Caring-for-your-Bearded-Dragon.pdf (2024)

FAQs

Are bearded dragons hard to care for? ›

Bearded dragons, on the other hand, are much easier to care for than other reptile pets such as turtles or snakes due to their calm temperament and docile nature. For people who enjoy the scalier side of the animal kingdom, bearded dragon care could be a very rewarding pet to care for and keep in your home.

Handling times

Bearded dragons are quite docile reptiles and make great pets, you can reinforce this behaviour early on with a baby Bearded dragon by having regular handling sessions 2-4 times a day for 5-15 minutes at a time until they become comfortable.

You never want to overstimulate your pet by handing them off to too many different people or getting them out of their habitat in a particularly busy or loud environment. Do - Be sure to create a calm environment for your bearded dragon. Turn off the TV or other devices, and limit the number of people who are around.

As a general rule, bath time three times a week should be sufficient to keep your dragon clean and hydrated. If your dragon absolutely hates baths, then once a week may be a reasonable goal. If your dragon can't get enough bath time, you may want to do it more frequently, maybe even once a day.

Bearded dragons are diurnal, meaning they are most active in the daytime. Ideally, your pet should receive 12 hours of daylight in total. Ultraviolet lights are also important for keeping your bearded dragon warm. A UVB bulb is essential to maintaining a properly heated environment.

Yes! While not effusive and certainly not as emotional as dogs, cats, and other mammals, bearded dragons are known to show signs of affection to their owners. For example, they will remain calm when handled or sit still on their owner's lap. Bearded dragons are not social creatures by nature.

This finding suggests that handling bearded dragons for longer periods of time, even in a gentle way, may be mildly stressful for them.

They're fun, friendly and easy to care for. Bearded dragons are very social—they enjoy spending time with their human friends. Bearded dragons have a very special relationship with their owners. They are often affectionate and will often nuzzle into the hand of the person who cares for them.

Baby beardies are more skittish and can panic when they are picked up. Try to keep the baby calm and keep one finger under its chin while holding it. Never grab or hold a bearded dragon by its legs or tail.

Bearded dragons should spend at least 30 minutes outside of their terrarium a day. The more often they are out (without getting cold or away from their UVB bulbs too often) the more docile they can become.

Do bearded dragons like to be out of their cage? ›

Most bearded dragons tolerate spending moderate amounts of time interacting with their keepers, outside of their cage. However, bearded dragons are individuals with varying degrees of tolerance for such excursions. To avoid causing your pet stress, observe his behavior during and after such sessions.

Give your dragon a nice warm bath, followed by cuddles in a soft towel. Simply pause as much noise as possible to give your dragon some quiet time. Try turning off the lights until your dragon is more calm (of course you wouldn't want to leave the tank like this for too long so your dragon doesn't get too cold).

Let your dragon run around the house.

It's usually a good idea to avoid letting your other pets roam around in the same room. Additionally, you might want to block off an area specifically for your dragon, or at least block off crevices and areas where they could get stuck, get lost, fall down stairs, run outside, etc.

“Are bearded dragons good pets for beginners?” This is something I've been asked a lot, and the answer is essentially “Yes.” It's true that there are many aspects of a bearded dragon's habits, diet, and lifestyle that make them easier to care for when you're just starting out.

In summary, to create the perfect Bearded dragon habitat, you need a large enclosure, a heating system (basking bulb or ceramic and relevant thermostat), a high-quality UVB fluorescent bulb, with the strength tailored to your enclosure size, substrate (loose or slate/tile), plenty of decor, a water bowl and a food bowl ...

A beardie shows anger or stress by making his chin go black, and if he's very angry his chin is black and puffed up. If you see this, then it's best to back off as the beardie is not in the right frame of mind to be picked up.

While not effusive and certainly not as emotional as dogs, cats, and other mammals, bearded dragons are known to show signs of affection to their owners. For example, they will remain calm when handled or sit still on their owner's lap. Bearded dragons are not social creatures by nature.