How to Walk Your Bearded Dragon? The Right Way!

Walking your bearded dragon might sound like a wild idea—after all, you won’t see many people strolling down the street with a lizard on a leash! However, it’s a fantastic way to keep your beardie happy, healthy, and mentally stimulated.

In this post, we’ll dive into various aspects of walking bearded dragons, including whether they can walk around the house or on the pavement, how to create a bearded dragon leash, and some essential safety tips to keep in mind.

Can You Walk a Bearded Dragon?

Yes, you can! Your beardie will most likely not want to walk very far and will spend more time looking around than walking, but it’s still an enjoyable experience. You will need to put a leash on your bearded dragon before going out for a walk.

But before you go strapping a leash onto your beardie and hitting the pavement, let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of walking our reptilian companions.

Now, walking a bearded dragon isn’t quite like walking a dog. You won’t see your beardie wagging its tail in excitement or playing fetch (although that would be adorable). Instead, walking your bearded dragon is more about letting them explore new environments and providing them with exercise opportunities.

Let’s talk about why you’d want to walk a bearded dragon. The benefits are twofold: mental and physical stimulation. Bearded dragons, like any pet, can get bored if left to their own devices, and a bit of adventure helps keep them entertained. In addition, walking helps keep them active and promoting healthy digestion.

How Do I Get My Bearded Dragon To Walk?

So, you’re ready to embark on the great adventure of walking your bearded dragon, and you’re probably wondering how to do it like a pro. Fear not, Follow these simple steps, and you’ll have your bearded dragon walking the walk in no time.

1. Introduce the Leash and Harness

First things first, you’ll need to get your bearded dragon accustomed to wearing a harness and leash. Start by letting them sniff and explore the harness on their own terms. Gradually drape it over their back, allowing them to get used to the feeling. Once they’re comfortable, gently fasten the harness, ensuring it fits snugly but not too tight.

More on How to Make a Bearded Dragon Leash in our next section.

Remember, patience is key here – Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was a bearded dragon’s catwalk confidence!

2. Acclimate to the Great Outdoors

Before taking your beardie on a grand outdoor expedition, let them get used to their surroundings. Start by taking them to a safe, enclosed outdoor area like a yard or patio. Let them explore at their own pace, always keeping them on the leash. This will help them become familiar with different textures, sounds, and smells of the outdoors.

3. Reinforce Positive Walking Behavior

As your bearded dragon begins to walk, encourage them with positive reinforcement. Offering praise, gentle pets, or a tasty treat can work wonders in boosting their walking motivation. You’ll be amazed at how quickly they’ll pick up on this when they realize there’s a delicious cricket waiting at the finish line!

4. Choose Ideal Walking Locations

Scout out lizard-friendly spots for your walking adventures. Ideally, choose locations with minimal distractions and away from loud noises or potential dangers. A quiet park or a trail with plenty of shade works well for a leisurely beardie stroll.

5. Maintain a Comfortable Pace

Remember, bearded dragons aren’t marathon runners, so it’s important to let them set the pace. If your beardie seems tired or stressed, it’s time for a break. Their comfort and safety should always come first.

As a bearded dragon walker myself, I’ve faced a few challenges along the way, like convincing my beardie that the harness wasn’t an evil contraption trying to steal its soul. But with time, patience, and a sense of humor, we’ve conquered the walking world together. So, strap on that harness, grab the leash, and let the beardie adventures begin!

How to Make a Bearded Dragon Leash

In this section, we’ll dive into the world of bearded dragon leashes, both DIY and store-bought, so you can keep your scaly friend safe and secure during your outdoor adventures.

DIY Bearded Dragon Leash

Channel your inner craftsperson and follow these step-by-step instructions to create a custom bearded dragon leash:

1. Gather your materials: You’ll need a soft, flexible measuring tape, a pair of scissors, a lighter, a small buckle or clasp, and some paracord (about 4-6 feet, depending on your beardie’s size).

2. Measure your bearded dragon: Measure the circumference of your beardie’s neck and chest, right behind their front legs. Add an inch to each measurement to ensure a comfortable fit.

3. Cut the paracord: Cut two pieces of paracord, one for the neck loop and one for the chest loop. The lengths should equal the measurements you took, plus a few extra inches for knotting.

4. Seal the ends: Use a lighter to gently melt the cut ends of the paracord. This will prevent fraying and make your leash more durable.

5. Create the loops: Tie an adjustable knot (such as a fisherman’s knot) at each end of the paracord pieces to create the neck and chest loops.

6. Attach the buckle: Thread the loops through the buckle, ensuring they’re secure but can still be adjusted for a snug fit.

7. Connect the loops: Cut a smaller piece of paracord (about 8-10 inches) and tie it to both the neck and chest loops using a secure knot. This will keep the loops connected and help distribute the pressure evenly across your beardie’s body.

8. Add the leash: Finally, attach the remaining paracord to the chest loop’s buckle. You can use a simple overhand knot, or get creative with some fancy knotwork.

Store-Bought Leashes and Harnesses

If the thought of making your own leash has you feeling like you’ve bitten off more than your bearded dragon can chew, fear not! There are many commercially available leashes and harnesses designed specifically for reptiles. Look for adjustable, soft, and breathable materials to ensure your beardie’s comfort.

Some popular options include:

1. Adjustable Reptile Harness: These harnesses are made from soft nylon and feature adjustable straps for a secure fit. They often come with a matching leash.

2. Fluker’s Flu Lead/Hrns Repta-Leash: These harnesses wrap around your bearded dragon’s body like a tiny vest, providing extra security and comfort.

Whichever leash option you choose, always remember to monitor your bearded dragon closely during your walks, and never leave them unattended. Happy walking!

Things to Know Before Wlaking a Bearded Dragon

1. Temperature Check

As a bearded dragon parent, you know that our scaly friends can be as delicate as a sunbathing orchid when it comes to temperature. Monitoring the temperature during walks is crucial to avoid turning your beardie into a beard-cicle or a hot, unhappy lizard.

Extreme temperatures can cause stress, lethargy, and even severe health issues in bearded dragons.

When planning your bearded escapades, aim for the Goldilocks zone, where temperatures range between 75°F and 85°F (24°C to 29°C).

In order to check the temperature of the pavement, place the palm of your hand on the pavement if it’s too hot to hold the palm of your hand there then it’s too hot for your bearded dragon. You don’t want their claws to burn because they can’t even feel how hot things are they mainly focus on what’s coming on top of them not what’s under them.

If necessary, bring a small towel to provide shade or a warm-up spot, turning you into the ultimate bearded dragon concierge.

2. Staying Safe From Wild Insects

We’ve all heard that the itsy bitsy spider went up the waterspout, but what about the not-so-itsy-bitsy insects that can pose a threat to your bearded dragon during walks? While beardies love to munch on insects, some wild insects can carry parasites or be toxic to your scaly buddy.

To avoid any unwanted encounters with creepy crawlies, be vigilant and steer clear of areas with dense vegetation or standing water.

Keep your beardie on a leash to prevent them from lunging at every tempting snack that buzzes by. As for humorous anecdotes, let’s just say my beardie once mistook a buzzing bee for a tasty treat – we both learned our lesson that day!

3. Keeping Your Beardie Calm

To keep your beardie calm during walks, consider starting with short, familiar routes and gradually increasing the distance as they become more comfortable. You can also try providing a favorite toy or blanket from home for added security.

If you notice signs of stress, such as darkening colors or rapid breathing, take a break and allow your beardie to acclimate.

Remember that one time I tried to introduce my bearded dragon to my neighbor’s dog? Let’s just say that beardies and canines aren’t the best of friends. Make sure to learn from my experience and avoid exposing your bearded dragon to potentially stressful situations during walks.

4. Poisonous Plants

Another thing I don’t suggest is walking your bearded dragon in a forest or a woody area because there it can find poisonous insects or plants that they could eat and get sick.

5. Treats

This is optional, but you can bring treats outside to give your bearded dragon just to calm them down. Anything that is calming for them you might want to bring that outside especially if it’s their first time.

If walking stresses your bearded dragon, I highly suggest placing your hand in front of its face not too far away and not too close so that it can comfort them and not have them look at the thing that they’re getting stressed over. You can also just pull them close to you, and put them on your shoulder to calm him down.

Conclusion

Walking your bearded dragon can be a fun and rewarding activity for both you and your pet. It can provide mental stimulation, exercise, and natural sunlight for your beardie. However, you need to take some precautions before taking your beardie outside. You need to make sure that the weather is suitable, that you have a snug-fitting harness and leash, that you keep your beardie away from other animals and poisonous plants, and that you monitor your beardie’s behavior and comfort level. If you follow these tips, you can enjoy walking your bearded dragon safely and properly.