Hanging out with your dragon?

[2BeardiesInNJ]

It amazes me how many of you have beardies that just hang out on your shoulder or lap for long periods of time. Both of mine want to explore when they are out. It makes me nervous because we have a lot of little places that they could get lost in our house, so I feel very anxious when they don't want to be held. Do you think that they will be less curious when they are a little older? They are both about 6-7 months old. I would love it if they would sit in one spot a little longer!

 

[RoKa]

It amazes me how many of you have beardies that just hang out on your shoulder or lap for long periods of time. Both of mine want to explore when they are out. It makes me nervous because we have a lot of little places that they could get lost in our house, so I feel very anxious when they don't want to be held. Do you think that they will be less curious when they are a little older? They are both about 6-7 months old. I would love it if they would sit in one spot a little longer!

I think it depends on the beardies' personality, we got ours in January at about 6 inches, we're guessing he was about 1-2 months old at the time so he should be 6-7 months old as well. He's a generally very calm beardie though he does LOVE to explore. It depends on his mood really, sometimes he will just stay on our shoulder/chest calmly, sometimes he will climb off of us to explore.
He seems to enjoy being with us, last week he was glass-surfing and running in circles in his Terrarium and when I took him out being worried about him feeling bad he just sat on my shoulder for 15 minutes (probably would have longer but I put him back since he seemed fine again ) without moving much, he just tilted/moved his head to look around if anything.
Maybe you've got more active/curious beardies or try to handle them 30-60 min before their bedtime (make sure they had time to digest), they're more likely to be less active at that time and may just sit on you (and chances are they'll even snuggle up on you to nap, that's what ours does when it's close to bedtime).
Do your beardies like being petted or do you generally pet them a lot? Maybe they're also more likely to stay on you when they connect you with comfort. Our lil boy has fallen asleep before while I was stroking his head/back gently and I've let him sleep on a used shirt of mine (or of my hubby) a few times as well, assuming it may help the bonding process if he has our smell around for a while

 

[2BeardiesInNJ]

Thanks for the reply, RoKa. We pet them and touch them in their terrarium all the time. Every time I feed them, clean up the tank, and other times through out the day. They seem like they enjoy being touched. They never run from my hand. However, I only take them out 1-2 times per week because I am afraid they will make a run for it! I only take out one at a time so that I don't have to worry about 1 getting away. I will take your suggestions! I do take them out if they are glass surfing or digging/scratching at the corners of the tank and they calm down after I hold them, so I guess I'm doing OK! Thanks again!

 

[RoKa]

Some people suggest you take them out daily or at least every other day. As long as you keep them in a limited space (indoors) even if they run they won't get far and usually beardies are calm enough to not just dash away in the first place

Let our little boy climb on the couch again today and after climbing up and down and back and forth a few times he just found his comfy spot and sat there for a while.
I recently also read that it's real important to handle them once they hit puberty cause they may get aggressive otherwise so I'd say try to handle them a bit more. Try to put them on your shoulder when you sit on the bed or couch (so if they do jump they'll land on a soft surface but chances are they'll just stay if they don't see a 'landing spot' nearby). Cooked dinner again today with him on my shoulder, I'm sure your lil babies will also get used to just sitting on you calmly eventually!

If you're worried they could run away fast or get lost in your home make them a harness with a leash and keep them on you like that. I made ours a little collar the other day with a bell on it (it's elastic wire that won't bend easily and I only put it on him while he's exploring the couch) so I hear when he moves and where he goes, it's quite funny (a prototype I made out of boredom but that does work well). You could put a little bell on the back of your beardies' harness!

 

[FortheLoveofLizzie]

You could get him used to being on your shoulder, too! I put Riker on my shoulder while I do the dishes or prep his veggies for him

CUTE! Lizzie likes to take flying leaps off my lower back...She is a daredevil!