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I have recently rescued a beardie from a house were she was not being taken care of she was being feed but just bearded dragon pellets and some greens. She was not picked up much or played with. But she seems to be in pretty good health. I have two other beardies that are great and have never tried to bite me but every time I reach my hand in the tank to pick her up she runs and puffs up her beard and trys to bite me. She is only about six months old so I hope there is tome to correct this but am a little worried. Can any of you give me any tips to make her a little more calm. and make her not want to bite me. I hope its not to late.

Well I'd give her some time to adjust to being taken good care of since she is not used to that sort of thing.

Then I'd put a glove on my hand. See if you have the glove on your hand and she tries to bite you, then she won't break skin thanks to the glove. Then continue to try and pick her up. If she still continues to try to bite then just let her be.

The next best thing would be to put your hand in the cage very slowly and leave it there for about 5 minutes so she can get used to it then try petting her back.

You could also pick her up while she's sleeping. They are less aggressive then.
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GUY: You know I have a tendency to grow on people.
GAL: Yeah, so does fungus.

"Maybe there is no actual place called hell. Maybe hell is just having to listen to our grandparents breathe through their noses when they're eating sandwiches."

Does she actually try to bite or just puff up and open her mouth? More often than not, beardies are just faking when they puff. But they do have the potential to bite. Is she a fear biter or an aggressive biter? Fear biters are the most common, they are the ones that will run away when you try to handle them and puff up as they are running or if you corner them. Agressive biters are more likely to come after you.

Anyway beardies are pretty easy to tame down. If she is an aggressive biter i would go with the glove approach just to save your skin. If she is just faking i would just give her some time to relax and then start handling her gently once a day. Try hand feeding her greens and worms to get her used to you. After a while she will tame down. Its not too late, don't worry, just go slow and be consistent!!
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" I have two other beardies that are great and have never tried to bite me but every time I reach my hand in the tank to pick her up she runs and puffs up her beard and trys to bite me. She is only about six months "

a normal reaction of any small animal including a BD is to fear any large thing coming down from above them. if not handled and taught that we are "OK" the natural reflex is to defend it's self.

if you can find a safe way to allow the bd to interact with you at "face to face" level as much as possible. that will help it adjust. the idea is for it to see the hand coming and not from above; from the side / front and do it slowly and at first just to offer food such as greens, crickets, pellets, chnaging watter. so that the bd can see a hand as a non-threat thing that is not just there to grab him.

one way to do this might be getting a large Reptarium as a part time home for the bd. it is a mesh the bd can see thru - kind of like a tent in a way; the local pets mart has them in several sizes, they can also be good summer housing for sunning your bd in good weather.

I put one on the floor and lay down so my bd can see my face and hands at his level.

the gloves can help but my first way would be take time and let the bd learn that your hands and face are not a threat and when he sees them good stuff happens like fresh food and watter.
and sit there and let him feed, when he is done feeding talk quietly to him and make eye contact, he will hear you and will watch you.
hold your hand out low to the floor of the cage and roll your thumb in a circle slowly. you are then mimicing a natrual bd gesthure that means "I submit, I do not want to fight with you"
and just lay your hand there.

I bet after a few days or a week your bd will start coming to you...

I had a few parrots over the years, I never "GLOVED" I just let them take time and learn I was not going to hurt them. it worked with all of them. even a resucue who was badly treated and very sick at first. time.... give them time to learn.
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