taking beardie outside...

[rarneson]

Ours is 6-months old, and I'm wondering if we can take him outside in the backyard and let him run around a bit on the grass. I'm in Dallas, and, during the day, it gets to about 95-100 degrees. Thanks.

 

[Phoebe]

You can just be careful because they can be very fast when they want to be. Maybe get a harness/leash for your beardie or some people put theirs in a bin or something so they can sunbathe but are safe.

 

[rarneson]

thanks...and do the harnesses work pretty well? do they fight them a lot, or is it just a matter of getting them used to it?

 

[Phoebe]

The T-Rex ones I've heard are good. I definetly think it's worth getting if you're going to be taking your beardie outdoors. It depends on the beardie how they react but I think most are fine and once they're outside they'll forget they have it on.

 

[rarneson]

we took him outside, set him in the grass, and there was a bird in the tree above us making a lot of noise. He looked up, then puffed out to twice his normal width, and blew up his beard. I'd never seen him do that before. Now I know why they're called bearded dragons. Is all this a sign that he got super spooked and I shouldn't take him outside again? I don't want to give him a heart attack

 

[finnie]

Hi, you could check the 'for sale' section for the person who makes the harnesses. Everyone on here seems to love them. I haven't been able to get one of hers, so got one from petsmart and my beardie hated it for the first 2 times. BUT... he absolutely loves being outside, so now he'll come towards me when I have it in my hand!

 

[BeardieGrandma]

yes, if he puffed out like that, bearded all big, and opened his mouth, clearly he saw something he didn't like. Joga did this about the 3rd time I took her outside, puffed out, bearded, open mouth, froze in her spot. I spoke softly and stroked her chin until she settled down. We go out a couple times a week and she seems to really enjoy it except for the occasional bird that flies a little too close, she'll puff out momentarily and then go back to doing what she was doing (which is mostly sitting there and looking around).

So I wouldn't stop taking him out, but you should absolutely put a harness on him...so many stories of beardies on this board going 'wild' when they get outside, they can move really, really fast...disappearing in the backyard for weeks on end - in most cases the endings are happy with the beardie miraculously reappearing...

This is the harness Joga has - it was made by Christine (oglepets) on the board, you can search her and see if she's still making them...they are comfy and are made well to keep the beardie from wiggling out of them:

 

[Spiketheleucistic]

The onl time spike has puffed out was when my friends cat sniffed him. He was like :twisted: and the cat was like :arrow:

 

[milkshake54]

you might need to watch him do you have a fence :?: