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Can You Take a Bearded Dragon to The Beach?
So, you’re here because you’re wondering if you can take a bearded dragon to the beach.
Let’s be honest.. we’ve all thought about it!
Taking your bearded dragon to the beach seems like the perfect idea. It is covered in sand, it’s sunny, and best of all, they can poop anywhere they want with ZERO consequences! Sounds like a win to me.
But, is taking your beardie to the beach actually a good idea?
Yes, you can take a bearded dragon to the beach as it’s mentally stimulating and a great source of UVB from the sunlight. However, you should keep a close eye on them since seagulls may attempt to snatch them up. Bring a small carrier and a leash if you’re going to take your beardie to the beach.
Here’s the carrier and leash we use for our bearded dragon:
Now that we have that out of the way, let’s dive a little deeper into the pros and cons of taking your bearded dragon to the beach and a few tips to ensure the experience goes smoothly!
Jump to..
Pros
UVB Rays from The Sun
We all know that bearded dragons need UVB lighting. It’s essential for the development of their bones, crucial to their digestive health, and plays a key role in a bearded dragons ability to make Vitamin D.
Fortunately, the sun is the purest source of UVB rays. Therefore, because the beach is such a sunny place, it’s an excellent source of Vitamin D for your bearded dragon. Beardies love to bask, and they will experience a whole new level of basking at the beach!
Mental Stimulation
Sadly, bearded dragons usually don’t receive a lot of mental stimulation sitting in their enclosures all day. Just imagine the numerous different activities a wild bearded dragon experiences on a daily basis that a captive bearded dragon never gets to experience.
This is why it’s so important to interact with your bearded dragon on a daily basis. Otherwise, they will become very bored.
Taking your bearded dragon to the beach is a great source of mental stimulation. Being able to interact with the sand, see the water, and hear the sound of the waves and people can be very stimulating for your beardie.
Bonding
We all know that bearded dragons are very social creatures. They develop deep bonds with their owners – no different than a dog or cat.
Hence, it’s important that you keep that bond strong by handling and interacting with your beardie regularly. This can be as simple as holding your bearded dragon for 10 minutes daily. However, a lot of people like to take it to the next level and take their bearded dragon with them when they go places.
The beach is a great place to bond with your bearded dragon. You’ll be able to get your tan on while your bearded dragon gets to enjoy basking under the sun and absorbing those UVB rays.
Cons
Predators
One of the biggest issues with taking your bearded dragon to the beach is the deadly seagulls.
Believe it or not, seagulls will try to eat anything smaller than them. This usually means French fries and nachos, but they definitely don’t discriminate against live animals.
If you decide to take your bearded dragon to the beach, be sure to keep a close eye on them and avoid sitting near people that are eating or doing other activities that would attract seagulls.
People
Bearded dragons are treated like celebrities when they’re out in public. Everyone wants to see them up-close, pet them, hold them, and take pictures.
This is great, but it can also get really annoying. Furthermore, it can stress out your bearded dragon – especially if they’re not used to interacting with a lot of people at once.
Therefore, it may be a good idea to take your bearded dragon to a more-secluded area of the beach. This way, you won’t have to deal with people wanting to interact with your bearded dragon.
Overheating
Unless you live in a place that’s 100+ degrees Fahrenheit, this probably won’t be an issue as bearded dragons usually thrive in warmer temperature.
However, for those of you that do live in extremely hot environments, you’ll need to pay mind to your bearded dragons body temperature.
In an enclosure, a bearded dragon can simply walk away from its basking area and go into its hide if it becomes overheated. However, at the beach, they won’t have this luxury.
This is why it’s so important to bring a carrier to place your bearded dragon in every so often.
Final Thoughts
Taking your bearded dragon to the beach can provide an excellent source of mental stimulation, make for a great bonding experience, and give them the best bask of their life!
However, there are a few cons that you should consider before deciding whether or not you want to take your bearded dragon to the beach. This includes predators such as seagulls, people that want to play with your beardie, and the possibility of overheating.
All in all, if you take all the right precautions, taking your bearded dragon to the beach can make for a memorable time that you nor your beardie will ever forget!
