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You are here: Home / Bearded Dragon Care / 5 Fun Activities for Bearded Dragons

5 Fun Activities for Bearded Dragons

If you can imagine living surrounded by glass then you know how a bearded dragon feels living in a terrarium. You may even find your bearded dragon scratching at the glass from time to time. This behavior is generally associated with restlessness and boredom.

As a bearded dragon owner you want to keep your reptile friend entertained and have fun with him as well.

You may be asking, “What type of fun activities can I do with my bearded dragon?”.

Here are five fun-packed activities for bearded dragons to keep them from getting bored while also strengthening your relationship.

Take Your Bearded Dragon for a Walk

5 Fun Activities for a Bearded Dragon

A great way to get your bearded dragon out and about is to use a special leash and take him for a stroll.

This is an excellent activity for getting in a little exercise for yourself and some get-away time for your bearded dragon.

A walk along the beach, or around your local park are always fun ideas. You will also be the talk of the place when folks see that adorable bearded dragon on a leash.

Take Your Bearded Dragon for a Ride

Do you ever just hop in your car and go for a joy ride on a beautiful day?

Take your bearded dragon next time!

Many bearded dragons love a good car ride. Just make sure you keep him on a leash and safely secured within the vehicle. It’s a good idea to possibly keep him in a Kritter Keeper while in a moving vehicle just for safety purposes.

Always provide clean, dechlorinated water and a couple snacks while out on your adventure, especially if it will be for several hours.

If it is during the cooler months of the year make sure you keep the temperatures in the vehicle warm. You don’t want your bearded dragon to remain in cool temperatures for an extended time.

Take Your Bearded Dragon for a Swim

Who doesn’t love a nice swim on a hot summer day?

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.

Make sure the water is at least 80Β°F and no deeper than the bearded dragon’s elbows (or knees). Dechlorinate the water using ReptiSafe, or similar water conditioner, if using tap water. You can also use spring water, but avoid using distilled water.

Place a couple small toys in the water for him to play with. A small rubber duck, or similar toy would be perfect. On very warm days place the swimming hole outdoors so he can play in the natural sunlight.

Always supervise your bearded dragon during the swimming activity

Give Your Bearded Dragon a Ball

Although a bearded dragon may not play with a ball the same way a dog might, it’s still a good idea to give your bearded dragon a small ping pong ball, or small rubber bouncy ball, to play with. Some bearded dragons may take to a ping pong ball and some may not – it really depends on the dragon.

Some like to take the ball and push it around, or nudge it to and fro with its snout. Try to find a ball that is colorful to entice your bearded dragon to check it out and play with it.

This could give you and your beardie hours of fun entertainment!

Make sure the ball is not small enough that it could possibly fit into your bearded dragon’s mouth. You want to avoid possible choke and impaction issues

Handle Your Bearded Dragon

Handling Bearded Dragon

One of the most fun activities for bearded dragons is interaction with its owner. It’s a good idea to try to pet and handle your bearded dragon for at least an hour each day. This will encourage your bearded dragon to trust you and feel safe with you.

Gently pick your bearded dragon up by slowly sliding your hand under its belly. Gently wrap your fingers around its mid-section with your fore finger under its chest. Slowly begin to raise your bearded dragon up and out of the enclosure. If the beardie begins to squirm to get away do not increase your grasp. Simply let him go and try again in a few minutes.

Once you begin lifting him out of the terrarium use both hands in case he tries to jump away suddenly. You don’t want your bearded dragon to fall from this distance. It could result in a broken limb.

Sit down with your bearded dragon and place him on your lap. He will probably start checking things out by sticking out his tongue and “licking” things. That’s their way of investigating to see if everything is okay.

Gently stroke the head, under the chin and down their back in gentle, slow movements.

You can even place them on the floor and let them run around a bit, but here’s a few things to remember:

  • It’s best to let bearded dragons roam around in a controlled environment. If there are places to hide they will find it (ex., behind the TV, under the couch, etc.).
  • Avoid letting bearded dragons run around carpeted rooms. Most carpets contain almost invisible strands that can get around their limbs and toes. These strands can cut off circulation and cause the toe or limb to eventually fall off. Hardwood or concrete floors are best.
  • Make sure the area is free of other pets that can attack your bearded dragon, such as cats or dogs.
  • It’s a very good idea to allow your bearded dragon to roam around some after it has gone to the potty. You don’t want to clean poop up off your beautiful floors (or off yourself).
  • Make sure to always wash your hands well with a good hand sanitizer after handling any reptile.
  • Always supervise your bearded dragon while it is roaming around. Never leave it in a room unattended.

The most important thing is to have fun with your bearded dragon, but keep its safety at the forefront. Experiment some to find out what he likes and what he doesn’t like.

If at any time your bearded dragon begins showing signs of stress, end the activity and place him back in his terrarium.

What are some fun activities you do with your bearded dragon?

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Hannah says

    November 6, 2014 at 2:10 pm

    My beardies kuzca and puff love to listen to music, they even have their own favorite types. I experimented a little with different types of music and puff seems to like banjo music the best as kuzca likes reggae. It makes them happy to listen to it and keeps them from being bored. They also always look forward to their bath times and love to ride on my shoulder to different places. In the summer we like to lay out and get our natural uv together and if I’m watching a movie, I will often have them sit with me on the couch (as long as it’s not an intense movie) beardies are a lot smarter than most people think, they’re quite remarkable little creatures.

    Reply
    • Maria says

      December 8, 2014 at 7:01 am

      Dats cool

      Reply
    • John C Mulcahy says

      March 10, 2015 at 4:41 pm

      What types of music did you experiment with?

      Reply
    • Lorien Morgan-Paulson says

      June 28, 2015 at 7:46 am

      Your bearded dragons sound a lot like mine too ! As Bruce ( that’s the name of my bearded dragon ) likes having baths , riding on my shoulder and even sometimes my head too , and listening to music as well ! Although I’ve never really tried letting him watch a movie, maybe I will sometimes ? πŸ™‚

      Reply
      • Isaac williams says

        October 1, 2015 at 8:23 pm

        my bearded dragon Diamond(my bearded dragon). eats dubia roaches. And i think they suit most bearded dragons up to 10 inches.Otherwise below 10 inches i’d stick to meal worms and crickets.i think all of you take good care of your bearded dragons and i give her rides on my shoulder to! p.s. my bearded dragon hasn’t been eating as much as normal she used to has good health and she isn’t sick but i’m just wondering if anyone has advise. Just make a comment right below mine and thank you for reading!

        Reply
        • Sharon says

          January 7, 2016 at 10:41 pm

          What made you give dubia roaches? I have been thinking about these for awhile – They seem cheap, and easy to take care of – much easier than crickets…

          Sharon

          Reply
          • Squidpixie says

            February 8, 2016 at 2:04 am

            Dubia roaches have a higher meat-carapace ratio and are higher in protien than crickets. They also don’t die as fast! They do need a higher protein food than crickets though and are a little pricier.

          • Lillian Hearde says

            September 30, 2016 at 8:50 pm

            The Dubia roaches have less moisture and more Protein, Fat (Actually good for dragons.), Ash (Also good.), Fiber, Calcium and Phosphorus… all of these compared to crickets, prove that dubia roaches are healthier, less noisy, less active, more nutritious more meaty, bigger, calmer, disease free and non-smelly or jumpy…
            Hope that helps, comparing crickets to dubia roaches can be hard… I hope I made it easier than it was..

        • Toni says

          July 10, 2016 at 4:44 pm

          I watch my Fred closely and I have observed when his eating slows down to the point I am getting worried, I usually notice him starting to shed. I try not to handle him as much and lightly spay with water during his shedding and make sure his diet is well balanced and calcium/Vit D

          Reply
        • Susie says

          March 24, 2019 at 7:54 pm

          Is it Winter? It could be your water, it’s Spring for me and my bearded dragon Oscar does not eat or drink much either, but if you’re supper worried go to the vet nearest to you!

          Reply
        • Krysten says

          July 3, 2020 at 1:01 pm

          Sometimes if they aren’t eating and are in good health they may be tired of what they are eating my beardie named Godzilla used to eat alot of crickets then she started not eating but she was in perfect health the pet store told me to try switching around her food

          Reply
          • Duaa Keen says

            March 24, 2021 at 12:50 pm

            Hi, I just got a beardie last Saturday, I’m worried because I know he’s supposed to be lazy, but he takes a lot of naps. He doesn’t drink his water at all , and avoids his snacks. Am I being paranoid or should I be worried?

        • Jennifer says

          July 28, 2021 at 8:07 am

          I had issues similar to yours not too long ago so I took my bearded dragon (Spike) to the vet. The out come was that he was slightly dehydrated… so I gave him a bath twice a day for 15 min each time and with in a week he was back to his normal self!

          Reply
      • Marti blalock says

        February 11, 2019 at 6:13 am

        My bearded dragon “Groot” loves watching TV. I have a TV by his tank and he tilts his head with interest during some shows

        Reply
    • anna congolson says

      August 4, 2015 at 1:03 pm

      my bearded dragon spike loves to hangout on my head but his claws do get stuck in my hair sometimes, but other than that its really fun! πŸ™‚

      Reply
    • Grace says

      September 2, 2016 at 11:56 pm

      How do you put your on your shoulders I’m scared??

      Reply
      • Lillian Hearde says

        September 30, 2016 at 8:51 pm

        They have enough grip in their claws/ nails that they wont fall when. if you walk around with (s)he…

        Reply
      • Giovanna says

        November 12, 2020 at 12:01 pm

        I put mine of my shoulder al the tie just place him there and he will craw up his way

        Reply
    • Alyssa says

      April 18, 2017 at 6:39 pm

      My beardie dovahkiin loves to chill on my wrist and watch as i am on my laptop he doesnt like my moms cat but he is my baby

      Reply
      • Olivia says

        March 26, 2018 at 3:14 am

        omg!! that’s such a great name!
        fus roh dah πŸ˜‰

        Reply
    • Staysha says

      November 22, 2018 at 1:29 am

      My beardie like to listen to music as well as watching the music video. Sometimes she dances to them. I even put a Shane Dawson video next to her cage and she watched it until it was over. Honestly, I never knew a bearded dragon would do that

      Reply
    • Brooke says

      September 11, 2020 at 12:44 pm

      Awee my beardie loves listening to Lana del ray!

      Reply
  2. Maria says

    December 8, 2014 at 7:00 am

    I have a bearded dragon named Flaco i got it from my uncle. Well i dont know what he likes to do. How can i tell or give him to play with???

    Reply
    • Isaac williams says

      October 1, 2015 at 8:25 pm

      you can feed him dubia roaches to feed him and let him play with a ball or roam around!

      Reply
    • Nicole says

      September 30, 2016 at 12:16 pm

      All u can do is try.. hold him as much as u can . (Keeps them friendly ) . Yes mine watches tv too. I put a small towel on him so he stays warm. Mine also plays ball. A small ball. I roll it in front of him and he hits it like he’s biting it and runs after it. I play with him on my wood floors and the ball is in his tank when I’m working and always moved around.. I sit him on the counter when I’m doing dishes and stuff , he just watches. Talk to him. He will recognize ur voice too. They are awesome!

      Reply
  3. Ellen, says

    December 23, 2014 at 8:54 pm

    Hey. My beared dragon Finn loves to play with me and my little sister, but most of the time he is on her shoulder.

    Reply
    • Isaac williams says

      October 1, 2015 at 8:26 pm

      well you have a good lizard

      Reply
  4. Izzy says

    January 15, 2015 at 11:16 am

    My Vittikins (smaller type of beardie) Rango loves to climb all over me and he loves being videoed. A fun thing to do is to take videos of your reptile doing funny things and then make it into a memory movie. He also likes lisening to music like Hannah’s beardie’s do. He likes chillin’ in warm water/bath although I haven’t tried swimming yet. He’s only about a year and I’ve only had him for about 10 days. BEARDIE’S RULE!!! I love these ideas!

    Reply
    • Isaac williams says

      October 1, 2015 at 8:28 pm

      i’m gonna ask my dad to buy a leash for my beardie and i’ll walk her around the block

      Reply
  5. @crystalRulz123 says

    January 27, 2015 at 6:40 pm

    my best friend ally my lizard are best buds when she is sleepy she always lays down on my lap after a walk everybody loves her she always runs to me or her terrarium

    Reply
  6. @crystalRulz123 follow me says

    January 27, 2015 at 6:45 pm

    Ally my bearded dragon is going to be a mom her eggs are goi to hatch sometime this week her boyfriend is a little toy called scooby doo she always licks the toy and my shirts

    Reply
  7. LizardLips says

    January 30, 2015 at 3:35 pm

    My beardie Victoria loves to watch horror movies. Don’t get me wrong – she still flinches every now and then – but if I sit down to watch a good classic like Frankenstein or Halloween, she won’t stop running around until I get her out and let her watch it with me! She’ll simply turn her nose away at any other type of movie, so I guess she’s a real thrill seeker. She loves listening to music as well, mostly alternative, and sometimes a little soft rock, but anything too noisy doesn’t really appeal to her. She also likes to sit with me while I read – now, whether or not she wants to eat the book is another matter!

    Reply
    • TerrificallyTwisted says

      June 2, 2016 at 9:39 pm

      My Paarthanax is a metalhead. He enjoys some screamo and rock too ? He really likes to watch my speakers when I listen to music. Its those speakers that change colors and shoot water up with the bass.

      Reply
      • nina says

        December 11, 2016 at 3:41 pm

        maybe your beard loves listening to that music but if were you i would turn the music slightly down so the bearded dragons ear drums don’t burst

        Reply
    • Katie says

      August 11, 2018 at 11:51 am

      How can you tell that they like certain types of music or movies?

      Reply
  8. Lucy preciado says

    February 7, 2015 at 12:22 pm

    How do they do with small turtles

    Reply
    • Lucy preciado says

      February 7, 2015 at 12:22 pm

      How do they do with small turtles?

      Reply
      • JoAnn says

        December 2, 2018 at 1:48 am

        Why in the world would you do that? The don’t even live in the same climate

        Reply
    • kevin says

      May 30, 2015 at 6:35 pm

      Horribly do not introduce your bearded dragon to any size turtle as they lick and turtles carry salmonella

      Reply
    • Selena says

      June 4, 2015 at 3:35 pm

      Small turtles are not a good idea unless they are toys. Bearded dragons will tip them over, lay on them until they die and or the turtles will bite the dragon, and they will seriously stress one another out. And there environments aren’t the same either.

      Reply
  9. brandon says

    February 9, 2015 at 7:26 pm

    my bearded dragon spike loves to lay with me however after 10 minutes he will jump off and start running is he stressed?

    Reply
    • Emish says

      May 11, 2016 at 11:42 pm

      Probably just wants to roam. Mine did it for quite a while, now she’ll fall asleep chilling with me.

      Reply
  10. John C Mulcahy says

    March 10, 2015 at 4:39 pm

    What types did you experiment with?

    Reply
  11. junito says

    April 6, 2015 at 2:30 am

    I have two small beardies male and female first time ever owning reptiles and I just wana know what can I do to keep them happy while I’m gone I work 13 hour shifts and come home tired so I just want to know what kind of Intertaiment would best suit them the most and keep them from being bored

    Reply
    • Sofia says

      May 2, 2015 at 9:59 am

      I have learned that if u keep the tv on most beardies will actually watch it, plus it keeps activity rolling in the room, or you can keep there tank near a window so they can watch cars go by or look at the birds and squirrels running around your back yard

      Reply
      • Randi says

        December 13, 2016 at 7:51 pm

        Please don’t keep your beardie’s tank near a window. It can make his tank way too hot. Think of how hot it gets inside of your car. Also, it can be way too drafty near a window and make your beardie very cold.

        Reply
        • Andrea says

          March 29, 2019 at 12:22 am

          Bearded Dragons are desert animals so the hot does not actually bother them.

          Reply
  12. bogdan says

    April 6, 2015 at 9:44 am

    I have a one year and a half dragon and he does everything he wants…he is free in my flat and he also has a huge tank. Usually he stays at the window looking outside and enjoying the heat from the heater… He walks a lot in the flat and limes to jump off things….when I wistle. He turns around and he reacts…and he also plays….with the cat…not much like play than interact…I always keep an eye out for the cat not to bite him.he also enjoys climbing things like shades…or how are they called(textiles)…he learned that from the cat

    Reply
  13. Brian says

    April 7, 2015 at 12:37 pm

    Yes, Hannah is right. My Italian Leatherback, Gucci, loves things that humans enjoy as well. He loves music so I will try to remember to leave some on for him when I leave, and he also loves to watch TV with me or even watch me play video games! He will definitely take his rightful place on my shoulder, and loves travelling from room to room with me. His favorite activity however is just hanging out by the window sill when the weather is nice. And believe me, he lounges there for hours! I can go out (or even to work!) and rest assured that when I return he will be just where I left him…sitting by the window!

    Reply
    • Emish says

      May 11, 2016 at 11:45 pm

      Lol my little girl does the same.

      Reply
  14. nofi says

    May 19, 2015 at 4:44 pm

    My bearded named Kratos loves to watch movies and certain video games

    Reply
  15. Emma says

    June 1, 2015 at 9:49 pm

    My bearded dragon, Marley, doesn’t seem to be interested in baths or walking(most of the time I have to carry her) and I wish she was more happy. I’m gone most of the time at school and every other week i’m at my other parent’s house. I’ve tried these thing sand Marley just doesn’t seem t be happy–what else can I do?

    Reply
    • Lillian Hearde says

      September 30, 2016 at 8:55 pm

      If i were you, i would go and get some toys, leave on some music when you can…
      Theses not much else you can do…

      Reply
  16. Porter says

    June 23, 2015 at 10:44 pm

    My bearded dragon dexter loves to watch other beardies on youtube… Ive never tried music, how can you tell they like that type? I need to get a leash and walk him, how long should i walk him… Ive had him for three years and he hates baths

    Reply
    • Tazz says

      April 29, 2017 at 12:54 pm

      Bathing is a really good activity and has its pros too. This helps re hydrate them, which i love as i hardly see my boy drink. he 80% of the time loves a warm bath, and i gently brush him with a soft toothbrush. DON’T go scrubbing them down but i believe he really enjoys a good back brush πŸ™‚ often in the bath he sticks his mouth down and drinks his full. This is very rewarding for me. Also make sure the water is not too cold,it needs to be nice and warm, but not human hot. If your BD simply stresses out in the bath and glass surfs instead of enjoying,take him out and on nice warm days get a new clean( dragon only) spray bottle full with nice warm water (Remember by time the spray lands it will be pretty chilled to take that into account.. just keep testing on your arm till its nice and warm once it hits your skin.. spritz the BD, spray spray spray even when he walks away often it takes a few moments and they will start to scratch their heads with there back legs in a dog like manner and flicking tail around. This is him cleaning himself up, and often by now he/she will have pooped from the warm water and himself walking it out… Happy boy hapy me.

      Reply
  17. Cody says

    June 30, 2015 at 5:23 pm

    My beardie, Matilda, goes nuts whenever I’m playing video games. She starts trying to dig out of her tank when she sees me playing something and, when I take her out, she runs straight for the couch so she can watch.

    Reply
  18. Amone Brits says

    July 18, 2015 at 1:26 pm

    Hi guys, I’ve got my bearded dragon just this afternoon he is a Juvenile bearded dragon.
    His name is Spike. I was wondering how you can tell if it’s a boy or a girl.
    Please Reply

    Reply
    • Jean Fappe says

      August 8, 2015 at 9:25 pm

      At the base of a boys tail, there will clearly visible bumps (about four around the base of his tail)
      Is it’s a girl, there will be no or hardly visible bumps.

      You can not tell if it is a baby.

      Reply
    • Alloran says

      September 24, 2015 at 5:40 pm

      -Left them up so their belly is facin you.
      -Look at it’s butt.
      -if there are two lumps (kind of like a butterfly…) it’s a boy. If there is on it’s a girl. Also if it has glands on it’s leg (white little bumps) it’s a boy.

      Reply
    • Lillian Hearde says

      September 30, 2016 at 8:58 pm

      When they get a little bigger, you can place a flashlight behind their tailbone (in the dark), if there is two little stripe like things then its a boy but if it looks like one lump then she’s a girl… hope this helped, i had the same problem with my juvenile, his name is Edgrr

      Reply
      • Tazz says

        April 29, 2017 at 12:58 pm

        I wish i new this a few years earlier as my boy was greeted a “hello Delila” daily ,, no wonder he was so grumpy for so long.. He now is Storm.

        Reply
    • SmartPerson says

      October 26, 2020 at 4:53 pm

      First off, you shouldn’t call it a he if you don’t know the gender, you should probably call it “they” or “them”. Secondly, you would look above the vent on the tail and see if it has 2 bumps if male and 1 bump if female.

      Reply
  19. Amone Brits says

    July 19, 2015 at 2:17 am

    I got my Bearded Dragon yesterday. And I still can’t pick him up. Because he hits me with his tail or trys to bite me.

    Reply
    • Stephen says

      August 14, 2015 at 3:52 pm

      You’re probably scared of it or anxious and they can sense this. They interpret it as threatening. Try to relax before you pick it up and never cross over the head to pick it up unless you’re very in tune with your dragon. Hope that helps

      Reply
      • Tazz says

        April 29, 2017 at 1:01 pm

        if i can add, if you simply try pick him up he does this uneasy helicopter tail spin and can be dropped by mistake like this. Support his underneath .. Also they HATE being upside down belly up.

        Reply
    • Paul Goodman says

      July 17, 2016 at 3:48 pm

      He’s not comfortable yet pet him at the base of the tail until he gets used to u should take about 2 or 3 days

      Reply
  20. heather says

    September 12, 2015 at 7:59 pm

    My bearded dragon Buddy loves baths! He goes every where with me except for work. He enjoys being in the sun. He loves to cuddle with me when I am watching TV or when I am just going to bed. He doesn’t care what kind of music we listen to. He doesn’t really care much about swimming. He’d rather just chill out with “mom” than anything. I get him whatever I think he would want. He is a very spoiled bearded dragon. I spend more time with him than I do my other pets. He’s my first pet lizard, and he won’t be my last. Bearded dragon’s are amazing animals. If he really enjoys something he will let me know. He is also very alert as well. I have had him since July, and we have learned boundaries for one another. Spend time with ur beardie and they will teach u their “language.” U will learn what they do and what they don’t like. If Buddy doesn’t want out he will squirm or give me a certain look. He lets me know the following morning that he is mad at me if I didn’t tell him goodnight. What he will do is not eat or he won’t move from a certain spot. He looks really ticked off as well. He’s mostly always a very happy dragon. I love him and I wouldn’t trade him for anything.

    Reply
  21. SonicBlu says

    November 8, 2015 at 3:09 pm

    My beardie Bowsie loves watching movies with me. She’s not too wild about television programs, but she loves a good movie. For some reason, she prefers thrillers and her favorite actor is Leelee Sobieski. When I play my Nintendo 3DS, she loves watching me play Pokemon. She seems to respond very well whenever a Magikarp appears. She loves being outdoors and I have to get a leash for her before I set her down on the ground. Tried it once without a leash and she started taking off running in the opposite direction, and when I went to pick her up, she didn’t like it. She really doesn’t seem to like wanting to be supervised if she had the freedom to move about freely. Whenever I hold her, I make sure to keep her on me at all times, unless she moves to a comfortable soft place where she’ll stretch out and go to sleep. She loves soft, shag pillows. Most of the time, she’s looking closely at whatever I’m doing until I go over and take her out of her terrarium. Once she’s out, she seems to be very happy. I also learned how to interpret her gaping cycles as well. Typically, bearded dragons will gape whenever their body heat rises too much and they do that to cool down and they’ll also gape when they’re agitated, which usually involves the puffing and discoloration of their beard (which Bowsie never has done before), but she’ll also gape when she feels a certain emotion. She’ll start gaping a lot when I hold her, which I grew to interpret as her showing her happiness. She’ll even gape when she’s not hot. She also likes to gape whenever she feels accomplished at something. Bearded dragons will also gape a lot when they have respiratory problems, but Bowsie’s health is in tip-top shape and she doesn’t have any problems breathing. In answer to the question whether bearded dragons make good pets, I can highly vouch for this. If anyone is interested in owning a bearded dragon, keep these in mind: First, always let your beardie choose you. When you approach the display tank, some of them will acknowledge you right away and stare right at you, moving their gaze as you move along their display tank to keep their focuses on you. Some may even approach the glass to get a better look at you. When you see one behaving this way, then that is the bearded dragon you want to take home. Also, get them as infants, so that you can raise them to get used to you as adults and they’re a lot easier to tame. When you find a bearded dragon you want and you bring it home, allow a few days for them to adapt to their new surroundings before handling them. Bearded dragons can also be very emotional and sensitive to environmental changes, but as long as you give them their space, they will respond a lot better when you start handling them on a regular basis.

    Reply
  22. Garret says

    November 22, 2015 at 12:37 am

    I just got a fancy bearded dragon today, and I read that a lot of people’s beardie a like music and movies. Mine has watched a movie already but I’ll be sure to let her watch me play Mario bros or listen to music. She’s not really the size for walks yet☺️

    Reply
  23. Shaun says

    February 12, 2016 at 3:38 pm

    I have a Bearded Dragon female about 1 1/2 years old. She has been free roaming my house for the past 7 months. Now she seems like she wants out all the time. She will hang out on the couch on my chest for hours in the evening when she is sleepy. During the day how ever she just wants to run around for about an hour then go find a cold dark place and sleep. I think she is brumming kind of like hibernating. She did not do this behavior when she was a juvenile. I have let her sleep under my bed for 24 hours but then I put her back in her cage. Now mind you I live in a desert climate and my house is almost always 78 and it is dragon proof. I have been reading about this hibernation and they say they can sleep up to 3 months. She won’t do this in her cage. I have tried lowering the temperature in her cage and putting a dark cold spot for her but to no avail. I am just wondering if I should just let her sleep under my bed for as long as she wants. Has anyone else had this experience?

    Reply
    • Tazz says

      April 29, 2017 at 1:17 pm

      Shaun, my boy D does the same. A dragon loves space and shows off the personality fully when free roaming. I dragon proof the room ill be in and let him have carte blanch, a day or so later I have to eventually go and drag him out and pick his cold body up, only to get a small internal hiss from him, in total disapproval. from the deepest darkest space or the furthers corner under the bed.and pick his cold body up. If she is not sleeping in her cage like that make sure it has a “safe place’ to dissappear to behind the hot lights and away from our prying eyses. An empty pot plant on its side is good enough.

      GOOD TIP * If you ever temporarily misplace your dragon in the house,DON’T PANIC JUST YET… go look behind the tv unit,or even inside your cupboard or behind the speaker you never checked. They will go hide in the dark before they just run off and never return. I still misplace him the house but i now know every one of his spots:)

      Reply
      • Mike says

        February 12, 2018 at 11:32 pm

        I lost my python one time in the apartment. After months of searching and ripping apart I concluded he was gone out the window or through the garbage. Then another month later I was lying on my mattress reached over to the side table to grab my water.
        Low and behold here’s Hermes. Stretched out from a hole in the side of my bed I did not know about. And he’s drinking my water. 4 months. And I was sleeping with him the he hole time

        Reply
  24. Csee says

    February 16, 2016 at 8:43 pm

    Me and my bearded dragon, Shade, watch YouTube all the time and he seems to like it, he will run around then when I turn on a video he will stop and watch the video

    Reply
  25. Saxon says

    February 19, 2016 at 1:01 am

    Hey Guys I’ve Got A Pure Red Albino Beardy And He’s Pretty Special He Can Swim Underwater Ge Can Stand On Two Legs And Even Climb Up My Desk It’s Pretty Amazing And So I Think You Guys Should Try (Well Try This If You Don’t Have a Dogs And/Or Cats ) Try Letting Your BEARDIE Free Rome And My BEARDIE Likes POPCORN It’s Kinda Weird πŸ˜‰

    Reply
    • Tazz says

      April 29, 2017 at 1:22 pm

      If you have other animals, take an hour or so and close up the house to outsiders and let him go explore his home.Limit hiss space while he finds his. They love climbing and getting up to mischieve . Just close doors and deep places that he may get stuck in or behind…like the back of the 300kg deep freezer..not fun!

      Reply
    • N-way beardies says

      March 2, 2018 at 9:44 pm

      I dont think you have a beardie dude :-p

      Reply
    • Laura says

      March 1, 2019 at 3:15 pm

      Popcorn can impact a bearded, please be careful!

      Reply
  26. Matt says

    March 27, 2016 at 9:21 pm

    Where can I get a leash for my beardie?

    Reply
  27. Jane says

    April 13, 2016 at 6:36 am

    I got my Beardie’s leash off of Amazon for $6, he hates it but it is really well made and convenient! πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • steven says

      August 24, 2016 at 1:46 am

      did it fit yours? and how big is your bearded dragon cause i was looking in to leashes and harnsess but im worried it wont fit mine. how big it your please let me no thx.

      Reply
      • Tyler Miller says

        March 2, 2017 at 7:44 am

        It’s adjustable, the only thing you can change is the length of the leash and color.

        Reply
    • Tazz says

      April 29, 2017 at 1:30 pm

      My boy hates it too and gives me these really embarrassed and cheesed off eyes, as if to say”ppl are going to laugh at me mom” from the corner of his eye, and simply will not move one step. I have put the collar on a few times but his stress got me to pack it away for good.. I feel the collars look and me personally feels a bit mean and unnatural. They do help make sure they dont just run out the yard etc…as they can really run fast…but if possible close your bedroom door twice a week or more with you inside and let him roam while you are watching him but giving him space…

      Reply
  28. April says

    April 26, 2016 at 2:50 pm

    My bearded dragon lucky love’s to cuddle with me on my bed and fall asleep when I stroke his head

    Reply
  29. sue says

    June 8, 2016 at 6:13 am

    Just coming up to a week I bought my lil dragon home spike. We are bonding really well I handle him alot but because his a juvi he can get ready to run off his too small to let roam on his own as yet so as soon as he wants to run around I put him back in his viv… He choose me in the pet shop he jumped down to glass of viv and tried licking me thru the glass when I asked to hold him he didn’t want to move from my hand… He had his first bath as his started shedding the other day he did not like that puffed his bearded and his mouth opened wide I put him straight back I’m his viv for him to calm down.. This morning we was watching cars I’m really enjoying owning my bearded dragon I’ve wanted one for so long my dream came true

    Reply
    • Lisa M says

      April 27, 2017 at 8:45 pm

      Great job! Beardies are the best!

      Reply
  30. Old man fred says

    October 1, 2016 at 12:41 am

    I can’t understand what half of you all are trying to say with the horrible grammar and spelling.

    Reply
    • Lisa M says

      April 27, 2017 at 8:47 pm

      Thats not nice! We are all sharing our passion for our beardies

      Reply
  31. theresa says

    December 27, 2016 at 5:03 pm

    I have a female bearded dragon.. she loves to cuddle, run around the living room, go outside in the yard with her leash on of course, she seems to love her bath. She let’s me know when she wants put by walking over and scratching at the cage. If I say no I can’t let you out right now. She will actually eventually go back over to her log under her light… they are amazingly smart creatures. One of my favorite pets to own. I will be buying her a ping pong ball this week to see if she likes it.
    I never took notice to whether she likes when I play music so I will have to try that.

    Reply
    • Tazz says

      April 29, 2017 at 1:34 pm

      Very smart creates..Ping Pong Ball sounds fun..thanks

      Reply
  32. Andrea says

    January 18, 2017 at 10:32 pm

    Just wondering… To those who let your beardies run around, aren’t you afraid of them getting cold?

    Reply
  33. Andrea says

    January 18, 2017 at 10:40 pm

    My beardie is sedentary and has been for the year and a half I’ve known her. How can I encourage her to be more active? She doesn’t like running or swimming or even chasing bugs. Also she won’t eat her veggies. Help.

    Reply
  34. Alexa says

    February 7, 2017 at 5:30 pm

    Hi my bearded Sweet Pea is not eating vegetables. I have tried putting her leafy greens on a white paper towel, I have tried putting her meal works as superworms in her salad, and have tried putting it near her basking spot. None of those methods have worked and I need someone to tell me what I should do. Also how many crickets/ mealworms should I be feeding her every day?

    Reply
  35. Tyler Miller says

    March 2, 2017 at 7:40 am

    I’m going to get a bearded dragon, but I don’t have anything ready. What kind of stuff should I get for him/her?

    Reply
    • N-way beardies says

      March 2, 2018 at 9:46 pm

      The pet store will guide you

      Reply
  36. Lisa M says

    April 27, 2017 at 8:41 pm

    My beardies love to listen to birds and cricket sounds on youtube. They also like to sit on the back of couch and look out the window for hours. They will fall asleep on my chest before i put them in their cage for the night. I love and enjoy my beardies so much.

    Reply
  37. Matthewlief says

    December 5, 2017 at 1:45 pm

    I just got my bearded dragon 3 weeks ago and he is doing fine. I am worried though cause I have fed him lettuce every day and now there are 3 poops in his vivarium what do I do?

    Reply
    • Mike says

      February 12, 2018 at 11:25 pm

      Just start feeding him more suitable food. If he’s over feed lettuce let me recommend some superwor ms to counteract

      Reply
  38. Mike says

    February 12, 2018 at 11:23 pm

    Lizard and Dragon. Lizard ( my male ) has an obsession with hide and seek. He often pulls off elaborate escapes from his terrarium and hides from me. He is very good at it as he comes up with the best spots. At first it was always behind the dresser or in my laundry but as time went on and it became a daily thing. He progressively has been surprising me with his genius.
    Dragon (my female ) is a suck. She enjoys cuddling and typically sleeps with me every night. She crawls up my chest slowly as if I don’t notice and crams her head in my beard under my chin. It’s the cutest.
    They both really like hip hop and cartoons.

    Reply
  39. N-way beardies says

    March 2, 2018 at 9:56 pm

    My dragon Gloria, is really sweet!!! She loves to eat mealworms and zophobas while we eat out food. She loves to explore, But are not a big fan of getting bossed around. Hahaha! She is allso getting really facinated by the TV, when i watch HBO-Vikings, she is allmost paralyzed, But the moment i change show, she dont even brother…. Its crazy funny!!! ??
    Since she eats alot of fresh herbs and vegetables, together with big alive bugs, we have decided to give her small live fish on saturdays, something she seems to enjoy. We put small glass with the tetras in her cage, and let her fish Whenever she wants too. She is really healthy and no signs of anything wrong, not even after our yearly visit to the vets.
    We started freding her fish after she had a big interest in our aquarium, Hahaha. So she kindof told us herself.

    We cant Wait for summer here in Norway! Hopefully it will be Warm enough for her to join the beach once in a while.

    Reply
  40. gibson says

    July 23, 2018 at 5:06 pm

    We just got our bearded dragon Kramoto. He is very pretty & active. Do they actually shed their skin?

    Reply
  41. Aston says

    November 10, 2018 at 5:10 am

    Good article but theres one thing i disagree with. If with a young beardy you aren’t persistent with handling it can breed bad habits. If every time your bearded dragon squirms a bit you put it down it’ll remember this and just continue to squirm every time.. You’ll generally find that if you pick them up and they squirm, you can just swap hands a few times and they’ll settle. You can then stroke them and get them used to being handled.

    Reply
  42. Alyssa Bell says

    August 2, 2019 at 12:17 pm

    My beardie dovahkiin loves watching me play video games especially skyrim he likes to go to the middle of my back when I am trying to put him back in his tank

    Reply
  43. Elayne says

    September 8, 2019 at 1:05 am

    My bearded dragon Dino loved the new Godzilla king of the monsters.

    Reply
  44. Sara says

    March 19, 2020 at 4:20 pm

    I love white bearded dragons

    Reply
  45. Bailey says

    March 30, 2020 at 10:16 pm

    Rex, my beardie is about 2 months old, he doesnt enjoy me playing with him but he loves music, once in a while he will go to sleep on me. He really loves his cage, how can i teach him to like me more?

    Reply
  46. Bartholamew says

    April 4, 2020 at 9:53 pm

    My bearded dragon is older, and I don’t know if he understands how to play with toy balls, or if he plays with them his own way because he just bites them and chews on them. I guess he does what he does.

    Reply
    • Kyle says

      May 28, 2020 at 1:33 pm

      my bearded dragon only eats about 1 cricket a day and often just refuses to eat. he came out of brumation a few weeks ago…it’s almost as if he has forgotten what everything! he licks his food like he does to his cave, etc instead of eating it. he also doesnt eat any vegetables. he is doing poos VERY rarely. What should i do? i’ve tried taking him outside(thats what the man aat petsathome told me to do) but it made no difference. he also isnt eating the komodo bearded dragon treat mix. can someone please help me?

      Reply
  47. Kyle says

    May 28, 2020 at 1:38 pm

    hello, my bearded dragon is about 1 year old and is called spike. he only eats about 1 cricket a day if that, and no vegetables. not even the komodo bearded dragon treat mix! he rarely does poos as well. other than that he isnt accting too differently.
    can someone please help me or reccommend any foods that your beardie loves/hates?

    Reply
  48. Kyle says

    May 29, 2020 at 1:10 pm

    sorry basically said the same thing twice but please could someone help?

    Reply
    • Ruth-Ann says

      October 7, 2020 at 3:13 am

      My BD Doodles acted the same way several years ago. You can look for an exotic pets veterinarian to get checked out. Mine had to take medicine for 10 days or so. To get yours to poo, give it a bath.

      Reply
      • Ruth-Ann says

        October 7, 2020 at 3:16 am

        P.S. My son named his bearded dragon Spikes!

        Reply
    • Someone says

      November 4, 2020 at 7:09 pm

      Mabye you can try and feed him something different. Poos might be because of the heat in the cage because he might not be comfortable

      Reply
  49. Someone says

    November 4, 2020 at 3:43 pm

    My Bearded dragon’s name is Clemintine
    she is 2 years old and pretty lazy, we watch youtube together on the bed. She really likes to be held, and will climb on my back.
    But she keeps scratching against her glass.
    she isnt brumated or anything cause i dont have any other beardies. and i always take her out whenever she does that. can you help?

    Reply
    • Someone says

      November 4, 2020 at 7:08 pm

      meant to say gravid not brumated

      Reply
  50. Someone says

    November 4, 2020 at 7:10 pm

    Mabye you can try and feed him something different. Poos might be because of the heat in the cage because he might not be comfortable

    Reply
  51. Tammy Williams says

    January 31, 2021 at 5:18 am

    I have had my Breadie for 6 yrs now. His name is Argus. He is my morning coffee companion. I get him out and he has 3 big red rasberries I cut down to bite size for him. And he also loves carrots so he has some of those. I do change it up everyday with other foods he loves. And I try to find other foods to offer him. He really loves baby food squash. He dives right in them. But he sits at the table while I have coffee and toast and check emails and check fb. And play a game. I aim going to have to see about taking him on walks with me in the evenings. And see about getting him a ball. I have very much enjoyed him. When I get up to make coffee he is up also running back and forth waiting for me to come get him for coffe and breakfast. I just love him. Thanks for the new ideas I can offer him and activities. I can’t wait till morning. I do get him out in the evenings. He lays on a towl on my bed watching me get ready for bed while I talk to him. We lay on the bed and watch the evening news and to bed for the both of us. He loves the attention.

    Reply
  52. Kylie says

    February 17, 2021 at 3:05 pm

    I tried this advice at home and my beardie loved it . However I have one more piece of advice. What I did was put my hair scrunchie in her tank. Not only did it get her used to my scent but it also gave her a comfortable spot to sleep ??

    Reply
    • brded dragon says

      April 6, 2021 at 3:19 pm

      adorable!

      Reply
    • Klara says

      April 22, 2021 at 5:28 pm

      my beardie, thor wont drink water and i am not sure why. nothing i do will help.

      Reply
  53. Minnuel Jose says

    April 4, 2021 at 9:42 am

    I had him for 5 years. His name is Gus, loves the water.

    My beardie loves going to our small pond, we live here in south east asia so it gets hot here in summer, we have this pond that he loves going to when we let him roam the backyard, he mostly stays there and goes to the rocks to bask.
    The pond is only half a foot deep and we have minnows in there. I caught him eating some of them, also, I managed to take a video of him catching a mouse and chasing it near the pond.

    I’ll describe you how it happened (I am always in the chair and I always keep an eye on him)
    He just finished basking on the rocks and went for a dip onto the pond, he was just there minding his own bussiness. A rat showed up near the pond, around by my wife’s garden. It wandered around and I got my phone and took a video of it, It went to the pond and started drinking. Gus just snatched the rat and dragged it into the pool and started thrashing, the rat was quite small, after the rat stopped fighting he dragged it onto the walk (this is where he usually bask) and ate it. This was 3 years ago. He did make a massive dumb. it smelled.

    Reply
  54. Minnuel Jose says

    April 4, 2021 at 9:43 am

    he is like a mini croc

    Reply

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