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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UC Berkeley chapter.

I am a dog person. I’ve always had a dog growing up. So, when my boyfriend told me he had, of all pets, a bearded dragon, I was shocked. 

Don’t get me wrong; I love that little thing. But until that moment, I didn’t even know they existed.

To be honest, the bearded dragon and I didn’t start on the right foot. I mean, I was stealing his human. When I first tried to feed him worms, he decided it was the perfect opportunity to teach me a lesson. Instead of eating it whole, as usual, he bit it in half, letting bits of the rest spray onto me. 

Chuck the bearded dragon has a giant attitude for someone so small.

Although we got off to a rocky start, we bonded little by little. It was a process, of course. I was terrified that he would lick me like Pascal in Tangled. Even though chameleons and bearded dragons are different animals, they both gather information about their surroundings by licking surfaces. But the longer I held him, the less annoyed he looked. 

It sounds funny to say it, but we have a lot of things in common. We both like my boyfriend, love to cuddle, and have a hard time staying still for more than a few minutes. We both appreciate being able to move around freely, and this similarity is what helped us bond the most.

Bearded dragons feel comfortable in their cages but also enjoy exploring. As I got used to him, I started to ask my boyfriend to take Chuck out of his cage whenever I came over. At the time, my boyfriend’s cats wanted to eat Chuck, so it was dangerous to have him running around without supervision. But the sound his little paws made when walking around was so adorable that I volunteered to babysit him.

After Chuck realized I was helping him explore more, he started to like me. He might have just accepted that he was going to see me all the time.

Now, though, I can assure you that Chuck loves me. 

Ever since my boyfriend and I moved to the Bay Area for college, Chuck and I have grown closer. He started letting me hold him without running away. Once, he even fell asleep on me. This is a big step because bearded dragons don’t like to feel vulnerable or exposed.

Nevertheless, my greatest achievement was a couple of weeks ago. After two or three weeks of not visiting, I came over to see my boyfriend. Chuck was sitting on his shoulder. When Chuck saw me, he jumped on my shoulder without hesitation. 

My boyfriend is his favorite person, but Chuck ditched him for me. I think that’s a HUGE win. I never thought I’d want to watch TV with my boyfriend and a sleeping lizard, but Chuck is too cute to stay inside his cage. 

I’m still a dog person. How can I not be? I love my American Bully, Argos, (a bulky little tank that *spoiler alert*, I hope to feature next). But bearded dragons are easy to care for, make great college pets, and are so cute and loving. 

I guess I have to admit that, now, I’m also a lizard person. 

Alondra Burgos Servat

UC Berkeley '23

Alondra is a Peruvian Senior transfer at UC Berkeley, majoring in Film and Media Studies. Passionate about the arts, traveling, and women empowerment; you can find her either enjoying hot chocolate while drawing, or out for an adventure to write about.