Some questions... roaming, adventures, behavior, etc.

[MissChelly]

Hi, I'm new to owning a beardie... I just got a 1 year old male just a few days ago actually! But I have some questions that have popped into my head since getting him and reading even more about them...


1. I know they need to bask in order to gain energy for typical day-to-day activities, eating included, so due to that... whenever I take him out and hold him for a while, is that going to give him any problems since during that time he's no longer basking/obtaining that level of heat? Or getting UV like he would with his other lamp? I love holding him, but can you hold them for too long everyday where they can get badly effected?

2. Also, I read about using harnesses and how some owners will even take them on mini adventures to places such as Petco. If the beardie has a behavior that can take different surroundings, people, animals, sounds, etc- is he typically okay during car rides TO the places? Do you hold him like normal on the ride there or do you put him in a carrier of some sort? If so, what type of carrier?

3. I read some people (of course on harness/leash I'm guessing!) let their beardies roam outside in the backyard- is there any grasses that may irritate their skin? Bugs? Plants?

4. Speaking of roaming, I also read that some people will let their beardies roam their living room or kitchen, etc, with them supervising... is this safe? How does their body react with kitchen tile temperature? If you let them sit on the counter while you prepare their food, will they know not to try and jump off?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm just VERY curious!

 

[MissChelly]

Nobody?

 

[jennixpxp]

Hi, I'm new to owning a beardie... I just got a 1 year old male just a few days ago actually! But I have some questions that have popped into my head since getting him and reading even more about them...


1. I know they need to bask in order to gain energy for typical day-to-day activities, eating included, so due to that... whenever I take him out and hold him for a while, is that going to give him any problems since during that time he's no longer basking/obtaining that level of heat? Or getting UV like he would with his other lamp? I love holding him, but can you hold them for too long everyday where they can get badly effected?

I GET MY BEARDIE OUT EVERYDAY, NO PROBLEMS!!

2. Also, I read about using harnesses and how some owners will even take them on mini adventures to places such as Petco. If the beardie has a behavior that can take different surroundings, people, animals, sounds, etc- is he typically okay during car rides TO the places? Do you hold him like normal on the ride there or do you put him in a carrier of some sort? If so, what type of carrier?

I TAKE MY BEARDIE EVERYWHERE! AND NO CARRIER OR LEASH JUST ON MY LAP OR SHOULDER!

3. I read some people (of course on harness/leash I'm guessing!) let their beardies roam outside in the backyard- is there any grasses that may irritate their skin? Bugs? Plants?

NOT SURE ABOUT THIS ONE. SORRY

4. Speaking of roaming, I also read that some people will let their beardies roam their living room or kitchen, etc, with them supervising... is this safe? How does their body react with kitchen tile temperature? If you let them sit on the counter while you prepare their food, will they know not to try and jump off?
I LET MY BEARDIE ON THE COUNTER ALOT. AFTER A LITTLE BIT SHE TRYS TO GET TO THE LIGHTING COMING FROM THE WINDOW, I PUT A TOWEL ON THE WINDOW SILE BY IT AND PUT HER UP AND SHE DOESNT MOVE. :lol:

Sorry for all the questions, I'm just VERY curious!

hope that helps!!!!!

 

[TheFray1997]

Question #3:
I wouldn't let him eat any crickets from outside, in case of parasites, but you should be okay with the grass.

-TheFray1997

 

[MissChelly]

Thank you both so much! I let beardie (his temporary name for now! lol) sit on the counter today while I washed dishes and he's on my lap right now as I type! :love5: He's such a super mellow little guy... yupppp, I'm officially attached! (*cough* ahem, as if I hadn't been before stating that.*cough*)

 

[FrancoisBeans]

My girl has no fear so I'm pretty sure she'd leap right off the counter, haha. However we do take her out for a while everyday and she sits on the back of the couch and people watches. She LOVES it. The only time she moves is when something really excites her and she tries to climb the blinds. Lol. But she's out for an hour or two every day, and as long as they're getting good heat and UVB the rest of the time they should be fine.

We take her to pet friendly places, and sometimes on car rides and she'll sit on my shoulder just fine. At first I drove and had my boyfriend hold her, but now she's adjusted, (and spoiled so as long as we open the sunroof, she's happy as a clam). No experience with roaming outside as we have no grass, it's been far too hot, and there are bugs and lizards all over the bushes in our complex that I'm afraid she'd eat...

Congrats on being a new beardie parent! They're fun little goobers.

 

[Meginsanity]

1. I know they need to bask in order to gain energy for typical day-to-day activities, eating included, so due to that... whenever I take him out and hold him for a while, is that going to give him any problems since during that time he's no longer basking/obtaining that level of heat? Or getting UV like he would with his other lamp? I love holding him, but can you hold them for too long everyday where they can get badly effected?
From what I've seen they can handle time outside their tank easily. Most will come to enjoy being outside of their tank. Loki's colors brighten up considerably outside and he throws a little mini-beardie-tantrum going back in, so I think he's fine

2. Also, I read about using harnesses and how some owners will even take them on mini adventures to places such as Petco. If the beardie has a behavior that can take different surroundings, people, animals, sounds, etc- is he typically okay during car rides TO the places? Do you hold him like normal on the ride there or do you put him in a carrier of some sort? If so, what type of carrier?
I have not taken Loki to places like the pet store, but he has gone to the vet. He HATES the car ride, and I don't blame him since he has no idea what is going on. He has a little critter keeper (which is also used to feed him) and he went in that with a tshirt that I wore the previous day to help him feel better.

3. I read some people (of course on harness/leash I'm guessing!) let their beardies roam outside in the backyard- is there any grasses that may irritate their skin? Bugs? Plants?
I haven't taken Loki outside yet because he is kind of a handful. I wouldn't let him eat any outside bugs, and it seems like it might be tricky to keep that hunting instinct at bay. Some people use little kiddie pools or playpens to let the beardie get the light but not have to be on the ground. I've heard they are wary of birds and that can scare them.

4. Speaking of roaming, I also read that some people will let their beardies roam their living room or kitchen, etc, with them supervising... is this safe? How does their body react with kitchen tile temperature? If you let them sit on the counter while you prepare their food, will they know not to try and jump off?
From what I've read beardies don't have great depth perception so they may well try to take a jump. I don't know from personal experience, though.

 

[jeritta]

our babies love to be out of the viv. They love car rides except going under bridges ( they all spaz). We have taken them to the vet, the pet store, yard sales, produce market, Arby's and even on vacation. They have a fleece bag with mesh sides and
top that zips shut. Most of the time they just hang on us but occasionally since they are still babies they get a little too
active and go in the bag and get carried. Amigo loves to ride on steering wheel, Gobi loves to ride on dash, and Ash wants to sit on you anywhere to ride. We just carry baby wipes in the pocket of the bag and go.

 

[Livey]

Hi MIsschelly,
Mine would stay out for hours if they could,
If sunlight get into your room they usually `pancake` out and bask in that, Just make sure they don't get too cold!

I normally let mine sit on my shoulder , people have them sit on the dash , They to look out of windows!..
They get very frighted off birds and what not so watch out for them..

As for Roaming, Mine don't go out too much because its not that warm!.. but just don't let them eat bugs (as the above posted stated they carry disease and so on)
In the house, just make sure you put pillows and stuff where you don't want them to get under...
Mine have never attempted to jump off anything, purely because there too lazy :roll:

Oliva x

 

[MissChelly]

Wow, thanks you all so much! All the responses really help me get a better spectrum of what to do and what to expect! Yesterday night, Lemmy laid on my chest as my boyfriend and I watched television and he had his little eyes closed and wouldn't open them unless we were laughing A LOT, A LOT! :lol: Does that mean he was truly relaxing?? I even had the blanket covering him.

 

[monkeytechahoo]

Hi Miss Chelly,

We've got a 9mth old an take him just about everywhere in Austin, except places that we're gonna be indoors with cold ac for long, like the mall or target/walmart. Now we have done a quick run in in these places with him, but not more than 20mins I'd say.

Car rides are ok with him. He'll either sit on a lap or shoulder. I don't know about the car dash, you know how quick a Texas day can heat up a dash. We do use a harness because he ran across a room on us and we were not expecting that fast of movement. Boga also jumps, so another reason why we use a harness. We do bring a small cat carrier as well, just in case.

Hang out time in the house varies from who has him to what's goin on. He lives in the main room we all game and such so he's pretty much active & handled. Hang out sessions in the yard depend on the human an our hot days. *lol* Boga ate a rolly polly once, but we do watch for bugs. Grass is not a problem since we don't treat ours with anything.

I think his longest outdoor session was about 3hrs. We took him to see the bats under the congress bridge in downtown Austin. LOTS of people there to pet him and he ran around till he just flattened out tired. *lol*

 

[gogga]

Hi, I'm new to owning a beardie... I just got a 1 year old male just a few days ago actually! But I have some questions that have popped into my head since getting him and reading even more about them...


1. I know they need to bask in order to gain energy for typical day-to-day activities, eating included, so due to that... whenever I take him out and hold him for a while, is that going to give him any problems since during that time he's no longer basking/obtaining that level of heat? Or getting UV like he would with his other lamp? I love holding him, but can you hold them for too long everyday where they can get badly effected?

People say about an hour at a time is fine, or till you can see them getting cold and less active. Then back inside to warm up. Lots of peeps then take them out again later. Guess the key is take out / let heat up again / take out . . . and so on. Just dont feed them live feeders for about 1 hour after putting them back. They need to warm up properly to digest their food.

2. Also, I read about using harnesses and how some owners will even take them on mini adventures to places such as Petco. If the beardie has a behavior that can take different surroundings, people, animals, sounds, etc- is he typically okay during car rides TO the places? Do you hold him like normal on the ride there or do you put him in a carrier of some sort? If so, what type of carrier?

Mine is still "skittish & jumpy" so I use an old bird cage with a heated rice bag in the bottom with a towel on top for car rides. She can see everything, stay warm and most importantly NOT RUN AROUND / JUMP or anything that could cause injury while Im driving. If you want Ill PM you a pic of the cage

3. I read some people (of course on harness/leash I'm guessing!) let their beardies roam outside in the backyard- is there any grasses that may irritate their skin? Bugs? Plants?

I know grass is afe, provided you havent used fertiliser or pesticides recently. Id keep a good eye out so NO bugs and stuff are eaten, you never know where theyve been and what theyve come into contact with

4. Speaking of roaming, I also read that some people will let their beardies roam their living room or kitchen, etc, with them supervising... is this safe? How does their body react with kitchen tile temperature? If you let them sit on the counter while you prepare their food, will they know not to try and jump off?

I keep mines leash on, shes a JUMPER

Sorry for all the questions, I'm just VERY curious!