How often should I handle my Bearded Dragon?

A bearded dragon is a popular reptile that is known for its gentle temperament, social nature, and calmness, which is why so many people are interested in owning it as a pet. If you are a bearded dragon owner, you may be wondering how often your pet needs to be handled since proper handling is a vital part of building trust with your pet, but it is also important to take into account their preferences and needs.

The first step in determining how often you should handle your bearded dragon is to understand their temperament and their individual preference, as some bearded dragons may enjoy frequent handling and interaction, whereas others may become stressed when they are handled too frequently.

When you are trying to decide whether your pet bearded dragon is interested or not in handling it, you need to look at its body language and their reaction to you. If they seem comfortable with you, then you can handle them and if not, then you should avoid handling them.

How frequently should be handled bearded dragons based on their age?

In terms of handling bearded dragons, the optimal frequency varies depending on their age and is listed below.

  • For juvenile bearded dragons- During their juvenile years, bearded dragons may benefit from frequent handling sessions to become accustomed to being handled by humans and to establish trust with the pet owner. Nowadays, pet owners should try to handle their young bearded dragons for about 15 to 20 minutes once a week to help them get used to human interaction.
  • For adult bearded dragons - Bearded dragons that are adults usually need to be handled less frequently, which means that for them the handling session will only be 5 to 10 minutes once a week would be sufficient.

Note- When you first bring your breaded dragon home, it is important that you take the time to give them a chance to adjust to their new environment. You must avoid excessive handling during the first couple of weeks because if you handle them too much during that time then your pet may become stressed and your bonding with your pet may become worse.

As a result, regular positive handling experiences between you and your bearded dragon can greatly increase the bond that you and your bearded dragon share. However, you may find it more effective if you only handle them during their handling sessions, as discussed above. Age plays a key role in determining how frequently a bearded dragon should be handled. Bearded dragons are generally more tolerant of handling than other lizards. However, frequent handling can lead to a bearded dragon becoming too social. If your bearded dragon are interested to handling then you should need to avoid them handling.