Do bearded dragons like to be handled?
Wow, I expected a lot different answers than what has actually been posted on this question.No, Beardies do not have to mental capability to “love” being held by you. Will Beardies stay on their owners because they “do not get enough heat”? Sometimes. My Beardies stay on me for up to an hour before running. And, they show no signs of stress. However, if the room they’re in is cold they’ll probably stay on your skin to stay warm. It doesn’t mean they’re unhealthy, it CAN mean they would just like to STAY warm.My Beardies have a mercury vapor bulbs at a 12 inch distance. This is adequate heat, and UVB exposure. They’re all healthy as can be, beautiful and active. Do they get stressed out, and hate when we handle them?Hell no.My male, Poseidon, who is the best eater, and arguably the healthiest. NEVER leaves my side. When I put him on the floor to run away, he runs back to me. Climbs up my leg, them up to my shoulder and under my jaw.So, do they like being handled? No, but most of them don’t have it either. They will usually show signs of stress if they don’t. Mine do not. Most of mine recognize their names, recognized my wife and I, and I truly do believe they find comfort in us. They show signs of finding comfort in us. Meaning they do not let other people touch them under the beard, feed them, hold them, etc. So, this is my experience, and I think a few of mine recognize I’m home, I’m their provider, and, as much as they actually can, love me.So, you have the freedom to interpret these answers accordingly, I just wanted to share my experience of 10+ years with these amazing animals. They’re such a joy to keep, and you will love keeping them as much as they love having you.Happy Keeping:)
Does my bearded dragon look healthy?
I would be most concerned about him not eating enough if you can’t give him insects for such along time. While there are nutritional concerns, you state that you’ll be rectifying that soon (which is good), as beardies need both insects and vegetables in order to get the right nutrition.A beardie at that age should be sleeping about half of his time, most of it at night, when it’s cooler in the terrarium. His skin looks good. I can’t tell from these pictures if he’s underweight or not. But if you can see any of his ribs, then he needs to eat more. At his age he should be eating insects as the the majority of his diet (up to 75%, according to some, 80% according to others). This will ensure that he grows properly and his bones and muscles develop right. Also make sure you are giving him a calcium supplement. It does not have to be combined with another vitamin, and beardies absorb it better if you can get one that is pure, although most calcium supplements are sold with vitamin D3. This can be bought in most pet stores.PLEASE start feeding him insects on a regular basis! There are online sources that will ship them to you, if you have transportation issues and can’t get to a store to buy them. He really needs those in order to grow and be healthy. Crickets and king worms are the two most common staples, but he should be getting a variety of worms/insects for best nutrition.
Too much UV Light and Heat Lamp making my Bearded Dragon sick?
I don't think the light made him sick..but I'm sure it messed up his natural cycle. Give him a few more days to settle in with a regular light schedule and he should start eating again. I would be wary of just leaving crickets in his viv. If they were to hide, they'll come out at night and nibble on your poor little dragon. They can leave some nasty sores. And regarding worms...indeed there are some worms which are not good for your dragon. Mealworms and wax worms included. Don't look at it as a lecture so much as just a concerned citizen making sure the little guy gets the best care possible. Unfortunately, pet stores are notorious for giving out bad and even dangerous care information for reptiles, so if you are caring for him according to what the pet store said, chances are that you are doing it all wrong (not your fault at all!). That is not a one time incident, that is so COMMON most of us in the reptile world HATE pet stores, so you can see our concern has valid backing. Please continue your research at http://www.beardeddragon.org to learn everything you need to know about taking care of your dragon! That site is full of knowledgeable owners with years of beardie keeping experience and you can trust anything you read there over anything a pet shop "specialist" says. Believe me, I do dragon rescue and I've seen the results of keeping a dragon by the advice of these so-called "specialists." Okay, sorry..lecture over! Best of luck!
Is it ok to put a blanket over my bearded dragon's tank while its sleeping?
I completely disagree with both of the answers provided above as they give incorrect information which could be harmful to the health of your dragon. You should NEVER use an under tank heater with a bearded dragon. Dragons can not feel heat on their underside therefore it is very easy for them to get burned. You should also NOT be leaving a light on at night. If you leave a light on your dragon's tank overnight (even a colored bulb), it will disturb their sleeping patterns which will lead to other health issues. As long as the temperatures in your house stay about 70 degrees Fahrenheit then you DO NOT need an additional heat source. If your house drops below 70 degrees Fahrenheit then you can purchase a ceramic bulb that emits heat but no light. As for your original question, yes you can place a blanket over your dragons tank as long as you do not cover the entire thing. You need to make sure there is an area left uncovered so that the vivarium gets the proper airflow.
Can i keep a bearded dragon outside?
Yes you can keep it outside. Just make sure your enclosure is secure, and you have the appropriate heating for your Dragon. After all, that is where they come from in the first place. If you live in an area that has snow, you might want to bring it in during winter.
My 12 yr old daughter wants a bearded dragon, is this a good pet?Where can I find them? How much?Cheap prices?
I want to make sure this is safe, and want to know some info...Where can I find them? How much do it take to start? Where can I buy them for a decent price? How big do they get? Are they a lot of work? If you do not think this is a good pet for her can you give me some that would be suitable for her?? (No fish, we've been down that road before ;D ) Thanks!
What might stress out my bearded dragon?
There are a lot of things that can stress out your bearded dragon!A lot of people and noise - it can stress out anybody, even beardies.No food - without food, your beardie might get anxious.Small spaces, like a small cage or a pet carrier - beardies need space.Too much action - don’t take out your beardie if they are trying to sleep!Extreme weather (heat or cold) - beardies must be within comfortable temperatures.A lot of motion - don’t wave them around in the air, or bounce them on the trampoline!Not enough attention, or boredom - try to take out your beardie at least once a day.Other beardies - sometimes they can be territorial, and sometimes they despise not being able to meet the other beardie in another cage.There are a lot more possibilities, but those are things that stress out my bearded dragons, Charlie and Rita!Rita and Charlie, the best of ALL bearded dragons!Also, some ways to figure out if your Beardie is stressed out are:If they are puffed upIf they have a dark chinIf they are wide eyed (sometimes)If they start shaking (only in very severe cases)
Can i use a black light for a bearded dragon?
Im getting a bearded dragon soon, in the mean time i am gathering some supplies from others to ease the amount on the reciept when i go and buy the things i need that are left. my teacher had a turtle in a tank, now he is moved from inside outside like a dog (with a giant pond like tank outside) and has been ever since she got him ten years ago, he is now seventeen. she gave me his lights and tank, i found out today that the long "UVB/UVA ??" light is actually a black light. i heard that black lights do emit either UVA or UVB waves, can someone clear things up in my mind? is this ok to have possibly during the day as the primary UVB light? this is the light that the turtle had for seven years in his dorm life at Texas A and M. (Course the lightbulb itself was changed out but it was the same exact light when replaced)
Why does my bearded dragon scratch at walls?
Do you have a photograph of your enclosure?In the wild, if a reptile finds that it is in an unsuitable place it just gets up and leaves. Our captives don’t have this option so it is our duty to make sure we meet all of their needs.One of the most common things I have seen is enclosures that are too bare and sterile. This makes them easy to clean but provides no options for the lizard. They prefer a ‘busy’ enclosure with a lot of cage furniture, which means things to climb, things to hide under, a temperature gradient so that they can bask to get hot, or go to a dark corner to cool down.However, even with a fair bit of cage furniture some lizards still get bored so time outside of the enclosure can be beneficial.