How Often Should You Take Your Bearded Dragon Out Of Its Cage?

If you have a bearded dragon, you may have wondered if your pet likes to be outside its cage! And if so, what is the healthy amount of time to have them out?

Taking a bearded dragon out of its cage depends on the personality of the pet and making sure to look out for signs of whether a bearded dragon is relaxed or stressed.

We’ll make sure to let you know all of the things to keep an eye out for, so you’re all set to take out your bearded dragon as much as you like.

Do bearded dragons like to be out of their cage?

You’ll find this differs depending on your pet and their level of tolerance to being outside of their tank and being handled.

Personality

Some bearded dragons may like being handled more, and enjoy spending time with their owner outside of their tank. Others may be more stressed when they are outside of their home, so it’s important to watch for the signs that show whether they’re happy or nervous.

Positive signs

If your bearded dragon is still or walking slowly around, this should mean they are relaxed. You should know the signs your pet exhibits when they are happy, so hopefully, you can be on the lookout for these.

Negative signs

If your bearded dragon is closing their eyes or trying to bite or run away from you, these are the signs they are stressed.

You can also look for some dark coloration that may appear near their mouth or stomach. Keep an eye on your bearded dragon so you can know what state they’re in.

If they are displaying negative signs, go ahead and put them back in their tank. You can try and get them out for small amounts of time each day, that way they will start getting used to being out of their tank and being held.

If you keep this up regularly and incorporate it into their normal schedule, it should make them more relaxed while they’re out.

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How often should I take my bearded dragon out?

This depends on your pet! You don’t necessarily need to take them out every day, but this will help them acclimate to you and hopefully enjoy their time with you. If you go long amounts of time without taking your beardie out of their cage, you’ll find they may be more stressed and uninterested in coming out.

They don’t love changes to their environment, so if it doesn’t happen regularly, they may reject it. Try and get your bearded dragon out at least once a week for thirty minutes to an hour, that way it is part of their schedule and they will get used to it.

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How long can bearded dragons be out of their cage?

You should limit the amount of time they’re out of their cage, as the temperature is different inside your house than it is inside of their cage. You can bring a heating lamp outside, that way they can bask even while they’re not in their cage.

Make sure to notice their behavior, as if the change in temperature is harming them, you should be able to tell from their signs of stress. That being said, you should probably limit their exposure to about an hour, but this can vary depending on your beardie’s personality, and if they like being out or not.

If they don’t like being out, you maybe only want to have them outside of their cage for 20-30 minutes, while if they do enjoy being out, they can stay for a little over an hour. Again, watch for the signs of whether they’re stressed or not, and these will guide how long you should have your bearded dragon out of their cage.

How long can a bearded dragon be without a heat lamp?

Having enough heat is a critical part of deciding a bearded dragon’s life span. A bearded dragon can go about 24 hours without a heat lamp or other external sources of heat if the temperature is above 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

If they go longer without heat, they will start to lose their appetite and be unable to digest food. Bearded dragons should be able to go a couple of hours without their heat lamp, although this may start to stress them out.

Don’t feed

You can consider not feeding them if you know they are going to be out of their cage for a while, as the lamp is very important for digestion. You won’t have to worry as much if you know they haven’t eaten recently.

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Can you let your bearded dragon run around the house?

Yes, you can! You want to make sure there are no dangers in the room, and you don’t leave your bearded dragon unattended. Make sure the room you are letting them out in is clean, and there aren’t any sharp objects or things that could hurt them.

Also, if you have other pets, make sure they are put away. You don’t know how they would respond to the bearded dragon, and they could end up attacking each other. This is an added stressor for both your bearded dragon and other pets, so make sure to keep them separate.

You may want to keep them contained in a room or two, as they can run pretty fast, and may be hard to catch!

Do they like running around the house?

This all depends on the bearded dragon again! They may be uncomfortable at first because they don’t know their surroundings, but the more they are exposed to it, they should grow comfortable being out and about in the house. There also are some benefits that come with having them run around the house.

Exercise

Bearded dragons in the wild are exposed to much exercise, as they have to hunt for food and keep an eye out for predators. Being kept inside a cage limits their exercise a lot more, which means it’s nice for them to get out of their enclosure every once in a while and be able to run around.

Healthy stimulation

It’s good for bearded dragons to be able to get away from their normal routine; this will help stimulate their brain and add an element of change and fun to their ordinary day-to-day life.

They may get bored in their cage, so this allows them to explore new surroundings and learn new things. If this is the first time they’re being let out, you may want to limit what’s around them, as you don’t want them to become overwhelmed.

Clean your room, close the door, and then let them wander around. It’ll be good for them.

Bonding time

This is a great time for you to spend with your pet. Hopefully, the more you hold them and spend time with them, they will recognize you and become more attached. As you let them out to play, they can learn to associate positive memories with you and will want to come out more.

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How do I entertain my bearded dragon?

Bearded dragons do spend much of their time in a tank, which can lead to boredom and excessive alone time. Make sure you are finding ways to keep your beardie entertained so that they stay healthy and happy.

Buy toys for them

A lot of bearded dragons will actually play with toys! An example is a ball, which you can throw and your beardie may go after!

This all depends on the personality of your pet, so you can try different toys and see which ones they like. Another one you can try is a laser pointer. They may chase it as a cat would.

You can also crinkle up some wrapping paper and see if your bearded dragon will play with it.

Hammock

You can buy a hammock to put in their enclosure; this will give them a comfortable place to rest and a fun new spot for them to hang out.

Tunnel

You can easily find a tunnel that you can let your beardie explore. These may be built with other animals in mind, but will be fun and mentally stimulating for a bearded dragon as well.

Floaties for bath time

Buying a floatie for bath time may be a great way to make baths more fun! Some bearded dragons like baths and some don’t. Floaties may help, as they provide a sanctuary above the water. It will bring some change in routine, which can be nice.

Hideout

You can make a hideout, bridge, or play area for them. This can help by giving them some enrichment time in a new place. You could also let loose some crickets, so they have to hunt for them. This recreates what it’s like for them in the wild, and will definitely be very mentally stimulating for them.

Now you know some great ways to entertain your beardie outside of their enclosure. Make sure that in doing any of these, you are keeping an eye on their behavior and noticing if they get stressed out, and which activities they like doing. Have fun!