Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Do bearded dragons ever bite? They look it. And also, what about those spines on them, do they ever cause a problem? And is a Bearded Dragon something you would let crawl around you, or maybe hold for a half hour or so? The spikes are whats worrying me, I want something that young kids can play with, and those spikes on them are turning me off. Any info? Do they bite? Do they scratch? Do the spikes cause a problem? And lastly, how old do they get?

They rarely every bite.The spines on them are very soft and bearded dragons are very docile and you can handle them for extended periods of time once they are used to you.

By saying rarely, does that mean often enough to let say a 5 year old pet it without the Lizard flipping out? And do the males tend to puff the spines moreso than females?

I had many of the same reservations when I first saw these lizards. They look like little tanks but it's all a bluff, they are big softies to the touch and in temperment. The spikes are soft and they rarely if ever bite, but with any animal there are exceptions. Mine love the attention and like being held and have never threatened to bite anyone. I have no worries letting my buddies kid hold them, other than washing hands after handling them, but that holds true for any animal.

My friend has a 6 and a 2 year old who just LOVE to pet our bearded dragon. Like they said before, just make sure there is an adult supervising and the kids wash their hands afterwards. The first time I touched one I really was surprised by how soft the spines are. They give as soon as you touch them. Our has only ever bitten once and it was by accident during feeding. Really as long as there is an adult taking primary care of the lizard, they are a great pet for kids to pet and learn from.
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1.0 bearded dragon (gold X yellow flame)
0.1 california kingsnake (evil)
1.0 ferret (runt)
1.0 cat (cornish rex)
0.1 dog (mutt)

I had many of the same fears/thoughts that you have. In the end, after doing my research, we got our 4 year old son a beardie. He loves him. Helps make his "salad", feeds him etc. I looked into many different kinds of reptiles (other lizards, snacks, and furry critters) and found Beardies to be the best for kids. But beware...if you do your research on the internet, you will find one site telling you one thing and then another site telling you not to. All in all, they rarely bite. When they get scared, they stand still or "show" their beard. "They", according to my reading, have not linked Salmonella to beardies as they have with other lizards. I, as a precaution, have Purell right next to the beardie tank. My son puts him back and immediately uses the Purell...just to be safe. And, as learned from the vet today, the beardie can get germs/viruses from YOU, so you should wash before you handle him...and always be sure to rinse you hands VERY WELL before you handle the beardie. They can be very sensitive to the soap if a residue is present. Good luck!!

A five year old could pet the dragon as long as you are supervising.As long as the dragon has gotten used to you and you arent chasing after it it won't flare its beard or attempt to bite you.My dragon hasn't bit me yet.Also they live for about 10 years.

I have a 5 year old cousin that I watch after school for a few hours everyday. He loves them. He handles them often as he can. Nevr once has been scratched or bit. We even arranged to bring the lizards in for a show and tell in his classroom. 13 kindergardners and the teacher all held the lizards.

All of them will "puff up" reguardless of gender. My males do tend to more often but it is only due to showing off for the ladies.

Mike

Bearded dragons are a great pet for children. As stated above they are very docile and hardly ever bite. The spikes are soft to the touch. Very little to worry about with them. The nails can get you but even that is rare. I think only once was I scratched to the point that it left a red line for a couple hours. I have been scratched much much worse by a cat.

I would say if you are still concerned go to a petstore, a local breeder, or a reptile show and ask to handle one. I think you will be suprised.

Mike

Bearded dragons like any animal can bite. Young dragons are more likely to bluff and try to bite but typically with patience they will learn there is no need to bite. Once comfortable with their 'people' bearded dragons are calm and quite happy to be held, sit on a lap or shoulder etc.

The spines are not as dangerous or sharp as they look but can prick a finger or hand if aligned right. I have had a few little pricks on my hands when picking up my dragon but none were painful or came even close to breaking the skin. Maybe a little dimple for a couple seconds but thats it.

Children should never be left unsupervised around dragons and hands should be washed before and after handling dragons. If handled gently most dragons are calm and tolerant of being petted and held. Keep in mind that not all dragons as as quickly tamed as others and some remain rather resentful of being picked up most of their lives.

Dragon claws can scratch hard enough to break the skin if they are struggling to get away. If they are calm there is no worry about being scratched. Young dragons don't bite as hard as older dragons but either can break the skin with their teeth if they get you the right way. Their bites however are not as bad or painful from overly playful cats etc. With dragons they typically don't bite without puffing out their beard and hisssing and gaping first. Some will do mock attacks first but sometimes they skip that part if they feel more threatened than normal.

The best way to pick up a dragon is by coming in from below (preferribly when the dragon itself is at waist level, harder to do this when they are on the floor). Gently place your fingers underneath the dragon till you can scoop him up safely onto your hand, then turn him to face away from your body with the tail between your arm and body. This makes it easier to control the tail should the dragon decide to struggle.

Control the tail? What do you mean control the tail incase he struggles?

Sometimes when they want down or don't want to be handled, they will thrash their tail (it doesn't hurt or anything, it is just annoying).

I think you should handle one. Go to a reptile show. That is when I fell in love. I saw about 10 sitting on a table, no restraints or anything. I thought they were stuffed, then one of them cocked his head to look at me. I was hooked. I did some research and the following month, got one. He is the closest thing to a son that I have. I now have 2 girls (2 and 4) who LOVE to pet him. He seems to enjoy them as well. I let him run around on the floor while my 4 year old is around (the 2 year old can't really control her movements, I am afraid she will hurt him.) He runs over my 4 year old like she is a jungle gym. I think he likes to hear her laugh. It is quite cute. I think once you meet one and hold it yourself, your fears will be put aside.

Of course, you may decide that a Beardie is not the right pet for you. They do require a lot of work to socialize in the beginning, and patience. You are not going to be able to bring him home, put him the backyard and play with him whenever you want. But I think it is COMPLETELY worth the effort put in. I also think it is a good pet to teach children about responsibility. They eat A LOT in the beginning and poop a lot. (if you get a young one).

I am always excited to see people learning about a pet BEFORE they get one. Congratulations.

Even if they did bite, it wouldn't be like a major medical event. It might bleed a bit. Get a bit red. That's it. The spikes can only be describled as 'nuzzleable'.
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Peter: It's OK, I'll handle it. I read a book about something like this.
Brian: Are you sure it was a book? Are you sure it wasn't NOTHING?

In addition to what everyone else has said.....

I breed Bearded dragons and also have children! Ages 3, 6 and 9. My children handle and "play" with ALL my dragons on an almost daily basis. As far as reptiles go, I would suggest a bearded if children are going to be involved, as opposed to leopard geckos,monitors, some snakes, etc.
I also take my dragons into my children's elementary school and have children in my daughter's Kindergarten class touch and handle them as well as my Son's 3rd grade class.
The MOST important issue with children and ANY reptile is that they thoroughly clean their hands before and AFTER handling them.

Hope this helps.
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Lisa
www.beginnersbasics.com

Thought this might help "ease" your mind

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Lisa
www.beginnersbasics.com

"The MOST important issue with children and ANY reptile is that they thoroughly clean their hands before and AFTER handling them."

I can't stress that fact enough. Anyone adult or child should always wash there hands before and after handling any animal. reptiles especailly. It's a house rule in my home.

Mike

"as the bearded dragon lunges"...

I am 12 years old so I would count as a child, but if your kids are younger(8 or less) you might no twant them to handle it for a few years unless you make sure they are carefulwith it.