Sierra Saw a Bird!

This is really priceless....

I got Sierra a pretty lavender harness and started taking her out for some sunshine. I cycle two large basking rocks, so she always has a rock outside to bask on, or we stroll through the grass. One time, a male anole saw her and started showing off. He's lucky she didn't see him, or he might have ended up as a snack... I kept her out for about 30 minutes a day and stayed right by her, since we have red-tailed hawks in the area.

Well, one day some crows flew overhead. They were really far away, but she absolutely freaked. For the first time in her life, she started displaying aggressive behaviors. Her body turned white, and her beard flushed black (I didn't even know females would do that!!!). Keep in mind, she is a Sandfire, so that's an extreme altering of coloration. I don't even think she knew what was happening with her, but after that, she started displaying and opening her mouth to all of us. I haven't taken her out since, and after a few days she calms down, but I was wondering if anyone has any tips? I'd like to be able to take her outside. We have 7 dogs and they don't bother her one bit, and she glares at vehicles suspiciously but they didn't scare her much, but she instinctively knew that the flying things were dangerous.

Another note about the behavior: Though she displays at me and other humans while upset, she will not bite. Sierra has NEVER bitten out of aggression. She opened her mouth at me and hissed after having seen the bird, but I just started stroking her anyway and she never attempted to bite or flee. It's almost as if the behavior is so instinctive that she doesn't really know what's going on.

They know what is going on! Birds are probably they're biggest predators, and they instinctually know to fear them. Puff will flatten out as if trying to hide, or run up on me for protection, that is if they are way up in the sky. One time, one bird got pretty close while she was sitting on my lap outside, she bearded out, open mouthed and hissing. When that happens or any other time she gets scared, I pet her, or hold her and calm her down. She know that I am her safe place.
You can take her back outside, just stay really close to her, and if she freaks out,,,just make sure you hold her and walk around for a little bit, then try setting her down again.

Ah okay, thanks for the reply! It was just a shock for me seeing her do that for the first time. I'll keep taking her outside and hopefully she won't always react so drastically.

It was hilarious though. My stepdad (who for some reason is kind of afraid of her anyway) walked up to me while I was carrying her right after the incident, and she opened her mouth at him. I thought he was gonna jump into the back of his pick-up truck! Yea, big tough man, that one... :lol:

I got a mesh reptarium that my fellas take turns using to go outside. It's the same size as a 40 gallon breeder, so they have room to run around, climb sticks, or bask, but it has a "roof" which seems to comfort them. They definitely prefer having something over their heads, so they chill in that for an hour or so while I read on the porch a few feet away. If I put them on the grass they immediately do the pancake-black beard-hiss thing, but have never done it in the reptarium. And I think it was $40 or so including shipping - well worth it. I know not 100% of the sun's rays get through the plastic mesh, but they definitely know it's real sunlight. Yesterday I swear Dubs was standing up so tall he was practically levitating!

Oh, that's awesome! Do you remember where you ordered it from? That might be less overwhelming than being directly outside, and I won't have to hover over her every second of the time she's outside.

Oh man... I tried taking her out again today. She was fine when I took her out of the tank, got nervous when I got out the harness, and started squirming when I was putting the harness on. I got it on and took her outside anyway, and once she hit the grass she went full-blown psycho and started ATTACKING me. I didn't pay it much mind at first, because she has never been aggressive towards me before, but she charged me and bit my jeans so I got the picture quick!

Getting her inside was a nightmare. She really wanted to bite me at this point. She didn't calm down until I got her in her cage and left her alone for a while. Then, she let me pet her again without trying to bite.

I'm really afraid I've screwed up her trust for me, and dread to think how she will react to me even trying to take her out of her cage now.

Maybe when you take her outside, always hold her (with her harness on). Go to a covered area and then build up from there. Pudgy used to hate birds (and planes too). So far, Dr. Zhivago Einstein freaks out a little with birds, but he's doing okay. Pudgy was female and would definitley flare and get a blackbeard BIG TIME. So don't worry. She'll build trust back up. Just hold onto her when you take her out.

Thanks, I needed the reassurance. I'm trying to take steps forward with her and it stinks when you end up taking one step forward and two steps back. I'll keep working with her everyday, and not let her anger issues discourage me. I just feel bad because I know this is, in major part, my own fault. My going off to school left her without the handling and attention she deserves. She isn't really comforted by my presence anymore, and turns her anger on me.

I was thinking I'd pick up some waxworms or something. A new treat to make the out-of-cage experiences more desirable. I have observed associative behavior in dragons so maybe it'll work. Worth a try anyway!

PudgysMom":af5re4ln said:

Maybe when you take her outside, always hold her (with her harness on).

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that's probably the best thing to do. just keep holding her, maybe just hold her and not take her outside for a bit.

if you hold her and keep a hand over her when she stresses or gets freaked out you can cover her with your hand to keep her safe. she'll start to feel secure again. when you stand over her she might get you confused with a predator, keep her on your chest or shoulder until she gets used to seeing you as safety again.

bunnyrut":21pjt1j1 said:

when you stand over her she might get you confused with a predator, keep her on your chest or shoulder until she gets used to seeing you as safety again.

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I think that's exactly what ended up happening. Thanks for all the advice guys! I'll keep her with me and let her build up confidence gradually. Poor thing, I think I really overwhelmed her. Just tossing her the grass and going 'isn't this great?'. T_T Her poor little brain just doesn't work that way.

RockHound":rfyw873q said:

bunnyrut":rfyw873q said:

when you stand over her she might get you confused with a predator, keep her on your chest or shoulder until she gets used to seeing you as safety again.

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I think that's exactly what ended up happening. Thanks for all the advice guys! I'll keep her with me and let her build up confidence gradually. Poor thing, I think I really overwhelmed her. Just tossing her the grass and going 'isn't this great?'. T_T Her poor little brain just doesn't work that way.

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I wish i knew what exactly went through their minds. When Mr Dargon was big enough to let him be on the ground I noticed he kept puffing at me when I walked by him. It took a little while me to register that I kept walking in front of him and blocking the sun, he did not like that, lol.