Bearded dragons are social, friendly, and easy-to-train pets. As a pet owner, you will enjoy watching them playing, climbing, chasing insects, etc. But you must have wondered,
- Do bearded dragons bite humans?
- Is a bearded dragon’s bite dangerous?
- Why bearded dragon bite?
- What to do if you are bitten by the bearded dragon? etc.
Usually, a bearded dragon is the first lizard or reptile that many people pet and bearded dragons are animals that people have less knowledge or prior experience of, so these sorts of questions usually come to mind.
If you go online, many people are searching, “Do bearded dragon bite”. So, that is what we will discuss today.
Do Bearded Dragons Bite?
So, does a bearded dragon bite? The simple and short answer to this question is Yes, Bearded Dragons Bite. Since they are reptiles and they have hunting instincts, they bite their prey. All you need to do is not pose yourself as prey or predator.
However, bearded dragons bite very rarely. Many bearded dragon owners never get bitten. Even Cats bite and scratch more as compared to bearded dragons.
So, we have established that bearded dragons usually don’t bite and they are friendly. So next question that comes to mind is why do bearded dragons bite?
Why Do Bearded Dragons Bite?
Understanding the reason behind the bearded dragon’s bite is very important. A bite is a message that something is wrong. There are several reasons why bearded dragon bite and each reason indicates that something went bad. You need to know your bearded dragon and its common behavior so that you can notice the changes and understand the reason behind the bite.
These articles will help you to understand the common behaviors of bearded dragons.
Read. “6 Different Bearded Dragon Behaviors that Can Indicate Illness“
Read, “Unveiling the Meaning Behind 5 Adorable Behaviors Exhibited by Bearded Dragons“
Read, “4 Aggressive Bearded Dragon Behaviors to Look Out For“
Anyway, remember that bearded dragons never bite just to be mean. There must be something that is bothering them that they want to communicate to you. So, why is your bearded dragon trying to bite you? Common reasons for bearded dragon bite are as under:
When Bearded Dragons are Hungry, they can bite:
The most obvious cause of bearded dragon bite is they are hungry and want food. Biting is one of the bearded dragon’s ways of saying that they want food.
Like all pets and animals, bearded dragons love food and they get excited when it’s mealtime. You can get bitten in this exciting stage, but it occurs very very very rarely.
There are several ways in which you can bitten when bearded dragons are hungry.
The first is if you are feeding a bearded dragon with your hand instead of tweezers. You will get bitten in the process initially. It is logical that your bearded dragon is not trained and he’ll bite you, but with training and time, your bearded dragon will get better and stop biting. Remember that, a bearded dragon is not biting you by choice, he is biting you by mistake as he’s not trained.
The second case is when your hand smells like food and your bearded dragon confuses your hand with food. This happens when you have touched food and somehow the smell of food sticks with your hand. Again, this bite is by mistake. Bearded dragons are friendly and they don’t mean to harm you or bite you.
There are several other reasons when bearded dragons can bite you while they are hungry and waiting for food or consuming the food, but they are all by mistake. All you need is to train your dragon and for safety, use tweezers, and wash your hands before and after feeding them.
When Bearded Dragon has gotten a bit Too Excited, they can bite:
This also happens usually while you are feeding your dragon. When you are feeding your dragon and also playing with him, like you make your bearded dragon chase his food which you are holding in your hand, there are chances that they will get too excited and bite your hand.
This can also happen in many other cases when your dragon is too excited but with the above example, you have the gist. To avoid this, it is recommended that you make your dragon calm and happy and take care of him.
When bearded dragons feel unsafe, they can bite:
This happens when your pet dragon is threatened for some reason. This is a serious issue and you need to address it carefully to make your bearded dragon happy and stress-free.
There can be many reasons why your bearded dragon feels unsafe, let’s discuss them one by one:
If you are handing your bearded dragon hastily or improperly or picking them from behind or above, they will feel like they are attacked, and in self-defense, they will bite you. It’s a bearded dragon’s natural response and it’s fascinating. You need to handle your bearded dragon gently. Read, “How to Handle a Bearded Dragon?“
If other animals are sniffing near bearded dragons, they will become more alert and feel unsafe. In this situation, they may think of other pets as predators and go threatened phase. You need to put your bearded dragon away from other pets.
When you put your bearded dragon in a new enclosure or tank, they will feel unsafe and they need some time to make themselves comfortable again. During this stage, it’s natural to feel unsafe. You need to be careful and use protective gloves while handling them during that time.
When you get a new bearded dragon, your habitat and environment are changed, this also produces a similar response which is already discussed above.
When your bearded dragon is stressed due to any reason e.g. less food, poor temperature control in the tank, more light, etc. They will feel unsafe and there are chances they will bite to communicate. You need to take care of your bearded dragon and feed them a healthy and balanced diet.
Read, “The Art of Dragon Domiciles: A Comprehensive Guide to Bearded Dragon Tank Setup“
If you are doing something that bearded dragons don’t like, they might bite:
Bearded dragons are desert reptiles and like other pets, there are several things that they don’t like especially poor handling techniques due to their wild nature.
If you handle your bearded dragon in a way that they don’t like, i.e. you hold them too tightly, they will try to squirm out of your hand. If you continue to do so, they will hiss at you. If still you continue to do that, there are chances, they will bite you to make themselves free from your tight grip. Hissing at you or biting you is their way of communication. They didn’t want to bite you but your poor handling made them bite you.
There are some situations in which you can get bitten by your bearded dragon:
- Holding bearded dragons too tightly
- Poking or prodding bearded dragons
- Pinching bearded dragon
- Refusing to put bearded dragons down if they want space
So, it is important to gradually and calmly make your way with your bearded dragon, especially while you handling them. This will not only make your pet dragon comfortable but also save you from being bitten by them.
If your new Bearded Dragon is not used to people yet, he might bite:
A new or young bearded dragon in captivity is very insecure. You, their new home, the environment, everything is new and they feel unsafe. Naturally, they don’t trust you in this situation. You may also notice that this lack of trust keeps your bearded dragon on edge. Naturally, when they are on edge, there are more chances that they will bite you.
You need to give your pet dragon enough time to adjust to you and build trust. While they are in this phase, you need to use protective gloves while handling them.
Does Bearded Dragon Bite Hurt?
Till now, we have learned that bearded dragons do bite you. The next question is, Does your bearded dragon bite hurt?
The simple answer is that they have teeth and their bite hurt due to cuts made by teeth.
In the wild, when bearded dragons hunt, they bite their prey, and their prey becomes immobilized due to their sting. You can compare the severity from this point, a bite that doesn’t even kill a little prey, can’t hurt a human. So, the bearded dragon’s bite doesn’t hurt and isn’t painful.
The brief pinch or sting will puncture your skin and that is the only pain that you will feel.
Is Bearded Dragon Bite Dangerous?
The next logical question that comes to mind is, “Is bearded dragon bite dangerous for humans?”
Bearded Dragon venom is not poisonous, so their bite is not dangerous. For more details Read: Are Bearded Dragons Venomous? All You Need To Know
Bearded dragons are from the reptile family and a lot of people think that their bite may be dangerous. But, luckily, that is not the case with bearded dragons. Their bite is not poisonous and it is not dangerous.
But still, if you get bitten by a bearded dragon, there are tiny chances of bacterial infection. To prevent it, you need to clean the spot where the bearded dragon has bitten you.
A bearded dragon might hurt himself, instead of hurting you, here is how:
- When a bearded dragon owner gets bitten, they yank their hand back.
- This can result in a quick jerk to your bearded dragon which can hurt him, or make him fall to the ground which can cause injury.
- It is difficult, but you need to remain calm and carefully handle this situation and keep yourself and your bearded dragon safe from potential pain.
- You need to open their mouth with your other hand, stop the bite, and free your bitten finger.
What To Do If You Get Bitten by Bearded Dragon?
In the worst-case scenario, you will get a small cut from your bearded dragon bite. You are not in some trouble or danger, so you need to remain relaxed and handle the situation carefully.
- You need to clean the skin and the spot where the bearded dragon bitten you.
- You need to remove bacteria from some antiseptic lotion or solution. You might have it at your home or they are easily available in the market.
- You need to secure the cut with a bandage.
For people who get allergic reactions, they need to consult with a doctor. But this happens only to those people who have a history of allergies.
How to Avoid Getting Bitten by Bearded Dragons
So, how to avoid getting bitten again in the future? It’s very simple as you already know why they bite and what makes them bite you. All you need is to take care of them, play with them, make their enclosure comfortable, handle them carefully, and give them a healthy, balanced diet.
Bearded Dragon Bite – FAQs
Q. Does a bearded dragon bite?
Yes, bearded dragons bite.
Q. Will a bearded dragon bite?
Yes, a bearded dragon will bite if they are not comfortable.
Q. Do bearded dragon bites hurt?
Yes, the sharp teeth of bearded dragons will pinch and their bite will hurt.
Q. Can a bearded dragon bite off a finger?
No, a bearded dragon can’t bite off your finger. Their bite results in only a small cut.
Q. What happens if a bearded dragon bites you?
A small cut. You need to wash it and secure it with bandages.
Q. Why did my bearded dragon bite me? Or why is a bearded dragon trying to bite?
A bearded dragon may bite for many reasons, e.g. they are threatened, they are hungry, they are uncomfortable, you are not handling them properly, etc.
Q. Are bearded dragon bites dangerous?
Bearded dragon venom is not poisonous, so their bite is not dangerous.
Q. Are bearded dragons venomous?
Yes, bearded dragons are venomous.