Taming my dragon

I recently got Derik about 3 weeks ago, hes one year old and has not been handled at all in 8 months, just feeding.
He is currently at the bottom of my bed where i often sit on my computer and is very aware of all my movements
Hes scared of me, when i put my hand in hes cautious but sometimes he sprints away terrified, especially when ive tried to pick him up, he sometimes lets me stroke him with my finger on his leg, back and rarely head.
He has bitten me on occasion but ive come to conclusion that thats due to him being in a feeding frenzy and goes wild for food and my fault.
Ive hand fed him a little bit, a few waxworms and sometimes some fruit and will happily sprint towards my hand when he sees ive got food :roll: , but im thinking this may have made him think my hand is food.
Hes slightly puffed up his chin at me on occasion and only fully puffed up once. He sometimes looks like hes terrified of me, like lowering his body down and looking at me looking terrified and seeming it but not puffing up. i do move slowly when ive got my hand in there aswell.
So... is there any tips you can give me on taming him? especially being handled.

It breaks my heart that your poor little guy was left on his own with no love for 8 months. I am really happy that he now has a new loving home.

It is going to take time and patience to have him trust you after being treated so terribly for so long. YOU CAN DO IT.

Take it slowly. Try stroking his back in the evening when he might be more relaxed.

If he bits, try wearing gloves till get gets use to you touching him.

Does he have a favourite treat? Mine loves apple slice in thin julienne style pieces that I hand feed him. Perhaps offer a tasty treat a couple of times a day.

Every time he opens his mouth in the threat bluff , pop a food treat into it .... he'll soon come to associate you and your hand with something pleasant (FOOD !!!).

Spend as much time as you can hanging out where he can see and hear you, talk to him frequently (quietly and calmly), if he'll let you - reach in and pet him while talking to him (never chase him and never move fast in his presence or come at him from behind and above - like a predator will).

WIll take a bit of time , but wont be long before he's comfortable with you, and even enjoys physical contact with you (petting , tummy and under neck tickles, snuggles). If I can tame and befriend a rescued wild water skink to the extent she became ubertame and superaffectionate, you can certainly do the same with your beardie.

SDragons":2fjlfs3t said:

It breaks my heart that your poor little guy was left on his own with no love for 8 months. I am really happy that he now has a new loving home.

It is going to take time and patience to have him trust you after being treated so terribly for so long. YOU CAN DO IT.

Take it slowly. Try stroking his back in the evening when he might be more relaxed.

If he bits, try wearing gloves till get gets use to you touching him.

Does he have a favourite treat? Mine loves apple slice in thin julienne style pieces that I hand feed him. Perhaps offer a tasty treat a couple of times a day.

Click to expand...

Wouldnt this make him associate my hand with food? so he would bite it thinking i was food?

thehaunt":2sevk1uz said:

SDragons":2sevk1uz said:

It breaks my heart that your poor little guy was left on his own with no love for 8 months. I am really happy that he now has a new loving home.

It is going to take time and patience to have him trust you after being treated so terribly for so long. YOU CAN DO IT.

Take it slowly. Try stroking his back in the evening when he might be more relaxed.

If he bits, try wearing gloves till get gets use to you touching him.

Does he have a favourite treat? Mine loves apple slice in thin julienne style pieces that I hand feed him. Perhaps offer a tasty treat a couple of times a day.

Click to expand...

Wouldnt this make him associate my hand with food? so he would bite it thinking i was food?

Click to expand...

Hand not food, but associated with coming with food attached SO NICE , NOT A SCARY 5 HEADED MONSTER.

They seem to catch on and get the hang of the handfeeding lurk pretty quick and become very dainty in how they take the food from your fingers, still need to have your wits about you JIC though as you will still get the occasional accidential finger tip nip even with a very experienced lizard.
The trick is to let the lizard you get the insect or food item and he'll know it's coming then.

I fell in love wit mine at the pet shop because he puffed and tried to bite me. Once i got him calmed down and in his tank my work began, within a week he was flipping around my thumb and being a goober. Until then i handled him very frequently and actually got bitten once right before i popped a bug bit in his mouth! hes now a very loving little guy that will actually beg for buggies and give huge kissies and n snuggles to anyone he likes....if he doesnt like you he will beardy at you then run up mommy and try to hide under the hijab she wears when most people come over! he hid in my hair when he saw my dad, thankfully it was just them over so no hijab was needed. He went from running from everyone and everything ot being this little man:

I do encourage you and anyone with issues to do hand feeding as many on here will say and cuddles with a little fleece blanket or t shirt that they can "hide" under.