Are Bearded Dragons Dangerous? Be Careful!

Before you get a new pet, you should always check if that pet could be dangerous to you or to your family members in any way. This way you can avoid bad things to happen. So are bearded dragons dangerous pets?

Bearded dragons are very friendly and rarely show aggressive behavior. However, they carry bacteria, they can carry viruses and parasites which can be transmitted to people that have a weak immune system, which includes pregnant women and small children.

This was probably not the answer you were hoping for, right? Does that mean that bearded dragons really are dangerous animals? What can you do to minimize the risk? Continue to read to learn more.

Are Bearded Dragons Dangerous?

As you just read, bearded dragons can be dangerous in some cases to certain people. What does that mean in detail? Is every beardie dangerous? Let me break it down for you.

So the first thing one should think about is, do bearded dragons show any aggressive behavior that could be dangerous for me or for my family?

Normally bearded dragons are very laid back, friendly reptiles. They are mostly sold as beginner reptiles and even though I do not like this term, I totally understand why people think that.

Most bearded dragons are so calm, they would never bite and do not even try to escape when being hold. That is what makes these reptiles so attractive for families. I remember when someone in a pet shop held a bearded dragon upside down to show me how relaxed they are.

However, not all bearded dragons are friendly right from the start. Some bearded dragons are rather shy and want to be left alone, especially bearded dragons that recently moved to a new home can show defensive behavior.

In my opinion, every bearded dragon can be tamed, but this can take some time and during this time you have to understand a bearded dragon´s body language. This way you can avoid being bitten or slapped by a bearded dragon´s tail and minimize the risk of being hurt for you and your family.

Bearded dragon bites can hurt and they can draw blood. Still, you could not lose your finger or something like that.

So if you have a bearded dragon that shows aggressive behavior, I recommend that you learn about the body language or bearded dragons. Bearded dragons do not bite without warning first, which makes it easy to avoid any injuries.

I have created an article on this topic which will definitely help you to understand your bearded dragon better. I highly recommend to click here to read it.

Are Bearded Dragon Bites Dangerous?

As I just have told you, some bearded dragons can show aggressive or defensive behavior and if they feel threatened, they can bite. However, is that really dangerous?

It can hurt and you might even bleed a little bit, but that doesn´t sound too bad, right? I mean getting bitten by a huge iguana can cause nasty wounds, but bearded dragons are way too small and too weak to cause any real damage.

The problem is that such a wound could get infected. Besides that, bearded dragons carry slamonella and other bacteria which can be transmitted to humans. So you could actually get sick from that.

Don´t get me wrong here, a bearded dragon is not a komodo dragon which could do some real damage with only one bite, but there is a chance that you become sick.

If you want to learn more about bearded dragon bites, click here.

Are Bearded Dragons Dangerous To Humans?

I talked about bites, but can bearded dragons be dangerous to humans even if they are friendly and do not bite? Unfortunately, the answer to that is – yes.

As I just said, bearded dragons carry salmonella and other bacteria. Humans can get bowel infections and other diseases from them.

The problem is that a bearded dragon does not even have to bite you for that. Bearded dragons and other critters sometimes crawl through their own feces. This way they get bacteria and sometimes also parasites on their body which makes a disease transmission more likely.

However, even though there is a chance that you get sick, it does not mean that you definitely will get sick. Mostly people with a very weak immune system get sick from bearded dragons.

If your immune system is fine, it is almost impossible that you get anything from your bearded dragon.

Still, there are a couple of rules you should follow when keeping bearded dragons.

• Clean the bearded dragon tank every day. Remove feces and uneaten food to reduce bacteria.
• Wash your hand with warm water and soap after you have touched your bearded dragon.
• Do not kiss your bearded dragon. I know a lot of people like to do that. I don´t recommend it.
• Do not put your bearded dragon on your bed or anywhere in the kitchen.
• Send a stool sample of your bearded dragon to your reptile vet on a regular base to check your bearded dragon for parasites.
• If you get bitten, go and see a doctor just to make sure that you are okay.

Are Bearded Dragons Dangerous To Babies?

Yes, bearded dragons can be dangerous for babies. Babies have a weak immune system which makes it more likely that a bearded dragon could transmit salmonella, other disease or parasites to the baby.

That is why it is recommend to not let your baby touch a bearded dragon or let it be near a bearded dragon.

Always wash your hands before you touch your baby if you have touched the bearded dragon before.

Besides that, children under 5 years old and pregnant women are more vulnerable to diseases and bacteria a bearded dragon could give them.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are a couple of other questions most people have when it comes to bearded dragons being dangerous. Below you find the most common questions which will probably help you as well.

Are Bearded Dragons Dangerous To Dogs?

Bearded dragons carry salmonella and sometimes parasites which could be transmitted to the dog. Puppies and sick dogs are more vulnerable to those diseases. Healthy dogs are are very unlikely to get any diseases from a bearded dragon.

Are Bearded Dragons Dangerous To Cats?

Bearded dragons are as dangerous to cats as they are to dogs.

They can carry salmonella, other bacteria and parasites which could be transmitted to the cat, but healthy, adult cats have nothing to fear from beardies. Sick cats and kittens are more likely to get sick from them.

Is Bearded Dragon Poop Dangerous?

A bearded dragon´s poop carries a lot of bacteria like salmonella and if a bearded dragon carries parasites, those parasites will be inside its feces. That is why it is highly recommended to wash your hands with warm water and soap whenever you touched your bearded dragon or cleaned the terrarium.

Are Wild Bearded Dragons Dangerous?

Wild bearded dragons are not really dangerous, but they are more likely to show defensive behavior than the bearded dragons we keep as pets. Wild bearded dragons are not used to humans and that´s why they are more defensive.

Are Bearded Dragons Venomous?

Bearded dragons actually secret a very mild venom when biting prey. However, that venom is not even close to being strong enough to harm a human in any way.

Conclusion

This article might have scared you a little bit, but that was absolutely not my intention. I only wanted to make you aware of what could happen, but the truth is that there are not many people I know of that got sick from keeping bearded dragons.

In fact, I do not know one single person that got sick. I only read about people getting sick from their bearded dragons or other reptiles.

Don´t get me wrong, the things you read above are facts, but it sounds more dangerous than it really is. Just make sure that you follow the rules I have given you above. This way you can minimize any risks.

So, are bearded dragons dangerous? They can be, but if you follow a couple of rules, you don´t have to worry.

Any questions? Leave them in the comment section below!

Source: http://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/zoonotic/reptilesandrisksofinfectiousdiseases/