Are Bearded Dragons Social?


Bearded dragons have become one of the most popular pet reptiles. Their unique and friendly qualities make them famous with reptile enthusiasts. Even beginner reptile owners can easily care for these lizards. But the question is, are bearded dragons social?

It’s important to learn about the bearded dragon’s behavior before taking one home. That way, you will know if this reptile will be a good fit. Potential beardie owners need to learn how to care for one properly. It’s also better to know if a bearded dragon will be the right pet for you.

Are Bearded Dragons Social?

No, bearded dragons are not social by nature. Instead, they are solitary animals and prefer to be alone. Generally, they are not social when it comes to other bearded dragons or other pets. But they are very social when it comes to their owners once you get the beardie’s trust.

Unlike dogs, bearded dragons are not social animals. Don’t expect these reptiles to greet you when you get home.

Bearded dragons like to spend their time alone. They don’t feel lonely with interactions with other animals. These reptiles don’t like having company, especially in their enclosure.

Bearded dragons are territorial by nature and they don’t enjoy the company. If you’re thinking of adding another bearded dragon to the tank, the bigger beardie will try to dominate the smaller ones.

If you have to do this, make sure to have a tank big enough for two reptiles. Conflict will arise especially if you house two male beardies in one tank.

The good news is, beardies can be social with their owners. Once trust has been established and you often bond with your beardie, it will show its affection to you as its owner. New bearded dragon owners can easily handle and interact with their

new pets. Make sure to be careful with handling your beardie since it’s crucial for gaining its trust.

Do Bearded Dragons Socialize in the Wild?

No, even in the wild, a bearded dragon cannot be considered social. They live a solitary life and the only social interaction they will have is during the mating season. They are very territorial and will protect their basking spots and food source. Wild bearded dragons don’t live in a group like others.

Adult beardies will spend a lot of time basking and hunting for food. Large groups mean that there will be not enough basking spots and hiding places for them.

Finding food can also be a problem for them if they go in a group. That’s why bearded dragons choose to live a solitary life. It provides them with better chances of survival on their own.

Can Male Beardies Get Along?

No, male bearded dragons can’t be sociable to each other. They are very territorial by nature and there will be disputes with the territory. If you’re planning to house two male bearded dragons in one enclosure, it will not end up well. It’s best to put them in separate housing to avoid fights.

Their territorial nature will spike up during the mating season. It can result in more confrontation and stress between two male bearded dragons.

That’s why it’s not recommended to house two male beardies in one enclosure. Even when they are outside the tank, keep an eye on them.

It will be stressful for the other beardie to be on the same tank with the dominant reptile. The dominant beardie will dominate the basking area and even the food.

It can have a negative effect on the submissive beardie’s health. That can cause the weaker one to starve and get stressed all the time. Separating them will be a great idea.

Can Female Beardies Get Along?

Female bearded dragons are less territorial compared to their male counterparts. They don’t usually get aggressive towards each other. It can tolerate another female beardie. But they still prefer to live alone inside the enclosure. If it’s been alone for some time and you put another female beardie, it can cause territorial disputes.

However, housing two female bearded dragons is a better idea than doing it with two males. They are less aggressive and will likely leave alone the other beardie.

Make sure to get a larger tank and add more hiding places if you decide to house them together. Less interaction between them is better.

Can a Male and a Female Beardie Get Along?

Yes, a male and female beardie can be sociable to each other during the mating season. But this interaction is short-lived. They will only be nice to each other to breed. Allowing them to be in the same enclosure can result in having their offspring. If you intend to breed the female, that’s fine.

However, after the mating season, male beardies will try to dominate the female. The male will end up bullying the female beardie due to its submissiveness.

If you’re not trying to breed them, it’s best to keep them separated. Housing them together may cause stress to the female beardie.

Can an Adult and a Juvenile Beardie Get Along?

No, adults and juvenile bearded dragons can’t be sociable with each other. It’s the worst idea to house them in one enclosure. Adult beardies are bigger and will bully the juveniles. Stacking is when the adult bearded dragon lays on top of the weaker beardie to show dominance.

The adult beardie may also bite the juvenile’s toes and a part of its tail. It’s not recommended to house them together for these reasons.

Even introducing them can cause territorial issues. It will be a stressful encounter for juveniles to meet the adult beardie. It’s best to put them in separate tanks.

Can Beardies Get Along With Other Pets?

There are some cases where bearded dragons can bond with other household pets. Cats and dogs can be friends with bearded dragons. But it’s not guaranteed that your reptile can do the same. Bearded dragons may be scared of bigger animals since they see them as predators.

Seeing other household pets can cause stress to bearded dragons. If they don’t have a place to hide, it will make them feel unsafe.

Although there’s a good chance that your beardie can be comfortable with your other pets over time. It may take a long time for them to get along but it’s not impossible.

Are Bearded Dragons Friendly With Their Owners?

Yes, bearded dragons can be social when it comes to their owners. Even if they are solitary animals, they like having human interaction. Beardies can recognize their owners over time since they are smart. Even if they don’t like socializing with other bearded dragons, they will enjoy bonding with you.

If you want to become a beardie owner, it’s good to know that they can be sociable with their owners. It can help you decide if these reptiles will be the right pet for you.

They can be extremely social with their owners once the trust and bond have been established between you and your beardie.

Bearded dragons enjoy being handled and playing with their owners. Be patient and give your beardie some time to be comfortable.

Once they do, the beardie will be friendly and social with their owners. Bringing food can create a bond with your pet.

It takes time before it feels comfortable in its new home so be patient and take it slow. Avoid rushing the bearded dragon or it may lose its trust in you.

Make the reptile feel safe and let it come to you. Once you form a bond between you and your beardie, it will trust you enough to hold it.

How to Bond With a Bearded Dragon?

It’s best to wait until your bearded dragon is ready to bond with you. But you don’t have to wait for a long time and do nothing. There are simple ways that can increase the speed of bonding and strengthen it as well. The best thing to do is to feed, go for a walk, and try handling it.

If you feed your beardie by yourself, it will create a bond between you and your pet. Is necessary for you to feed your bearded dragon anyway.

Doing this yourself will allow the beardie to get used to you. Regularly handling your bearded dragon will also create a bond between you and your pet.

However, avoid overhandling a bearded dragon that you just brought home recently. It will cause stress to the beardie and can become scared of you instead.

When handling the bearded dragon, make sure to do it for a short time and increase the handling time gradually until it’s comfortable.

Take the bearded dragon for a walk and let it exercise while bonding with it. It’s best to put a reptile harness to avoid the beardie from escaping.

Keep an eye on your bearded dragon and avoid going to places where it can encounter predators. Provide toys and spend quality time together.

Can Bearded Dragons Become Friendly to Strangers?

Bearded dragons enjoy human interaction as mentioned earlier. They are willing to bond with their owners and like being handled. But it can be a different scenario with strangers. The beardie may hide to avoid interaction with your visitor. It’s normal for beardies to perceive other animals or humans as potential predators.

It also depends on the bearded dragon’s personality if it will be social to strangers or not. Some beardies may feel scared seeing new faces around them. Others may feel excited to see a visitor if it’s more exposed to people. If your bearded dragon has more experience interacting with humans, it will be more sociable.

Don’t worry if your bearded dragon hides when it sees a stranger. Leave it alone and allow it to feel safe again. Don’t force your beardie to socialize with strangers. If it feels comfortable, the bearded dragon will show signs of wanting to be handled. But if the beardie looks scared, it’s best to just leave the room where the beardie is located.

What Usual Behaviors Bearded Dragons Display?

Bearded dragons sometimes display unusual behavior. That’s why they are considered as one of the most fascinating reptiles.

Their behavior makes them unique since not all reptiles can display behaviors as bearded dragons can. Observing how they behave will also help you understand your beardie when it’s trying to communicate.

1. Waving

Bearded dragons will sometimes wave their arms which is an interesting behavior. They will move one arm slowly, moving up and down. It may look like the bearded dragon is simply waving to say hello.

But this behavior means more than what you can see. When a beardie waves, it looks cute as if it’s greeting you.

However, arm-waving means showing their submissive behavior. It’s a sign that it’s not going to fight the dominant bearded dragon.

They will also wave when they see other pets to inform you that it’s scared. During the mating season, the female bearded dragon will wave when the male beardie is startled to act aggressively.

2. Bobbing

Head bobbing is another behavior of bearded dragons. It may look cute and harmless but it means something else. When a bearded dragon is bobbing its head fast, it’s a sign of aggression and dominance. Take it as a warning since it’s preparing to attack when it feels threatened.

However, when the beardie is bobbing its head slowly it means that it’s scared. It’s also a sign of submission if there’s another bearded dragon around.

Learning different bearded dragons’ behaviors will help you to know what to do when it’s trying to be dominant or submissive.

3. Stacking

Stacking can only be seen if you have more than one bearded dragon in the tank. It involves laying on top of the other beardie. This may look like they are showing affection to the other beardie. Unfortunately, it’s not the truth about stacking.

When a bearded dragon displays this behavior, it means that it’s bullying another beardie. This is to show their dominance over the submissive reptile.

The reason for this behavior includes stopping the other beardie to access the basking area. It’s also showing its dominance over the other.

4. Beard Flaring

Bearded dragons will flare their beards because of different reasons. It’s the ability to display the spikes on their beards.

That’s where they get their name from since they can show off their beards. When the bearded dragon is angry, their beards will puff and darken to warn other animals.

They can also use their beards when they interact during the mating season. It’s how a male and a female bearded dragon show interest.

Male bearded dragons will display beard flaring to show their dominance over female beardie. It will persuade the female to be submissive to them.

Do bearded dragons like being alone?

Yes, bearded dragons are loners by nature. They prefer to be alone inside their enclosure. If you have more than one bearded dragon, make sure to get a separate tank for the new one. It’s not recommended to house two bearded dragons in one tank. Male beardies are very territorial and fight all the time for dominance.

Can bearded dragons live in one enclosure?

No, it’s not recommended to allow two bearded dragons to live in one enclosure. If you have two male beardies, they will be aggressive towards each other. They will fight for dominance and can end up injuring the weaker beardie. But two female beardies can be housed together. They can tolerate each other and will not fight like males.

Can beardies cuddle with their owners?

Yes, bearded dragons can bond with their owners. But the level of affection will depend on the beardies personality. Some beardies enjoy cuddling while others don’t. It’s best to observe your bearded dragon and allow it to show its affection in its own way. Bearded dragons don’t show their affection differently than other pets.

Can bearded dragons display affection like other pets?

Yes, bearded dragons are the only reptiles who can show affection to their owners. It makes them one of the best exotic pets. They are also smart so your beardie can recognize you as its owner. Bearded dragons can also feel emotions which makes them special. The way they show affection depends on the bearded dragon’s personality.

How to know if the beardie likes you?

If the bearded dragon likes you, that means that it trusts you. When the beardie closes its eyes while on your lap, it means that it trusts you a lot. It can also press closer to you, lick you, run towards you, and feel relaxed while cuddling. The more your bearded dragon trusts you, the more it likes you.

Can you house more than one bearded dragons together?

It’s not a good idea to put two bearded dragons together. Avoid housing two males in one enclosure or they will fight. But two females might work, or if they are one male and one female.

Provide a tank that’s big enough for two bearded dragons. Add different hiding spots as well to avoid confrontation. Avoid housing two males at all costs.

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