Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My one beardie that I've had for about 4 or 5 weeks now and she seems pretty reluctant to allow me to handle her. She's been like that since I got her. I haven't handled her allot becuase of that and I want to know if this is something that may continue or should enough time have gone by now that I should try to handle her irregardless? I just don't want a wild dragon. The other baby dragon seems to enjoy the handling or at least willing to deal with it.
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kill 'em with kindness

how are you picking her up? Reaching down from above is an attack to most dragons, its instinctive. Make sure you are giving proper support to the feet, dragons don't like their feet dangling if they don't feel supported..makes them feel like they are going to fall down.

Not all dragons like handling, most just tolerate it, so there will always be some who don't like being held or picked up by people.

Be patient, some dragons do take longer than others to get used to having a giant pick them up and hold them. A front opening cage works great as you can approach the dragon on their level or below them, instead of from above, which makes them less likely to feel they are being attacked or going to be eaten. Wear gloves or long sleeves if you are worried about sharp claws scratching you.
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PHLdyPayne

When I handle her I do come from in front of her and slide my hand under her belly and then get her up on my palm without her legs dangling. It's just that as soon as I approach her she starts running about her enclosure in an attempt to get away so I'm not sure if I should just let her run or continue to grab her. I don't want her to resort to biting or anything or freaking her out!
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kill 'em with kindness

Yes. For babies I slide my fingers between their front legs rather than scooping from the side. But, it may not work for you if she runs away. I would get her used to your hand. Try hand feeding some fruit that she might like. Mango, raspberries, or apple might be a good start. Then after she's not afraid of your hand then try picking her up.

Make sure you don't have any predator scent on your hands arms or clothing (ie cat, dog, birds, larger reptiles (monitors, snakes)). IF she smells something on you she associates as something that will eat her, that will freak her out.

She could simply be afraid of the large hand coming towards her. Try moving your hand into the cage as far away from her as possible, if she doesn't move, move very slowly towards her, pausing if she shows any sign of worry. (puffing of throat, backing up, hissing, etc). If you can get your hand right beside her without her moving, maybe lightly touch her with a finger, don't try and catch her. It may take a few days to get close to her...but she will see the hand as not a predator.

Offering treats with your hands certainly will encourage her to not fear the hand, but it also will make her feel your hand is food and may nip fingers in error. But, I don't feel this is too much a concern. Offer food some times but not all the time with you hand...this way she won't automatically assume your hand means food...just a possibility LOL
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PHLdyPayne

Yu've had her for 4 or 5 weeks, have you always tried to handle her?

Sometimes the animal just needs time to acclimate itself. Whenever I get a new reptile I always leave it alone for atleast a month. Other than feeding, cleaning, and watching I don't interact w/ them.

Sooner or later they will associate you w/ bringing food, become less jittery when you approach or open the tank. Once that happens, just keep on w/ little or no interaction.

Then start attempting to handle, just sit your hand infront of the beardie palm up, and hand flat on the substrate. Slowly get a little closer, and a little closer. If your dragon retreats quickly, then stop and wait a while longer.

Should your dragon just watch, and stare, normally you can get right underneath one of the arms, and lift one of the dragon's arms into your hand. This usually encourages the animal to readjust and usually means a step or two forward.

Give the dragon a few sessions like this, w/o ever taking him/her out of the enclosure. They'll start to realize "wow, you bring food, and you're heated... You haven't harmed me yet... maybe you aren't so bad."

Sometimes your beardie will try and climb up your arm, thats when you know you can take the hand out handle the beardie outside the tank comfortably. Also, you can tell when the beardie doesn't hesitate to enter you open palm.

And a few other things, naturally this would all have to be done on a daily basis, like clockwork... Another thing is, I believe animals are mainly instinct. So you being bigger will always trigger potential predator in the beardie's mind, just a matter if you're beardie reacts that way or not.

And finally, all animals are different. What works for me may not work for you. What works for my dragon, may not be what works for your dragon.

-Jake
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I definitely agree with that-- my last beardie was a rescue and pretty wild, so I tried the hand feeding method. Unfortunately it backfired and so any time I put my hand in the cage- to clean or whatever- he attacked me, thinking my fingers were food. (he was pretty malnourished, so it also might've been a case of "i don't care if it's food, i'm gonna try to eat it.."
Thankfully, beardies don't have the best "attack" mouths and he was rarely able to get a hold of me.

>>Offering treats with your hands certainly will encourage her to not fear the hand, but it also will make her feel your hand is food and may nip fingers in error. But, I don't feel this is too much a concern. Offer food some times but not all the time with you hand...this way she won't automatically assume your hand means food...just a possibility LOL
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>>PHLdyPayne

You offered a story without an ending. Were you ever able to tame the rescued beardie? If so how?

>>You offered a story without an ending. Were you ever able to tame the rescued beardie? If so how?

No, I never was able to tame him-- I ended up getting a new job about a while after I got him, and didn't have the time to spend with him that he needed, so I gave him away. I talked to the guy who took him a few months later, actually, and he said he was doing quite well. Doesn't really love to be handled much, but tolerates it some. And not nearly as aggressive as he was at first, tho still not the friendliest of dragons. As tame as he'll ever be, I s'pose!

Well I tried all your methods except holding food in my hand to offer. She ran quite a bit and actually puffed up pretty good and hissed. Wow...My last dragon wasn't anything like that. So if she puffs up and hisses does that mean she might attack and if so will she bite and how sharp are there teeth????
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kill 'em with kindness

I would have picked her up from day one. When I got my 2 from Dachiu my GF and I picked lots of them up and there didn't seem to be any problem. But of course when they are in bins you naturally don't pick up the ones that run away. lol.

I'd just talk to her and be a little aggresive. When I feed babies I always remove everything from thier enclosure prior so that means I have to handle them at least twice a day. You could consider trying this. Their teeth are so small I doubt they can break your skin. My concern is more that if you are startled if bitten that you might hurt her unintentionally.

Trying to put myself in your place, if she's that fiesty, I believe I'd be for showing her just who is the boss, and it's not her.

Unless you have really soft skin her bite shouldn't break the skin and shouldn't feel much different than a light pinch. Some will even huff 'n puff but won't actually bite. Some will bite, though. But it's nothing to be concerned about.

Given beardie's nature, I happen to believe that if you don't break her soon, she'll never be handleable. And very few people want a fierce dragon, so where's that gonna leave her? Set aside, put into the "I'll get to you later, when I have time" pen. Possibly destined for a life of neglect.

Grab the beast. Don't let her get away with huffin' & puffin' at ya. Pick her up & hold her inside a closed fist so she can't get away and gently pet her, rub her head, neck, etc... Talk to her, try to comfort her. Do this for a few days & you should start to see some improvements.

Know this: Every time she huffs/puffs and you shy away or leave her alone, you're teaching her how to keep you at bay. Every time you jerk your hand back, show any kind of fear, she's learning how to get you to back off.

Best wishes!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

Since you've only had it for 4 - 5 weeks it's now finding its place in its new environment. Like what's already been said; Huge hand, plus, little dragon = big fear.

The other baby could naturally be more tolerant of handling, or, it could be dealing with its fear in a different way. Either way, it sounds like they've got two different personalities. But, that's not to say that either one of them won't turn out to be very handleable.

Notice that I used the word "tolerant," like PHLdyPayne used "tolerate." I agree that "most just tolerate it" (handling). Some appear to like it but most seem to just tolerate it. I personally beieve that every bearded dragon can be taught to tolerate handling, keeping in mind that there are varying degrees of toleration (too deep for this ol' shallow mind of mine to get into at the moment).

With most reptiles, including beardies, I feel that there are two common ways to get them to tolerate handling. One way is the old-fashioned "bulldog" way, just grabbing hold of it and forcing it into submission. The other way is the gradual approach, gradually getting them used to your presence, then your touch, then handling. With beardies I like the 2nd option.

Sit down in front of its cage for a few minutes at a time, watching it but not touching it. Do this a few times throughout the day for a few days. Use an eyedropper to give it some water. This will help teach it that you are a provider, not a predator.

After a few days or so begin slowly trying to touch it, rub its head and back just a few times & stop. If you do it too much right off the bat it might get scared.

After a few days of that you can begin picking it up to handle it. It will most likely still try to get away from you but nothing like what its doing now. Go ahead and capture it, hold, pet it and maybe even talk to it a little. Try to comfort it.

Usually within a minute it will stop squirming and sit there but if you open your hand it'll be gone, take off. I usually pet it & talk to it for just a few seconds after it settles down & then return it to the cage. In a way I'm trying to teach it that if settles down it will get its way, I'll set it free.

If you do this every day it shouldn't take you more than a week to have a fairly calm dragon that you can at least let it rest in your hand or on your shirt without it taking off away from you.

Keep in mind that beardies will jump out of your hand or off your shirt/shoulder. I recommend working with one while sitting or laying on a bed so the bed will cushion its fall.

Your dragons are in an impressionable stage right now. What you teach them now will likely burn in their memory for a lifetime of use. If one bites you & you immediately put it back into its cage or stop holding it, it learns to bite in order to be left alone. The same goes for a flighty one; If one constantly runs from you & you let it, guess what its going to learn?

You're most likely just going to have to work a little harder with the one beardie, but do it. You'll be glad you did.

Hang in there!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American