When can I handle my bearded dragon?

[Usernamesarehard]

It's very young, although I'm not sure of that exact age. Just got it 2 days ago. Would it be safe to handle it anytime soon? It really seems like it wants out, it constantly scratches at the glass and runs around.

 

[daner923]

If he is comfortable in your hand in the cage and doesn't run away from your hand, you can handle him. If he is still scared of you, give him about a week to acclimate. They tend to go through something called relocation stress. Since he is exploring a lot, let me ask you, do you have sand in your tank? There's a very high risk of impaction when they're exploring so much and tasting everything.

 

[Usernamesarehard]

If he is comfortable in your hand in the cage and doesn't run away from your hand, you can handle him. If he is still scared of you, give him about a week to acclimate. They tend to go through something called relocation stress. Since he is exploring a lot, let me ask you, do you have sand in your tank? There's a very high risk of impaction when they're exploring so much and tasting everything.

nope, reptile carpet

 

[Killzone3265]

reptile carpet is the best thing to use really, but im noticing that my beardie is getting strong enough to lift it lol.
i handled mine every day for about 10 minutes, then let him have an hour long nap on me after lights out, and in a matter of a week he was okay with me being around. but, he was 9 inches when i bought him, not sure how small your little guy is

 

[daner923]

I disagree that reptile carpet is the best, since it is hard to clean and harbors bacteria, but it is certainly safe! I personally think tile is far superior in pretty much every way though. Sorry, not to digress too much. Anyways, he'll be happy to be held soon enough. Put a shirt you have worn in with him at night to get used to your smell.

 

[Lindz0518]

I would worry about making sure you are feeding him enough. In your other thread you said you are just feeding him 4 crickets a day and he is only 4 inches long. He needs to be feed small feeders twice a day as many as he can eat in 15 min.

 

[daner923]

I'm glad you caught that lindz. I'm sorry OP, but if you are unable/unwilling to feed your dragon appropriately, you should not keep him. Honestly, your initial post on that alone kinda makes me angry. Why would you come here for advice, get advice, and then turn around and say "all of you, all several thousand of you over many years, are wrong. My tiny dragon is doing just fine while I malnourish him because I don't think that I am. Maybe if I believe it's enough, he won't waste away and die of starvation." Sorry if that's a bit harsh, having a rough day, but seriously man?

 

[MsWanda10166]

When our youngest dragon was tiny, we put her under my husbands t-shirt on his chest. She adores chest time now, and will sit content for quite a while, before demanding to explore now. Gentle breathing in a warm dark space, was great for bonding. She is 5 months old now and she crawls all over us, and is learning to walk on a leash. By summer I hope to have her trained well enough to walk ouside on her leash. We are also teaching her to come when called, we wait till she is hungry, and get one of her favorite worms, and get down on the floor and have her run back and forth between my husband and I. They are super smart. Mine goes potty in the bath right now, I hope to train her to potty outside this summer.

 

[drakedragon]

It's very young, although I'm not sure of that exact age. Just got it 2 days ago. Would it be safe to handle it anytime soon? It really seems like it wants out, it constantly scratches at the glass and runs around.

usually people say to wait at least a week so it can settle in. i only left jayden alone for 5 days and she was fine.

 

[rogge26]

I would worry about making sure you are feeding him enough. In your other thread you said you are just feeding him 4 crickets a day and he is only 4 inches long. He needs to be fee d small feeders twice a day as many as he can eat in 15 min.

While I definitely agree that 4 crickets a day is not near enough, I believe the 15 minutes is more of a general guideline as opposed to gospel. For example Flame, my 7 inch female hypo transluscent leather doesn't eat right away.I will drop crickets in her enclosure twice a day and she will sit on her perch and watch them for a while. Then she will come down and eat a few. Then she will head back up to her perch, watch them again and then come back down and eat a few more and then she will repeat the process. By the 15 minute reasoning she may only get 5 crickets twice a day or none! Eddie, on the other hand, my 19 inch male florescent orange Transluscent will ravage every cricket I throw in there no matter how many I put in! He could finish 50 large crickets in 15 minutes! No joke! So while the 15 minute rule is good, in general, there should also be a rule about how many (min. max) crickets of haappropriate size should be fed per feeding according to the beardies size.

 

[rogge26]

Any thoughts?

 

[daner923]

Not really - if your male is eating 50 in 15 minutes and he isn't an adult, you should be feeding him that many. You might want to try removing all the furniture for your female before you feed her so she has to focus on the crickets.