General Didgeridoo, or “Didgie” for short, is the class pet of Lafayette High School. After brainstorming many names, like Norbert (from Harry Potter), Smog, and other iconic fictional dragons, Mr. Royster settled on this strange, but oddly cute name. This lizard was named after the school mascot, the Generals, and the instrument made in Northern Australia, the didgeridoo. This name definitely gives this reptile personality.

“I have been an animal lover my entire life, and I’ve had lots of weird and unusual pets over the years, but never a reptile.” said associate principal Richard Royster.

The lizard is a bearded dragon, a species native to Australia. This particular bearded dragon is a male, and he has very bright colors which is caused by his hypomelanism. This means he has a lack of dark or black pigment. He is a bright yellow that some people call “super citrus.” He is also a Dunner, which is a trait that leads to a random spiking of beard, and an interesting striping pattern that runs down the back of the lizard.

Eventually, after attending a few reptile expos, Richard Royster got his hands on this scaly friend at the Cin City Reptile Expo in Fairfield, Ohio just north of Cincinnati. Through assistance from a reptile breeder named Nick. His breeding business is called “Just Lizards Inc.” This business also breeds leopard geckos and crested geckos. You can find him on Facebook at Just Lizards Inc. if you are interested in purchasing a new pet, or even just learning more about these animals.

General Didgeridoo, or Didgie for short, currently resides in the office of Mr. Royster in a bioactive vivarium. This just means that Didgie’s enclosure is a living system, containing plants and insects. These different components work together and help keep everything naturally clean. This “clean up crew” is made up of different plants such as rosemary, lavender, and aloe vera, and also different insects like isopods, springtails, and tiny little micro-organisms. These help to keep the tank clean by eating food scraps, skin sheds, and waste products.

Being from Central Australia, bearded dragons live in an extremely dry habitat, so the ideal soil mixture is very specific. “Beardies” love to climb, so Didgie’s enclosure is completed with sterilized wood and clean rocks to keep him content. There are many different and fun components of this enclosure to help satisfy all of Didgie’s needs. Bearded dragons (and other lizards or exotic pets) are fantastic companions, but they also require much attention, dedication, and responsibility.

Many people have gone to visit this peculiar pet. If you want to learn more about Didgie, pay our associate principal a visit, or you can check out his YouTube channel. His channel name is Richard Royster. There is a video titled, “Buying a Bearded Dragon at a Reptile Expo | Name Reveal at the End” with a plethora of information about not just Didgie, but other cool reptiles. There is also another video about the enclosure and how to build it titled “Bearded Dragon Habitat | A Short How To Guide.” I recommend watching these if you are curious about Lafayette High School’s class pet, General Didgeridoo the bearded dragon.