Mean little beardie

[trickyspark]

I got a second beardie the other day, I had tons of tanks from my other beardie ( 3 year old in100 gallon tank).

I have the new beardie ( unsure of age, about 7 inches nose to end of tail) for around 2 weeks. It is in a 30 gallon tank, with a heatlamp that cuts off at 110 and a10.0 uvb bulb that runs the whole tank. The basking area is lit with the uvb from. about 7 inches at the closest. I feed it calcium dusted greens and crickets, give a bath.every 3 days and offer water from a dropper each day.

Over the last week Butthead had taken to chasing my hand, lunging and snapping aggressively. My other dragon did not do this. The more I attempt to overcome this by increasing handling, the worse it becomes. The substrate is new Repticarpet.

Am I doomed to an abusive relationship?

The dragons are in separate rooms also.

 

[trickyspark]

Snaps and attacks anything, in or out of cage. Attacks water dropper, fingers, anything that moves near its head.

Tried holding greens, just eats its full then continues acting rabid. Will just tear pieces off then attack again.

Any ideas?

 

[trickyspark]

The last two days my beardie opens its mouth and follows me around the cage, it will try and jump at me with its mouth open.

I have tried puttinng greens in its mouth when it goes to bite. It has started ignoring food I offer and trying to go for my arm or hand.

I feel ashamed to say, but it is starting to get under my skin. I swear I havent mistreated it. I know young ones can be timid, but this one was sweet. In about 10days time it went from sweet, to gaping, to lunging at anything that movesin the tank, to snapping and lunging at the glass if I walk near.

 

[mortitia]

HI

How many crix is butthead eating?

Marie x

 

[trickyspark]

3 usually and a small chip of kale. I am not sure of the measurement, but they are the width of his/her head. I have a big colony of crickets and pick out the appropriately sized ones.

I offer them until my dragon stops eating, then catch the uneaten ones to keep them from biting. The dragon is regularly pooping too, firm not runny

 

[mortitia]

Well, I'm no expert and you could probably do with someone to be able to tell you the approx age of your dragon. I'm guessing its still pretty young and may appreciate a few more crix. He may be practising his hunting skills out on the only other moving object in his environment, and that appears to be you

 

[trickyspark]

It has not gotten better, is it just a lost cause to even bother asking?

 

[mortitia]

hi
I'm sure someone else will get back to you. Its probably to do with the holiday celebrations
happy new year

Marie x

 

[sammmycakes]

I have this exact same problem with my newest addition, Pixel.

I even tried handling her more and more and it seemed to be just getting worse. I put in a shirt I had worn with my scent on it and that helped me for a couple of days and then she went back to being nasty. I've tried letting her bite me and then picking her up anyways to show her who's boss but she will either keep biting or stop and then when I go to touch her again she will lunge and hiss..

I still haven't found a real solution but right now I have my mom take her out of the tank for me and put her in her bathing bucket. After about 10 minutes when she doesn't want to be in the bucket anymore I will pick her up and she will be okay, but not friendly. I have to hold her firmly or she will take off and start the hissing again.

Pixel is about 6 months now.

 

[Tonja]

Im not being mean here but are you feeding from above or reaching over her head? They have a third eye on the head and see light and shadow and if you reaching over her she may see you as a predator while feeding. You can take a t-shirt you have worn and put it in the tank with her so she gets used to your scent. You can also try laying your hand in her tank palm up for about 3-5 mins at a time to show her that you mean her no harm..let her come to you, don't go to her while you do this. Also don't feed kale as it binds the calcium...feed turnip, mustard or collard greens for a healthier diet...BeautifulDragons.com has a feeding chart most of us go by for a healthy diet. Hope this helps.

 

[trickyspark]

I do feed other greens also. I do use the website you mention, it's how I learned what to feed my first dragon. It lists kale as being ok on occasion. It as the only green I did mention, though. I get mustard greens for from my neighbors garden.

I don't reach from above, this is my second dragon. I put food in a bowl on the opposite end of the tank. I do put food in its mouth when it gapes and lunges. I just holds the food in its mouth and keeps snapping at me. It paces the glass following me if I am in the room, the whole time its mouth open. If I hide and peek ever so slightly, it returns to basking or whatever until it sees me. I thought maybe it hates me, but it will attack anything that moves or comes near. I can simply move a drinking straw near the glass.

Could the uvb bulb be bad? It is only 2 months old.

 

[bunnyrut]

where did you get it from?

i would suggest picking him/her up first thing in the morning when s/he is still groggy. walk around and do your thing while it wakes up.

at night when the lights go out and it starts to get drowsy wrap it in a blankie and cuddle with it for a while.

do this as often as you can.

 

[trickyspark]

Picking it up when it's sleepy just gives a second's pause before it goes apes##t on me.

I tried the shirt thing, didn't help. It seems any movement or touch sets it off. It eats and poops fine, still.

I bought a new 10.0 bulb, just in case. I tried doing away with th basking bulb in favor of a ceramic heat bulb, just as an idea, thoughr maybe the halogen bulb was to bright. Tried decreasing temp to around 100 from 110. Tried keeping theuvb bulb on longer.

Could the 30 gallon tank be to big or open, creating an unsecure feeling? I kept my first dragon in a 10 gallon when it was small like this one.

I think it may have something contagious,starting to feel all rabid myself.

 

[trickyspark]

Sorry the pic isn't better, just thought it mighr help identify age.

Also it hasn't shed or gotten pale like it is ready to shed. It was shedding when I gotit on December 14th.