What would happen if....

[withoutwingz]

Now, nothing has happened. My dragon is sleeping safely in his tank. But, I can't really find information online about some of this stuff, so I thought I'd bring it to the experts.

Is there anything around the house that he could eat that would harm him?
What happens when he gets cold? How long is too long for a BD to be cold?
I know that BD's have a limit and might bite. I've been told that mine only really bites when provoked. Well, how do I know when that is, so it doesn't get there?
What happens if he gets loose in the house and we can't find him right away? What if he spends the night out of his cage. WILL HE DIE?
He is molting right now. Underneath his skin he looks yellow/gold in color and a pale yellow (almost white) What kind of BD is he? How can I find out?
How often will he molt? Am I correct in thinking that he might be a bit more cranky during this time?
Do they really like to be pet, or is it just something we like to do?
I've read to wash my hands before and after I hold him. I understand why to wash after, but why before? What could I be passing onto him?
Can they really wear leashes or is that just a waste of money? (im thinking waste of money, but lets be honest, it would be really cool to take him on a walk!)
How long is too long to have a beardy out to hold?
Could I introduce him to my dog later on? My dog seems really interested in him.
I've read, and noticed that he watches us a lot. Even when hes out with us. Is that more "WHAT IS THIS BIG THING AND WHAT IS IT GOING TO DO TO ME!?" It's hard to imagine a BD being interested in people, but that would be cool if they were.
I read that you can put live plants in their tanks. Good, bad?

And, I can't believe how chill BD's are!

Thanks!

 

[Claudiusx]

Boy that is a lot of questions! I will respond in red to the ones I can answer!

Now, nothing has happened. My dragon is sleeping safely in his tank. But, I can't really find information online about some of this stuff, so I thought I'd bring it to the experts.

Is there anything around the house that he could eat that would harm him?Well, it would depend what kind of stuff is laying about your house. But as a general rule, don't let him eat anything that you are not explicitly giving to him for food!
What happens when he gets cold? How long is too long for a BD to be cold?As long as night time temps in the tank aren't dropping bellow 65 (to be honest I let mine get a bit cooler than that with no ill effects) you have nothing to worry about.
I know that BD's have a limit and might bite. I've been told that mine only really bites when provoked. Well, how do I know when that is, so it doesn't get there?They will usually only bite when angry or afraid. And when angry or afraid they will suck in air to inflate their bodies to look bigger, their beard will turn dark, and they will puff it out. They also might open their mouths. If this happens, you should let your dragon chill out before going in to grab him/her
What happens if he gets loose in the house and we can't find him right away? What if he spends the night out of his cage. WILL HE DIE? Bearded dragons are very hardy lizards. A loose dragon will be able to survive in a house for a while. Definitely longer than a day so don't worry about that! Just make sure you always have a close eye on your dragon when its out.
He is molting right now. Underneath his skin he looks yellow/gold in color and a pale yellow (almost white) What kind of BD is he? How can I find out? The only way to find out a dragons morph is to know the parents genes.
How often will he molt? Am I correct in thinking that he might be a bit more cranky during this time?There is no set rule for how often they molt, or more commonly referred to as 'shedding' It depends on how fast the dragon is growing, which depends on how much food the dragon is eating
Do they really like to be pet, or is it just something we like to do?Some might, some might not. You will just have to see if yours does or not.
I've read to wash my hands before and after I hold him. I understand why to wash after, but why before? What could I be passing onto him?I don't think you need to worry about washing your hands before. Maybe if you are sick or something but i've never really heard the recommendation of washing before.
Can they really wear leashes or is that just a waste of money? (im thinking waste of money, but lets be honest, it would be really cool to take him on a walk!)They do/can wear leashes. Their are special leashes just for Lizards. Although its not really for taking them on a walk persay. Its more for being able to keep ahold of them while letting them explore outside or around the house.
How long is too long to have a beardy out to hold? This usually depends on the beardie. Some like to be out of their tank, and some just want to be left alone!
Could I introduce him to my dog later on? My dog seems really interested in him. You can ( I don't see a reason to do so though) just be very cautious. Things can turn ugly fast!
I've read, and noticed that he watches us a lot. Even when hes out with us. Is that more "WHAT IS THIS BIG THING AND WHAT IS IT GOING TO DO TO ME!?" It's hard to imagine a BD being interested in people, but that would be cool if they were.Sure, anything with a brain will be curious! And what else does it have to do besides eat, poo, and watch the silly humans! :mrgreen:
I read that you can put live plants in their tanks. Good, bad?Bad. Plants require water which equals a higher humidty level. On top of that, i've never seen a plant last more than an hour with a bearded dragon :mrgreen:

And, I can't believe how chill BD's are!

Thanks!

Woah! I did it. Lol.

-Brandon

 

[withoutwingz]

Wow!! That was really quick, and informational! Thank you.

Boy that is a lot of questions! I will respond in red to the ones I can answer!

Now, nothing has happened. My dragon is sleeping safely in his tank. But, I can't really find information online about some of this stuff, so I thought I'd bring it to the experts.

Is there anything around the house that he could eat that would harm him?Well, it would depend what kind of stuff is laying about your house. But as a general rule, don't let him eat anything that you are not explicitly giving to him for food!
I don't think we have stuff out that he shouldnt eat- there are cords and what not (oh, and dog food) but would they try to eat that? Would dog food be bad if he did it eat it? Does this mean I have to clean the house now!? (haha)
What happens when he gets cold? How long is too long for a BD to be cold?As long as night time temps in the tank aren't dropping bellow 65 (to be honest I let mine get a bit cooler than that with no ill effects) you have nothing to worry about.
I know that BD's have a limit and might bite. I've been told that mine only really bites when provoked. Well, how do I know when that is, so it doesn't get there?They will usually only bite when angry or afraid. And when angry or afraid they will suck in air to inflate their bodies to look bigger, their beard will turn dark, and they will puff it out. They also might open their mouths. If this happens, you should let your dragon chill out before going in to grab him/her
ok, so if he happens to be loose in the house and he does that, I should just back away?
What happens if he gets loose in the house and we can't find him right away? What if he spends the night out of his cage. WILL HE DIE? Bearded dragons are very hardy lizards. A loose dragon will be able to survive in a house for a while. Definitely longer than a day so don't worry about that! Just make sure you always have a close eye on your dragon when its out.
Phew! My fiance is all LET HIM EXPLORE!ELEVENTY but im like um..are you gonna help me catch him when hes behind the tv, or couch, or couch, or behind something crazy? Maybe lets not be ok with him wanting to go on the floor quite yet.
He is molting right now. Underneath his skin he looks yellow/gold in color and a pale yellow (almost white) What kind of BD is he? How can I find out? The only way to find out a dragons morph is to know the parents genes.
Good to know. Thank you.
How often will he molt? Am I correct in thinking that he might be a bit more cranky during this time?There is no set rule for how often they molt, or more commonly referred to as 'shedding' It depends on how fast the dragon is growing, which depends on how much food the dragon is eating
ok, so if he doesnt shed for a while, its ok?
Do they really like to be pet, or is it just something we like to do?Some might, some might not. You will just have to see if yours does or not.
he seems to like it so far. he certainly tolerates it if he hates it. he doesnt move right away when i pet him. he seems fairly content to just be out
I've read to wash my hands before and after I hold him. I understand why to wash after, but why before? What could I be passing onto him?I don't think you need to worry about washing your hands before. Maybe if you are sick or something but i've never really heard the recommendation of washing before.
ok, good! ive been washing my hands like a maniac!
Can they really wear leashes or is that just a waste of money? (im thinking waste of money, but lets be honest, it would be really cool to take him on a walk!)They do/can wear leashes. Their are special leashes just for Lizards. Although its not really for taking them on a walk persay. Its more for being able to keep ahold of them while letting them explore outside or around the house.
Either way, I'll take it!
How long is too long to have a beardy out to hold? This usually depends on the beardie. Some like to be out of their tank, and some just want to be left alone!
Ok. So if he seems to be enjoying it the length doesnt matter so much? Sometimes he'll sit for a while and then move about a little bit, but I'm not sure if thats him wanting alone time or wanting to explore.
Could I introduce him to my dog later on? My dog seems really interested in him. You can ( I don't see a reason to do so though) just be very cautious. Things can turn ugly fast!
I would for sure! My dog is small (and well behaved!) and i would certainly make sure someone had a hold of him and it was gradual and all that good stuff.
I've read, and noticed that he watches us a lot. Even when hes out with us. Is that more "WHAT IS THIS BIG THING AND WHAT IS IT GOING TO DO TO ME!?" It's hard to imagine a BD being interested in people, but that would be cool if they were.Sure, anything with a brain will be curious! And what else does it have to do besides eat, poo, and watch the silly humans! :mrgreen:
Haha!! Good point!!
I read that you can put live plants in their tanks. Good, bad?Bad. Plants require water which equals a higher humidty level. On top of that, i've never seen a plant last more than an hour with a bearded dragon :mrgreen:
Thanks!! I was thinking of putting one in there, but I wasn't sure. I'm glad I thought to ask first.

And, I can't believe how chill BD's are!

Thanks!

Woah! I did it. Lol.

-Brandon

Thanks so much!!

 

[Claudiusx]

Well, I wouldn't let him eat dog food! :mrgreen: If you see him eyeing it, might be best to clean it up haha.

Well, that behavior I was talking about doesn't always mean they are going to bite. And as a baby their bites are more of just a shock/scare than a pain at all. So if you think he is going to make a run for it and your going to loose track of him, then you might want to just take the little nibble and scoop him up. Don't worry though, you will know what to do when/if anything happens

As long as you are feeding him properly, and his tank is set up right, he should be growing pretty fast, especially at a young age. The growing the most important part. Shedding is just what comes with it

Sure, I wouldn't keep him out for hours on end though. They need their basking bulb to digest properly, so make sure if you are taking him out often, that you are also giving him enough in tank time to digest food and soak up the uvb.

Sorry, didn't want to quote that again and have a giant response. Hopefully you can figure where my answers go in relation to your questions :mrgreen:

-Brandon

 

[RandyMarsh]

leashes are good. Not for walking but for keeping your dragon contained. Also I leave mine on Franklin a lot because if he goes off and hides the leash and bell will lead me to him

 

[Fuzzyviper]

It is good to wash your hands before you handle your animals but only in certain instances: if you've handled any chemicals, if you've put something on your skin, if you've handled any raw foods. Basic stuff like that is the biggest thing. You don't want to get anything on the lizard that could bother its skin or get into its eye and mouth. I otherwise don't wash my hands before I handle my guy.

Also, make sure he cannot reach any houseplants you may have in the house so no leaves/plants very close to the floor and no plants where he can easily climb to them. Most houseplants are very toxic to pets and they will see the plants as a tasty snack. My dragon has never even noticed cords other than one or two licks to see what it is. Make sure anything with a cord is sturdy, as a climbing beardie might pull electronics or lamps off of tables. You can always get those little plastic outlet protectors if you plan on having him out often also.