Adult beardie bonding problems

Hello all! About a month ago, I took in an adult, or near adult, bearded dragon. He is a little over a year old. His previous owners fed him well, but never really picked him up or socialized with him. When I got him, I left him alone for about 5 days to allow him to acclimate. I did however begin to hand feed him from the first day, which he took to really well!

On day 5, I started to rub my hand over his back and he was ok with that. He will even let me touch and rub his chin a little. He has never puffed up or tried to bite me. However, he will not let me pick him up for long! He scuttles away from me and will have nothing to do with me trying to pick him up. I am always supporting his legs when I do, and am scooping him up from the side and not grabbing him from the top like a claw machine. He just doesn’t want it! He has clawed me vigorously, breaking the skin ,more than a few times. I try to hold him firmly to show him that behaving badly will not get him anywhere, but after a while I feel bad for him and let him down.

I have been trying for over a month to get him to bond with me and it seems that I’m getting nowhere! Is there anything else I can do?

His basking spot is right around 102 degrees Fahrenheit and his cool side is around 75. He gets fed a healthy diet of fresh greens, fruit and vegetables daily. He is also receiving protein through crickets, super worms and the occasional horn worm as a treat. He has uvb lighting that runs all the way across his tank. I think he has a nice setup and is DEFINITELY not being neglected anymore. Please help!!! I just want to bond with him badly!

I can try to post pics later of his terrarium if that will help. Thank you!

It can take adults longer to adjust to a new environment and routine. Their personality is usually developed too so he may just be a bit more hands off than you'd like. After a while you'll get a routine with him and bond even if it doesn't mean frequent handling. Try hand feeding treats like silk worms or horn worms.

Letting him settle in for about 2 weeks is always good, but after that just start picking him up . The way to do it is to put on gloves + long sleeved shirt. Pick him up gently but firmly and stay calm. Hold him to your chest for 5-10 minutes and just sit with him and talk calmly. After doing this for a while he'll realize he's going nowhere and that your body is a warm safe place. You can start relaxing [ usually ] and let him on your lap in a safe room and let him explore. A small warm bathroom is the type of place for this . After a while you can usually carry them around without much trouble.