Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have had my 3-4 month old dragon for just under a month and he is still acting very nervously, i cant get my hand anywhere near him and he freezes when i get too close, I have tried some forced contact, cornering him slightly and gently touching him but he obviously doesnt like it. I also tried picking him up but he freaked out and i put him back almost straight away for fear of hurting him. He tries to get out at least once a day by running around trying to climb the glass etc... He is eating fine, and everything else seems spot on... Can anyone give me some advice on how to make my beardie a little more tame... Many Thanks.

You HAVE to reach in and pick him up without flinching or pulling away. If your afraid of being bitten, then put on gloves to pick him up. Once you have him in your hands take the gloves off. Whatever protection you need to make you reach in without flinching and pick him up use... Every time you go to pick him up and he is successful in getting you to drop him or put him down he is winning, and you are reinforcing a bad habit. He now is learning by acting this way you will put him down or not handle him as much.

Dragons seem to go through a teenage period it seems IMO. I've hatched and raised hundreds of beardies, and it seems anywhere around 4-12 month old they seem to start a phase when they want to be left alone, and not be handled as much. Babies that I've handled since day one will now try to run away, squirm, or gape their mouths when I go to pick them up. Usually dragons will naturally tame down some with age, but dragons who succeed in thwarting your handling of them through this phase may be much more likely to carry the behavior into adulthood. This is the period you have to break these habits or he may take them to adulthood with them, and adult beardie bites can be very nasty.

If you had him for a while and he is settled in, and eating now is the time to get him tame. Pick him up daily as long as it's not stressing him to the point of going off food. Keep the handling time short at first, and slowly add more time.
Try picking him up from his level instead of reaching down on him like a predator would. keep your hand palm up and try to get it under him to pick him up. once you have him in your hands try to let him hold onto you instead of you squeezing him in a closed hand. Try and get him to cling onto your shirt.. basically keep working with him, and don;t let him win.. the more you give up when he protests the more he learns that works.
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Many thanks for info... will try your suggestions... all the best.