Do bearded dragons cuddle?

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Bearded dragons are unique exotic pets that have grown increasingly popular among households in recent times. These animals’ abilities to learn and adjust to their owners have made them a major presence in pet-loving homes and families.
Owners of bearded dragons have continuously talked about their beardie showing sentimentalism to their touch and scent. These claims are in line with objective metrics on beardies’ behavior. Beardies do get attached to their owners, and for a reptile, this is a huge step.

With bearded dragon’s affection to their human owners not in doubt, a question that has continuously come up is if they are capable of cuddling? For some people, especially those who don’t own these animals, this question may come across as awkward; however, it isn’t, as long-time beardies owners had experienced situations when their pets actually tried to get close.

While getting close to humans is one thing, cuddling is another and on a whole new level. So do they cuddle? Owners of beardies have talked about their pets strolling to them when watching TV and lying on their legs. Some claim the pets exhibit behaviors similar to snuggling and even fall asleep on them sometimes.

Fortunately, all of these claims are in line, as the average dragons exhibit all of these traits with owners, and it won’t be out of place to say they do cuddle and that they enjoy it.

Owners who go the extra mile of touching the dragon’s ears and beard whenever their pet snuggles them have never been met with resentment as the dragon sooner or later falls asleep on them.

Clearly, all of these show that bearded dragons cuddle and actually enjoy it, which is excellent news for owners.

Do bearded dragons cuddle
Do bearded dragons cuddle

Do Bearded Dragons Get Attached To Their Owners? 

Bearded dragons are just like other animal pets such as cats and dogs. They can feel and definitely express emotions. These sentient pets can feel negative and positive emotions and can even get emotional and attached to their owners. In 2019, Helen Lambert, in an attempt to figure out if Bearded dragons have feelings, carried out a research thesis titled ‘Given the cold shoulder’. She discovered substantial evidence that beardies can feel pain, frustration, anxiety, fear, stress, suffering, excitement, and distress.

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Dr. Marc Bekoff also believes that beardies have several emotions, which are pretty complicated for humans to understand. He explained that reptiles are not treated right most times because humans perceive them to be dumb and insentient. He stated that this is not true as these pets can feel and understand poor treatment. 

In the article Reptile Emotion, Dr. Sharman Hoppes states that in some cases, reptiles could have a preference for who they like as they are more comfortable with people they see every day and those that feed and stroke them.

With all of this objective data, there is no doubt that beardies can develop a level of attachment towards owners who spend time with them and care for them. 

Some bearded dragon owners have noticed this attachment in their beardies, who always seem to want to be around them. Others also confirmed that their pet does not allow a stranger to pick them without putting up a fight but is always docile when they are the ones picking them up.

Beardies have been known to get excited when they pace around in their tanks upon seeing their owners. The above evidence clearly shows that beardies do get attached to their owners and are always happy to be around them.

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Do Bearded Dragon Like To Be Touched? 

Bearded dragons have feelings and enjoy gestures of affection like cuddling or gentle stroking from their owners. They enjoy playtime, bonding time, stroking on the cheek, head, or body. On rare occasions, bearded dragons have reacted aggressively to touch from their owners, mainly because of fear, surprise, or irritation. They can also exhibit aggression when they are poorly treated or excessively deprived of their immediate needs.

Bearded dragons have to be given time to develop a liking towards their owners. Some bearded dragons can easily start bonding, while some may be timid and need consistent effort to kick off the bonding process.

As a bearded dragon lover, it would be nice to take time out to study your pet and know when it wants alone time, wants company, and when it is upset or happy. This is very important in establishing a happy relationship with your pet as it shows that you care about it, which in turn makes it more accepting of your touch. Beardies are different, and what works for one may not work for another. One should find what’s suitable for the animal to make your pet happy with the feeling of wanting to be touched.

Most bearded dragons like to be touched and would even come up to their owners as they know that their owners would respond by touching them when they are closeby.

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Is It Good If Your Bearded Dragon Sleeps On You?

It is a rewarding feeling to watch your bearded dragon feel comfortable enough to sleep on you. This is usually a good sign that could spell trust and love. Though, they could also sleep on you for warmth or to pick up the scent of your body. 

Beardies are naturally wild in nature and understand that predators should be watched out for. For them, sleeping means being vulnerable, and they are quite cautious about where they doze off. So if your bearded dragon is sleeping on you, it simply means they feel a tremendous amount of safety around you and do not mind being vulnerable.

This revelation would make many bearded dragon owners happy as it also tells of how deep their bond with their pets has grown. It indicates the animal realizes their owner cares for them and gives them proper attention.

While trust is one reason your pet would sleep on you, there is another reason for this. Beardies are cold-blooded, and that means their body temperature is generally higher than that of their environment. This means that they typically need an external heat source to get warmth, and this is generally provided from their basking light or any other safe heat emitting device. However, when they are not basking, they could actually seek heat by lying and sleeping on you so that they can draw from your body temperature.

Whichever reasons that may prompt your beardie to sleep on you, it is generally a good thing and should be welcomed.

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How Do You Know If Your Bearded Dragon Loves You?

As most people already know, bearded dragons can show a lot of affection to their owners if they like them, which is a privilege as they are not so keen on themselves in such ways. When a bearded dragon likes its owner or a household member, there are certain signs it exhibits in that direction. These signs can give owners a hint about what their pets think of them.

Fortunately, Most owners easily figure out these behaviors, while others may need a little guidance, which is why we will be discussing these signs so you can tell if your bearded dragon loves you.

We will be outlining some characteristics that have been associated with affection from beardies to help you figure out if your pet loves you or is just scared of you or resents you. One of the signs to watch out for when trying to figure out if your pet likes you is if it stays relaxed when picked up. Dragons are animals who are always alert when in the wild, so it is only natural if yours tries to wiggle away from you any time you try to pick them up in the first couple of days and weeks of getting them. However, if they begin to relax over time, that is a massive sign in the right direction.

Another sign to check out is if they sit close to you when watching a movie or sitting on the floor. Cuddling is a big step built over months of gradual bonding, so your beardie may not initiate this move in the initial stages of you guys getting to know each other. However, if they feel comfortable sitting next to you, that is a good sign that they are becoming affectionate, and cuddling is only a couple of days or weeks away.

You may also want to check on your love building if your pet shows any aggressive signs when you try to approach it. Hissing, black beard, and biting are not good signs, so if your dragon shows any of these signs, it is best to keep on trying to build the bond. Don’t worry, you will get there, as beardies are not so hard to please.

The ultimate sign that confirms your pet’s love for you is when it comes to you by itself to snuggle or lie on you. This behavior is a huge step and one to aim for in your quest of gaining your pet’s affection.

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Do Bearded Dragons Cuddle Each Other? 

Bearded dragons may be affectionate to humans and even cuddle up with their owners, but does this mean they like to share this bond with their own kind? Do bearded dragons cuddle each other?

If one would go with the phrase “charity begins at home,” it would be safe to think that bearded dragons would be affectionate to themselves since they do the same with humans. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Dragons do not really enjoy the company of their fellows, especially adult males! If beardies had their way, they would rather stay away from each other.

Keeping two male dragons together has four times the chance of ending up in blood than they would tolerate each other, not to talk of cuddling. Keeping two females, or a male and a female, may not end up in a duel, but they definitely won’t cuddle.

Some owners confuse two dragons laying on each other as affectionate and term it cuddling, but this is not true; this behavior is a sign of dominance with the one on top trying to establish control of basking rights in the cage. From the above behaviors regarding bearded dragons, it is clear that these animals do not cuddle each other.

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Does Bearded Dragon Like To Be Held?

It is normal to find pictures online with beardie owners having a great time together with their pet, who shows no sign of anger or fear. Bearded dragons love being held and given attention, and owners could take advantage of this natural behavior in quickening the bonding process with their pets. It is a great idea to continually hold your pet to build trust and love, as this would make it come around you and recognize you as a caretaker. Also, it is essential to know how to handle it correctly. You have to make sure that hygiene is considered and that you are not causing them any pain or stress.

To build trust, you should carry your beardie for a few minutes daily. You can do this when you notice it is aware of your presence and is staring at you eagerly. Playing with them and bathing them is also a great way to hold them. However, while trying to build trust, you do not want to trigger a negative reaction from your pet by touching it while it is not in the mood. You can predict their mood by looking out for any color change, which helps you to guage your pet’s mood.

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Do Bearded Dragons Like Blankets? 

Pet owners all have one thing in common. They will go to any length to ensure that their animals are comfortable. This caring attitude is no different with bearded dragon owners. To give their pet the best of comfort, most owners love wrapping them in a blanket. Some of them do it for comfort purposes, while others do it for warmth. We shall talk about these and also discuss if bearded dragons like blankets.

Yes, bearded dragons like blankets. They love the soft material just like they love other soft things, so owners won’t be doing anything wrong wrapping their pet with these soft fabrics.

However, the purpose of wrapping bearded dragons in a blanket is also important. Beardies should only be wrapped in blankets to comfort them, as trying to warm them through these means won’t achieve the goal. Dragons are cold-blooded, and the only way to keep them warm is through sunlight or UV lights. These cannot be substituted for a blanket, as they cannot generate heat themselves. Finally, while most Beardies love blankets, some couldn’t care less.

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Do Bearded Dragons Like To Play?

Having a bearded dragon can be fun, educative, and engaging as you would keep finding yourself doing something to make your pet happy. Living with a bearded dragon over time would make you realize that the animal likes to have fun and enjoys playing.

Whether as babies or adults, bearded dragons love to play and look to their owners or family members to engage them. You can play with your bearded dragon daily while making sure you are on a soft surface like a bed so it does not end up getting injured or anything of the sort. You can play with it by stroking its head or holding it when it strolls to you and you can decide to hand-feed it to build trust and confidence.

If you decide to take it out for a run, you should put it on a leash to keep it from running wild, bursting into the road, or chewing on chemically treated grass. You can also play with it by taking it for a ride as beardies are naturally curious and love to see new things and new environments. Whatever you decide to do, know that it doesn’t take much to give your pet a fun time.

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Do Bearded Dragons Like Music?

Owners of bearded dragons have continuously shared experiences of their beardie responding to music. Some claim that their pet actually likes the song, but how true is this? Do bearded dragons like music?

The first thing to note is that bearded dragons are very intelligent and hear sounds. On most occasions, when they hear something, they usually go on alert and turn their attention to the source, including music. From several behaviors exhibited, beardies seem to enjoy certain kinds of music, and we shall talk about these behaviors. If your pet seems to draw closer when a particular song is played and closes its eyes, this means that it does not abhor the sound. However, we cannot state if that translates into enjoyment or not.

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Another behavior to watch out for is if they get their attention drawn to a song, then look away to do their thing. This probably means they are indifferent. However, if they were sitting next to you and suddenly wither away when you played a particular song, it means they hate the song. Some may even turn dull to express their displeasure.

While bearded dragons may show any of these signs, it is essential to note that it is not the music they like or hate as they actually can’t identify if what they are hearing is music. It is the sound, and how it is presented, they love or hate. 

Hazel Buckley
Hazel Buckley

About Hazel Buckley
Hazel is an animal enthusiast and educator who grew up on a farm which her parents owned in Ingogo, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.  The farm was situated right under the Majuba Mountains - the site where the Anglo-Boer War was fought. 

Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the information published on this website is accurate, the author and owners of this website take no responsibility  for any loss or damage suffered as a result of relience upon the information contained therein.  Furthermore the bulk of the information is derived from information in 2018 and use therefore is at your on risk. In addition you should consult professional advice if required.