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Are Bearded Dragons Social Or Best Left Alone?

will a bearded dragon eat a gecko?

Bearded Dragons are unique pets and they make interesting conversation pieces; especially with the uninitiated, that assume that Beardies are “actual” dragons. Are these creatures social in captivity and in the wild or are they reclusive? This is what we’ll be looking at today. So, are bearded dragons social?

Are Bearded Dragons Social? 

I want to start by giving you the quick answer but this article is going to be filled with valuable content so make sure to read to the end.

Bearded dragons live in colonies in the wild made up of 1 male and multiple females. However they live pretty much a solitary existence apart from at times of breeding. This means that in general bearded dragons by nature are not social animals. You may also want to know if they will bite you

Are bearded dragons social, do they like company?

Bearded dragons are considered social creatures in the wild and live in large colonies, with each male having its territory. You might see one male, a few females, and a couple of juveniles around. This is the norm but they can also be anti-social.

The only time that you will notice them interacting with each other is during mating season. In this period, males will compete against each other to impress the females. This is done by displaying their colours and size by bobbing their head and beard. They will also chase each other around.

In captivity, bearded dragons tend to be solitary but they can get along with others of the same sex. The problem is however if there are not enough females for every male, then fights are inevitable between the males. This is more common in smaller enclosures and you might want to think about getting a bigger one if you have more than one dragon.

It is actually advisable for most types of reptiles to have sufficient space or else territorial conflicts occur more often. The best way to address this issue is by having two females together since they do not fight as much as males do with each other.

Can bearded dragons get lonely? 

Due to their solitary nature, it is difficult for the dragons to be truly lonely. If you want your bearded dragon to have company, then get another one of the opposite sex, as they do not fight as much with each other and even seem to get along better. One male for every two females is the ideal ratio. This way, the male’s attention will be divided and won’t be spending too much time with one female.

Are bearded dragons social?

Are bearded dragons social? Bearded dragons can learn to be social and enjoy human interaction.

Can you house multiple bearded dragons together? 

If you have a large enough enclosure, you can house multiple bearded dragons. Just be sure to have one adult male for every two or three adult females. This might sound unfair but in the wild, males are in a constant search for females. If they can’t find any, they’ll become aggressive.

Each Beardie is unique. They have personalities and preferences. Some of them might get along with each other while others might not. Even if you are able to give them sufficient space, chances are they will still fight with each other which can result to injuries and stress on your part as well as theirs.

Do bearded dragons like human interaction? 

Some people count it as a privilege to have a dragon who actually likes human contact, while others believe that the only way to keep one is with minimal human interaction. So, do they like human interaction? The answer is yes and no. Some of them will show signs that they enjoy having their pets brushed or even played with but others just might tolerate it. Do not force your bearded dragon into liking you because the end result will be a stressed-out lizard.

Are bearded dragons friendly? 

When young, they are friendly and open to human interaction. As they grow older, they become less tolerant and might even start biting you if you try to touch their tail or body. Never grab a dragon by the neck since this will intimidate them and cause them to lash out. They might seem aggressive but it is not because they are trying to defend themselves – most of the time, it is because they are scared.

Do bearded dragons bite? 

Bearded dragons are reptiles and as such, they have little sharp teeth that give moderately painful bites. They can also bite if you try to grab them when they’re not in the mood. Be observant when handling these creatures. If you are just petting them, don’t be too rough. This might aggravate your dragon’s temper or hurt them.

It is best to do gentle rubbing along their neck as this will bring out a very different reaction from the dragons – a soft, happy one instead of a scared one. When handling bearded dragons extensively, remember that they tend to become more reactive when their tail is grabbed or touched.

This is because many people believe that the tail is a “delicate” part of the dragon.

Can a bearded dragon get attached to its owner? 

Are bearded dragons social ot its owner? It is said that some bearded dragons do get attached to their owners. On the other hand, others might be just as happy when the owner is around or not. To determine whether your bearded dragon truly gets attached to you, observe its behaviour around you and compare it with its reaction when you are not around.

This will help you figure out whether it likes you or not and if it is happy even when you are not with it. To a certain extent, you can train your dragon so that it gets used to being around humans but this requires time and patience on your part.

Bearded dragons have been bred for a number of years in captivity which means that they are very adaptable to living with humans – more so than most lizards. This makes them good pets but at the same time, they do have some issues of their own in terms of being anti social and biting if handled too roughly.

Human interaction is either loved or hated by many bearded dragons, but it is best to keep the dragon in a cage with a bigger enclosure for them to roam around in so that they don’t get stressed out by too much human contact.

Conclusion

Are bearded dragons social? Bearded dragons are not loners and will interact with each other in the wild. In captivity, they are very wary of humans and can attack if handled too roughly. The most important thing to remember about beardies is that they are reptiles, which means that they require plenty of space to be healthy and happy.

2 thoughts on “Are Bearded Dragons Social Or Best Left Alone?”

  1. Hi Andy. I was wondering if you had an answer to a noise my beardie is making. It started today. I went to pet him and he instantly made a weird wheezing/croaking noise and opened his mouth and almost puffed up his beard completely. Nos stress marks or black beard. I don’t know what it could mean or what might cause him to react such way.. any help would mean so much. Thanks!

    1. Super Crazy Pets

      Hi Ady,
      Is this the first and only time that your beardie has done this? If this is the case it could more than likely be a shock reaction to being touched or handled, in that case it would not be something to worry about.
      If however you notice that he is wheezing often when breathing it could be a sign of a respiratory infection and as such you will need to pop him over to a local vets who accept reptile patients.
      I’m sure your little friend is going to be absolutely fine, keep my updated.

      Thanks
      Andy

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