Really worried about my baby dragon being under socialized/too scared

[brightdragon]

Hello! Toulouse is my first bearded dragon and I am paranoid I'm going to socialize him incorrectly as a baby, so I would love some advice. He is 3.5 months old right now, and I have had him for 5 weeks. Just for context, I have done a lot of research, I give him mainly dubias with calcium and vitamins (some that has D3, some that doesn't), I have the correct temperature ranges in his enclosure, UVB and a heat lamp, etc.

The boy looking positively obese yesterday:

He is very curious, always looking around at any movement in the bedroom from his basking spot in the cage. I didn't take him out for the first week, but I did hand feed him roaches and such. After that I started taking him out for about 5-20 mins once or twice a day. For the first couple of weeks he would allow me to take him out, but I could tell he wasn't super comfortable while he was out. He was always looking around at everything around him, even though he sat fairly still.

Two weeks ago to last week I have been feeding him outside his enclosure and he has seemed ok-ish with it. I'd hold him in my hand so he could eat from a bowl of roaches at least one meal a day outside the tank. Now, for the past week or so, he doesn't want to eat outside his house and seems to feel just confident enough to try and run back to his enclosure, which mind you is across the room and on a big dresser. But he sees it, and he tries to bolt there.

Inside his enclosure, he eats, I can pet him (sometimes not for more than 10 seconds or so, sometimes longer). But he really seems not to be getting used to being outside the cage at all, just enough to orient himself back home. I really want him to feel comfortable in my bedroom, in my office, eventually in the living room, and later on outside occasionally in his harness. But it has been 5 weeks and he still can't handle just my bed.

What do I do? Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Sadie]

Hello! Toulouse is my first bearded dragon and I am paranoid I'm going to socialize him incorrectly as a baby, so I would love some advice. He is 3.5 months old right now, and I have had him for 5 weeks. Just for context, I have done a lot of research, I give him mainly dubias with calcium and vitamins (some that has D3, some that doesn't), I have the correct temperature ranges in his enclosure, UVB and a heat lamp, etc.

The boy looking positively obese yesterday:

View attachment 33882


He is very curious, always looking around at any movement in the bedroom from his basking spot in the cage. I didn't take him out for the first week, but I did hand feed him roaches and such. After that I started taking him out for about 5-20 mins once or twice a day. For the first couple of weeks he would allow me to take him out, but I could tell he wasn't super comfortable while he was out. He was always looking around at everything around him, even though he sat fairly still.

Two weeks ago to last week I have been feeding him outside his enclosure and he has seemed ok-ish with it. I'd hold him in my hand so he could eat from a bowl of roaches at least one meal a day outside the tank. Now, for the past week or so, he doesn't want to eat outside his house and seems to feel just confident enough to try and run back to his enclosure, which mind you is across the room and on a big dresser. But he sees it, and he tries to bolt there.

Inside his enclosure, he eats, I can pet him (sometimes not for more than 10 seconds or so, sometimes longer). But he really seems not to be getting used to being outside the cage at all, just enough to orient himself back home. I really want him to feel comfortable in my bedroom, in my office, eventually in the living room, and later on outside occasionally in his harness. But it has been 5 weeks and he still can't handle just my bed.

What do I do? Thanks in advance for any help!

Keep feeding him in the enclosure --- he pretty young and still adjusting to the tank and surroundings - he looks good -- I am assuming your using a long tube fixture for a UVB - every time you move him he will go thru relocation stress --- so the next move should be the permanent one -- you are off to a good start - its going to take time for him since hes so young --I would not take him outside till he is a lot older -- they are very fast and can get a way from you in a second -- but I would keep feeding him in his tank that is where is is most comfortable for now - as he gets older and becomes more used to his surroundings then I would try feeding outside the tank if that is what you want -

 

[Josh]

Welcome to the forum! How have things been since your first post? Any improvements? He's a beautiful lizard. I hope he's settling in well now. Give us an update when you have time!

 

[GSieg]

You said he is located in a bedroom? Is this room somewhere that often has people in it? Or is it pretty much used for sleeping. General exposure to people in their environment would help with acclimating them to your presence, even if you aren't interacting directly.

I personally try to have them nearby when I am going to be stationary focused on something else for a period time so they get used to me just being around. Eventually I extend those times to things like watching a movie with them on/near me and finally doing minor tasks around the house with them on my shoulder.

Something to consider as well, all beardies when young tend to be a bit more skittish and flighty than a full grown animal that is purely natural.

With time and patience they generally can all turn into sweet round spikey cuddle bugs.

 

[JustADude]

Big belly boi

 

[brightdragon]

Thank you for the replies! I didn't get much feedback initially here or on the beardie subreddit so I chose to just continue going with my gut on the issue. I have still been taking Toulouse out to feed, and he has gotten much more relaxed about it. The sun hits my bedroom window for about an hour or so a day, and he will sit on a pillow in the sun for quite awhile on his own while I hang out in the room. He also seems to seek me out sometimes when he has moved a few feet away and feels scared. He seems more drawn to my hand now, like it's his safe space when he gets overwhelmed lol.

He will still jump and bolt occasionally, but not for at least 10 minutes. And when he does, it doesn't seem quite so scared, if that makes sense.

Two other things to note:

He poops on me. Often. It seems like he really dislikes pooping in his cage, and lately only wants to poop when he is out, and usually when he is out, he is on me. This has not been fun. I think we're up to 4 times now? And as I'm sure you all know "poop" is a generous word for what these guys do.

Anyway, the other thing to note is that Toulouse is massive. He is growing nearly visibly. In 8 days he went from 12 inches and 86 grams to 13 inches and 116 grams. 2 days later and he now weighs 133 grams, although that was before he pooped so he might be down to 120, ha.

He is eating me out of house and home. Should I really let him eat as much bugs as he wants for 15 minutes 2-3x a day? Because the past week and a half that has been probably 75 dubia a day (or equivalent, I do mix it up a little). He used to eat like one roach every 15 seconds, now it's like 1 every 5 seconds, he's a monster. I love him.

 

[Sadie]

Thank you for the replies! I didn't get much feedback initially here or on the beardie subreddit so I chose to just continue going with my gut on the issue. I have still been taking Toulouse out to feed, and he has gotten much more relaxed about it. The sun hits my bedroom window for about an hour or so a day, and he will sit on a pillow in the sun for quite awhile on his own while I hang out in the room. He also seems to seek me out sometimes when he has moved a few feet away and feels scared. He seems more drawn to my hand now, like it's his safe space when he gets overwhelmed lol.

He will still jump and bolt occasionally, but not for at least 10 minutes. And when he does, it doesn't seem quite so scared, if that makes sense.

Two other things to note:

He poops on me. Often. It seems like he really dislikes pooping in his cage, and lately only wants to poop when he is out, and usually when he is out, he is on me. This has not been fun. I think we're up to 4 times now? And as I'm sure you all know "poop" is a generous word for what these guys do.

Anyway, the other thing to note is that Toulouse is massive. He is growing nearly visibly. In 8 days he went from 12 inches and 86 grams to 13 inches and 116 grams. 2 days later and he now weighs 133 grams, although that was before he pooped so he might be down to 120, ha.

He is eating me out of house and home. Should I really let him eat as much bugs as he wants for 15 minutes 2-3x a day? Because the past week and a half that has been probably 75 dubia a day (or equivalent, I do mix it up a little). He used to eat like one roach every 15 seconds, now it's like 1 every 5 seconds, he's a monster. I love him.

He needs salads along w/ a variety of worms like super horn or meal - but they should be fed as treats maybe 2-3 times per week - I would also feed him some silk worms -- those are a great staple feeder --- I would cut back on the dubias - hes gaining weight fast -- feed salads please
http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html ignore the kale info it is outdated and is a good staple - his diet will change at a year of age and should go to protein 2-3 times per week and salads every day

 

[GSieg]

Thank you for the replies! I didn't get much feedback initially here or on the beardie subreddit so I chose to just continue going with my gut on the issue. I have still been taking Toulouse out to feed, and he has gotten much more relaxed about it. The sun hits my bedroom window for about an hour or so a day, and he will sit on a pillow in the sun for quite awhile on his own while I hang out in the room. He also seems to seek me out sometimes when he has moved a few feet away and feels scared. He seems more drawn to my hand now, like it's his safe space when he gets overwhelmed lol.

He will still jump and bolt occasionally, but not for at least 10 minutes. And when he does, it doesn't seem quite so scared, if that makes sense.

Two other things to note:

He poops on me. Often. It seems like he really dislikes pooping in his cage, and lately only wants to poop when he is out, and usually when he is out, he is on me. This has not been fun. I think we're up to 4 times now? And as I'm sure you all know "poop" is a generous word for what these guys do.

Anyway, the other thing to note is that Toulouse is massive. He is growing nearly visibly. In 8 days he went from 12 inches and 86 grams to 13 inches and 116 grams. 2 days later and he now weighs 133 grams, although that was before he pooped so he might be down to 120, ha.

He is eating me out of house and home. Should I really let him eat as much bugs as he wants for 15 minutes 2-3x a day? Because the past week and a half that has been probably 75 dubia a day (or equivalent, I do mix it up a little). He used to eat like one roach every 15 seconds, now it's like 1 every 5 seconds, he's a monster. I love him.

So them bolting when young is natural, they do tend to grow out of that. So for growing, they grow incredibly quickly from hatching to about 6-7 months where most start slowing down a little, they don't grow much beyond 12 months, aside filling out.

Every beardie is different with how they eat; I have 3 and they all act very differently about their food. My youngest one right now is about 5.5 months old and she is growing like a weed. She is the most food aggressive of all of them, I do limit her intake as she is pooping 2x a day, and they are not little. She literally will coming flying out of nowhere if she sees a bug, and she could've just eaten 20. However my other two when they were younger both were (and still are) pretty good about eating until they are satiated.

You definitely want to incorporate vegetables into the diet, more so as they mature. Leafy greens, not named lettuce tend to be the best. If you have trouble getting him to eat them, something I do for the first feeding of the day is a small salad and then drop some bugs into it. They tend to grab mouthfuls of the vegetables while nabbing a bug. Also be sure to provide plenty of calcium, especially as they are growing.

 

[JustADude]

At the 12 inch range although it varies per dragon, I've noticed they start to grow pretty fast so as far as that goes it sounds normal to me, your dragon looks a bit chunky to me, I personally feed my bearded dragons around 40 crickets each every 2 days and random fruits and veggies every other day.