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Almost a year and still afraid of me

Fabio Ferreira

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
4
Hey guys how's everything. I got a baby dragon 6 months ago. He was 3 months old so that makes him 9 to 10 months old. He got so big and is so amazing.

But there's a thing....

If he is inside the tank, I can pet him grab him move him without any problem. I touch his beard his head etc sometimes he close his eyes sometimes no. I can grab him put him in my shoulder and no problem. I bath him once a week or two. The problem is.... If I take him out of the tank and put him in the floor or something like that, he goes super aggressive! If I tried to touch him he goes full black and big and ready to bite. I have to grab him with a towel (wich he bites) to put him back in the tank.

So...i don't know what to do. I like the look of him but honestly I chosed the beardie because I can "interact" with them. Having one just to keep him forever in a tank is sad for me and for him.

I just don't understand the change in behavior and why after this many months he is still afraid of me. Never hurted him, sometimes I hand feed him without problems, etc etc. What am I doing wrong? The basking and lighting is fine. The temperature is fine. He is eating dubia roaches and some rocket and watercrees leaves.

Im just out of ideas now to make him "friendly" or to enjoy staying with me.
 

Fabio Ferreira

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
4
Wow I am at a loss on this one-- is there another animal in the room ? Are you by windows that he can see outside? I would stop putting him on the floor and use a couch or back of a chair when taking him out -- try that and see if that helps - you may be scarring him going at him from above and thats why the aggressiveness ---- they have a 3 rd eye on top of their head and he may perceive you as a predator--

Well I put him first in the bed. Is he that runs away. And no other pets. I live in a share house so he only have my room to see and to be. And I sit and almost lay in the floor to go to him. Never from the top. Only at last really when he gets super aggressive and with a tiny towel to put him back.
 

Nicks75

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
11
I had some thoughts on your problem and decided to chime in. Most of my experience with lizards come from monitor lizards and tegus. One thing I remember reading many years ago reading from a book...(Yeah that long ago :) ) that monitors raised in indoor enclosures being tame all their lives can immediately switch to bat out of hell agressive if taken outside in an open natural sunny environment that they have never experienced in their entire life.

I myself have experienced this with a tegu, I had him since a hatchling and hand raised him for several years until be became the most docile, intelligent lizard that can be imagined. Free roaming the house when I was home. I must have had him for 4 years and he never once showed the slightest bit of agression. I once decided to take him outside, when I set him down he was just basking, after a few minutes he tensed up and darted off. I ran as fast as I could to catch him and when I got close, he turned and literally started chasing me with his mouth gaping and snapping. Now mind you he was 5 feet long and had a huge head so I was pretty scared. I had to go crocodile hunter on him to get controll of him so he didn't run off and luckly managed not to get my hand crushed. I never took him outside again and he never showed agression again.

Now first my apologies for rambling, but I thought it was relevant to your bearded dragon. I think that once lizards that have no idea what true freedom to them is, once they are put in an environment like the open, a true natural environment, it triggers them to want to escape to it. It might be that your dragon is being triggered by placing him down, out of his enclosure, unrestrained the same way some monitors or tegus are triggered by bringing them outside for the first time.

That's my thoughts and of course oppinion on the why anyway.

A thought and opinion I can offer on how to fix it stems from again having agressive monitors when young. I would try someway to make an enclosed area, such as one time I stacked anything I could find in a narrow hallway so the lizard couldn't escape. Rougly 6 to 8 feet of space. It could be that a smaller area than the whole room might be less triggering on him. I would just let the lizard walk around with my hands flat on my lap, sitting on the floor and just let them move around me when they felt comfortable to walk around. I would do this daily and start with them walking over my hands when they would get more comfortable. When they were comfortable with that I would start to pet them. Once he gets used to it and calms, you can make the area bigger or just see if the whole rooms still triggers him. Bring his food bowl with some treats too, make him recognize free roaming as a positive.
 

Nicks75

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
11
One thing I can't believe I forgot to mention. Just today I took my juvinile bearded dragon outside for his first time, it was nice and sunny. I put him on my shoulder and after a few minutes he jumped into the grass and ran. When I caught him he was gapping his mouth trying to bite my finger. I've only had him 2 weeks but that's the first time he wanted to bite my finger.
 

In99flames

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
22
Im going to give you my 2 cents on why your dragin is behaving that way. My guess is it is the freedom factor that was mentioned, or im leaning more towards fear. The bearded is much smaller than you, when it is on the floor looking up at you, it probably only then gets a real sense of how large you are in comparison to itself. The dragon might perceive you as a predator as it is now not looking at "you", but looking at this huge thing towering over it. That is my guess. I also have a similar story

Shiva, my ancient dragon, will be 18 come June. She has never been aggressive to me as well. When I took her out once about 8 years ago, she jumped from my shoulder to the wooden deck we were on. When I tried to grab he, she gaped her mouth at me in an aggressive manner. I scooped her up without hesitation and she never tried to bite me in this instance....but i was towering over her. I then sat down in a chair with her right after that. She was looking all around and a shadow of a bird flew overhead. She opened her mouth again and as the shadow passed she calmed down once more. It was then I decided to take her inside. I think that is whats going on. If you find yourself with your beardie on the floor again and you see aggression, try laying down on the ground or sitting before reaching for it. See if the behavior changes. Keep us posted!
 

Thundercat

Bearded Dragon Egg
3 Year Member
Messages
26
Location
michigan
Hey guys how's everything. I got a baby dragon 6 months ago. He was 3 months old so that makes him 9 to 10 months old. He got so big and is so amazing.

But there's a thing....

If he is inside the tank, I can pet him grab him move him without any problem. I touch his beard his head etc sometimes he close his eyes sometimes no. I can grab him put him in my shoulder and no problem. I bath him once a week or two. The problem is.... If I take him out of the tank and put him in the floor or something like that, he goes super aggressive! If I tried to touch him he goes full black and big and ready to bite. I have to grab him with a towel (wich he bites) to put him back in the tank.

So...i don't know what to do. I like the look of him but honestly I chosed the beardie because I can "interact" with them. Having one just to keep him forever in a tank is sad for me and for him.

I just don't understand the change in behavior and why after this many months he is still afraid of me. Never hurted him, sometimes I hand feed him without problems, etc etc. What am I doing wrong? The basking and lighting is fine. The temperature is fine. He is eating dubia roaches and some rocket and watercrees leaves.

Im just out of ideas now to make him "friendly" or to enjoy staying with me.
Hi, I got my beardie when he was a baby, I always heard to leave them alone for week or so to get used to enclosure. I do that at all. I took him out every day
Hey guys how's everything. I got a baby dragon 6 months ago. He was 3 months old so that makes him 9 to 10 months old. He got so big and is so amazing.

But there's a thing....

If he is inside the tank, I can pet him grab him move him without any problem. I touch his beard his head etc sometimes he close his eyes sometimes no. I can grab him put him in my shoulder and no problem. I bath him once a week or two. The problem is.... If I take him out of the tank and put him in the floor or something like that, he goes super aggressive! If I tried to touch him he goes full black and big and ready to bite. I have to grab him with a towel (wich he bites) to put him back in the tank.

So...i don't know what to do. I like the look of him but honestly I chosed the beardie because I can "interact" with them. Having one just to keep him forever in a tank is sad for me and for him.

I just don't understand the change in behavior and why after this many months he is still afraid of me. Never hurted him, sometimes I hand feed him without problems, etc etc. What am I doing wrong? The basking and lighting is fine. The temperature is fine. He is eating dubia roaches and some rocket and watercrees leaves.

Im just out of ideas now to make him "friendly" or to enjoy staying with me.
Hi when I got my beardie as a baby, I didn't hesitate to try and bond with him daily. I took him out of the cage daily. I also, when the weather permitted I took him out to the stores with me so that he could get used to different noises. He never tried to jump off my shoulder. I believe because I took him out every day it created a safety for him with me. I would always get people asking how does he just relax on your shoulder like that. That is why, also try to get an enclosure that opens from the front so that he doesn't feel threatened by your hand. When you go from top they freak out. I've built two enclosures for my beardie and it was more affordable. You could always have the melamine cut for you at home depot or do it yourself. If you choose to make your own just figure out what size gallon you want and look up the measurements needed to get it made. You can do it in a weekend. Its rewarding to see you did it also. Good luck, if you need more help I'm here. I could show you the one I did, i could also make one for u if u like
 

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Thundercat

Bearded Dragon Egg
3 Year Member
Messages
26
Location
michigan
Hi, I got my beardie when he was a baby, I always heard to leave them alone for week or so to get used to enclosure. I do that at all. I took him out every day

Hi when I got my beardie as a baby, I didn't hesitate to try and bond with him daily. I took him out of the cage daily. I also, when the weather permitted I took him out to the stores with me so that he could get used to different noises. He never tried to jump off my shoulder. I believe because I took him out every day it created a safety for him with me. I would always get people asking how does he just relax on your shoulder like that. That is why, also try to get an enclosure that opens from the front so that he doesn't feel threatened by your hand. When you go from top they freak out. I've built two enclosures for my beardie and it was more affordable. You could always have the melamine cut for you at home depot or do it yourself. If you choose to make your own just figure out what size gallon you want and look up the measurements needed to get it made. You can do it in a weekend. Its rewarding to see you did it also. Good luck, if you need more help I'm here. I could show you the one I did, i could also make one for u if u like
This is the newest one I'm working on I love creating
 

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winall

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
11
I think he is frightened when out of his tank. I have tried several times to take mine outside in his harness and he always get frightened, tries to run away, and when he can't he goes into attack mode. I can pick him up by approaching him from behind and getting his attention with one hand from the front. I think the towel would be frightening for yours too. Maybe try putting gloves on, letting him walk around the room and explore while you lie on the floor for awhile and then pick him up and put him back in the tank. If you keep repeating this he may get more comfortable and stop trying to attack.
 

Fabio Ferreira

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
4
Hey guys thanks a lot for all your answers. About the window, I have only one in my room and he doesn't look at it because it always checking on me.

When he is out I leave it for 2 hours or so. While I do my things. And I just walk lay on the floor etc. Sometimes I'm just sitted and he walks behind my legs etc etc. But even if I'm in the floor completely, if I try to get near him he will go open mouth big guy and don't let me go near. But if I leave it alone like I said he can even go behind me or near or whatever.

Thanks again for all the answers guys.
 

Sandra Hirst

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
13
I have several beardies and rotate them on a daily basis to the outdoor enclosures. (weather permitting) My one adult male and the one juvenile female love the outdoor enclosures until it's time to come back inside. They also kick up a fuss, throw their toys out the cot & threaten me with everything theyve got lol. Once in my hands, they are back to normal. The male has been doing this for years, but the juvie is obviously a young lady with an attitude. (Teenagers I tell you) Inside I take either of them and put them wherever and there is no problem at all.
I have tried numerous ways and approaches with these 2 and to no avail. My young son who also handles the beardies on a daily basis said that he would bring Missy in and show me how it's done. Well his finger bled for quite some time much to his surprise, so I'm alone with the task once more.
Hopefully your beardy eventually chills and accepts you soon. Good luck.
 

Fabio Ferreira

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
4
I'm starting to think that is just his attitude and he is a **** Hahahaha. Even now with this lock down I'm with him all day. And it's always the same. Inside the tank I can touch I even hand feed him. As soon as he is out of the tank in my room, he goes all big dragon spitting fire xD
 
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