Having a pet goes beyond staring at it. Often, you will want to spend more time with it and grow a strong bond. What are some of the fun ideas and ways of spending time with your bearded dragon?
Before we give you some of the thrilling suggestions, it is good to understand a bearded dragon’s nature and precautions to consider. Not all that seems fun to us is fun to them.
Do bearded dragons get bored alone?
The precise answer is no. These lizards are solitary animals capable of being alone without feeling lonely. While in the wild, they don’t live in social groups except if they share common resources. Furthermore, don’t house them together in the same cage or tank as competition for food, basking area, hiding place, and so on will soon occur, leading to fights and aggression.
However, as a bearded dragon owner, you would enjoy spending some time with your pet.
Word of caution
As you plan for any of the suggestions we have, put in mid that beardies are ectotherms who thermoregulate depending on the ambient temperature. If you live cold areas, don’t put this reptile outside its cage for more than 15 minutes to avoid lowering their core body temperature.
Secondly, always disinfect anything that your lizard walks on and clean your hands with a hand sanitizer after handling them since they do carry germs and parasites.
Here are some fun activities things to do with your beardie.
1. Go for a walk or take a ride
Strolls in local parks, around your home, or at the beach is an excellent idea, especially if you have a leash and harness.
Furthermore, donning your bearded dragon in costumes and outfits such as the devil or shark costume, cowboy hat, and so on will make him or her look stunning and attract many onlookers.
Note that walks are a great way to exercise as well as give your lizard a chance to explore new places.
Alternatively, if you have a reptile or bearded dragon travel carrier such as the Exo Terra Faunariam Flat Home, you can take a ride with this pet. However, ensure you maintain optimum temperatures in your car.
2. Hand feed them
If you don’t hand-feed these lizards regularly, doing so can be an interactive and fun idea that will bond both of you.
You can hand-feed them live insects or bugs, veggies, fruit treats, or safe plants and flowers. If you fear been bitten or touching some bugs, consider buying a feeding tong. Zoo Med Super Deluxe Stainless Steel Feeding Tongs will correctly do the job.
With your long tong, dangle a live feeder insect to encourage your pet to try to catch it. Such an activity will be fun and physically stimulating.
3. Placing it in front of a mirror
While glass terrarium types need backgrounds to prevent these pets from always seeing their reflection as this stress or make them to glass surf, placing a mirror in front of them for a short moment will be fun and won’t stress them.
Seeing their image will make them assume a competitor is approaching them, and you may witness a show of aggression and other behaviors such as head bobbing, beard display, and arm-waving.
However, never put a mirror in their vivarium permanently as it will end up stressing them.
4. Let them play with toys or stuffed animals
There are many toys you can get your beardie, including a small ball, cat wand, laser pointer, crinkled wrapping paper, stuffed animals, and so on. Remember to choose toys by considering their preferences.
If given, your pet may climb on, push, jolt, or knock these toys over with their snout as they play with them. However, not all beardies love playing with toys.
5. Can bearded dragon swim?
Yes. If your beardie loves taking baths or lying in the drinking water bowl, swimming may be a fantastic idea. Swimming is ideal if you live in warm and sunny places, and you need to use lukewarm water.
Don’t take them to your typical swimming pool. Instead, use a large shallow dish or small inflatable swimming pool. Placing floaties inside the pool will give this pet somewhere to perch when they tire up.
Furthermore, the water level should be beneath their shoulders and use ReptiSafe water conditioner as it removes chlorine, chloramines, nitrates, and ammonia since these pets are likely to drink water as they swim.
Finally, be on the lookout as this pet swims since it may get tired, stressed, or be overwhelmed. While beardies are excellent swimmers, swimming isn’t one of the activities they participate in while in the wild.
6. Watch TV
While some will not enjoy it, many most of these reptiles do enjoy watching TV or game box. Let them accompany you as you view your favorite television series or give them something to watch. Remember, loud noises may startle them these pets.
7. Let them hunt
Hunting and foraging are two naturally habits of beaded dragons while in the wild. If you have a secluded place or patio with short grass, you can let them go hunt or forage. It will be a fun event.
Unfortunately, we don’t recommend hunting since some of the insects or bugs, plants, or veggies may have remnant pesticides, herbicides, or insecticides.
8. Handle them
Handling your bearded dragons will help grow a bond of trust and give both you and your pet time to interact. However, ensure you know how to scoop this pet from the ground safely.
When picking them, slide your hand beneath their body, wrap your fingers gently around the midsection of its torso and slowly raise them off the ground. If they struggle or want to go away, don’t tighten your grip. Instead, let go and try it again later.
Once you have removed this pet out of his/her terrarium, hold them with both hands to avoid falling or jumping off as this will injure them.
Afterward, you can place him on your lap, let him climb on your body, stroke him gently on the head, chin or back towards their tail, and so on. Sometimes, they may lick your hand or things.
9. Puzzle toys
Besides physical stimulation, mental stimulation is essential. Creating a simple puzzle toy such as putting grasshoppers, cockroaches, or crickets inside a transparent ball with a hole will do the magic.
This pet will crazily battle with the ball as they try to catch and eat the bugs inside it. Besides the mental stimulation, they will also exercise.
10. Let it roam in your house
Create a controlled, safe environment such as a room inside your home and let this pet freely roam around. Ensure your house’s floor is not too slippery, and there is no carpet as it may be having loops that will entrap their legs and nails.
While roaming, ensure other pets don’t make your beardie to feel threated. Even after thorough bonding, some pets may still attack your bearded dragon. Always pay attention.
Finally, it will be a good idea to proof your house to avoid any hazards or prevent them from going under stoves, couch, door, etc., to avert accidents and injuries.