Dragons don't typically like to be held. Some may tolerate it better than others but for the most part they rather just be on one's lap or maybe shoulder.

I don't like having dragons sitting on shoulders, too easy for them to fall and seriously hurt themselves. Lightly held against the chest is fine, as you have one hand there to make sure they don't slip or jump.

Dragons like to have their feet supported, to feel secure. If they don't' feel secure they tend to struggle or bite. Also, if you want to give your dragon space to run around, cording off a section of your floor where he can run around but not get under things where he could be hard to reach, or can get into something you can't get him out of. (my dragon managed to climb up through the wall by the floor space heaters...I didn't know she could get under the cover and up where the pipe feeds heat to the heats. By the time I realized she could climb up there, she was too high for me to get her down...not without possibly ripping her tail off...I thought she was lost for good but she came down on her own and heard her scratching about the other floor heater and caught her before she could run again. That was the last time I ever let her out of her cage without first making sure she can't get under the couch (didn't want to risk loosing her again)).

17 weeks isn't very old either...a little over 4 months old..most dragons this age can still be flighty and defensive, especially males as they reach puberty. Most do get more aggressive but again calm down as they get around a year old so this could just be him entering that time.

Other than that, from what I have heard, Males are not more bitey than females.
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PHLdyPayne

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