Making Progress on an Abused Beardie

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So this weekend I've made some good progress with my new rescue Volcano. A little background on him he was found in the apartment of someone who died of an overdose. The herp specialist that took him in and his vet all believe he was feed well but either never handled or roughly handled because any time a human would get near him he'd immediately get into a defensive posture and in a few cases bit whoever was trying to handle him. I've been hand feeding him treats (good god he loves blueberries) to get him to see I'm not a threat. Saturday I went for gold and picked him up for the first time. I didn't get bit and he sat with me for a good 1/2 hour before deciding he'd had enough of me and made a break for it :lol: Yesterday he watched TV with me for an hour before again making a break for it. It's feels good that he's starting to trust me and hopefully soon we'll both be completely adjusted. I was worried at first but I'm glad the other 7 people who saw him passed on adopting him because it's starting to feel like him and I were meant to be together.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Trust and patience -- its good hes eating as well just no so many blueberries too sweet- keep working w/ him and he will eventually become docile and a normal beardie -- its hard to say what kind of treatment he got when living w/ the previous owner --- but its good your making progress w/ him :)
Karrie
 

Shaun78

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
So we've made steps forward and steps backwards. After months of working together I'm now seeing pretty solid progress. During the day time Volcano would NEVER let me hold him. As soon as I pick him up he'd start tail whipping, puff out his beard, and bare his teeth at me. This weekend we had this:
107595-5650889799.jpg
He sat with me for 3 hours in the afternoon. Of course after that 3 hours it was time for a nap
107595-8121865233.jpg
. Long road so far but we are getting there.
 

adambeck

Hatchling Member
I'm so glad Volcano is in good hands now!
The picture of him napping is so cute! :love10: I hope you and Volcano make even more good progress and become the best of friends. Fifa (my bearded dragon) and I send all our love :love5:
 

dezismom

Juvie Member
Hey, shawn78, how is Volcano doing, lately? The photos of V. out with you, no teeth bared, especially his napping so relaxed and comfortable really made me smile!

I have also rescued Beardies--in fact, my most recent fellow is about in the same stage you describe for V.-- staring to make progress, allowing some contact. and staying out with me for more and longer times. (He is resting under my bed blanket, as I write, having stayed on my chest a while, and briefly exloring the bed before heading under a warm blanket. I am proud of him for his bravery!)

Volcano looks quite comfortable in napping on you...great progress from where he started. All rescues take time and patience, as you know. Months of steps forward, some backward, as you so aptly describe. (I am learning Logans language, He now signals for food, and we made a big breakthrough when he discovered he could make his requests known, and get me to respond with the food he wanted)

So I felt immediately connected to you and V. Please inform us all of his progress, and your observations with him! My prayers and hopes are with you, and all those dedicated rescuers out there.
 

Shaun78

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Volcano has been a bit moody lately. I'm not sure if he's going into brumation and he's just pissy (the cold weather is really setting in up here in the Northeast) but he was really unhappy yesterday. I took him out and he immediately jumped down off me and took off running. And of course he runs right where I don't want him to go so I cut him off at the pass. He stopped dead in his tracks, got real low to the floor, puffed out his beard and bared his teeth at me making a hissing sound. I left him alone and just blocked his path to the radiator (where I did not want him to go) and let him be. 2 hours later he was chilly and I was able to pick him up without incident and put him back in his tank to warm up. But later that night after it go dark he was sitting in his hammock and I went to take him out to crash and watch some TV (which he usually loves to do) and he got pissy again so I just let him be. Maybe he was just having a bad day or what but we'll see how he does today when I get home from work.
 
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I miss you so much, Amaris 💔
What is a quick way to warm up a cold beardie? His heating element went out overnight and now he's very cold.
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i feel so sad reading your about me 😢
Clapton is acclimating okay I think. He's quick as lightning so I'm not sure how much I should bring him out of his house yet. He's not at all interested in his salad though. I wonder if I should change what I'm giving him. Least he's eating his crickets.

Things to do:
Buy calcium powder
Material to raise surface for basking spot
Scenery decals for back of tank

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