Advice for handling my baby beardie?

[marzipanbaby]

Hi,

I just got a new bearded dragon a week ago. I want to hold him because he is so adorable, and I know it's good to hold them early on so they adapt to being held. However, he runs away whenever I reach in his tank and he doesn't seem to want to be held. Sometimes he seems calm when I am actually carrying him, but other times he tries to run or jump out of my hands. Does anyone have any suggestions? I normally slowly rub him starting at his head and all the way down his body, or just his body, but maybe he doesn't like that? I don't want to traumatize him by grabbing him when he doesn't want to be held, but I also don't want him to never like being held when he is older! What do I do? Also, he will never let me feed him! I always try holding food up to his mouth and a couple of times he has licked it but he normally just sits there and won't touch it. I thought beardies liked being hand-fed.?

Also another question -- does anyone know why he keeps standing on the glass and scratching it? It looks like he's frantically trying to climb up the glass walls and escape! Is that normal?

 

[Sadie]

Hi,

I just got a new bearded dragon a week ago. I want to hold him because he is so adorable, and I know it's good to hold them early on so they adapt to being held. However, he runs away whenever I reach in his tank and he doesn't seem to want to be held. Sometimes he seems calm when I am actually carrying him, but other times he tries to run or jump out of my hands. Does anyone have any suggestions? I normally slowly rub him starting at his head and all the way down his body, or just his body, but maybe he doesn't like that? I don't want to traumatize him by grabbing him when he doesn't want to be held, but I also don't want him to never like being held when he is older! What do I do? Also, he will never let me feed him! I always try holding food up to his mouth and a couple of times he has licked it but he normally just sits there and won't touch it. I thought beardies liked being hand-fed.?

Also another question -- does anyone know why he keeps standing on the glass and scratching it? It looks like he's frantically trying to climb up the glass walls and escape! Is that normal?

Hes going thru relocation stress and hes scared - its going to take patience and him learning to trust --- the standing on the glass is him wanting out usually but do not let him out -- he needs to learn to acclimate to his surroundings -- please only hold him around your tank and in the tank -- approach from the side and not from above he will think your a predator -- take a piece of cloth w/ your smell or fleece blanket they like soft place in his hide -- try hand feeding worms like BSFL or some small super worms - feeding off tongs and hand feeding will get him to trust you - do both -- make sure your feeding salads every morning w/ some BSFL on top to lure him to the bowl - I always hand fed my little one before serving the salad and worms add them to the bowl in front of him and do it consistently so he knows what to expect-- his appetite might not be all there either thats associated w/ relocation stress the two most important things in that tank are basking temps taken w/ a digital probe thermometer and the UVB --- NO coils

 

[marzipanbaby]

Hes going thru relocation stress and hes scared - its going to take patience and him learning to trust --- the standing on the glass is him wanting out usually but do not let him out -- he needs to learn to acclimate to his surroundings -- please only hold him around your tank and in the tank -- approach from the side and not from above he will think your a predator -- take a piece of cloth w/ your smell or fleece blanket they like soft place in his hide -- try hand feeding worms like BSFL or some small super worms - feeding off tongs and hand feeding will get him to trust you - do both -- make sure your feeding salads every morning w/ some BSFL on top to lure him to the bowl - I always hand fed my little one before serving the salad and worms add them to the bowl in front of him and do it consistently so he knows what to expect-- his appetite might not be all there either thats associated w/ relocation stress the two most important things in that tank are basking temps taken w/ a digital probe thermometer and the UVB --- NO coils

how can I avoid looking like I am coming from above when I have to reach into the top of the tank?

 

[HoomanSlave]

how can I avoid looking like I am coming from above when I have to reach into the top of the tank?

If you angle your hand right you can almost grab from the side, though it's a bit uncomfortable. Lifting him up and out can be stressful the first few times until he associates you with snuggles and food. Make sure to end each handling session on a positive note, with praise and petting if he likes it. (don't give treats often after handling, because that leads to nippy beardies).