Handling?

[Hoppy819]

Hello! So i am a new bearded dragon owner and have gotten my bearded dragon used to having my hand in his cage, (putting food in, refilling his water, catching crickets that he didn't eat, etc.) I have also gotten him used to hand feeding him, he is about 4 months old now (5 inch body 5 inch tail last time i measured) and I am super interested in beginning to get him used to handling. He is pretty darn fast as i've seen him sprint around his cage often to catch a cricket or to or get my attention to feed him. I'm pretty squeamish in general and am honestly kind of frightened to handle him. Do the bites hurt? I've taken him into a large bathtub with me after taking 30 minute to lure him into a box. He stayed in the box for about 5 minutes then came out and wandered onto my thigh when he was ready, He puffed up his belly at first but never his beard. I think he yawned while he was on my thigh,(? couldn't tell it was just a small squeak-ish noise and then his mouth was closed again) then he crawled off my thigh and explored the tub. Any tips to make sure he is comfortable with me, and how to handle him so I don't scare him and eliminate the chance for a bite? I need to get him to where he is used to being handled and i'm comfortable so we can bond. Thanks!

 

[CooperDragon]

They are pretty calm around people so I wouldn't be afraid of him. He won't bite you unless he's startled or confuses a finger with food. The bites feel like a pinch but their front teeth can draw blood. Not really a big deal if you get nipped though and it's not common. If you take him out, be sure that he's in a safe area with no other animals, nothing heavy that can fall on him, and nowhere he will hide that may be dangerous. As you mentioned, the little guys are fast so he will need supervision when he's out and about. They love to explore though so if you can provide a safe area outside of the enclosure, I encourage it. Move slowly around him so he doesn't get startled. I found that holding them on my chest in the evening at or after lights out is good bonding time. They tend to curl up and fall asleep on you. After a while I think that helps them realize you're safe (and warm) and works well for getting started with handling them. Just keep in mind that you're much much bigger so move slowly and be gentile and everything should be fine.