Reptile & Amphibian Forums

When I first got him, he was a sweetheart but since he bit my juvie, he's turned into a real...pick any word for unpleasant being and it applies to him. I have to use a shield of some sort just to get his food and water dishes out and even then. he'll go at my hand. I called the petstore I got him from and while they think it's funny, since, well IT IS, they said the best thing to do is to hold him. Well, I don't want to and neither does anyone else. It's not that I'm afraid of being bitten...it's the fact that he could turn on me and if he does, what's to stop him from turning on the kids who I show him to?

well, if he's agressive like you say he is I don't know why you would be sharing him with children.. he obviously sounds agitated, you wouldn't want him to take a nip at them!

When I first got my female she was also very angry. ALL she would do was fan out her tummy and GAPE, huge angry wide open gapes... she was VERY scary!! She took a huge chunk out of my finger once while I was doing the following, and lunged at and tried to bite my girlfriends face!, it's kind of nerveracking at first, but it works, now she's as tame as can be and sleeps on our pillow: it took us about 2to 4 weeks of constant reinforcement to stop the gaping/aggressive behavior:

When the beardie is gaping angrily and all puffed up, approach him slowly, not from above, but from his level (they get more scared when you come down over them) and either take a piece of leafy green, or some water, and gently place/dribble it in their mouth. it will cause them to shut their mouth and either drink, or eat what you have given them. Usually they will swallow and keep their mouth shut. If they keep gaping, just do this until they give up and swallow whatever you've given them. Stubborn, they'll sit there gaping with their mouth open with the green just sitting there, but Eventually they'll shut their mouth chew, swallow and stop the gaping.If you do this each time they gape at you, they will stop it! just be careful when putting your fingers near there open mouth... you may get nipped.

Approach them with patience and slowly work on petting them in small doses. Mine like their snouts rubbed and don't really like as much if you touch their tail. Don't be angry, i know it's hard, but he is just as scared as you.
Also, if you have another animal in the house he may smell it on your hands, so It might help to wash your hands before you go near him. also you can place their enclosure in an area of the house with lots of traffic, this way he will get acclimated to seeing humans instead of freaking out when they come near.
Another way to get the animal to be close to you without getting hurt is wait until they are sleeping and then try to pet them. If they get used to you petting them when they are half asleep they can get used to you and are more likely to trust you when awake. it is better to start with them while sleepy, they are less likely to get mad!
Good luck,
Kristen

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1.1 Bearded dragons (Kunja and Lily)
1.0 Algerian Uromastyx (Jacques)

Thank you for your advice!

Thanks for the advice, I'll try it or make my stepdad do it. I have A LOT of animals in the house and 90% are downstairs including all my big, 'scary' ones like my monitors and boa. I don't keep them in the same area but they are all housed in my room and I haven't had any problems with 'other animal' type aggression.

My god! Nightmare dragon, lol. ALmost took a bite out of your girlfriend's face? Yikes! I agree with the sticking a piece of green in their mouth. I worked with my "psycho-beardie" Spike when she was just a baby. Yes, the petstore that sold her to me called her exactly that. Now she would never open her mouth to me.