SnowStorm03
Member
So we've had our little guy for about a week and a half now. I'd say by his length he is going on 4 months. I've been trying different things to help him not be stressed in his new space, but I'm starting to get discouraged.
He has all the proper lighting and temps, he has a hideaway, his tank is 40 gallons but has enough stuff in it that it really open. Talking to a local pet store they think that the big chain store we bought him from may have handled him improperly and that's why he is so skittish.
When we first got him he hid all day so I took his hideaway out so he would start basking. It turned out I had his lights a little too close so when I moved them that got better and now I see him gaping and basking often.
He will eat a waxworm out of my hand, and I've had him take mealworms (though they creep me out to hold). He isn't too bad with my hand in the tank, but the problem is when I try to handle him. I always try and go from the front or side, and I take it slow. I'll put my hand in, wait a moment, then move a little closer and so on. He will watch me until I get close enough to pet him then he runs away and paws at the glass to escape!
One person who owns beardies suggested feeding him outside his tank so he associates my hand with something good, so I got a small tub with high walls to feed him his crickets in. The first time he ate fine, but every other time he just gets so freaked out he doesn't eat anything. I know his appetite is low at the moment as he is currently shedding, but I'm afraid he won't eat enough.
I'm also worried about his hydration and want to give him baths, but he gets so stressed that he doesn't enjoy them even with the right water temps (side note: I do spray his veggies with water and I bought an electrolyte for lizards that I put on them to help with hydration).
He also has a lot of energy in his tank. Like he will be basking and seem totally fine, minimal stress marks, and all of a sudden he takes a leap at the back wall. Or he will randomly climb down from the rock and start pawing at the glass. If I go over and sit beside him he stops for a second, but I think it's just because he's afraid I might pick him up. He even seems like he's starting to be afraid of my voice! I've read a lot of other peoples posts about these situations and everyone seems to say the same thing: it just takes time and patients. But I'm just feeling discouraged and worried he will never come around. I don't want to go back to feeding him in the cage because the crickets are easier to manage in another container. I am thinking of trying a smaller tank instead of the tub because I think part of his stress is he can't see out. I also read that he might be pawing at the glass because he wants out to explore. But anytime he's been out and gets out of my hand he runs right up to the tank and paws to get back in! Any words of encouragement would be awesome, I just want our little baby to be happy. (Sorry my post is a little all over the place)
He has all the proper lighting and temps, he has a hideaway, his tank is 40 gallons but has enough stuff in it that it really open. Talking to a local pet store they think that the big chain store we bought him from may have handled him improperly and that's why he is so skittish.
When we first got him he hid all day so I took his hideaway out so he would start basking. It turned out I had his lights a little too close so when I moved them that got better and now I see him gaping and basking often.
He will eat a waxworm out of my hand, and I've had him take mealworms (though they creep me out to hold). He isn't too bad with my hand in the tank, but the problem is when I try to handle him. I always try and go from the front or side, and I take it slow. I'll put my hand in, wait a moment, then move a little closer and so on. He will watch me until I get close enough to pet him then he runs away and paws at the glass to escape!
One person who owns beardies suggested feeding him outside his tank so he associates my hand with something good, so I got a small tub with high walls to feed him his crickets in. The first time he ate fine, but every other time he just gets so freaked out he doesn't eat anything. I know his appetite is low at the moment as he is currently shedding, but I'm afraid he won't eat enough.
I'm also worried about his hydration and want to give him baths, but he gets so stressed that he doesn't enjoy them even with the right water temps (side note: I do spray his veggies with water and I bought an electrolyte for lizards that I put on them to help with hydration).
He also has a lot of energy in his tank. Like he will be basking and seem totally fine, minimal stress marks, and all of a sudden he takes a leap at the back wall. Or he will randomly climb down from the rock and start pawing at the glass. If I go over and sit beside him he stops for a second, but I think it's just because he's afraid I might pick him up. He even seems like he's starting to be afraid of my voice! I've read a lot of other peoples posts about these situations and everyone seems to say the same thing: it just takes time and patients. But I'm just feeling discouraged and worried he will never come around. I don't want to go back to feeding him in the cage because the crickets are easier to manage in another container. I am thinking of trying a smaller tank instead of the tub because I think part of his stress is he can't see out. I also read that he might be pawing at the glass because he wants out to explore. But anytime he's been out and gets out of my hand he runs right up to the tank and paws to get back in! Any words of encouragement would be awesome, I just want our little baby to be happy. (Sorry my post is a little all over the place)