Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My son has had his BD for about six months, when he first got it it let us hold it and pet it. Now when you get close to the tank it jerks it's head and stares then opens it's mouth and it's jaws flare up. It doesn't like to be touched and runs when we open the tank. It eats fine and is very active in the tank. But we got it for a pet and would like to know if there is a way we could get it to trust us to hold it again.

Thanks in advance,

Eddie

Try offering him a treat before you pick him up. Beardies often associate their keeprs with food. So this may get him to stop being aggresive. Also it depends on how you approach him to pick him up. If you just reach in and go straight for him he is going to react the way he is out of instinct. If you try to scoop him up from below, slowly, this may help. In the wild dragons are preyed upon and the attack ussually comes from above. One other thing, some dragons are more skittish when they are nearing a shed or going through one.

peace,
nathan

Thank you for your advice, I will have to try to give it treats and see how that goes. It was shedding about a week and a half ago but it peen acting this way for about the last three months. Is there anything else that could have caused it sudden change, my son's mother changed the bulb in it's heat lamp on the tank and she said he started acting different so she took it off. Could that have made it go in to some sort of shock?

Eddie

That probably didnt shock it enoug to cause a dramatic change in its attitude.

A couple other ideas . .
If the dragon is a male it could be becoming sexually mature. Sometimes you will notice more agression and a much more alert vs laid back dragon.
Another idea is that the climate changes effected him. i do notice my dragons as well as almost all my other animals act different in the summer.

just some thoughts, its hard to pin point it specific with so many variables.

peace,
nathan

I hatched my baby and it still gets an attitude now and then but the way I deal with it is that I touch its nose or put a piece of food in its mouth to calm it down. If I pick my baby up without letting it taste my hand first it usually tries to get away so I'd have the beardie associate everyones different tastes if you want everyone in the house to handle it since my baby goes insane when my husband gets it out because I'm the one that spends the majority of the time with all of our animals so my baby doesn't know the taste of his hand when he picks it up. When I got my now adults the way I got them used to me is that I let them sleep under my shirt where its nice and warm so they felt safe and I do the same with my baby thats also a way that I've found to calm them. My adults still love to come out and sleep on me but I use a blanket now since those nails can hurt lol.

one thing I do with mine is to pet them while they are eating...I started this with both when they were young...they are such piggies when young and so focused on food that they don't pay any attention...if you try this I would just pay attention for signs of stress like darkening of color and would discontinue if it actually would not eat while being petted...also you could start out by trying to pet low on the back...mine seemed more relaxed when young petting the lower back than if I petted close to the head...they could turn their heads and watch eassily... Good Luck
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1.0.1 Bearded Dragons - Smaug and Little One (for now, till I know the sex for sure)
3.1 Bettas - Jason, Ori, Fishy Fishy Fishy, Faith (R.I.P.)
1.0 3 Legged Bullfrog - Jeremiah Sim Choy
1.0 Leopard Gecko - Spike
0.1 Guinea Pig- Oreo

My guy, Zilla, is about ten months old. He has always been extremely laid back. I've always held him, cuddled him, and yes, he too liked to lie over my heart.

He happens to be shedding right now. And it's the first time he's ever wiggled or tried to run away when I picked him up out of his cage. He has also seemed to cut back on eating. It reassures me that you guys talk about them acting a bit funny during their shed.

When do they experience sexual maturity? Should I basically try to leave him alone when he's shedding because it's stressful? Or should I still handle him and keep him used to cuddling.

What do you think?

Thanks for the help after my son's mom got off work we did what you said and he let us hold him.

Eddie

hey my beardie used to have this prob but even tho he opened he mouth at me i would pet him while his mouth was open and as u oet him he we no that u will couse no harm but if u move ur hand fast or somthing lik that he will get scared and open his mouth it might take a week or so but it works just pet him he neva eva bit me