Will a bearded dragon ever bite and if how bad would it hurt?

Question

my mom says she wants to know.

Answer 1

All animals have the potential to bite if they aren't handled correctly.

The pain level is dependent on whether or not the bearded dragon nicks your hand or gets it full on.

Answer 2

everything has the ability to bite if necessary. Beardies are not known to bite or act agressively towards their owners. If it does bite, it will not hurt since they have either no teeth, or really tiny ones. You would have to be trying really hard to make it mad enough to resort to biting. Tell your mom that beardies are one of the friendlist, most docile reptiles available.

Answer 3

it will only bite if you are forcing it some where i mean putting it in a tank and picking it up is okay but i mean like pushing it in your pocket our pushing it into a wall and stuff like that will make it bite.When it bites it doesn't hurt it tickles more than hurts lol.

Answer 4

Yes.  As your first poster responded: all animals have the potential to bite, and as a pet owner - you must accept this.

The degree of bite depends on the degree of fright/anger, as well as the size of the animal. A warning nip can be nothing and barely felt. But an adult Beardie can break the skin if its angry. Often, if this kind of bite occurs, the animal will bite and hold on. It's best, in this situation, to place the Beardie back in its habitat, or on a flat surface, and release it. Just wait patiently, and it will let go soon, when it feels the threat has passed.

Beardies tend to have great dispositions, though, and this rarely occurs. As with any animal you are considering for a pet, research it first, from a hatchling right up through becoming an adult, so that you are aware of what you're getting into, and the proper care for the animal as it ages.

Beardies can live 10 yr. with proper care and nutrition. Beardies need UVB, proper heat, and adult beardies need a large tank, so you'll need to research all this first, long before you ever get the animal.

I'll provide a basic recipe here for you, and a few links below to get you started on your quest, but please note my disclaimer: Please do not keep your lizard(s) of any age on play/repti sand or loose substrate.  Impaction and bacteria issues are real and serious – and can result in death.  Consult your reptile veterinarian for their opinion.

If you decide on a beardie as your new pet; I'm sure you'll be very happy you did. And informed owner makes for a happy owner, and a healthy content pet.

GUT LOADING CRICKETS for REPTILES:

The number one problem:

Dried up and malnourished pet store crickets and mealworms. These food items are essentially useless. A dehydrated and unfed cricket contains almost no nutrients at all; refrigerated mealworms are even worse. A lot of the variety in nutrients found in wild insects is actually in the stomach content - usually plant material. We need to duplicate this to provide the best for our reptiles; without the risk of illness/disease/parasites which can result from feeding our pets wild insects.

Please note that wax worms, while fattening, are not nutritious.

Basic Dry/Staple Cricket Food:

Equal amounts of dry Iguana food, dry dog food, chick starter mash, oatmeal (you can add dry baby food wheat/rye/barley, etc. as well; even shredded wheat - no sugar).

Grind these items together. Place in a small lid/bowl for the crickets to eat. Store the unused portion in the refrigerator or freezer, until needed.

Supplement daily with one of the following: sweet potato, bananas, zucchini, oranges, carrots, strawberries, assorted squashes (acorn, yellow, etc.), grapefruit, green beans, apples, kale, spinach, cactus pads, and just about any other nutritious item you can think of (do not use white/yellow potatoes - these are starchy and only good if used as a moisture source during shipping, and NEVER use Avocado - it's poisonous to most animals).

Provide the dry food and kale at all times (kale is readily available during the winter months, too), rotating the other food items through in succession. The key is variety, and to provide an assortment of varying nutrients. What you are trying to do is offer your reptiles crickets with guts 'loaded' with fresh foodstuffs.

The crickets should be gut loaded for 1-2 days prior to offering them to your reptiles.

Also, provide fresh clean water in a lid/bowl, adding a sponge or folded paper towel to prevent drowning.

Don't offer more crickets than the reptile(s) will consume within: 1.) a few hours if it’s a lizard, salamander, frog/toad, or 2.) a few minutes, if it’s a water turtle, so you know the crickets will still be full of the good stuff when eaten.

The crickets should be dusted (shaken in a plastic bag gently to coat them) with vitamins (keep these refrigerated) and calcium D3 powder 2-4 times a week, depending on the age of the reptile.

Be sure to remove any uneaten crickets so that they do not soil your pet's environment/water or bother your pet, once it is full. Crickets CAN turn the table - and feast upon your pet! Or aggravate them, causing stress and even cessation of eating.

Also be sure the crickets are the correct size for the reptile. The cricket should be the same size long as the reptile’s head is wide.

I hope this has been helpful, and most of all: enjoy your new pet!