How long before handling bearded dragon

Then, apply gentle pressure upward, which will usually stimulate your lizard to climb onto your hand. Alternatively, you can lift adult dragons by gently grasping them around the shoulders or hips and placing them in your outstretched hand.

Just be sure to grab your pet securely, but gently to make sure he neither falls nor feels unnecessary pressure around his body. This will prevent him from feeling frightened, which may cause him to run or thrash about in an effort to feel more secure. But it is usually preferable to support large bearded dragons with two hands at a time for maximum safety. Typically, this will mean handling your bearded dragon in a closed room, in which there are no loud noises including televisions, radios or similar devices.

Even the calmest bearded dragon will eventually become stressed out if you handle him for too long. Bearded dragons are relatively clean when compared to aquatic turtles and some other common pet species. However, they can be contaminated with a variety of pathogenic bacteria, including various strains of Salmonella.

Fortunately, you can usually avoid illness by simply washing your hands after handling your dragon or anything in his enclosure. Just use plenty of soap and warm water and be sure to scrub the areas where dirt and bacteria often linger, such as around your fingernails. Note that young children, elderly individuals and those with compromised immune systems may be at increased risk of illness.

So, do not allow young children to handle bearded dragons, and be sure that others who may be at increased risk of illness speak with their physician before handling any reptile. In addition to the things explained above that you should do when handling your pet, you should avoid doing any of the following:. Ticks are pesky little parasites that bury their heads into their host's skin and proceed to feed off of their blood.

Seeing as these tiny arthropods are so small and inconspicuous, sometimes it's Some people have little dogs that they mainly keep inside, while others may have big dogs that love being outdoors. Whatever type of lifestyle your best friend has, ticks can become a big problem if Skip to content. First, wash your hands. Also, beardies are sensitive to smells and if your hand smells of anything unusual you may get mistaken for food and bitten!

Some people also opt for wearing gloves. Using gloves will help protect your hands in case the dragon bites which is unlikely or accidentally scratches you and it will also prevent passing on germs.

If you keep your baby bearded dragon in a cage or other type of enclosure, avoid reaching from the top or above their head. Move your hand slowly toward the baby bearded dragon until they allow you to touch them. Before you pick up the baby bearded dragon, it may help to stroke it softly. As you pet your dragon, wait until it blinks or has its eyes closed.

At that point, you know for sure that it is calm and ready to be picked up. It is important to support the back end of your baby bearded dragon when you hold it. Ensure that you are supporting all of their legs and tail too, even if it takes two hands. If you have any trouble getting your hand under your baby bearded dragon, then gently grasp him behind the front shoulders with your forefinger and thumb.

Then, slightly lift them and slide your other hand underneath them. It is important that your actions around the beardie are calm and deliberate. If the beardie is stressed, it will not be comfortable being held.

If the beardie is in a cage or enclosure, you will have to slowly reach in, but do not attempt to reach from above; bearded dragons have sensory nerves on top of their heads that will interpret your reach as an attack. Do not interrupt the bearded dragon while it is eating.

Do not back a beardie up in a corner, as it will feel threatened. Do not tease the lizard with your finger, as it might think it's a worm and chomp! Pet the bearded dragon gently. This will allow the dragon to become accustomed to your hand and feel comfortable. When the bearded dragon has blinked or closed its eyes, it is calm enough to pick up. A beardie shows anger or stress by making his chin go black, and if he's very angry his chin is black and puffed up.

If you see this, then it's best to back off as the beardie is not in the right frame of mind to be picked up. Part 2. Pick up the beardie. Gently put your hand, palm upturned, under its body and scoop it up. Use your thumb and forefinger to support the front arms while the body rests in the palm of your hand.

Make sure that all of the dragon's legs are supported. You might place a second hand under the tail as well. If getting your hand under the dragon is awkward, gently grasp the dragon behind the front shoulders with your forefinger and thumb to lift slightly, and slide your other hand underneath. Let it sit on your hands.

Be aware that if the beardie's back end is not supported, he will 'windmill' his tail around in circles. If this happens, immediately support his rear legs and tail, so that he feels more secure. Otherwise, he may injure his back.

Get comfortable and stay calm. Place the bearded dragon on your arm, chest, or lap and it will most likely stay there comfortably while you pet it. Your calm gentle touches will help the beardie to feel relaxed. Adult bearded dragons can be up to two feet long, so you may be most comfortable sitting with it. Young dragons are speedy, so you may want to loosely hold on. Know that a beardie's scales and spikes point in one direction, so pet him along the scales rather than against or you will end up with prickles in your skin and an angry beardie.

If it becomes stressed or agitated, put it back in its cage. Watch for these gestures: Inflated, black beard: When a lizard wants to show dominance, or feels startled or threatened - this particularly happens during breeding season - it puffs its throat out.

The lizard's beard will also turn black when it is agitated. Mouth gaping: As with the inflated beard, this gesture is meant to make the dragon look menacing, as a show of dominance or to scare off a potential aggressor. Mouth open, but not wide. It may just be trying to cool off.

Bobbing head: Males show dominance with this gesture. Trust us, front opening doors are a must! Bearded dragons are prey animals. This means that they get pretty skittish around anything coming at them from above.

In the wild, their biggest predator is birds. They have evolved to defend themselves against birds. In fact, they have a kind of sensor on top of their heads that can detect changes in light.

This is evolution giving them an early warning sign of approaching birds. You coming in at them from above is easily misconstrued as a bird coming in to eat them! This is one of the ways people get bitten. Having an enclosure that allows you to come towards them from the front or, preferably, the side will be much better for both of you!

The size of your enclosure will make a difference too. Having an enclosure that is large enough will greatly facilitate being able to reach in and pick up your little friend. Not sure how big of an enclosure you should have? We wrote an entire guide on the subject that you can read here! Before we get to the step by step instructions below, the overall rule is to go slowly. There is no need to jerk open the door to the enclosure and reach right in quickly.

Move your hand slowly towards them. Remember, your bearded dragon can get stressed out easily. Beardies generally like being picked up and love spending time with their owners. This is one of the biggest causes of children being bitten by bearded dragons. If you have kids, teach them to go slow and be gentle.

This is especially true if you have a baby or juvenile dragon, but it should be done every time regardless of their age. Washing your hands every time you handle your beardie is a must!

Open the enclosure slowly and let them know you are there. Yes, they will see you, but they will be comforted to hear your voice too. Always be calm. Never get startled or mad or yell or threaten. Move your hand towards your bearded dragon from the front or side. Once your hand is in front of or next to your beardie, stop. Keep your hand there for a moment so they can see that no threat is posed by you.

We prefer to do this from the side, slightly behind the head of the beardie. We talk to our Bacardi the entire time. We like this position better because if for some reason, your dragon decides to try to bite, it is more awkward for them and harder to do.

A big part of not getting bitten is to never put yourself in a position where they can bite you.