"training" your dragon?

[Matang613]

Is it possible to teach your bearded dragon some basic things? Specifically, can I get mine to recognize my name and come when I call him?

 

[christiepops22]

I’m not so sure you can “tame” them exactly, but I speak to my beardie everyday and have managed a few times to get her to come over to me, after lots of cooing and bribery. They probably won’t do anything that doesn’t involve them getting food, I suppose you could try but they pretty much do what the want, when they want. There’s no real way to get them to do exactly what u want - it’s their way or the highway really.

 

[CooperDragon]

They don't communicate verbally (they are visual) but they can hear. They aren't likely to respond to you calling them but you can train them to do some things via repetition. They respond to routines. For example if you take them out and put them on an easy to clean surface at around the same time every day to poop, they will eventually learn that's the spot and time to do that and will (generally) start to follow the routine.

 

[Rhapsodynme2]

Dragons recognizes the person who feeds them and handles them most. My boy waits for me every night to come home from work so I can put him to sleep. I also trained him to drink his water from a syringe, he also knows where he can potty in the house and where his boundaries are in the house when he's out exploring. Hope you experiment with yours to see just how much you can teach them.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Takes time and a bit constructive reinforcement. Yes it's possible.

I've got all my pet lizards ( dragons and skinks "trained" ) to come when called by name and they also respond appropriately to key words like "no" , "OK" , "come here" , "up" .

 

[orangejulius]

My Beardy Boy will often come when I call his name in a certain voice. I believe it's mostly food based reinforcement, as he associates me with food. When I walk near his terrarium, he always watches my hands to see if I have food for him. He's really quite intelligent for a small animal, and learns from past experiences. My favorite example is that of mirrors. The first time he saw one, he did some head bobbing and ran into the mirror, thinking it was a competing male. Now he sees it, perks up, then lets his guard down and walks behind the mirror to make sure it's just a mirror. No more aggression, just curiosity. Rather fascinating to see him learn that it's not a real dragon.

As for tricks beyond getting them to come to you when called? I don't think I've seen any instances.

 

[Aaradimian]

Mine sometimes react with a little turn of their head when I say their name, and one of them will usually close his eyes when I tell him he's a good dragon. That same one also knows the word 'crickets' as meaning I'm going to feed him, and will close one eye when I deliberately do the same. I think our newbie will display similar behavior once he's been around us longer.

I do know that they key in on the specific sound(s) because they don't react to other conversation or the TV in the same way. That might be a training tool along with food and gestures. My assumptions: They'd be keen to tell the difference between the sound of something harmless like wind in leaves vs. the call of a kookaburra for survival, and would therefore devote more attention to that. Same with physical motion as it seems that's how they communicate among each other. If you incorporate all three at once, I'd think that would give you a fair shot at training them to do something simple.

 

[Aaradimian]

Takes time and a bit constructive reinforcement. Yes it's possible.

I've got all my pet lizards ( dragons and skinks "trained" ) to come when called by name and they also respond appropriately to key words like "no" , "OK" , "come here" , "up" .

Hi KoN,

Very cool! Care to share some of your dragon-whisperer secrets?