do bearded dragons run away?

Discussion in 'Bearded Dragons' started by dragon92346, Oct 20, 2005.

  1. dragon92346

    dragon92346 New Member

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    baraka is 9 inches long head to tail. she is still a baby. when i hold her all she wants to do is roam. my bedroom is big and im sure if she got loose it would be hard to find her. also there are chiwahwahs in the house, they never go in my room though. and what scared me the most, she's a jumper :? she jumps high and fast and can jump right out of my hand! so i am kinda scared to handle her. i handle her for very brief moments till she starts getting antsie i have to put her back cuz im scared. do they run away on purpose and not want to come back, or do they just like to explore and would she let me catch her if she ever got away.
     
  2. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  3. mklein

    mklein New Member

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    I hear you.

    I'm ok with Sparky on bed or floor as he is 13" and generally only moves around in spurts...definitely doesn't run and keep running. He has jumped from arm of sofa to floor though and once jumped from shoulder to bathroom sink countertop.

    I'm still leery about putting Sparky on my shoulder and walking around. He's jumped before and doesn't seem to show fear. On the front of my shirt while walking around house is cool cause he is less likely to jump this way and I have more control...

    Members...aren't you afraid your BD might jump from your shoulder? Have they before? This is kinda a big drop...no?
     
  4. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  5. dragon92346

    dragon92346 New Member

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    :mrgreen: im sure glade im not the only one. what age does this habbit seem to decrease. also has anyone ever lost a small beardie in the house, if so please tell the story!
     
  6. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  7. mklein

    mklein New Member

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    I recently brought sparky out on my "enclosed" patio...and noticed him walking towards rain spout running vertically up wall...closed that hole.

    I thought he couldn't climb a stucco wall...but then sho' nuff...he starts walking up vertical wall....with their downward facing "spikes" and including nails on toes...they have insane climbing ability.

    A leash is prob' best thing if you don't know your lizard's behaviour well enough.
     
  8. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  9. dragon92346

    dragon92346 New Member

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    what are good/safe leashes and what age can you start to use them
     
  10. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  11. Acecobe

    Acecobe New Member

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    I lost my Draco once when I first got him... I had him out on the floor one day so he could run around and get some excersize. Well I got a phone call from my girlfriend and was talking to her and not paying any attention to Draco. When I was done talking, which was about an hour later, I figured that Draco had run around enough and I would put him back in his tank. But he was gone from the last place I saw him... Draco was missing... I had a small one bedroom apartment at the time so I figured he couldn't be too far away. I looked in the bedroom under the bed, in the closets, behind the couch, under the kitchen table, and behind the entertainment center...he was no where to be found. I kept searching for about 3 hours and still could not find him. Then I heard a noise behind me... I had sliding glass doors with huge drapes that hung down to the floor. Well Draco climbed all the way to the top of the drapes and was just sitting there looking at me. I quickly got him down from where he was and put him back in his tank. From then on I always watch him when I take him out to run around.

    Mklein, I can usually tell when Draco wants down from riding on my shoulder. He doesn't try to jump at all, but he does start climbing down my back. He has done that ever sence I first got him...
     
  12. mklein

    mklein New Member

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    I'll prob' get a leash and put him on my shoulder then...just as a test till I'm/he's comfortable...
     
  13. Riss

    Riss Embryo

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    i am interested in getting a leash for Syd.
    He recently (my error) got out of his terrarium and i thought my cat ate him! My friend told me to look around again because cats don't eat things completely. Gross i know, but it saved Syd! I looked again and he was camoflaged on the closet floor. There he was, one whole lizard! i apologized to my cat. I think he was telling me that Syd was gone, and not that he ate him. :)
    Syd is still really squirmy and i know he wants to explore. I handle him once or twice a day.
    I would really love to trust him to just roam around but i don't trust the clumsy dogs int he house.
     
  14. tazshedevil

    tazshedevil New Member

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    Well Beast is around 2 years old. She will kinda run gently around. I usually have the time to catch her before she goes out of sight. I would not let her roam free in the house, I'm afraid she goes somewhere I can't get to her (behind fridge or under stove). But she usually get encourage to explore when I pet her under the chin. She gets her head high and go. When I have her on my chest or in my arms, she is very calm and doesn't try to escape.

    She is very sweet and gentle. Even if we go for a nap in end of pm or early evening, in my bedroom, she will stay still under her blankie until I get her out of there, but forget it first thing in the morning. She is very curious.

    Sweetie is another story. That lill' guy doesn't care where he is, in my arms, on the sofa, 10'' from the floor or 4 feet of it, he wanna go, that's it, he is gone, even if I try to calm him down. He doesn't walk, he jumps and he is pretty fast. I had to use a harness for him in order to keep him under control. He usually is ok with it. He is more the kind to be nervous so I never know what stunt he is going to throw at me. I definitely don't have him out of the tank if I can't pay attention.
     
  15. ReptileCrazy

    ReptileCrazy Well-Known Member

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    Leashes work very well, i would never let a beardie roam free, they are too small and too fast and could get into all sorts of mischeif. You can use any harness/leash thats marketed for reptiles (some of the cat/ferret/rabbit ones work too) I use a Four Paws Iguana leash, its just rope with a little clasp, its completely adjustable and works very well, here is a pic of han with it on:

    [​IMG]
     
  16. Riss

    Riss Embryo

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    How small can your beardie be to start them on a leash???
     
  17. ReptileCrazy

    ReptileCrazy Well-Known Member

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    1,957
    I'd say juvi sized...you'd have trouble getting one on a hatchling.,...but since the leash is totally adjustable it more depends on the attitude of your lizard than anything else
     
  18. Lil_Jo

    Lil_Jo Member

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    In my living room there isn't anything that elmo can under where we can't reach him.
    We have 3 cats but when its elmos run around time they are shut out, someone sits in there with him while he is out & he runs around having lots of fun. I would never let him outside tho without a leash, I am having an outdoor pen made for him for next summer.
    I do have leash for elmo but he is not a big fan of it, so i have about another 8 months until the weather will be nice enough for him to go outside to get him use to the leash.
     
  19. ~X~KIOKO~X~

    ~X~KIOKO~X~ New Member

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    once your beardie has got used to you and isnt so nevous, she should calm down and not be so desperate to get away and be free. Even when she has calmed down, i still wouldnt leave her on her own to roam free, you should keep an eye on her unless she is in a room that she has no way of getting out of and nowhere she can hide, also you need to make sure that nobody will walk into the room not knowing she is in there, she could be stood on or get out and get lost in the rest of your house.
    good luck with your beardie :)
     
  20. ~X~KIOKO~X~

    ~X~KIOKO~X~ New Member

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    whenever i put my beardie on the floor in the kitchen she always runs over to the catflap as if she knows that she can get outside that way. i cant wait untill summer when i can get her a lead and take her outside exploring! :)
    oh and about the jumping off the shoulder thing, yes they do stop doing it when they get older. my beardie used to jump out off my hands all the time, she just didnt seem to understand that falling from that hight will hurt. but now she is about one year old and if she wants to get down she will look at the floor and sometimes wriggle but she seems to understand now that it will hurt if she jumps. (thank god!)
     
  21. Itsdan2345

    Itsdan2345 Member

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    i let my beardie roam around the living room but i always follow him around on my hands and knees just incase...i close all of the doors that go to other rooms and outside just incase i lose him so that there doesnt have to be a housewide search for him. im hoping to get him a lead for when its hot so he can have a nice stroll in the summer...maybe even into town on a really hot day ;) would that be ok or would i have to keep him near a heat source just incase?
     
  22. ilovebeardies

    ilovebeardies Embryo

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    OMG my beardie is missing aaaahhh wut can i do he has been gonne for the last 5 hours he has to b in the house..................... heeeeeeeelllllp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
     
  23. Lil_Jo

    Lil_Jo Member

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    i would try putting down a box with crickets in, often the noise of them can make them run out to get some food, also try setting up a basking lamp on the floor in one of the rooms as when he gets too cold he will hopefully run out to it to warm up.
    Just remember to be extra careful moving things to find him, & if you can get a torch & shine it under & behind any cabinets, sofas, chairs etc that there are. Look in washing baskets, and in other warm places.
    Try to shut each door in the house, so if he is out in one room he will stay in that room.
    & try to keep all front, patio & backdoors closed incase he is in that room & makes a run for it.

    Also itsdan i wouldn't recommend taking your beardie into town on a leash, it wouldn't take much for someone to step on him, & also you have to think of dogs walking through town aswel are going to think he looks tasty, which could really upset & stress him out.
     
  24. clarinet45

    clarinet45 Well-Known Member

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    Itsdan2345, i wouldn't recommend 'walking' on a leash for Jo's reasons and depending where you live what they can pickup on the ground! plus, they don't walk on leads like dogs, they will just find a warm rock and sit there! i carry mine on my shoulder in town or sit with them in the park. when they are roaming in the living room i have a clamp lamp ona brick incase they want to 'recharge'.
     
  25. ReptileCrazy

    ReptileCrazy Well-Known Member

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    1,957
    That is a good idea about having a basking light out while they are roaming. Hanny just got done having a roam in the living room. Its great to let her get some excerise.

    Itsdan2345 beardies dont walk with you on a leash. The leash is just so if they run off you can stop them. They will spend most of their time eating, basking, shifting position or curiouly roaming and tasting things (of course be careful of this when you choose where to take her outside).
     

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