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Opalite18

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
1
hi! I just got a 4 month old beardie from a local shop maybe 3 weeks ago. She's giving me a lot of mixed signals. I gave her time to adapt to her tank, but every time I try to hold her she'll run from me. And if I've finally got her after a few tries I usually place her down on my bed and she'll stay statue like for like 3 minutes and then dart away. Help? I've just been leaving her alone. She was//is? Shedding but this has been going on longer than she's been shedding. Something else notable is that after I put her back in her viv she'll look at me like 'why'd you put me down?' She's a cutie with a lot of personality I just can't grasp what she wants me to do. Help?
 

KrissyLeigh

Juvenile Dragon
Messages
302
Location
south Texas
It sounds like y'all are just getting used to each other - she's pretty young and you are a giant, so she's understandably nervous! They can also get moody and irrational when shedding, which seems to be all the time when they are little uns!

You can practice bonding activities - hand feeding, baths (if she likes them), and letting her free roam in a safe place so she can come check you out in her own time. And petting - mine loves head rubs - if she is used to your touch she will likely tolerate being handled better.

Otherwise just be patient, she will come around! Also double check that her environment is up to snuff - temps, UVB, hides, etc. Environmental stressors can massively effect beardie personality
 

JasperMoon

Hatchling Dragon
3 Year Member
Messages
67
Location
Northern Alabama
Just keep trying, keep working with her. My Jasper was the same way. Even now he’ll sometimes try to run away from me & I’ve had him for almost 2 months. One thing I found that helps is to wrap my whole hand around him when I go to pick him up. That seems to make him feel more secure. I’ll wrap my whole hand around him then immediately place him in the other hand, & sometimes I still put the other hand overtop of him, makes him feel secure I think & also prevents him from jumping out of my hand. I’ve been getting him out of his enclosure & spending an hour with him every night since about a week after I got him. Also, try getting her out in the late evenings cause they’re a lot less active then. Both mine & my daughter’s Dragons always end up going to sleep on us. So we can usually just play on our phones/tablets & our Dragons just stay put on us. They are a little adventurous at first but seem to settle down quickly. We don’t usually get them out til at least 9 pm. Anyway, I hope sharing my experience thus far will help you! [emoji4]


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JasperMoon

Hatchling Dragon
3 Year Member
Messages
67
Location
Northern Alabama
Oh, & start trying to feed her out of your hand. That really seems to help. It took a few tries with Jasper and even when he did he’d only take one or two from me then I’d have to drop the rest. But I just kept trying & now he’ll eat out of my hand until he’s full. My daughter just started working on that with hers & hasn’t had much luck so far... but I’m confident that if she keeps trying that Moon will eventually comply.


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Loose Nut

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
4
Hand feeding does not have to mean bugs. mustard greens, collard greens, kale. work great if she will eat them.
In the mornings before mine has his crickets I will rip a leaf into several thumbnail size pieces and feed him 5 or 6 pieces by hand and put the rest
in his salad dish (don't want to make him TO lazy)

my little one has a separate feeding tank (regular 20 gallon tank) for his crickets, after he gets done eating he starts clawing and the side of the tank
wanting out so I put the back of my hand flat on the bottom of the tank next to him. it takes a few seconds but he slowly comes to my hand while still clawing the side of the tank. then i pick him up while he is in my hand at a calm (not scary to him) speed. (I let him come to me)

During bath time I would keep my left hand in his bath water, palm facing up and he would keep his front legs on my hand, swim a little
then come back to my hand

during couch time I will keep him on my chest (for body heat) while i stroke his neck and back
(the blanket on your bed unless its around 100* F might feel to cold to her).
 
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