Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just yesterday I purchased my first dragon. The first thing is that when he is basking on his tree he seems to be waving his front let arm like he is saying hello or goodbye and opening his mouth slightly. Should I be worried? I also am concerned with his eating. I have a small salad in the corner and I have been feeding him 2 baby crickets 2 times. He doesn't seem to go after them but when I put it in front of his face he grabs him right up. Is he lazy or just not acclamated to the new place? Please help

Thank you Jim

He opens his mouth too cool off and the waving means something like aggression or submission one of the two I forget....Hes probably use to being hand fed but everything sounds normal for a baby..Good Luck with him and have fun!

my beardie does the waving think two evey now and then i think it is becasue he can sometimes see his reflection in the background of his tank or something like that. freaked me out first time i saw it. don't worry if he doesn't eat straight away mine at only 2 crickets over the first 3 days i had him but after he settled down he was having about 5 in one go.
kay

It sounds like your baby just needs a little bit of time to get acclimated. Once he is though, watch out because that appetite will explode. When my female was a juvi she would do it 50crickets in one day sometimes!

The arm waving is just a beardie behavior this, along with head cocking, head bobbing, and many other silly antics are beardies ways of communicating and soon you will learn to recognize your dragons moods easily from his behaviors
-----
0.1 Bearded dragon
0.1 mexican kingsnake
1.0.2 Leopard Gecko's
0.0.1 Rose Hair Tarantula
1.0 BTS
0.0.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn
0.1 Bullmastiff
4.1 Cats

Jim, your dragon was waving at you trying to get your attention. When he opened his mouth he was saying, in Beardie laguage of course, "Please read a lot of information about me and my needs. Purchase books like The Bearded Dragon Manual and read it thourough so that you can be the best owner you can and so I may have a long and healthy life." These are very smart animals so listen to what yours has to say.

I was given my dragons back in Oct last year. They did the arm waving at first and its submission is what the book says. The book also says its like their saying Hey I'm a bearded dragon. I started waving back at them when they did it and they trust me now more than ever. As far as the salad goes try some carrot shavings mustard greens collard greens any type of squash NEVER feed them spinach because it takes away calcium. With the vegetables its all trial and error because my male likes things that are leafy and my female likes any vegetable with a sweet flavor so everyday I give them a variety of at least two foods. It might take a little while to figure out what it likes. My female loves to be hand fed she opens her mouth everytime I'm near the tank so that I'll put a piece of food in her mouth so its not always a way of cooling down. I've also found that mimicing their behavior helps them to trust you. I hope this helps since I had to find out on my own.

The arm waving is a submissive "Don't bother with me,I'm harmless" behavioral communication. He may be responding to you, or to his own reflection. He may be gaping his mouth because he is a little too warm, or it may be a defensive response. If he only does it when you are in sight, that will tell you more.

Animals often lose their appetite temporarily when moved to a new home. Give your dragon several days to adjust, handle him (and stare at him) as little as possible, as hard as I know that is, until he acclimates to his new surroundings.

Get a good care manual, read up on bearded dragon care online, and follow all recommendations regarding temperatures, lighting, housing and feeding and your new animal should thrive. Beardies are delightful animals. Good luck!

Thanks everyone...Our problems our solved...He is eating and doing well...thanks everyone

...