When seeking a comforting, supportive pet, most college students would adopt a cat or a cuddly hamster.

Lexi Carmine, a senior majoring in biomedical engineering, opted for a spiny, scaled bearded dragon named Mango who proudly wears a grasshopper costume in addition to holiday-specific outfits. 

“She has probably more clothes than I do,” Carmine said. 

What started as a COVID-19 companion purchased from a reptile expo has now blossomed into a therapeutic and expensive responsibility. After Carmine’s previous “roach dealer” got too expensive for a college budget — $200 a month — Carmine began breeding her own cockroaches to feed the 3-year-old bearded dragon.

“I was spending so much money on insects so I actually now have like a Tupperware full of roaches,” Carmine said.

Carmine said next to roaches, Mango’s favorite snack is blueberries, a supplement for her insect diet.

“Bearded dragons eat a lot of greens, a lot of vegetables and insects,” Carmine said.

Mango has lived in three places in her three years with Carmine. The summer after Carmine’s first year, Mango lived the suite life in a hotel, in sophomore year it was Bell Hall and during junior and senior year Mango was approved to live in South Hall in a glass enclosure.

Carmine said Mango has an active social life on campus, often visiting bio labs, making guest appearances at parties and, of course, Mango’s own birthday party which Carmine invited a lot of people in her major to. 

“Mango definitely has a social life,” Carmine said. 

Mango’s popularity helped Carmine secure over $1,000 in donations for the bearded dragon’s surgery in February after she began bleeding internally because she couldn’t pass her eggs, which Carmine said was a major cause of infection among female bearded dragons. Carmine said she didn’t know if Mango would make it out of the exotic vet’s office in Virginia alive, but she survived both an egg removal surgery, being spayed and spent two weeks at the vet recovering.

Carmine said Mango enjoys spending time with other animals, specifically her boyfriend’s cat, Cactus, and Carmine’s bunny, Stormie, who lives with her boyfriend. Carmine said Mango loves to try to lick and chase the cat around the apartment.

The bunny, Carmine said, is a little more skeptical and scared of Mango. Mango loves to show her playful side by running after her human friends too.

“She’s just really playful like when you’re walking on the ground she’ll just chase after your feet,” Carmine said. “I don’t know if it’s because she thinks it’s food or she thinks it’s funny.”

Carmine said Mango loves to wander and even resorts to headbutting a closed door to explore and find dark corners where she can nap or sprint down a hallway.

Despite her mischief, Carmine said Mango will give her open-mouthed smiles that brighten her day while she’s getting ready or doing work. 

“I would say Mango is my biggest supporter,” Carmine said. “Whenever I’m doing anything like getting ready or just doing homework, she’s just staring at me, which is weird, but whenever I look over she’s just always there and she gives me these happy faces.”