Hi i'm new to this forum as well as being a new beardie owner
i have had my male bearded dragon Alfie for nearly a month and a half now. (hes around 9-10 months old) i have seen some great improvement with his behaviour (he eats amazingly although i still find i hard to encourage him to eat his veggies). I have noticed that in the mornings he is very stressed and irritable, if i try to pet him or feed him he puffs up , is this normal?
when he is in a decent mood in the evening i gently take him out and place him on my bed for exploring. at first he seemed to handel this quite well. i would be able to place him on my chest and he would walk around my bed. but now as soon as i take him out he tries to get back in his terrarium. and refuses to be held too. Does anyone have any advice on how i can make Alfie feel more safe and secure outside the terrarium, and ways i might be able to stop the black beard? :? Am i doing something wrong? he may be a fuss but i do really love him.
Try to make being outside a positive experience. Give him his bugs outside the terrarium, and offer treats like fruit when you pick him up for handling.
If he doesn't like being petted yet, don't force the issue. It sounds like he might be in his adolescent phase, or "grumpy teenager" stage. Just keep loving him! He'll come around.