Never grab or hold a bearded dragon by its legs or tail.
Make sure that your beardie knows you're coming.
Never squeeze the head or push it down to the point of moving your lizard's head. It's also wise to avoid the mouth. Petting the mouth will likely end up in a light bite. Most beardies prefer you stay away from there.
You may also be wondering where do bearded dragons like to be pet. Commonly, bearded dragons like being petted in a few places. One such spot is directly between the eyes and on top of the head. Another is scratching their beards, or rubbing the spikes behind their eyes.
You can get sick from touching your bearded dragon or anything in its environment, and then touching your mouth or food and swallowing Salmonella germs. Always wash hands thoroughly with soap and water right after touching or feeding your bearded dragon and after touching or cleaning the area where it lives and roams.
Never hold them by the tail! Pet them in the direction of their scales, never against their scales. Don't pull scales if they are shedding. Wash your hands very thoroughly after handling your dragon to prevent salmonella.
Bearded Dragon Bites
Dragons rarely bite. When they do, it's rarely serious. A dragon bite may be painful because their teeth are sharp. If you are bitten, the site may swell and bleed.
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).
The answer is it's situational, but the worst-case scenario really isn't that painful. Even though these lizards have tiny sharp teeth, it really just feels like a brief pinch or sting. The age of your bearded dragon when it bites you will impact how much their bite hurts too.
You can hold a bearded dragon for as long as it will tolerate being held. Start with 15 minutes once a day and as it gets used to being handled, you can hold it longer. Some dragons enjoy being held several times a day for several hours. When the beardie becomes restless, it is time to put him back.
Play safely: Don't kiss or snuggle your bearded dragon, and don't eat or drink around it. This can spread salmonella germs to your mouth and make you sick. Keep your bearded dragon out of your kitchen and other areas where you eat, store or prepare food.
Many bearded dragons are especially drawn to slotted balls like hamster balls or cat toys. Never let them play with marbles, small rubber balls, or anything else they could choke on. Mirrors. Some bearded dragons really enjoy mirrors, but others get stressed at the sight of their reflection.
When you own a bearded dragon, it is natural to want to love your pet. Your dragon also can have affection for you if you take care of him. Learn how to hold him appropriately, bathe, and house him. By providing a good and safe home for your pet, you show your love.
A happy bearded dragon with a lot of trust in its owner will often walk over to them. They might run up to the glass when you near their enclosure or saunter over to your hand when you're doing tank maintenance. If they have free roam of a safe room, they may even run to you when you place them on the floor!
Hold Bearded Dragons Until They're at least 6-inches Long
As a rule of thumb, you'll want to avoid any unnecessary handling until your bearded dragon is about 6 inches long or so. By this time, they're usually sturdier and less likely to become injured during handling sessions.
Since bearded dragons are naturally solitary creatures, they do not get lonely if placed alone in a cage or left for some time away from their keeper. They much prefer having their food and heat to themselves rather than sharing it with another bearded dragon.
Bearded dragons are diurnal and sleep up to 12 hours daily. People often ask if bearded dragons are nocturnal or diurnal. These reptiles are diurnal, so they are active during the day and sleep at night, similar to humans. If you have a bearded pet dragon, it will be awake during the day and rest when you do.
Also known as “Beardies” they are not particularly lazy pets. It's just that they are known to enjoy cuddling up with their owners while they watch TV. Yes, they're cuddly! Another reason that bearded dragons are an increasingly popular pet is because of the common (mis)conception that they are easy to take care of.
They're Gathering Information About Their Environment
A bearded dragon in a home environment, especially a new beardie, will lick you for much the same reason. Your pet wants to know if you are a friend or a threat, but as it gets used to you and its environment, they won't need to do this as much.
How often should bathe your pet lizard? I usually recommend at least once a week. In summer, you may want to bathe your bearded dragon twice a week or even more. Ask your veterinarian for specific advice.
It takes time to recover and regenerate the appendage, but it doesn't have much effect on the animal. So, do bearded dragons have the ability to drop their tails? Unfortunately, they do not. Contrary to what you might hear, bearded dragons cannot drop their tails at will and grow them back.
Bearded dragons typically only hiss when they feel threatened. If your dragon is new, he may need some time to get used to the new environment and you. Your dragon may also hiss if he sees his reflection, or if you are reaching for your dragon from above.
Although bearded dragons are not generally aggressive by nature, they may become mad and show signs of aggressive behavior if they feel threatened, they may feel threatened should you mishandle them or if they interpret something as an act of aggression even when it isn't.
Most bearded dragons love playing around in the water. It's a great way for them to have some fun while also getting hydrated. A large plastic storage bin that is at least twice as long as your bearded dragon makes for a perfect swimming hole. A small kiddie pool works well, too.