Lost my bearded dragon

Hi, I have been a new mom for a adult bearded dragon for 1 week and 2 days. Tonight like many other nights I let him have run of the LR,Dr, and kitchen. Well I have lost her. I don't hear any scratching so she is not in a box. I have checked every place I can think of. Even in the Bathroom & bedroom. Closets under bed, furniture and I even moved the stove. I only turned my back for a few minutes. The cat is no help a she is not a fan & runs away. Anyway what do I do? I am starting to panic a little. It has been 2.5 hours now.

He has probably found a nice dark corner and curled up for a nap. Check dark areas under furniture, in corners, in anything climbable and fall-in-able. He will be fine for a while if he's tucked into a corner or maybe in a closet or something. Keep looking. Perhaps use a flashlight to help. If you don't find him tonight try putting a clamp lamp out near where you last saw him along with a bowl of food. He may see it and come over to warm up and have a snack. They have a way of turning up after a while so just keep digging around and keep in mind he's probably curled up sleeping.

Put the cat outside or in a room that you know for certain your dragon didn't go into. Check curtains , seat cushions, turn the couch and chair (LR) on their backs slowly and look there. Dragons can get into some weird places in a hurry. Above all, remove the cat from the equasion asap, they kill for the fun of killing, it is in their genetic make up.

Gormagon":1a2d21j1 said:

Put the cat outside or in a room that you know for certain your dragon didn't go into.

Check curtains , seat cushions, turn the couch and chair (LR) on their backs slowly and look there. Dragons can get into some weird places in a hurry. Above all, remove the cat from the equasion asap, they kill for the fun of killing, it is in their genetic make up.

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Yep, the cat must be banished until the beardie is found hopefully alive and uninjured though I'll be blunt here - the chances of a happy ending to this story are next to zero IMO .

What possessed you to let the cat have the run of the house while the lizard was freeranging ?
This is what happens when noobs to keeping lizards as pets read and believe claims made by people who say they have cats who are perfectly fine with their lizards and show no interest in them..... Even though an adult beardie is a large lizard, it's still small enough for a cat to kill it/ injure it.

Puss probably spotted it, and as soon as you left the room tortured and killed it or maimed severely injured it, might have even have dragged it off to be eaten
At the very least it will be hiding from puss if it had a run in and managed to get away .... it will be terrified right now !

If you find the beardie alive uninjured and well, count yourself very lucky.

Don't forget to check inside the sofa armrests , up inside the sofa if it open underneath, , the back of the lounge (if fabric) and be very careful moving heavy furnature and white goods (under the refrigerator (is warm near the compressor) , up on the cooling fin at the back of the refrigerator (these are warm) , in general carefully check around to check under / behind them. Another spot is up high in the fold of the curtains and on top the curtains - beardies are great climbers and instinctively go high.
Also check the bed rooms under the bed... Rex went missing once (no cat involved - just freeranging and exploring) and she'd curled up and went to sleep under the head end of our double bed ensemble. Found her next day happily sleeping there where she'd spent the night while I literally up turned and moved every stick of furnature and all the whitegoods in the house (she's 0ver 650g !).

I've lost mine several times. The first time I tore everything apart. I emptied bookshelves, moved a lot of things. Next day my niece found him under the tv stand, which had a heavy tv on it. This past Xmas I turned my back for a few minutes, he was gone again. They love to find a dark place to hide. Again my niece found him hanging out in a new spot, got a good laugh when we saw him.

Terry15":3argsuw1 said:

I've lost mine several times. The first time I tore everything apart. I emptied bookshelves, moved a lot of things. Next day my niece found him under the tv stand, which had a heavy tv on it. This past Xmas I turned my back for a few minutes, he was gone again. They love to find a dark place to hide. Again my niece found him hanging out in a new spot, got a good laugh when we saw him.

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In ambush mode .... watch out Santa ....!

Terry15":2t0j7j91 said:

I've lost mine several times. The first time I tore everything apart. I emptied bookshelves, moved a lot of things. Next day my niece found him under the tv stand, which had a heavy tv on it. This past Xmas I turned my back for a few minutes, he was gone again. They love to find a dark place to hide. Again my niece found him hanging out in a new spot, got a good laugh when we saw him.

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Beardie goals - let beardie loose and find in Christmas tree - I'll probably try to place Charlie in ours when the time comes...though she probably will give me the 'look' and I'll have to stop.

Fuego - I hope you find your baby. Please let us know! Make sure to look under everything and check in your cupboards too!

Fuego,
I have only lost my dragon once after allowing her to free-roam (as soon as I set her down she bolts for the patio doors and stares.) This particular day she decided to roam around more, apparently. I assume she was not thrilled to see snow.

For some peace of mind with all the cat bashing, I have a cat as well and the dragon roams freely at the same time and I have absolutely zero concerns. While cats are known hunters that enjoy to "play with their kill", depending on the demeanor of your cat you may be fine. If your cat is more of the hunter type, there could be cause for concern.

I eventually found Simon about 30 minutes later in my computer room, under my desk, in the corner, on top of the surge protector trying to nap. Before checking there I felt I had literally looked everywhere and went through each room multiple times (even moving the fridge, couches, cushions, checking under beds, tables, etc.)

I hope this helps! Best of luck, please let us know once he is found

Yes, don't give up hope at all. There is a chance that the cat might get him but on the other hand cat may not do anything to it....if he HAD then there would probably [ but not always ] be evidence already, be it blood on cat's face, paws, floor, etc. The cat would usually be attentive to the area if it were in contact with the beardie or knew where it was hiding.

Hopefully he'll show up soon !

AHBD":8wtnuuac said:

Yes, don't give up hope at all. There is a chance that the cat might get him but on the other hand cat may not do anything to it....if he HAD then there would probably [ but not always ] be evidence already, be it blood on cat's face, paws, floor, etc. The cat would usually be attentive to the area if it were in contact with the beardie or knew where it was hiding.

Hopefully he'll show up soon !

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I just had to laugh quick after remembering me frantically looking for Simon and yelling at my cat "Don't just stand there, look!!!" as she was following me. It's only funny now because I found her safe and sound, but there is pure panic when you cannot find them, so OP, again, best of luck and please keep us posted

traildrifterphalanx":2ixj6jc0 said:

AHBD":2ixj6jc0 said:

Yes, don't give up hope at all. There is a chance that the cat might get him but on the other hand cat may not do anything to it....if he HAD then there would probably [ but not always ] be evidence already, be it blood on cat's face, paws, floor, etc. The cat would usually be attentive to the area if it were in contact with the beardie or knew where it was hiding.

Hopefully he'll show up soon !

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I just had to laugh quick after remembering me frantically looking for Simon and yelling at my cat "Don't just stand there, look!!!" as she was following me. It's only funny now because I found her safe and sound, but there is pure panic when you cannot find them, so OP, again, best of luck and please keep us posted

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I used to have gerbils...my cats LOVED my gerbils - too much. There were a few times they 'helped' me find my tiny furballs when they would manage to escape. They (the cats) would do this by sitting in pounce mode waiting for said gerbil to come out of hiding. I'd scoot the cats away and breath a sigh of relief. :lol:

I don't keep gerbils anymore (but never say never I say!).