accidents as a result of unintentional falls, and overseas physique ingestion. Many of those situations can develop throughout the first couple of years of a bearded dragon’s life, particularly Metabolic Bone Illness. That is the crucial interval when beardies require a high-calcium weight-reduction plan, correct lighting, correct UVB and heating of their enclosure to assist in correct bone and muscle progress.
An grownup male Bearded Dragon being examined by workers at Oradell Animal Hospital, Paramus, N.J. – Picture credit score Oradell Animal Hospital (launched with permission to make use of by Oradell Animal Hospital.)
Although genetics generally is a issue behind some medical situations, most of those widespread medical situations typically develop on account of poor weight-reduction plan, housing, dealing with, and sanitary situations throughout pre- or post-adoption of a beardie. Medical situations in bearded dragons can generally be onerous to detect with the bare eye, particularly inside situations if a beardie exhibits no signs, which I discovered when my beardie was identified with stage 4 parasites and her wellness go to instantly turned to an sickness go to. Though pet insurance coverage just isn’t required for bearded dragons, it’s extremely really helpful so that you just because the bearded dragon proprietor are ready to guard your pocketbook when you find yourself hit with giant, sudden vet payments and may guarantee your valuable beardie can obtain the speedy medical therapy he/she wants.
Ollie on his perch. Picture by Lana Van DeMark
Whether or not it’s surgical procedure, hospitalization, or an emergency room journey consisting of a walk-in payment along with a number of exams, procedures and drugs, it takes just one time for a majority of these out-of-pocket vet prices to financially cripple a pet proprietor. With out medical intervention, these widespread medical situations will be life threatening and end result within the untimely demise of your bearded dragon or depart them residing an sad and unhealthy shortened life comprised of recurring well being issues that require ongoing journeys to the vet.
The place to Discover Pet Insurance coverage for Bearded Dragons
Nationwide and Metlife provide numerous forms of inexpensive and customizable reimbursement-based unique pet insurance coverage for bearded dragons. A few of these plan choices embody:
- Wellness
- Wellness/sickness/accidents
- Sickness/accidents
- Prescriptions
- Emergencies
- Testing and diagnostics
There are particular situations nevertheless that unique pet insurance coverage corporations won’t cowl which embody however usually are not restricted to:
- Pet meals/dietary supplements
- Transportation and boarding
- Hereditary situations
- Grooming (skilled nail reducing or cleanings for bearded dragons)
- Delivery defects
- Behavioral well being drugs/behavioral remedy (stress or nervousness problems in bearded dragons.)
- Waste disposal
- Veterinary providers supplied throughout enrollment holding interval
- Tax paid on veterinary providers previous to reimbursement
- Veterinary providers related to breeding
No matter which firm you select to enroll your beardie in, you can be certain to discover a plan with inexpensive month-to-month premiums, annual deductibles, and reimbursement prices. Low cost plans are even provided to new enrollees, in addition to enrollees who’re army vets, animal facility employees, renewing an annual coverage, or need to insure a number of pets. It’s as much as you because the beardie proprietor which plan most accurately fits your monetary wants, and your bearded dragon will profit most from.
3 Ideas for Bearded Dragon House owners
5 Info About The Bearded Dragon
For bearded dragons who’re raised alongside one other bearded dragon, a number of pets or youngsters for instance might profit most from an sickness/accident plan, or if a bearded dragon is raised alone by an inexperienced, newbie reptile proprietor, the beardie might profit most from a wellness/sickness and accident plan. Like all pets, eligibility for protection for bearded dragons are decided based mostly on age and pre-existing situations. Some pre-existing situations is probably not coated on the time of enrollment if the insurance coverage firm determines the pre-existing situation has not improved or been efficiently cured. For a free customized quote and extra data on these plans, go to www.petinsurance.con, or www.metlifepetinsurance.com
The Advantages of Insuring a Bearded Dragon
Insuring my bearded dragon has introduced a lot ease and satisfaction to my life. At an inexpensive fee of $12 a month, my three-year-old beardie receives wellness, sickness and harm protection by Nationwide with 90% reimbursement after her annual deductible of $100 is met. She has been in a position to bear preventative therapies together with ultrasounds to watch her reproductive system for doable Dystocia (egg binding) now that she has reached maturity, and extra fecal exams to watch her pinworms. She has additionally obtained prescription protection for antibiotics to scale back the danger of gastrointestinal issues from the parasites, and been in a position to bear basic physicals to make sure her pores and skin, eyes, ears, mouth, bones, and weight stay in wholesome standing. All claims for her visits have been submitted and reimbursed inside per week. She can be assured protection in all 50 states no matter what licensed unique vet clinic she visits, so touring out of space together with her understanding she is at all times coated is a aid.
Conclusion
Bearded dragons are lovable, but wild, susceptible and unpredictable creatures. To decide to them as their proprietor means researching, understanding, and being observant of the well being issues they’ll encounter at any given second by their conduct and look. It additionally means placing a plan in place from day one to guard your pocket and your beardie’s well being long-term if sudden, recurring medical consideration is required. When you’re keen about taking that 10 to 15-year journey together with your beardie, insure their well being at the moment!
Lana Van Demark presently resides in Pennsylvania and is the proud proprietor of a three-year-old feminine bearded dragon named Ollie. Ollie is a tan, eighteen-inch Central Bearded Dragon who enjoys chilling on her basking rock, exploring her environment, and chowing down on collard greens, mustard greens, squash and Superworms. Previous to Ollie she was an amphibian mother to an African Dwarf Frog. Along with writing for REPTILES journal, Van Demark has written for Pet Life/New York Life Journal.
