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You are here: Home / Bearded Dragon Care / Are Bearded Dragons Good Pets?

Are Bearded Dragons Good Pets?

The first thing many people ask when thinking about getting a bearded dragon is, “Are bearded dragons good pets?”. This is a very understandable question, since no one wants to get a pet then regret having it later on.

Out of all the reptiles available for hobbyist today, the bearded dragon is arguably the most popular and sought after. One of the reason for this is because they do make excellent pets.

Here are just a few reasons why the bearded dragon is the lizard to have as a pet.

Appearance

Sandfire Bearded Dragon

One of the most attractive attributes of the bearded dragon is its appearance. Bearded dragons have a unique appearance that looks like something leftover from the age of the dinosaurs.

They also come in many different morphs, or colors. Many breeders have recently bred bearded dragons that come in beautiful colors, such as yellow, red, orange. One of the most popular morphs available is the Sandfire bearded dragon.

Sandfire’s come in different hues of red, that range from bright red and orange(that resembles fire) to light red (that looks almost pink).

Easy Maintenance

Bearded dragons are one of the easiest pet lizards to maintain. They are not too fussy about what they eat because of the wide variety of foods they enjoy. Although bearded dragons do have a minimum amount of housing needs, they are not nearly as complicated to house as turtles or chameleons.

With just a few minutes of upkeep a day your bearded dragon will stay happy and healthy.

Behavior

Bearded dragons have the best behavior as a pet of any lizard. Most enjoy daily or weekly interactions with their owners, and can be taken out of their housing and allowed to explore your home, or room (under supervision, of course). With the proper leash bearded dragons can even be taken for walks outdoors. They have a very docile and “happy-go-lucky” attitude that makes them the ideal pet lizard.

Many times bearded dragons will display other behaviors like arm waving, head bobbing, and the billowing beard that many keepers find amusing. Keeping a bearded dragon as a pet can be as entertaining and satisfying as a cat or dog.

Life Span

Overall, bearded dragons are very hardy. Many captive-raised bearded dragons can live ten to fifteen years, or more, with proper care. As long as you provide adequate housing, a nutritional and balanced diet, and regular check-ups with a reptile veterinarian, your bearded dragon will live a long, prosperous life.

If you choose to bring home a bearded dragon as a pet in your home I’m sure you will have years of enjoyment with your new pet. It’s difficult to beat a bearded dragon as a great pet!

Filed Under: Bearded Dragon Care Tagged With: bearded dragon, pet

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rob says

    November 28, 2014 at 6:38 pm

    Do they travel well?

    Reply
    • mariah says

      June 22, 2016 at 11:57 pm

      Thx I’ve been telling my dad there nice

      Reply
    • Jacob says

      March 1, 2017 at 3:36 pm

      what are those

      Reply
  2. Taylor says

    March 20, 2015 at 6:30 pm

    Thanks for this! Ive been tring to convince my perents to get me one… but i just cant convince them! Any tips?

    Reply
    • mya says

      May 20, 2015 at 7:31 am

      try to tell them the things YOU will get better at (knowledge, responsibility, managing money etc.) Good luck, I hope you are able to get a beardie

      Reply
    • Jerdin says

      May 25, 2015 at 12:48 pm

      Just tell your parents that you’ll take care of it yourself eg. Feed it, clean it and even walk it from what he said

      Reply
    • Gage says

      March 2, 2016 at 10:27 am

      Why won’t they get you one

      Reply
    • Gage says

      March 2, 2016 at 10:28 am

      there really good pets and there not messy at all they don’t take a lot of care

      Reply
    • axel says

      February 13, 2018 at 11:04 am

      just do it then ask for forgiveness later…. that’s what I don’t haha now I have one

      Reply
    • Elizabeth says

      January 4, 2021 at 10:02 am

      Same my mom is on Ford 100% because I have so many babies and I take good care of them but my dad said it will be too much there’s one at the pet store that I really love in every search all about its care and know everything that it needs.

      Reply
  3. ben says

    May 11, 2015 at 1:45 pm

    The arm waving is to warn off other predators. The head bobbing is a sign of aggression.

    Reply
    • Ned says

      February 23, 2017 at 12:34 pm

      The head bobbing is also a sign of dominance to other dragons and the waving is a sign of acknowledgement between 2 dragons

      Reply
  4. liz says

    May 20, 2015 at 3:57 pm

    My 10 and 12 year old boys have a bearded dragon, which I myself think is great, and really enjoy him. Mr. Bruce, as we call him, is an excellent pet. I would recommend one to anyone.

    Reply
    • BlockAye says

      July 28, 2015 at 1:52 pm

      Mr.Bruce is a Really Good Name So is Ms.Caitlyn Lol

      Reply
      • Reagan says

        February 25, 2017 at 8:53 pm

        I named my skittles 🙂

        Reply
        • Akemi says

          January 17, 2018 at 12:28 pm

          aww that’s a cute name

          Reply
  5. Nolan Law says

    May 29, 2015 at 8:58 am

    so true doing project for school thanks for the good website

    Reply
  6. Nolan Law says

    May 29, 2015 at 8:59 am

    Thanks for helping needed info for a school project

    Reply
  7. beverley says

    July 9, 2015 at 7:42 pm

    how big dose the bearded dragon get at full size???

    Reply
    • Kevin says

      August 18, 2015 at 8:12 pm

      18to 20 inches depending on the type of beardie.

      Reply
  8. Yazmen says

    March 17, 2016 at 3:28 am

    I agree my beardie also looks forward to her bath time I had no idea that some of them like music but I’ll have to see what my beardies jam is.

    Reply
  9. Georgie says

    August 1, 2016 at 11:05 am

    I just went to an infectious disease conference last week. Bearded Dragons are not appropriate for young children unless you care for them correctly. Bearded Dragons have been linked for spreading Salmonella Cotham. As the popularity of this specie increases, as does the Salmonella Cotham. The median age of people sick with Salmonella Cotham is 3 years old, averaging to 5 years old. 37% of children with presented illness, end up hospitalized. Children at this age don’t wash their hands as often, and certainly not after handling their dragon. They are also the ones most likely to kiss or cuddle the lizard. Salmonella is also spread by the lizard as it walks around on surfaces, whether it leaves its droppings behind of not. So, to prevent Salmonella illness, wash hands after every handling and be conscientious of where you let it roam. Young children my be rolling or crawling in the same spaces. A conscientious pet store will tell you the risks and advise against the ownership of this reptile if you have young children. I’m not saying it’s not a good pet. I’m just saying, with each pet there are risks and you should do all your homework on the animal first and make sure you care for it correctly to protect it and your family.

    Reply
    • mluv says

      June 20, 2018 at 11:09 am

      To be fair there are always risks with any animal. With dogs and cats they can carry or pick up worms, with hamsters or gerbils or other small animals they can pick up other infection diseases, and all fish, reptiles and amphibians can carry salmonella. With that being said if you are saying anything against beardies you have things against everyother animal on this planet.

      Reply
    • beardeddragonlover says

      October 13, 2018 at 12:36 am

      They will only spread salmonella in=f you do not wash them, and if you don’t clean up their feces. You can also be hospitalized if you don’t wash your hands after touching a dog.

      Reply
  10. Paco suave says

    September 11, 2016 at 11:14 pm

    Georgie just shut everyone up… Why do u have to be the voice of reality georgie

    Reply
  11. matthew says

    September 26, 2016 at 3:04 pm

    my mom won’t “let me have one” she says it’s to hard

    Reply
    • Bruce says

      March 12, 2019 at 2:50 pm

      mine to

      Reply
  12. Stuart Lowe says

    November 27, 2016 at 3:06 am

    Hello
    My son Charlie has 6 Rabbits 8 Guinea Tropical fish. He hates school and really loves his animals. All well looked after and spends every penny on them.

    Now I know never buy animal for Christmas but Charlie is a very special case. Very proud of him as some of his Rabbits died from Mixi disease.
    Yes he wants a Bearded Dragon, I know he will care for it 110%. However he wants it in the bedroom?

    Will it smell ? We also have 2 stupid dogs which are good with all the rabbits.

    Any advice would be great

    Stuart ( Concerned Grump Dad )

    Reply
    • Rosemary says

      May 12, 2017 at 9:27 am

      Hello Stuart.
      A little intro on where I’m speaking from : It’s been a year and a half since we’ve adopted our little guy Spyro. Since day 1 we’ve used a repti-carpet (easy to wash) for his 20 gal tank up to his current tank which is 50 gal. We have 2 carpets for when he goes number 2 we can change it out and wash it. Their poop can smell bad, I think it has a lot to do with the heat lamps we have over his tank that dries it out – not terrible. Beardies generally don’t stink.
      Let me go over repti-sand very briefly here. It’s been causing a lot of upper respiratory infections on bearded dragons, inhaling all that artificial sand just doesn’t make for a healthy environment. I say look into it.
      Not sure how well it holds with poops, sure it’s easy clean up but I’d imagine it soaks in pretty well.

      Reply
  13. Akemi says

    January 17, 2018 at 12:32 pm

    I was wondering if Bearded dragons are okay around dogs that bark sometimes (not often) i have been thinking about it but i have two dogs who bark when someone enters the house that still aren’t used to me yet. Is that an okay environment for a bearded dragon?

    Reply
  14. Carly says

    April 10, 2018 at 1:16 am

    Wondering if my baby is safe in the tank with my juvenile (I think male) bearded dragon? I know signs of aggression. Just acknowledgement from the juvi (waving) but baby is wanting to run away… Thinking about just getting another tank, etc. I thought I’d have more time since it’s a baby, idk.

    Reply
  15. Angelina says

    May 18, 2018 at 4:35 pm

    I want one soooooooooooooooooooooo bad

    Reply
  16. Angelina says

    May 18, 2018 at 4:36 pm

    Ooo cool

    Reply
  17. Randy says

    August 18, 2018 at 9:50 pm

    Do they like hanging out on your body (shirt, jacket, etc?? Is it the kind of thing you can take out of the house, go to Starbucks with? Do they run fast/try to get away?

    Reply
  18. Randy says

    August 18, 2018 at 9:53 pm

    Do they like to hang out with you on your lap, your shoulder, etc.? Take them out like to Starbucks? Do they run fast/try to getaway?

    Reply
  19. Eileen Benson says

    October 29, 2019 at 1:07 pm

    Thanks for talking about the behavior of bearded dragons. My son wants to get a pet reptile soon. Your article made me excited to look for bearded dragons for sale online!

    Reply
  20. Taylor Anderson says

    December 3, 2019 at 2:41 pm

    My little brother loves pets. I think a bearded dragon would make a great pet. It’s great that they can even be walked outdoors with a leash! Thanks for the great information on bearded dragons. Where can I learn more about them?

    Reply
  21. Ronan says

    March 3, 2020 at 11:20 am

    Yes totally they just can’t be held to often if they don’t like being held.

    Reply
  22. Amelia Carley says

    December 14, 2020 at 10:14 am

    I want one. Do you have any advice?

    Reply
  23. Amelia Carley says

    December 14, 2020 at 10:16 am

    I have a dog, 9 cats, a cow and a calf, 4 horses, a rabbit, 11 fish, and a snail. Do you think that a bearded dragon would be a good pet for me?

    Reply
  24. Danica says

    February 1, 2021 at 8:28 pm

    What type of schedule do I need. I’m a busy person. I’m a student and Im not home from 7:20am-3:00pm. I sometimes have practice. How long can i leave them unoccupied.

    Reply

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