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Food association

eliuly

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
53
My beardie lately associates my hand with food. He'll dramatically lick me and puff up when he tries to be held. He is/was going through a grump stage and I'm not sure why. He used to enjoy coming out now he's only interested in food!
 

PatsyB

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Is he shedding? He could be going through a growth spurt. Can he see his reflection anywhere or another animal? He could be seeing something he doesn't like.

My boy was around 9 months when he discovered what his purpose on Earth was LOL!
 

eliuly

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
53
Is he shedding? He could be going through a growth spurt. Can he see his reflection anywhere or another animal? He could be seeing something he doesn't like.

My boy was around 9 months when he discovered what his purpose on Earth was LOL!
He has an aquarium back drop but might get some reflection of the front. The more I read it seems like he's transitioning to adult. He head bobs at my gf LOL
will he calm down again? Could the summer heat be making him this way
 

PatsyB

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When Luci hit 9 months it was November and he went for a few weeks where he head bobbed and charged Dexter then he calmed down. About a week and 1/2 ago he started again. He can't see Dexter, her tank is above his, and we now have to be careful when we put her back in her tank because he goes nuts! So could be the summer heat.

My guy has been a grump for a few days. Not sure if it's his hormones or the fact that he is going through the strangest shed right now.
 

eliuly

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
53
When Luci hit 9 months it was November and he went for a few weeks where he head bobbed and charged Dexter then he calmed down. About a week and 1/2 ago he started again. He can't see Dexter, her tank is above his, and we now have to be careful when we put her back in her tank because he goes nuts! So could be the summer heat.

My guy has been a grump for a few days. Not sure if it's his hormones or the fact that he is going through the strangest shed right now.
Good to know both heat and hormones could be at play here. Lately when he's out he puffs and tries to make a break for it. I'm thinking of getting a lizard leash to prevent his little dashes. Any advice on calming him?
 

PatsyB

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I have 2 rooms of my house that don't have lots of stuff on the floor or holes for him to hide. When he's real crazy I block the rooms off and just let him run off some steam. A beardie leash is great to keep him in check when he's outside. One thing that really calms Luci, he loves sitting in an open window with the breeze on his face. We either put him in a window or by the screen door with a blanket and his log and he will sit for hours without moving.
 

eliuly

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
53
I have 2 rooms of my house that don't have lots of stuff on the floor or holes for him to hide. When he's real crazy I block the rooms off and just let him run off some steam. A beardie leash is great to keep him in check when he's outside. One thing that really calms Luci, he loves sitting in an open window with the breeze on his face. We either put him in a window or by the screen door with a blanket and his log and he will sit for hours without moving.
Maybe some fresh air would make him happy. We have the bedroom which is rat proofed so I think he could run off some steam
 

PatsyB

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Just be careful. You don't want him to crawl under the bed where you can't reach him.
 

eliuly

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
53
Bed is safely on floor until the new one arrives. Rats get in sooo much trouble if the room isn't rat proof, including hiding spaces. but the living room is another story
 

eliuly

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
53
Okay good! I live in the city and we have some construction by my work and now a HUGE rat problem so that's where my mind went!
We have construction going on but no feral rats!
Any way to break the food-hand association you know of?
 

PatsyB

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The only thing I could think of would be to cut out any hand feeding until he stops seeing your hands as food.
 
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