Moody Beardie or Puberty?

Hi,
I recently got a 3 month old dragon with a missing arm adopted from petsmart named Pinecone. i've had him for about 2 months now and he seems perfectly alert and healthy. He has a mercury vapour bulb that gives him uvb and heat. Warm side is 98 and cool side is 75-80. He has a hide and a a few rocks/logs to climb around and hide in and he's not stressed for the most part.
My real problem is that he's been kind of skittish. When I fist got him, he was more mellow.
When I go to pick him up, I let him know I'm there by talking and offering some veg or crickets. I always approach from the front and use my middle finger to push his chest up so I can get a better grip on him. I notice that he puffs in and out and breathes heavy. He doesn't go black though or hiss/tried to bite. When I finally get him out of his 20 gallon(don't worry I'm upgrading him in a few months), he's totally chill and will automatically climb onto my shoulder and snuggle. He gets a bath everyday to help him poo and hydrate himself whenever he needs it.
So is his moodiness, puffing, and skittishness due to puberty(he's five months and already fights his reflection) or just overall changes happening? Maybe this is just his "big boy" phase :lol:
He's eating normally, pooping fine, and alert and never lethargic, just super chill.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
-Katelyn

He's 5 months old.

So he's unlikely to be going through the hormonal phase yet.

Some take a bit longer to come around, my Peppa was very much into being nursed and having snuggles from the getgo , her brother Toothless was an entirely different beardie, very highly sprung , took him nearly 9 months to come around . .... he also went on a month long hunger strike last October when I had to go into hospital because of a serious infection , refused to eat anything at all for my wife, as soon as I returned home he wanted me and was really hungry , he was pining for his daddy while I was away .

Just be patient and give him space when he wants it , he'll soon come around , my Toothless loves long snuggles ( on his terms and even wakes up and scratches at his door to get my attention for late night snuggles now