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Home > Bearded dragons > 10 Best Bearded Dragon Breeders of 2023: Our Top Picks

10 Best Bearded Dragon Breeders of 2024: Our Top Picks

hand carrying bearded dragon

Bearded dragons have become some of the most popular pets in the reptilian world. These large lizards tend to have engaging personalities and live for quite a while, making them long-term pets that you can bond with.

If you have set your mind on finding a bearded dragon to adopt, you might try going to a pet store. But you won’t know how old they are, their family history, or past health issues.

Many people ready to adopt a pet like a bearded dragon decide to adopt from a breeder. It comes with many benefits.

In this article, we go over why it is good to opt for a captive-bred bearded dragon and what makes an excellent bearded dragon breeder. We also go through each of the top 10 bearded dragon breeders in the U.S. This way, you can make an educated decision about which breeder to choose before purchasing your new pet.

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Why Adopt Captive-Bred Bearded Dragons

There are many reasons to go with a captive-bred bearded dragon from a reputable breeder. Getting them from a pet store means that you are taking a risk with the way that they were either bred or captured.

Many pet stores don’t have a good handle on where or how their bearded dragons come to them. That means suppliers can capture and send them in illegally, or they can send them lizards that have been mistreated or are old.

Store-bought bearded lizards are much more likely to have health issues due to inadequate care or age. It is best to support people who treat their lizards well rather than cashing into a system that you don’t know anything about.

At times, this practice can encourage illegal trapping and animal abuse. As an adopter, it might not seem like it, but it is your responsibility to adopt from good breeders that breed healthy lizards.

Not only does adopting from a certified breeder mean supporting favorable treatment of the animals, but it also presents you with more opportunities. You can find beautiful morphs or a variety of color patterns that exist because of selective breeding. Not only will your lizard be healthy, but it will also be unique!

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Image Credit: Tara Watkins, Shutterstock

What Makes a Good Bearded Dragon Breeder

We have established the positive sides associated with adopting from a full-fledged breeder. But what makes a breeder high-quality, and what are the things that you need to watch out for?

The bearded dragon breeding business is an interesting one. Many breeders start as hobbyists and might steadily turn it into a business. There aren’t many that last long, which is why it is essential to stay up to date with the breeders who still register every year.

The longer the breeder has been registered and functioning as a bearded lizard breeding business, the more experience they will have. They will also have amassed more customer reviews. It’s ideal to verify from other enthusiasts if the breeder meets and exceeds the general criteria for quality.

Besides the length of time that a breeder has been open, you will also want to check whether they have any exceptional credentials or accomplishments. Organizations like Morph Market might recognize them for their excellent service, customer support, or the pedigree of their lizards. The more committed they are to healthy breed lines and thriving individual lizards, the better.

Many lesser-known bearded dragon breeders might not have been in the business for as long. Length of time isn’t the only thing that makes a breeder suitable. However, if you opt for a “younger” breeding business, check to ensure that they have in-depth knowledge about bearded dragons.

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Image Credit: Pixabay

You should ask them questions concerning:

  • What kind of morphs they have
  • Whether they have a “live arrival” guarantee
  • Whether you can see and verify the health of the parents
  • The diet they feed them
  • The setup they use
  • Whether you can contact them after buying

They should feel comfortable answering all these questions and with you contacting them afterward. If they aren’t, it is probably best to look for someone with more experience or confidence in their stock.

Finally, look into their customer support and protection after you adopt one of their bearded dragons. Do they have protection plans or warranties in place? Do they have groups that you can join to get advice, particularly for first-time owners?

Our list has breeders that match these criteria and that weren’t found to have used improper breeding or rearing methods. These 10 have been in business for a while and are well-known for their high-quality work.

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The 10 Best Bearded Dragon Breeders in 2024

We have selected 10 of the best bearded dragon breeders. Underneath each of their business names is a summary of how they work and a list of the specific pros that make them the best.

Note that these are organized alphabetically, not ranked best to worse, since this list details the 10 best overall.

1. Atomic Lizard Ranch

Atomic Lizard Ranch

Atomic Lizards Ranch is based in Bisbee, Arizona. It is currently one of the longest-standing breeders of the bearded dragon in the U.S. For those of you looking for interesting bearded dragon morphs, Atomic Lizard Ranch won’t disappoint. It has shades of Bright Orange, Citrus Yellow, and Gala Red bearded dragons.

Paul and Collette run this business, a husband and wife duo. They love bearded dragons and have ever since they adopted their first in 1991. They started to breed them after that, creating beautiful morphs and healthy dragons.

What Makes This Breeder Great:
  • Raised bearded dragons since 1991
  • The originator of the Red Gala Phase morph and the Citrus phase morph
  • Only sells healthy bearded dragons
  • Also runs an adoption and rescue shelter for bearded dragons
  • Sells live food
  • Online shipping available
  • Runs a bearded dragon blog for new owners

2. Carolina Classic Dragons

Carolina Classic Dragons

Carolina Classic Dragons are based in Raleigh, California. David Freeman owns and operates this company. With his 25 years of herpetology experience and a B.S. in biological sciences, David knows the ins and outs of bearded dragon care.

David has bred bearded dragons for years, starting with a brand-new breeding facility. Although it is a business, it is also his hobby, which can mean a wait on response times. David won the Reptile Report’s Breeder of the Year in 2004 and sells noteworthy unique morphs.

What Makes This Breeder Great:
  • Excellent customer service
  • Affordable prices
  • Provides a comprehensive care sheet with adoption
  • Safe shipping
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee
  • Receive multiple pictures of your bearded before purchasing
  • Offers a reptile boarding service at $10 per day

3. CB Reptile

CB Reptile

CB Reptiles is a family-owned business that breeds all kinds of reptiles, not only bearded dragons. It also sells turtles, chameleons, geckos, and snakes. It is all about providing new owners with the information that they need to care for each of these reptiles properly.

CB Reptiles also has a YouTube channel that is full of information. You will have to look through this to find specific information on bearded dragons.

What Makes This Breeder Great:
  • Variety of bearded dragons and other reptiles available
  • Variety of methods of contact
  • Full 7-day health guarantee for any animal bought
  • A reputable team of reptile breeders
  • Onsite biologist
  • All reptiles sold are captive-bred
  • Also sells supplies and sends care sheets on your adopted pet

4. Dachiu Bearded Dragons

Dachiu Bearded Dragons

Dachiu Bearded Dragons is a business that breeds explicitly bearded dragons. This is a company founded by a married couple. Dachiu has been around for many years, founded back in 1996.

Dachiu Bearded Dragons only sells baby bearded dragons. It sells to the general public but also pet shops. It is willing to sex the hatchlings if you want. It also has a strong customer support philosophy, believing that it has the responsibility to answer any and all questions that its customers have.

What Makes This Breeder Great:
  • Excellent customer support
  • Provides a care sheet
  • 100% satisfaction guaranteed with a penalty of a return and refund
  • 6-week health guarantee
  • A variety of bearded dragon morphs
  • Unique online content

5. Fairytale Dragons LLC

Fairytale Dragons LLC

Fairytale Dragons is a smaller business run by a family. It is based in Orlando, Florida, and has been breeding bearded dragons for more than 15 years. It keeps its dragons healthy by having outdoor habitats where they can go to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air.

This business has all kinds of great testimonials on its social media. It also offers many morphs for sale. If you live in Florida, it will update animal listings available for pickup during the winter.

This small business primarily breeds Beardies, but it also has a couple of other unique lizards, like blue-tongued skinks, in the works.

What Makes This Breeder Great:
  • 15 years of experience
  • 14-day guarantee for your pet’s health
  • Intentional shipping system
  • Plenty of online material for new owners

6. Fire and Ice Dragons

Fire and Ice Dragons

This company not only has a captivating name but also 18 years of experience breeding high color morphs. Any morphs and mutations that grow healthy are sold to guarantee the prolonged health of your lizard.

This business believes in transparency and is open with how it goes about raising and handling its lizards before the sale. Once you adopt, it offers ongoing support to ensure your comfortability with your unique pet. It also has plenty of resources online for passive information.

What Makes This Breeder Great:
  • Experienced breeder
  • First to breed 100% citrus bearded dragon
  • Massive variety of morphs in vibrant colors
  • Online shipping available
  • Accept pre-orders
  • Pictures of each dragon available
  • Health guarantee for 14 days after shipment
  • Great customer support

7. Here B Dragons

Here B Dragons

Here B Dragons has a catchy name to go with a tremendous bearded dragon business. It is located in Manchester, Connecticut. Casey Fleming is a bearded dragon enthusiast that runs the business.

Casey is easy to get in touch with and helps answer any of his customer’s questions. There is less known about his experience with breeding bearded dragons or the length of time that he has been a breeder. However, there are many great reviews on the business’s Facebook page.

What Makes This Breeder Great:
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • A variety of morphs are available
  • Various contact methods for customer support
  • Pictures available for their beardies
  • Online shipping available

8. Kids and Dragons

Kids and Dragons

This business got its name from its family-based business ideals. It is based just outside of San Antonio, Texas. It specializes in tiger morph beardies, although it produces quite a wide variety of morphs and even leopard geckos.

One of the best things about this business is its premium customer service. From the first moment that you contact the team until long after you adopt, they are happy to help you with any concerns or questions.

What Makes This Breeder Great:
  • Excellent customer service
  • Offer one 14-day health guarantee
  • Live-on-arrival guarantee
  • Description of lizard’s genetics, sex, personality, and flaws
  • Continuous contact throughout the entire process

9. LLL Reptiles

LLL Reptiles

LLL Reptiles is a business that doesn’t only sell beardies. It also sells reptiles like snakes and turtles. Loren Leigh owns the business and is based in California. She has been successfully raising reptiles for more than 24 years and has expanded her business to include three sites in Escondido, San Diego, and Menifee.

Loren Leigh has all kinds of reptiles. Since she isn’t specifically a bearded dragon breeder, she has less of a variety when it comes to morphs but more when it comes to species. The company has a price guarantee, encouraging you to find an online commercial breeder with lower prices. They will beat it by 5%.

What Makes This Breeder Great:
  • Extensive range of species and small range of bearded dragon morphs
  • Contact within 24 hours of order to schedule shipping
  • 3-day health guarantee
  • Sells a range of food, vitamins, and supplies for keeping a healthy pet
  • Price guarantee

10. Phantom Dragons

Phantom Dragons

Phantom Dragon is a breeder specific to bearded dragons. It is based in California. It has been in the business of breeding bearded dragons for more than 20 years. It does have a few side projects with other species, like crested geckos.

Phantom Dragons typically has higher prices than most other breeders in the U.S., although it doesn’t ship for any additional cost. It has firmly established itself as a reliable breeder, focusing on the health and genetics of its lizards.

What Makes This Breeder Great:
  • Years of experience
  • Reputable breeder
  • Online shipping and pictures are available
  • Convenient to contact
  • Variety of dragon morphs
  • Morph Market gives it a 10-star rating for more than a year
  • Provides genetic information and parentage details
  • Car sheets available
  • 14-day health guarantee

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Final Thoughts

There are plenty of breeders for animals like bearded dragons. However, until you get to know them and their processes better, it is best to choose a business with plenty of experience. You want breeders that can answer all your questions. You also want them to focus on the ongoing health of their beardies.


Featured Image Credit: tavan150, Shutterstock

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