Bearded dragons are popular pets due to their docile nature and general friendliness. However, just like any pet, they have certain things that annoy them.
While you may see your bearded dragon as a passive reptile with a calm temperament, if he/she is exposed to something they don’t like, they can quickly become anxious, upset, or distressed.
To ensure you don’t put your bearded dragon under any unnecessary stress, we’ve compiled a list of the 15 things bearded dragons hate most. To keep your bearded dragon happy and calm, be sure to keep them away from everything on our list.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the 15 things your bearded dragon hates!
1. Having Their Tail Grabbed
You should never, under any circumstances, grab your bearded dragon by the tail. This is a seriously bad idea for two very important reasons. First of all, bearded dragons absolutely hate having their tail grabbed as they despise the motion of their tail moving.
Secondly, and even more serious than the first reason, when a bearded dragon’s tail is grabbed and its body isn’t supported, nasty damage can actually be done to the dragon’s bones. This can cause the bearded dragon lots of pain and potentially death.
2. Household Ceiling Fans
It may seem like a pretty random thing to hate, but when you see things from your bearded dragon’s perspective, it actually makes perfect sense. Bearded dragons hate household ceiling fans because they mistake them for predators.
The whirring sound of the fan above their head mimics what they perceive as an attack from a predator above. As you can imagine, this terrifies your reptile. This could lead to your pet trying to escape or taking out their stress on you.
3. Being Grabbed From Above
You should always be very careful when it comes to picking your bearded dragon up as they often get very panicked and scared. Picking your bearded dragon up from above can terrify your pet, making them feel very threatened and attacked.
The main reason for this panic is again related to the fact your bearded dragon perceives this motion as an attack from a predator.
You should only ever pick your bearded dragon up from the side.
4. Another Bearded Dragon
Strangely, it is completely normal for bearded dragons to absolutely hate other bearded dragons from their species. This is particularly true when it comes to male bearded dragons.
The reason for this is that male bearded dragons are extremely territorial. As a result of this, it is their natural instinct to attack and become very irate if another male is in the vicinity.
There is a good chance that your dragon will try and attack until the other bearded dragon has been removed.
Bearing this in mind, you should always try and keep your bearded dragon away from others.
5. Small Spaces
It could be said that bearded dragons are claustrophobic. They like to be able to move around freely and not feel cramped. Therefore, you have to ensure that your bearded dragon has an enclosure suitable for his/her size.
Giving your bearded dragon a large enclosure will make them feel much happier. If the enclosure isn’t big enough, you should be able to tell pretty easily as your bearded dragon will claw at the glass as if they are trying to escape.
If this doesn’t happen, be sure to get your bearded dragon a new enclosure straight away.
6. Birds
You should do everything in your power to make sure your bearded dragon never comes across any birds. This should be pretty easy because the chances are your bearded dragon will never see a bird inside the house.
However, if you occasionally take your bearded dragon outside, you could run into a problem. Bearded dragons absolutely hate birds.
They see them as a direct threat and a predator. When your dragon sees a bird, it will almost immediately freak out and become very stressed.
7. Staying In Their Tank Too Long
It isn’t uncommon for bearded dragons to get very stressed out after being in their tank for too long. They like to get out of their tank every so often and explore the house. This gives them a bigger sense of freedom and stimulates their brain.
If you leave your bearded dragon in its tank for too long without giving them any time outside, they are going to become very cranky. There is also a very good chance that your dragon will start to sulk.
8. Their Reflection
It might sound utterly ridiculous, but bearded dragons really hate their own reflections. The reason for this is quite simple and quite hilarious. Bearded dragons look at their reflection and think they are looking at another bearded dragon.
As we mentioned early about dragons being very territorial, bearded dragons take their reflection as another male threatening their territory. In some instances, this can lead to your bearded dragon attacking the glass resulting in possible injuries.
9. Loud Noises
The next thing on our list that your bearded dragon will hate is loud noises. Loud noises, like they do with most people, annoy and frustrate bearded dragons. Unlike humans though, even noises that aren’t actually that loud can bother a bearded dragon.
Something as simple as a bathtub filling up or a child shouting down the stairs can make a bearded dragon feel quite anxious and attacked. Other louder noises like loud music playing or a party are a complete no-go when it comes to ensuring your dragon’s health and safety.
10. Vegetables
This one isn’t necessarily true for all bearded dragons, but some dragons, just like a small child, really hate their veggies. At the same time, they might not kick and scream like a child being told to eat their sprouts, a bearded dragon that doesn’t like veggies might try and turn its nose up to them.
It is worth noting that even if your dragon doesn’t like vegetables, they have to eat them every day. You should try and cox your dragon into eating vegetables whenever you can. Vegetables are an essential part of a bearded dragon’s balanced diet, so you have to get this right if you want to prolong your pet’s healthy life.
11. Vibrations
Bearded dragons are extremely switched on when it comes to vibrations. As such, heavy vibrations that might not seem much to us can cause a lot of discomfort to our adorable pets.
Loud vibrations such as heavy machinery and construction work can quickly make your bearded dragon feel very stressed and restless. This panic could cause your dragon to hurt itself by accident. If possible, always try to remove your bearded dragon from these sorts of circumstances.
12. Bright Lights At Night
This one definitely won’t surprise you because it is something we all hate too. There is nothing worse than when you’re just nodding off to sleep and someone turns the light on. We quickly become very irritated and annoyed as we now have to try and fall back to sleep.
Your bearded dragon feels exactly the same. After a long day, your bearded dragon needs a nice dark sleep too. They will not appreciate any bright lights that keep them awake all night.
Don’t expect them to be too friendly with you in the morning if you’ve kept them up.
13. Unexpected Movements
A quick, unexpected movement around your bearded dragon will give them a shock they weren’t expecting. There is a good chance your bearded dragon will take this action as a threat. This could make them turn quite defensive and even attack you if they have the chance.
With this in mind, you should move quite slowly around your bearded dragon.
14. Different Animals
Just like they do with their own species, bearded dragons hate being around other animals. They especially hate being around other household pets like rabbits, cats, and dogs.
Not only do they feel threatened by other animals, but they also feel quite scared as they perceive any engagement with another animal as an attack.
If they get scared or feel threatened they might try to attack your other pets. On the other hand, they might just hide in their tank, so they can’t get hurt.
15. Getting Startled
Similar to hating unexpected movements, bearded dragons also hate it when somebody or something startles them. This can again make your bearded dragon feel threatened or scared. This could lead to your bearded dragon attacking or cowering away.
You can avoid startling your bearded dragon by not tapping on the glass or making any loud banging sounds in their vicinity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Happens When My Bearded Dragon Hates Something?
How bearded dragons react when they hate something varies depending on how the bearded dragon behaves. However, generally speaking, bearded dragons will react by either wanting to fight or hide away. Of course, no matter what they choose to do, a lot of stress and anxiety are associated with these times.
It is because of stress, anxiety, and even health problems that you should avoid doing anything your dragon hates.
What Should I Do If My Dragon Hates Something?
First of all, if your bearded dragon hates something, you should try and keep them away from the thing they hate before it becomes a problem.
As this isn’t always possible, you should do your best to comfort the dragon. You can try and talk calmly, take them away from the problem, and maybe give them more freedom to explore the house for a while.
These are all things that can help, but by far the best thing to do is to try your best to remove anything they hate before they become stressed.
Are Bearded Dragons Good Pets?
Yes, bearded dragons are great pets. For starters, they look absolutely adorable. Secondly, they live for up to 14 years, so you have a long time to spend with them. Finally, they are very well-natured and have a docile, friendly temperament which makes them lovely pets.
Final Thoughts
There you have it; that concludes our list of 15 things that your bearded dragon hates. While every bearded dragon is slightly different, it can be assumed that most bearded dragons hate the things we have discussed on this list.
The best way to understand how your bearded dragon feels about certain things is to simply take time to observe him/her.
As an owner of a bearded dragon, it is then your responsibility to ensure that they have the most comfortable living conditions possible. This will make sure they can live a long and happy life and grow correctly.
