Nature Mikey

Nature Mikey

Sunday, February 20, 2011

The Three Distinct Personalities of Bearded Dragons

In my book there are three distinct personalities that bearded dragons possess; the Twangs, the borings and the cuddlers. Of course there can be a combination of personalities, but for the most part I will be describing the three main ones here; first up, the twangs:

Twang is hyperactive or high strung. This dragon forms an image in my mind of a tightly strung line that goes twang if you tug on it. At home they pace constantly, even when they are in over-sized cages. More often than not, these tend to be males, and some breeders feel that these are more sexually aggressive males. Twangs tend to be difficult to handle, not tolerating being held for long periods of time. Some do have very fine type and can be used in a well-planned breeding program. I feel they should not go to pet homes however as they are the ones who could become biters if not properly cared for.

The Borings do not need too much explanation for the name. Borings do not need a large cage (forty gallons at the least) as they hardly ever move. A nicer name would be Laid Back, but they are boring. They do not stress out as much as Twangs or even Cuddlers can, but if they do, they do it quietly. Some breed rapidly enough and others (especially females) never breed. Boring males usually rouse themselves enough just for breeding. These Borings are the easiest to handle, not because they are particularly friendly, but because they are practically comatose. You can put them anywhere and they will sit there like expressionless statues, neither moving nor taking any interest in the goings on of their environment.

The Cuddler is in my opinion the ideal bearded dragon personality. Most of us think of our beardies as cute and cuddly, but this is also an alert animal, aware of, and interested in all that is going on around it, and responds well to people, giving an endearing look right in the face of anyone they see. Cuddlers love being petted just as much as being fed and look eagerly up at  you when you come to their cages to take them out for play time. They like to be held and give lizard kisses and cuddle under your chin. They make the ideal pet as they seem to genuinely love being with their people, whether sitting on them or near them. The Cuddler female generally makes a good breeder and producer while the males have a lovingly aggressive method of breeding rather than a "wham, bam, thank you ma'am" approach of a Twang. These dragons enjoy sitting on a shoulder or lap while their owners the tend to various tasks around the house or watch television, but can often become overcome with curiosity regarding something in the room and demand to be let down to investigate. They have a friendly extroverted personality, and make excellent ambassadors at lectures or demonstrations.

And with that said and done, I ask, what type of bearded dragon do you have?

23 comments:

  1. ha great post... i have 1 of each! you really hit it on the nail too!

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  2. I definitely have a cuddler.

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    1. Me 2 but he's stressed so I can't cuddle him because he is in a new home

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  3. How do you know when you are buying one what to look for if you want a cuddler?

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  4. I've only had mine for a few days so maybe it's too early to tell but I think he might be a boring. :/

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  5. i absolutely have a cuddler and a cuddly-twang

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  6. just got mine and he likes to be petted and held, not how old he is.

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  7. I have a cuddly twang- she wont sit with me for very long, she has to run around and explore but will sulk if she gets no attention. She will make the effort to come and sit with me when running around, then she will run off to burn some energy then climb the sofa and come and sit with me again. She will sit with me but never on my lap!

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  8. I am considering a Beardie as a pet, your post is most informative. I greatly enjoy your take on the three types. Another person asked what to look for at the pet store / breeder if you want a cuddler, I would like to know as well.

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  9. Well i have two beardie.Deigo and Boris. And they cudnt b any.diffrrent. Both luv a cuddle but Diegos very.active so only has cuddles at.bed time. Boris on the other had.will b cuddled all day long. So i think mine r half n halves. Boris cuddler/boaring. Diego twang/cuddler

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  10. how do you know if it´s a cuddler, or going to be one? thanks!

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  11. Cuddler she looks up as if smiling at me when I come see her she is very sweet, and likes to run around after a good meal

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  12. We just got a baby, it's a female and she is 110% a cuddler! I ♡♡♡ it!!

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  13. We just got a baby, it's a female and she is 110% a cuddler! I ♡♡♡ it!!

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  14. Loki likes hang on the shoulder then will move soon after15 min

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  15. mines only a baby at the moment so I think mine's a Twang :P LOL but you never know, he may mellow out...

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  16. mines only a baby at the moment so I think mine's a Twang :P LOL but you never know, he may mellow out...

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  17. Mine seemed boring till she got aclimated now she cuddles Could be possible that with enough patience and attention they all have the potential when they are young to love cuddles?

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    1. Love your response! I think in most cases you get what you put out!

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  18. Mine seemed boring till she got aclimated now she cuddles Could be possible that with enough patience and attention they all have the potential when they are young to love cuddles?

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  19. Mine is 5 months old and is between boring and cuddley.

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