Aggression?

[stephnt619]

I have a male beardie, about 1 1/2 years old. We just got him not long ago. He is pretty laid back and relaxed most of the time. He likes to take fruits and veggies from your hand, but I've noticed that he will bob his head when we put him back into his enclosure. He lets us handle him and has never bitten anyone before, but some of his behavior concerns me. It sometimes seems he stares at me then he'll start to flair his beard and head bobbing.Once again he has never bitten and I can easily pick him up and put him away when he starts this behavior, but once he's back in his enclosure he will stare at m through the glass and bob his head, not always with his beard darkened though.

We do have a female, who's enclosure sits on the shelf above his enclosure, but we cover her tank up so he can not see her anymore because the SLIGHTEST sight of her would send him running around in a head bobbing frenzy. Do they smell each other or produce hormones or something? Since he can't see he he's not darkening his bearded at all...unless I am wearing dark colored shorts, then he will sit on the couch next to me and stare at me while bobbing his head, sometimes he run right at me and bob his head so that his chin hits me every time he bobs.

Is he just being silly, or is he being slightly aggressive? If he is being aggressive, what can we do to discourage this behavior? Thanks!

 

[spurlee01]

I've heard of a lot of beardies who head-bob their owners. Pretty much everyone just laughs it off. Lilly puffs at me when I put her back in her viv to let me know she is not happy about going back. In terms of aggression, I wouldn't worry unless he's hissing/ opening his mouth at you. Even biting isn't necessarily aggression as I learned the hard way that tapping my fingers resembles hornworm movement...
Sara

 

[dragonrex]

I was curious about the head bobbing too. Someone told me it is a courting gesture, and the blackening of the beard is a dominance thing. My beardie's bobbing of the head is a new thing, and we've had him for three years. We don't have a female anywhere near him, so i'm not sure if i believe this is the only reason they do this. Sometimes he does it while looking at us, and sometimes he's facing the other direction. He may be trying to tell you that HE is in control of the situation, and not you! I also wouldn't worry about aggression. Like the last poster said. I don't think this behavior has anything to do with that.

I hope this helps! I'm still learning about my beardie after three years!

Krista

 

[Twobeardieguy]

They also bob for dominance! They are probably seeing a reflection of their selves in the glass..