Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Alright, we've gotten the feeding thing down and the cage the right way... now the thing is I can't touch him. He's three years old and hates humans. He tries to eat me all the time and he refuses to let me touch him.not even to move him out of the way to clean his cage. I've had him for about 3 to 4 weeks and I have only held him twice.
H flacks his tail when I start cle3aning his cage then he'll turn on it and bite it. I'm wondering if maybe he has had such a bad life before that he has emotional problems? He is always trying to escape. and he's got some weird intimidation tactics.
Any sugestions to get him to stop trying to eat me? He's never bitten me, just gotten me with his tongue..
HELP, I feel bad for him.

Very slowly start to hold him two minutes a day the gradaly hold him for a little longer each week or two. And eventually he will get there. I have a small male we named tyson cause hes a hudge biter, but its helping. Ours are also held by me and my wife so he gets used to more then me, and he seems to like her better. Go figure. Hope it helps. Scott

just curious if anyone has ever had a bd that never tamed down, mine is the same way, beard out flicks tail, jumps to bite even. he's gotten to where i can hold him and he wont try so hard to bite.

umm. i'm actually pretty shocked that so many people have beardies that AREN'T tame. I have a breading pair and they're both incredably docile. They went through a "excitable" stage when they were about 6 months but now they're more tame than your average pet dog.
My therory is let them get use to you and your presence. I stayed in my room where they were every day for the majority of every day. They spent as much time watching me as I spent watching them. After they get use to your presence handle them every day. Now I hold mine once a week or once a month it doesn't matter they're very very tame.
I'm not sure if mine are calm because I'm a calm person or what happened. All of my other reptiles are tame by compairison to the "norm" as well. I have a giant meditarianian day gecko that you can hold if so inclined and a veild chameleon that is also fairly docile for the species.

Mine's always been jumpy, but I just have to learn what sets him off (being picked up) and what he likes (perching). For some reason it's a lot like an angry hamster- you gotta learn how to scoop 'em up, and after than you're ok.
I'm very good with reptiles too, I have an unusually tame... no, he bites me on sight... well, I've got... no, he tried to eat me last week.... umm... you get the idea.
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Peter: It's OK, I'll handle it. I read a book about something like this.
Brian: Are you sure it was a book? Are you sure it wasn't NOTHING?

A whip works wonders on taming wild beardes....

just joking

Since he is several years old and you don't really have any clue what his previous owners did to you or how they cared for him, it will be a long slow processes to gain his trust so he is calm when held. Persistance and patiences is what is needed. ALways try to pick him up from below, instead of reaching down into the cage from above. If he is in a cage with doors on the side, this is much easier than if he's in a cage that only opens on the top.

If you are worried he will bite or if he actually does, may be better to wear thick work gloves to protect your fingers. Hold him for a few minutes in your hands, being careful not to drop him. Best way to hold him is to place him on the palm of your hand, facing away from you and tuck his tail between your arm and body to keep it from being thrashed about. Hold him as long as possible and once he does calm down for a few seconds, put him back into his cage. Always try to put him back into the cage after he calms or at least stops thrashing and struggling, this way he will learn doing that won't get him instantly put back into the cage. Hopefully in time he will remain calm completely in your hand from the instant he gets picked up.

There are other techniques but this should work. You can stop wearing the gloves too, as soon as he starts to calm down enough you don't worry he will bite you. Just keep in mind that it will take a few months to tame him or more.

Work gloves, that's a good idea.

I have a female that I got about 5-6 months ago. She was 2 years old and a former breeder when I got her. She seemed calm enough when I purchased her, but as soon as I got her home she was just mean. Right away, she'd just turn her beard black when I was around. Then she started to get really thin, so I brought her to the vet. The vet treated her for coccidia and he said she had a liver problem or something. She's healthy now, and is starting to gain some weight back, but I can't touch her. If I put my hand in her tank, she flattens out, turns black, opens her mouth wide and hisses at me. She hasn't been able to get ahold of me yet, but she tries to bite every time I get near.

Anyway, I think I'll try your suggestion of wearing work gloves and just holding her, whether she likes it or not.

Just want to be sure that she won't be able to bite through some thick leather work gloves...because I know as soon as I get close enough to her she'll bite.

And just incase anybody is wondering, no, I'm not mean to my dragons. I've got 4 other adults and 15 babies that all love me .

Thanks!!

I held mine with a rather thin pair of leather gloves, cold weather kind not work, and I could feel the bite pressure, but it didn't hurt and he latched on pretty good.

Try picking him up an hour or so after he goes to sleep at night. He's less likely to fight with you and more willing to settle down. If he stays calm when you do this, put him in your lap and stroke him from his snout to the back of his head. Don't stroke underneath his chin or it will stimulate him, and he might decide to bite. Always be patient and talk in a soothing voice, and he should adjust pretty quickly.
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Dl

Wow, I guess I am lucky, neither one of my beardies has ever tried to bite me. I think twice my male flattened out in my hand and turned his beard black, but one time it was (I think)because I woke him up, and the second time was because he was getting ready to poop. My female only "puffed" out at me when I gave her meds. They both eat from my hand now, and I hold them as much as possible.