Angry or Scared?

[Crx]

Hi Steve

Thanks for the reply. We think Peanut (not my choice of name lol) is a bit younger than yours nearer to the 3 months and not even sure whether he is a boy or a girl yet. We had another beardie which was really placid and easy to handle, but it died after a week and we don't know why, but we think that maybe he was ill as he was really slow. Peanut does have a light underbelly, but it goes really dark sometimes but not sure if it is when he is scared or just as a general rule, will have to keep an eye on that.

He has made no attempt to bite at all so far, but just runs away as soon as you get close to him which is such a nightmare when trying to clean out the viv.

My son really wants to be interactive with him so is keen to try anything we can. Will try to handle him with a glove. How do you hold him when you do manage to get hold of him? Does he try to get away the whole time?

Thanks for help, how do I add you as a friend?

Dark is when they're scared angry for sure, as spyro can easily be light until i enter his tank then he's dark, very quick.

Mine tries to bite everytime guarenteed. The whole time yes he tries to get away.

Click my name go to my profile and there's an add friend button .

I made a movie of me trying to get him out of his tank so you can see what he's like for yourself. This is what it is like everytime, and the zoo guy said get him out daily lol. The reason i put my finger under his chin is mainly so he can't grip with his legs. I don't want him struggling incase he hurts himself. He seems very scared all the time. Hopefully time will heal

Click to watch the most angry Beardie ever!!

 

[shelley101]

Wow, just watched the vid, you definitely need the gloves with him lol.

Peanut runs like that everytime you try to touch him too. It's hard with our viv as there are sliding doors on the front. Think I will have to take out the big log etc to get hold of him. As I said, he hasn't tried to bite yet, but he puffs up his beard and goes mental when you go near him, but think i will put the gloves on just in case.

So the vet you saw didn't think a softly softly approach was worth doing?, just to go straight for the pick up every day for 5 mins or so?

We cleaned his viv today and it was a nightmare trying to catch him, he jumped out of our hands at one point onto the viv sliding door rails and was hanging on them and then climbed back in, he then ran around the empty viv, then at one point started waving a hand at us. We only managed to catch him in the end as I think he knackered himself out. very cheeky.

Anyway, will start getting him out for 5 mins or so like you said and will let you know how it goes.

 

[Crx]

Wow, just watched the vid, you definitely need the gloves with him lol.

Peanut runs like that everytime you try to touch him too. It's hard with our viv as there are sliding doors on the front. Think I will have to take out the big log etc to get hold of him. As I said, he hasn't tried to bite yet, but he puffs up his beard and goes mental when you go near him, but think i will put the gloves on just in case.

So the vet you saw didn't think a softly softly approach was worth doing?, just to go straight for the pick up every day for 5 mins or so?

We cleaned his viv today and it was a nightmare trying to catch him, he jumped out of our hands at one point onto the viv sliding door rails and was hanging on them and then climbed back in, he then ran around the empty viv, then at one point started waving a hand at us. We only managed to catch him in the end as I think he knackered himself out. very cheeky.

Anyway, will start getting him out for 5 mins or so like you said and will let you know how it goes.

That's how mine started by puffing and running, now he bites lol!! I think it's a catch 22 really. I'd preferr to leave him as I think he's nervy and unsetled, but the vet said he won't get hand tamed this way. Getting him out each day for 5 or so minutes and putting him back will learn him that actually your not a big bird coming to eat him as that's what he sees you as now. When they're small they are very very skittish anyway. As he gets older he won't be so bad as he'll get fatter and more lazy.

It is hard catching them without hurting them as you see, but they are tougher than you think. Mine's armwaved when he see's the bigger female, they're submitting to you. Mines never waved at me though. Perhaps its a male dominance thing between us two lol!!

Keep getting him out, but hold him tight enought so he can't jump out. If you imagine a human laying on his front with arms beside him straight, that's how i hold my angry beardie with my finger under his chin. It does seem to calm him when he's like that and i keep stroking the back of his head. Hope it works for you, but please don't give up on him. A few times i've said to my wife he's gotta go because I can't handle him, but she forces me to keep with him. I love the pair, im sure like you just want him to be a good little beardie.

I think with mine, i just have to wait till he's older and fatter so i can get him easier and hand feed him. See how he goes really. If he isn't better when he's older... I'll have to cross that when i get to it really...

 

[shelley101]

Good news, we managed to get Peanut out today. Ran around the viv for a bit but eventually my son caught him and we took him out for about 2 minutes. He didn't seem to resist, just let us stroke the back of his head, then my son opened his hand and put it in the viv and he didn't walk off his hand for about 10 seconds and seemed ok. Very happy with this, he didn't use gloves (brave).

Afterwards my son went to give him a worm and he managed to put it in front of him. Peanut backed away a bit, but didn't run and ate it a minute later.

Will try again tomorrow and increase the time to 2 and a half minutes.

 

[Crx]

Good news, we managed to get Peanut out today. Ran around the viv for a bit but eventually my son caught him and we took him out for about 2 minutes. He didn't seem to resist, just let us stroke the back of his head, then my son opened his hand and put it in the viv and he didn't walk off his hand for about 10 seconds and seemed ok. Very happy with this, he didn't use gloves (brave).

Afterwards my son went to give him a worm and he managed to put it in front of him. Peanut backed away a bit, but didn't run and ate it a minute later.

Will try again tomorrow and increase the time to 2 and a half minutes.

That's awesome beyond belief! Seems today is a good berdie day for us both!

I put my hand in angry spyro's tank earlier cos he was a lovely yellow color and not dark, he watched it, i left it a while also with no gloves! After about 5 minutes i moved my hand closer and he didn't flinch or puff or try to bite me. Tonight I was able to stroke him with no panic! I did it a second time also to show my wife and she couldn't believe what she saw!

Definately what we've discussed here works. Maybe the new tank helped who knows!! But keeping posted here of anything And best of luck with Peanut, keep me informed!

 

[beardie4127]

Hi Steve

Thanks for the reply. We think Peanut (not my choice of name lol) is a bit younger than yours nearer to the 3 months and not even sure whether he is a boy or a girl yet. We had another beardie which was really placid and easy to handle, but it died after a week and we don't know why, but we think that maybe he was ill as he was really slow. Peanut does have a light underbelly, but it goes really dark sometimes but not sure if it is when he is scared or just as a general rule, will have to keep an eye on that.

He has made no attempt to bite at all so far, but just runs away as soon as you get close to him which is such a nightmare when trying to clean out the viv.

My son really wants to be interactive with him so is keen to try anything we can. Will try to handle him with a glove. How do you hold him when you do manage to get hold of him? Does he try to get away the whole time?

Thanks for help, how do I add you as a friend?

Hi Shelley,

If I were you, I really wouldnt give mealworms as they can eat their way out of baby dragons and they could block him up.
I actually did feed my dragon mealworms when he was 3 months too and the pet shop told me all i need to know so try giving up the mealworms!

I just want to help

 

[Crx]

Seem's mine was a definate one off lol. He's back to been grumpy and bity!

 

[shelley101]

Awwww, not good. Peanut is fine when you get him out, it's just trying to get him out is the problem he still goes crazy when you try to pick him up. We are getting him out a couple of times a day, but still doesn't seem to like it. But when he hears us come into the room, he runs up to the glass (probably waiting for food) and seems happy to hear us, just doesn't like the 'the big hand' coming towards him.

I think it's just a case of persevering at the moment, but can see your dilema with the biting thing.

 

[joshjtd]

Steve,

In your video, if I am not mistaken, I could hear a cat meowing in the back ground. Does the cat ever sit and eye your beardie through the glass? I had a bit of an agression problem with one of mine that I found out was caused by my husky always eyeing my dragons. Apparently the dragon thought I was going to grow it to be a dog treat.

Long story short, I took a gate and made it so the dog wasn't in the dragons view all the time and total attitude adjustment.

 

[Freeie]

I watched the video. That little guy if he bit you shouldnt even hurt. I think those bright yellow gloved hands are scaring the crap out of that little guy. If you came at me with those gloves id bite the heck out of you too and run. I wouldnt use those anymore i think your doing more harm than good. To be honest some beardies are just skiddish when young. He looks young. Our Bobble at 2 months had a tude he would open his little mouth at me like he was going to bite it was all show i just scooped him up slowly from below and held him for a while petting him i alos used the treat method. Every time i put my hand in there i had a cricket or a small wax worm(like a candy bar to us) he learned my hand was for good and not bad a month or so of this and hes a sweetie pie. I fostered a adult male who had issues wth anyones hand in his viv he would bite me every time i touched something. Took me a month of working with him every day several times and he stopped biting me. It takes alot of time and care to tame the ones who are scared.

 

[shelley101]

Just an update really. We are making the effort of getting peanut out of his viv a couple of times a day for a short time. He still runs away whenever you put your hand in, but hoping in time he will realise that we are not trying to eat him. I have read in a few places that you should 'bath' your beardie, is this something you should do?? I have a water bowl in his viv which we top up with fresh water twice a day, is this enough or should we be getting him out and bathing him?

 

[beardie4127]

Just an update really. We are making the effort of getting peanut out of his viv a couple of times a day for a short time. He still runs away whenever you put your hand in, but hoping in time he will realise that we are not trying to eat him. I have read in a few places that you should 'bath' your beardie, is this something you should do?? I have a water bowl in his viv which we top up with fresh water twice a day, is this enough or should we be getting him out and bathing him?

I bathe mine 2 times a week (at least)
I just put water once a day but you should keep him hydrated by misting his veggies too
Mabye you should try opening the tank and just stand there watching him, thats how speed got used to me!
Now look at him:

 

[Crx]

Steve,

In your video, if I am not mistaken, I could hear a cat meowing in the back ground. Does the cat ever sit and eye your beardie through the glass? I had a bit of an agression problem with one of mine that I found out was caused by my husky always eyeing my dragons. Apparently the dragon thought I was going to grow it to be a dog treat.

Long story short, I took a gate and made it so the dog wasn't in the dragons view all the time and total attitude adjustment.

Yes i have a cat, though it's rare he's allowed in my room. He was outside the door meowing to get in lol.

watched the video. That little guy if he bit you shouldnt even hurt. I think those bright yellow gloved hands are scaring the crap out of that little guy. If you came at me with those gloves id bite the heck out of you too and run. I wouldnt use those anymore i think your doing more harm than good. To be honest some beardies are just skiddish when young. He looks young. Our Bobble at 2 months had a tude he would open his little mouth at me like he was going to bite it was all show i just scooped him up slowly from below and held him for a while petting him i alos used the treat method. Every time i put my hand in there i had a cricket or a small wax worm(like a candy bar to us) he learned my hand was for good and not bad a month or so of this and hes a sweetie pie. I fostered a adult male who had issues wth anyones hand in his viv he would bite me every time i touched something. Took me a month of working with him every day several times and he stopped biting me. It takes alot of time and care to tame the ones who are scared.

It did. Drew blood from me and it made me that jump i ended up putting my elbow through his glass door also lol. Luckily theres a local 24 hour glass service here, so was able to get a new door within a couple of hours lol. Won't make that mistake again!!

I'm able to get in his tank if i take like 10 minutes of very slow movement with him. I'm trying the food technique at the moment where everytime i put my hand in, it has food. If he tries to bite I come away and leave him for 24 hours without food. Then i'll revisit him the next day with food in my hand. This does seem to have some effect, though i can't help but feel bad for him, because he's just scared.

As we speak he's at the glass looking at me puffed lol *SIGH*.

Females doing well. Shedding yet again!! We shut my cat out in the conservatory earlier and let puff run about the front room, once she clocked the cat, she spent the whole time trying to get my cat through the glass which was amusing! Doing this so we can slowly introduce them and hopefully have no issues with letting the beardie out with the cat around as long as were in the room.

Does anyone elses beardie have a thing for digging? Mine do it tons lol. Also my mum made the mistake of visiting today while puff was out, she sat wiggling her toes as normal and had to lift suddenly when puff tore accross the front room after them lol!

 

[shelley101]

Just an update really. We are making the effort of getting peanut out of his viv a couple of times a day for a short time. He still runs away whenever you put your hand in, but hoping in time he will realise that we are not trying to eat him. I have read in a few places that you should 'bath' your beardie, is this something you should do?? I have a water bowl in his viv which we top up with fresh water twice a day, is this enough or should we be getting him out and bathing him?

I bathe mine 2 times a week (at least)
I just put water once a day but you should keep him hydrated by misting his veggies too
Mabye you should try opening the tank and just stand there watching him, thats how speed got used to me!
Now look at him:

Ah, Speed looks really happy. I know this is a stupid question, but how do you bath him? do you fill the bath up with a small bit of water and let him paddle? What temperature do you have the water?

 

[Crx]

Here's the 2 images from where we introduced my Cat and Beardie. Clearly my beardie wants at my cat!!