bearded dragon is still scared

[sarahrj]

hi all,
my 8 month beardie is still hesitant of me picking her up.

i've tried the advice i've been given i.e. feeding her by hand but it doesn't seem to be working.

i can't clean her out because she runs away, and stretches her legs so she's properly standing whenever i go near her.

i don't know what else to do someone please help?

thanks!

 

[Missy]

Just don't try to pick her up yet. Keep with the hand feeding, and pet her ans you talk to her in a reassuring manner. Also, you will just have to clean around her. Hopefully, with doing it all in a way that provides routine, she will one day "snap out of it" and come and walk on to your hand. Some are more skittish and less social than others. Same as people can be.

 

[Dragonsx6]

We rescued a dragon who was like that too, it just takes a lot of patience. Rather than picking her up just sit for 5/10 min at a time with your hand in her viv, palm down on the floor. After a couple of weeks then do it palm up and keep it that way, for another couple of weeks. By this time she will be used to your scent you can then try stroking her and placing your hand under her, or she may try climbing onto your hand. Once she is doing that gently lift her in her viv and put her back down again, doing that she will get used to being picked up. Always make sure her tail is supported too otherwise it tends to spin like a rudder.
Can I ask you what type of enclosure you have her in? I know when we rescued our boy he was in a large Glass Aquarium where he could see out all 4 sides and you could only get to him from above. Until we got his new viv we covered 3 sides so he could only look out the front, this helped a bit but not totally. In his new viv it is a wooden enclosure with sliding glass doors at the front. Now that we go to him from the front and not above he is so much better.
Hope this helps

 

[sarahrj]

I will try that, thanks!
Yeah, I have a 3ft viv where she can only see through the front.
I bought her off a young couple with a young son, and by the sounds of it, the son used to drop her. So i think that is probably the main reason to why she runs away.
She also goes through stages where she doesn't want to eat? I had tried feeding her locusts' (which is what she's always been fed on) before going to work, but she refused. So I topped up her veggies and went to work. I returned to see her and her veggies are all of the viv but she's still refusing her locusts'? Is that normal?

Sorry for all these questions, I'm still learning!

 

[ajandj]

what sort of veggies are you trying? I find my Yoda normally loves dandelion leaves and flowers, nusturtium leaves and flowers, endive, rocket, squash and pear. This is his favourite combo. You just have to keep trying different things.

 

[lisa foster]

Getting her used to you in her viv is going to help tremendously. I also hand feed my rescues will not take it from my hands but I drop it in front of them so they will associate me with something yummy. She probably very nervous because her previous owner was young and dropped her and may not have handled very gently. I am sure with time she will become less nervous when she realizes you are going to be gentle with her.

 

[Jaime]

Mine is still a struggle too but ive only had him for 2 months. We just now placed the viv in the dining room so he can be explosed consistantly to people.

 

[sarahrj]

Thanks for the help!
She's gone off her food now, she's eating little greens and no protein! She's digging alot aswell, which I've heard is a sign that she may need to lay eggs?! Only thing is, she used to live with her brother before I had her, since then, she's not had any contact with a male. Is it true that they can have unfertilized eggs?

Sorry for all the questions! xx

 

[Dragonsx6]

Thanks for the help!
She's gone off her food now, she's eating little greens and no protein! She's digging alot aswell, which I've heard is a sign that she may need to lay eggs?! Only thing is, she used to live with her brother before I had her, since then, she's not had any contact with a male. Is it true that they can have unfertilized eggs?

Sorry for all the questions! xx

Hi Sarah, dont be sorry for all your questions, they can lay unfertilised eggs, how long has it been since you got her? Can you get a good look at her tummy when she is standing up or do you think you would be able to lift her to have a look and a feel? If she has eggs you will be able to feel them.

 

[sarahrj]

She's very hyper, but scared when trying to be approached to be handled. So I haven't been able to have a good look or feel of her stomach. If I look at her stomach now though, whilst she is stretched onto her log, her stomach looks like she has little lumps, but I have no idea how big the eggs would look inside her stomach?

I've bought some sand today to put in her viv, as I use woodchippings. Should I put it in a tray or straight into the viv?

 

[sarahrj]

I've had her for 2 months, but the previous owners had said they sold him before they sold Blizard. How long do beardies hold eggs for?

 

[Dragonsx6]

She's very hyper, but scared when trying to be approached to be handled. So I haven't been able to have a good look or feel of her stomach. If I look at her stomach now though, whilst she is stretched onto her log, her stomach looks like she has little lumps, but I have no idea how big the eggs would look inside her stomach?

I've bought some sand today to put in her viv, as I use woodchippings. Should I put it in a tray or straight into the viv?

Hiya Sarah, By the sounds of it she has eggs and is ready to lay if you can see the little lumps in her tummy. The gestation period is approx 5 weeks, but it has been known for females to lay without mating, but I could be wrong as I cant see her myself.
When our female was ready to lay we got an old ice cream tub and cut a hole out one end and filled with damp hard compacted sand for her to dig in. If you put it in the corner that she is digging in the most she should dig and lay in there, she will then cover them back up. If she does lay eggs, she could lay again a few weeks later as if she did mate they can hold on to some of the sperm and lay multiple clutches from mating once if she was mated with the male.
You will need to have plenty of her fav foods as she will also be very hungry & tired and will be needing lots of calcium & vit to biuld her back up as she is very young. It's really best not to let a female breed until she is at least 2, I know it's not your fault tho.

Hope this helps
xx