Do Bearded Dragons Attach to Their Owners?

Bearded dragons are fun, unique pets. They have quirky personalities and form attachments to their owners similar to cats and dogs. Spectrum Chameleon is the best place to find a bearded dragon for sale if you're interested in a new reptile pet.

How Do Bearded Dragons Show Attachment

Bearded dragons don't wag their tail like a dog or purr like a cat, but they manifest their attachment to their owners in their own way. Here are four signs your bearded dragon is showing you some affection!

1. Bearded Dragons Learn Your Schedule

Whether you realize it or not, your bearded dragon will learn your schedule. Over time, they will begin to anticipate your actions. They will show attachment to you by moving around their enclosure when they expect you to interact with them or feed them. 

2. Your Bearded Dragon Doesn't Hide from You

You might notice when you first bring a bearded dragon home and place them in a new environment, they hide from you. When your bearded dragon gets comfortable in their home, it will come out and explore. 

The more your bearded dragon gets comfortable, the more they will trust and recognize you. You will know that your pet feels safe around you when it stops hiding from you. 

3. Your Bearded Dragon Sits on You

When bearded dragons attach to their owners, they happily sit with them. Bearded dragons will become comfortable sitting on their owner's shoulder, chest, or leg. At first, a bearded dragon might only sit with its owner for a short time, but the more comfortable it is, the longer it will stay in one place. 

4. Your Bearded Dragon Seeks Your Attention

The ultimate sign a bearded dragon is attached to their owner is if it seeks out its owner's attention. A bearded dragon will show it wants attention by reaching for its owner. It might scratch at the glass or stand on its back legs and reach up when its owner is near. 

How to Create a Bond with Your Bearded Dragon

Try these four strategies to develop a strong bond with your bearded dragon. 

1. Talk to Your Bearded Dragon

The first step of creating a bond with your bearded dragon is to get it to trust you. To build your bearded dragon's confidence around you, start by talking to it.

Your bearded dragon can hear you and will eventually distinguish your voice from the different people in your house. The more it hears your voice, the easier it is for them to recognize you.

Your bearded dragon will respond when it learns your voice. Your voice can soothe it if it becomes stressed out. When you've bonded with your bearded dragon, you can call it to come to you. It can be easier to care for your bearded dragon when it recognizes your voice. 

2. Handle Your Bearded Dragon

Once your bearded dragon is comfortable in its new habitat and responds to your voice, you should bond with it by handling it.

Start by picking it up and holding it for short intervals daily to handle your bearded dragon. When it is comfortable, you can extend the time you hold it. Stick to a schedule, so it begins to anticipate your interaction. 

When your bearded dragon is comfortable with regular handling, you can add bathing it to your routine. Bearded dragons enjoy baths. Cleaning your bearded dragon keeps its skin in good condition and helps it stay hydrated.  

Bathing a bearded dragon is easy to do. Let them sit in a shallow dish of water and gently pour the water over its body. All you have to do is use dechlorinated tap water, skip the soap, and make sure not to submerge it. 

3. Give Your Bearded Dragon Treats

What pet doesn't love a treat? Bearded dragons enjoy treats in addition to their regular meals. To increase the interaction with your pet, hand feed it treats regularly. 

The best treats for bearded dragons are natural snacks, including:

If you aren't keen on handling live insects, leave those for feeding time, so you only hold fruits and vegetables. 

4. Play With Your Bearded Dragon

Once you have established a bond with your bearded dragon, you can play with it. There are specialty toys, like balls, bath floaties, and tunnels. You can even use cat toys, like wands and chasers, to play with your bearded dragon. Playing with your pet enriches its life and increases the bond you two have. 

Bearded Dragon for Sale by Spectrum Chameleon 

Spectrum Chameleon has reptile guides and resources to help you raise one of our responsibly-bred bearded dragons. Our safe and sustainable business practices ensure you get a healthy pet.

We help our clients decide which reptile is best for them through education and readiness quizzes. If you're interested in a bearded dragon for sale by Spectrum Chameleon, check out our "Are You Ready for a Bearded Dragon?" quiz here.