A Little Antisocial?

[LittleBeardieSpyro]

I just got a bearded dragon about a month ago from this woman a friend of mine knew. I have no idea where she got the dragon, but she is apparently about 7 months old now. She was friendly enough when we first got her (she even cuddled me), though nervous and full of energy, but then a couple weeks later she tried to bite me when I picked her up.

I don't think it was a wholehearted attempt, but it startled me. I'm new to caring for beardies, but my friend has four of them so I have no problems confidently picking up or holding one. I know the woman we got her from didn't let her out of her tank much. We named her Spyro because she was such a wild child, but now I'm wondering if I did something wrong?

 

[BeardedHippy]

Hi, you probably just startled it, it can happen if you try to pick them up from above. She needs to see you coming , then scoop her up from underneath. She may seem pissed now, but she will get over it, just take it slow and gain trust.

 

[LittleBeardieSpyro]

Hi, you probably just startled it, it can happen if you try to pick them up from above. She needs to see you coming , then scoop her up from underneath. She may seem pissed now, but she will get over it, just take it slow and gain trust.

Well, that's the thing. Where the tank was she could see me just fine. She looked straight up at me and my hand. She doesn't seem to like being handled at all and I'm still even just trying to figure out what she likes to eat.

 

[LiamR]

Well, that's the thing. Where the tank was she could see me just fine. She looked straight up at me and my hand. She doesn't seem to like being handled at all and I'm still even just trying to figure out what she likes to eat.

What I would recommend is that you should just place your hand in front of her and gradually put it towards her. After that, try gently stroking her (do this every day until you think it's time to pick her up). Also, make sure you don't hold her in a "threat" kind of way, neither do it gently as they can just run over your hand. Keep it moderate and show Spyro that you're going to pick her up, approach slowly.

 

[Hdrydr31]

Need to remember she is still new to you and is learning who you are and what you plan on doing with her. Also you are huge to her. You need to gain her trust so just go slow and let her get used to your voice, your smell and in no time things will be fine. If she wasn't handled much that is also a big factor..

 

[LittleBeardieSpyro]

Need to remember she is still new to you and is learning who you are and what you plan on doing with her. Also you are huge to her. You need to gain her trust so just go slow and let her get used to your voice, your smell and in no time things will be fine. If she wasn't handled much that is also a big factor..

I don't think she was, and she tried to bite me again, really TRIED. She's shedding so I know she might feel really not great right now, but she knows that I bring her food and water. She ate a dandelion out of my hand but then when I brought her another a day later she wouldn't take it and kept panicing when I brought it near her. She ate it when I was gone. I'm so confused. It's like she doesn't know what to do and neither do I. It doesn't help that now I'm afraid of her trying to bite me. And I've visited her every day for almost a month just to talk to her. I'm not used to agressive beardies...

 

[PatsyB]

I don't think she was, and she tried to bite me again, really TRIED. She's shedding so I know she might feel really not great right now, but she knows that I bring her food and water. She ate a dandelion out of my hand but then when I brought her another a day later she wouldn't take it and kept panicing when I brought it near her. She ate it when I was gone. I'm so confused. It's like she doesn't know what to do and neither do I. It doesn't help that now I'm afraid of her trying to bite me. And I've visited her every day for almost a month just to talk to her. I'm not used to agressive beardies...

Just take a deep breath and use patience. The fact that she did eat out of your hand once is a good thing. It's just going to take time and it might take a lot of time. When I first got my boy he wasn't aggressive where he would bite me, he just had a lot of energy and didn't want to be held or touched. For the first 6 months, I was exasperated to the point I thought I would have to give him away. I just couldn't calm him down for anything. Finally I just looked at him like a person. He is who he is and I can't change that, I just have to accept it. I stopped trying to force him to be who I wanted him to be and just let him be himself. I continued to talk to him all the time. I let my hands linger in his tank when I cleaned it. I held him at night before bed. I scooped him up and cradled him when I took him to the bath. He eventually calmed down but it took time.

 

[Twinkie13]

It just takes time. They are dogs with scales....even the most aggressive ones calm it a lil bit...

Keep doing the right things described here.

 

[Hdrydr31]

Just go slow and in time she will come around, do your best not to show that your not sure about her intentions.. to them we are huge but in general they are gentle critters. Once you gain her trust you will be glad you put your time in with her. I would suggest talking to her, keep trying to feed her like you did, try to handle her close to lights out as they let their defenses down scoop her up put her on your chest and drape a soft fleece over her and gently hold her..she may wiggle alittle but I would bet she settles in and falls asleep.
I did that technique with all of my babies from day 1 that I brought them home and I can do just about anything with them.. Now my oldest male he is a wild child and wants to run around during the daytime but come night time he settles in.. My youngest male is really calm (knocks on wood as he's almost 11 months). I did have a female (Izzy) she was 3 and she was super chill any time of the day lol Unfortunately she passed away a few weeks ago.
So just take your time with her it will pay off.

 

[LittleBeardieSpyro]

As an update, I was able to let her sleep on my chest for like an hour and a half last night. And then she woke up and was wiggly again so I put her back in her tank. I really appreciate all the advice everyone has given me. ^^

 

[LiamR]

As an update, I was able to let her sleep on my chest for like an hour and a half last night. And then she woke up and was wiggly again so I put her back in her tank. I really appreciate all the advice everyone has given me. ^^

That's great! I did the same when Cooper wasn't tame, it really builds a big bond with your Beardie.

 

[Twinkie13]

Yea starting out, handle them around bed time... I'd even say, right as they go to sleep or start sleeping, gently get them out and then do all the chest/snuggle stuff described above.