Once again, I am reflecting on questions I’ve been asked as a so-called “expert” on dragon anatomy, physiology, and behavior… as if anyone could truly master the oddities of dragon behavior. Often, I am asked whether dragon hoarding is a real thing.
Dragons of myth and legend are famous for fiercely guarding their treasure hoards of gold and gems. For a dragon veterinarian, nothing is more fascinating and enigmatic to study than treasure hoarding. Have you ever wondered whether the hoarding trope is historically accurate?
Do dragons keep treasure hoards?
In short, yes, some do.
To clarify, most dragons don’t bother with hoarding. For the minority that do, any guesses on their riches of choice? Gold? Silver? Diamonds?
Nope. Hoarding dragons like shiny things.
In truth, shiny things indeed include metals, stones, and coins that are precious to humans. However, dragons also love copper, such as pipes and plumbing fittings, wiring, and kettles. Mostly, dragons love sparkly colorful things, like tinted glass and glitter.
Below, a partial list of actual items found in genuine dragons’ hoards:
- Cat collar with plastic rhinestones and a jingle bell
- Coins from every known currency in existence, dating back thousands of years… and a few coins that are yet unidentified
- Plastic children’s party favors, including whistles, necklaces, bracelets, and toys; apparently, someone’s piñata got raided
- Styrofoam jack-o-lantern decorated with orange glitter
- Seven full settings of silverware, minus two spoons. Someone, somewhere, has to have missed these!
- Fifty-three blue and green glass marbles
To summarize, when it comes to hoarding, dragons are one part packrat, one part goblin, and one part toddler at the dollar store.
If you want to learn more about dragon anatomy, physiology, and behavior, including hoarding habits, then be sure to read The Dragon Doc Tales: a cozy, humorous fantasy series about a veterinarian for dragons.
Have you thought of a burning question about dragons? Comment below! I may feature your question in Fun Facts About Dragons.
