Agoraphobic Dragon!

Hi interested to get help / ideas...

We got Spyro in Nov when he was 3 months old, so is about 10 Months now... he is generally fit healthy and happy to be handled. BUT, today is a hot sunny day so I thought it would be nice to take him out into the garden for the first time, but he massively freaked out, sever puffing of his body and then sucking in along with gaping mouth and huge black beard! I expect its the fear of birds over head, but to be honest i did not want to go near him when he was like that, he looked evil! lol.

Is it fair to take him out if he reacts like this? or is it a case of building up his confidence being outside?

Thanks,

Mike

Hi, my beardie runs away when I take him outside, your beardie just saw or thought he/she saw a predator, that's why I don't take mine outside.

Birds will definitely cause a beardie to freak out, but the outdoors also have a lot more sounds, sights, and smells than inside. Really, the only familiar thing outside to your beardie would be you. If you talk calmly to your bearded dragon, keep him on you or within your close vicinity, it can help him feel more at ease. If you think he may bolt, getting a harness could be a good idea as well.

My bearded dragon reacted in a similar panicked way when he first went outside, but I found that letting him look out of a window also helped him get more familiar with the surroundings from a safe place.

Edit: I forgot to mention, taking him outside for short periods of time can help him adjust to being outside. Just take him back in when he shows signs of stress and he'll figure out that you will protect him from danger :lol:

Guacamole had a similar first reaction, but loves going outside now. "Building confidence" is a good way to think about it. I, luckily, had access to a semi-enclosed patio I started him out on, once he calmed out there we moved to "the real outside". Now he likes to go for little jaunts with me and the SO...

One peculiar thing though? My mom - Guac's "Grandma" - is normally his favorite person (probably because she brings him blueberries and super worms or horn worms when she visits), but he HATES her when he's outside, no mater what, even though he's perfectly fine with anyone else.

Thanks Guys, really helpful

I took both of mine out in stages. Stage one was "wearing" them on my chest and keeping them close to my body with a hand on them so they felt safe. Stage 2 was sitting them on my lap in a lounge chair on our patio, which has a gauzy sun blocker that mostly hides the sky. Stage 3 was them by themselves in the outdoor cage I built for them, again under the shade, but they could also see sky. Now, both will sit out in the open without issue, though planes definitely get their attention!