Hey so I was feeding my dragon and he's a little 6 month old baby, who is fine and super hyper being held when I'm feeding him, and usually doesn't move much besides up my arm when I'm feeding him until I put him back, but this evening I was feeding him worms and he's been a lot more aggressive with his food lately, when he knows it's time to eat and I go to lay my hand down to pick him up he'll start thinking my fingers are food unless I wave a worm in front of his face first. It doesn't hurt because he's young, but it's a bad habit.
Today he jumped off my arm and onto the floor. Totally unexpected! I freaked out!! I have a drawer underneath his cage open because that's where I keep his food, but the bucket of worms was closed with the lid so I don't know if that's what he was trying to go for, but he seemed to be on a steady line for the floor, given that he started going up the corner and not for the bucket.
Luckily, I got him back up there, after trying once and failing, making my dad pick him up...
He was super startled, and I tried coaxing him to pick him up with food, which didn't work, and my dad calmly went into pick him up and then quickly grabbed him, which he almost didn't succeed, and grabbed his tail. I'm glad that these guys don't leave their tails behind.
He just went back to basking after about 7 minutes processing everything and making sure the coast is clear.
But what do I do now?? What do you think caused this? Was he curious? Is he just too hyper?
I should probably mention that he doesn't like contact besides his food, because I've been slowly working on it otherwise. But I really need to tame him down, and maybe stop the holding while feeding just for now. If it happens again, how do I better go about getting him back up there? Is forcing it on him the best way? I don't wanna worsen our relationship because it's already building a little too slow. I've had him for 5 months and he hasn't quite warmed up to me all the way yet. I'm doing my best, talking to him whenever I see him, sometimes he'll let me pet him, other times he'll just jump off his rock and onto his floor and wait for me to take out my hand.
Sorry this is a lot, I just almost had a heart attack because I'm new to all of this, and he's scared of me at times so I have little control.
Today he jumped off my arm and onto the floor. Totally unexpected! I freaked out!! I have a drawer underneath his cage open because that's where I keep his food, but the bucket of worms was closed with the lid so I don't know if that's what he was trying to go for, but he seemed to be on a steady line for the floor, given that he started going up the corner and not for the bucket.
Luckily, I got him back up there, after trying once and failing, making my dad pick him up...
He was super startled, and I tried coaxing him to pick him up with food, which didn't work, and my dad calmly went into pick him up and then quickly grabbed him, which he almost didn't succeed, and grabbed his tail. I'm glad that these guys don't leave their tails behind.
He just went back to basking after about 7 minutes processing everything and making sure the coast is clear.
But what do I do now?? What do you think caused this? Was he curious? Is he just too hyper?
I should probably mention that he doesn't like contact besides his food, because I've been slowly working on it otherwise. But I really need to tame him down, and maybe stop the holding while feeding just for now. If it happens again, how do I better go about getting him back up there? Is forcing it on him the best way? I don't wanna worsen our relationship because it's already building a little too slow. I've had him for 5 months and he hasn't quite warmed up to me all the way yet. I'm doing my best, talking to him whenever I see him, sometimes he'll let me pet him, other times he'll just jump off his rock and onto his floor and wait for me to take out my hand.
Sorry this is a lot, I just almost had a heart attack because I'm new to all of this, and he's scared of me at times so I have little control.
