The eight species of bearded dragons are fondly called “beardies” and like a dragon, they have an armor of spiny reptilian scales that has a beard of spikes under its chin that puffs up based on their mood. Beardies are known to be active, curious, and gentle among the family of pet reptiles. Pogona vitticeps is the central bearded dragon that is more common as a pate.
Bearded dragons are ticklish. When you tickle a bearded dragon on its tail you will notice it waving its arms involuntarily s if it is swimming. Your bearded dragon loves being tickled. It excites them. But beardies have different personalities, the tickle spot of your bearded dragon may differ from that of others. Some beardies like being tickled on the area between the eyes or top of their head while some others like it when you scratch their beards or rub the spikes behind their eyes. Just take your time to study how your bearded dragon wants to be petted or tickled.
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Beardies are cold-blooded and a warm environment is very important for them to survive. So, if you have them as a pet, you will discover that they rely on heat from an external source to increase the temperature of their bodies. Some beardies even go as far as staying under the sun to get warmth but when the heat becomes extreme or they sense a predator, they burrow underground to protect themselves. Beardies are omnivorous so they eat leaves, fruit, insects, and small lizards.
You should not be scared to tickle your pet bearded dragon because they easily respond to your touch and recognize your voice too. Beardies easy to play with, you can give their flat bodies support from underneath so they can freely move on your hand. Your kids can also have beardies if you will be there to supervise them. Older beardies are more comfortable in the hands of their owner than younger ones.
Whenever you or your kids handle a dragon, you all must wash your hands afterward because salmonella bacteria is one bacteria that is common among reptiles.
One way you can easily bond with your bearded dragon is by handling them often. It allows your pet to get more comfortable in the presence of humans beings. Also, they don’t show signs of being stressed each time you try to clean their terrariums or when you are taking them to see a veterinarian.
I will tell you great practical steps you can use to handle your beautiful bearded dragon so you can easily bond with them.
Step 1: Wash your hands properly
You must always wash your hands before handling your bearded dragon. This is to ensure that you don’t end up transferring germs from your hands to your beautiful pet. It is also good you wear gloves on your hands too if your bearded dragon is still young and new, so you can protect your hands from any aggressive behavior it may want to portray. Wearing gloves also helps to keep your hand safe from getting injured by the bearded dragon’s rough skin.
Step 2: Go close to your bearded dragon in a calm way.
Avoid going close to your bearded dragon suddenly. Approach it calmly. You may end up stressing your bearded dragon if you do otherwise. Go close to it first before you touch it with your hands. How do bearded dragons show signs of stress when you approach them suddenly? They raise their head and puff up their chin that turns black eventually. When it shows signs of stress, let it be alone for a while before you try going close to it again. You must stay away from touching your bearded dragon at the top of its head because of the sensory receptors present there and it may perceive it as a threat from a predator.
Step 3: Gently handle your bearded dragon before you try to raise it.
Don’t just go close to your bearded dragon and try raising it before trying to touch it gently. You can touch your bearded dragon by gently stroking its head or tail with your index finger. As you do this, stay alert to make sure your bearded dragon is not stressed. If you notice that its mouth is wide open, it’s a sign that it no longer needs your touch.
Step 4: Uphold the front end of your bearded dragon.
Gently raise the front end of your bearded dragon’s body and quickly position your hand underneath its front legs so that it can comfortably stand on your palms. Make sure the base of your bearded dragon’s tail, its front, and back legs are well supported after lifting it. Doing this will make it feel safe in your hands.
Step 5: Lift the bearded dragon from behind and provide enough support for its front end.
If you want to lift the bearded dragon up into the air, provide adequate support to its front end while placing your hands underneath it from behind. Your two hands should comfortably provide support to both its front and back legs, its base, tail and the rear part of its body. When you do this, your bearded dragon can comfortably relax on your hands.
Step 6: Keep your bearded dragon in a new position if you want to.
If you successfully raise your bearded dragon and it remains peaceful, you can keep it in any new position you desire.
You can use your forearm to support your cute bearded dragon as you raise it. You can also allow it to rest on your palms. Some people keep it on their chest or shoulder.
Feel free to keep your bearded dragon in any comfortable position you but make sure you provide its tail, base, front, and rear with all the support it needs.
Conclusion
Beardies are amazing pets. They can be a great companion to you and your family members if you learn to handle them properly using the steps that were outlined earlier.
Make sure you spend at least 10 minutes of your day with your bearded dragon so that it can get used to having you around it. Spending time with your bearded dragon will increase the bond you both share and you can easily play with it.
Ensure you wash your hands before and after handling your bearded dragon to avoid the transfer of the salmonella bacteria from its body to yours.
Keep the environment of your bearded dragon clean and safe from the eyes of predators so you can enjoy bonding with it every day.