Let’s see your hands!

Hello everyone!
One thing I’ve noticed since owning a bearded dragon is that it takes a toll on my hands. Whether I’m putting my beardie in for a bath or back into his tank, even if I gently and slowly lower him down, he holds on tight and scratches me in the process. Lately my hands are looking like I’ve been dating Edward scissorhands. Some of my friends have commented that it looks like I’m doing the damage to myself. Hopefully that’s not what strangers think! Anyway, I was wondering if anyone else here would like to share if they have the same experience?

Just a note: my beardie is very tame and does not bite or get aggressive, he just has really sharp nails, and I’m too scared to trim them.

My beardie does scratch my hands pretty often, but it's never enough to make it bleed. This is probably because I do trim her nails regularly. About that, I used to be terrified of trimming her nails, but after countless trips to a reptile shop to get them trimmed, I saw that it's actually pretty easy (as long as your beardie's nails aren't clear). You just have to make sure to only cut the black part of their nails, and avoid the clear/white part. I'm always very careful to only trim the very edge though just in case. But I understand if you're unwilling to do so, and if that's the case maybe you can see if you have any local reptile shops that could offer that service? The place I used to go would trim my beardie's nails for $5, it wasn't an official service but they offered it after I boarded my lizard there so you could probably ask around to see if any shops near you could also do that. Hope this helps!

I never knew a reptile shop could offer that service! My beardie’s nails are clear, so I don’t want to risk me hurting him.

Martadragon017":2uqpxf20 said:

I saw that it's actually pretty easy (as long as your beardie's nails aren't clear).

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Oh, swell. :roll:

I haven't had to clip claws/nails; the rough tile, bricks, & slate of his enclosure seems to take care of that pretty well.

What I have noticed/experienced is irritation/rash from his sharp pointy scales. It's been so bad on a couple of occasions that I had to resort to antihistamines. Sharp tips of scales have also broken off in my skin like the tips of some plant thorns--requiring removal with a tweezers.

I tried looking up if their skin may contain a mild poison, similar to their bites containing a mild venom, but so far I've only found the venom mentioned. (I've been bitten a few times, but never had a reaction beyond the initial, "Ouch!") :lol:

MrSpectrum":7891vt9p said:

Martadragon017":7891vt9p said:

I saw that it's actually pretty easy (as long as your beardie's nails aren't clear).

Click to expand...

Oh, swell. :roll:

I haven't had to clip claws/nails; the rough tile, bricks, & slate of his enclosure seems to take care of that pretty well.

What I have noticed/experienced is irritation/rash from his sharp pointy scales. It's been so bad on a couple of occasions that I had to resort to antihistamines. Sharp tips of scales have also broken off in my skin like the tips of some plant thorns--requiring removal with a tweezers.

I tried looking up if their skin may contain a mild poison, similar to their bites containing a mild venom, but so far I've only found the venom mentioned. (I've been bitten a few times, but never had a reaction beyond the initial, "Ouch!") :lol:

Click to expand...

I’m definitely considering changing the bottom of the enclosure to tile, or maybe wearing gloves when I hold him.

My girl scratches me up all the time. Not intentionally, of course, but it seems my hands, forearms, and shoulders/chest where she likes to sit on me are always covered in tiny little scratches. Never enough to bleed though. I do trim her nails ocassionally when she'll let me. That scratch on your hands does look pretty nasty though!

SarahGekkou":1m3sla6l said:

My girl scratches me up all the time. Not intentionally, of course, but it seems my hands, forearms, and shoulders/chest where she likes to sit on me are always covered in tiny little scratches. Never enough to bleed though. I do trim her nails ocassionally when she'll let me. That scratch on your hands does look pretty nasty though!

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Yeah I think that was the worst one I’ve had. It healed up and I just have a mark now. Lol

PathfinderMom91":c3a3df9h said:

I’m definitely considering changing the bottom of the enclosure to tile, or maybe wearing gloves when I hold him.

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I don't think you can go wrong with tile; it makes clean-up a lot easier too. :wink:

Yep my guy gets me all the time. And I just had his tails trimmed but he still manages to scratch me. Small price to pay thou. I love having the little guy hanging out with me.

I was peeling an orange the other day and was met with excruciating pain, looked down, and the skin on my hands, wrists, and knees (I was sitting on my bed and put the orange peels on my knee for a second because I was doing something) had puffy strawberry-colored splotches all over them. I spent 30 minutes trying to figure out what I was allergic to before I realized the splotches were scratches that got inflamed from the citric acid in my orange. I was relieved, but alarmed at how many tiny abrasions I had accumulated from holding Mari on my knees and in my hands, lol.

I have about a dozen pin pricks causing skin to split and peal on the palm of one hand, and line after line after line of scratches across the back of my other hand. This isn't accumulated, this is one day when her harness/leash were tightened a little too much and she wasn't a happy camper. Being outside in the sun quickly made up for it though, and she added more to the list when it was time to go back inside. #worthit