Cartmen just hates us!

[rexiiren]

So, I have never in my life as a bearded dragon mommy had one be so aggressive and entirely unreceptive to human or beardie contact. I've had Cartman (well named for his attitude and he's a little 'big boned') since he was itty itty bitty, actually bought him the same day he came to the local petstore. Eight months later he is absolutely the meanest bugger ever. We've handled him since he was a baby and still he just wants to attack us. He eats plenty- crickets, beardie food, fresh greens and the weekly fruity treat. His tank is never below 75 except in winter. We change his UVB monthly and go through repti carpets like crazy. I just am so lost as what to do! Please give me some advice. We love him, but he just doesn't love us

 

[Melody12]

Have you tried giving him something of yours into the tank? Like an old shirt with your scent on it? Maybe try to limit his interaction with many people. He could be stressed or something is causing him to become aggressive.

 

[rexiiren]

Have you tried giving him something of yours into the tank? Like an old shirt with your scent on it? Maybe try to limit his interaction with many people. He could be stressed or something is causing him to become aggressive.

I haven't put anything in his tank with our scent, but the only people who even attempt to handle him are just me and my husband. We do have quite a bit of traffic through the house sometimes, but antagonizing the dragons is prohibited. I just don't know what we are doing wrong. We tried having them in their own room, but Cartman was still very aggressive so we thought moving him in our living room with our very lovable dragon, Chimera, would help, but it hasn't. I feel very lost.

 

[w0554096]

Hello,
Could you describe his behaviors and reactions to you and your husband?

Can you also go over your set up and feedings with us so that we can see if something may be making him grumpy?
Has he had a fecal done recently?

 

[rexiiren]

Hello,
Could you describe his behaviors and reactions to you and your husband?

Can you also go over your set up and feedings with us so that we can see if something may be making him grumpy?
Has he had a fecal done recently?

We have a very good vet and yes all of our dragons get regular check ups to ensure none of them have parasites or ailments. He's still relatively small, about 8-9 inches nose to tail. He's in a wide 30 gallon tank with repti carpet, large piece of drift wood, medium rock house, small food bowl and a medium water bowl that he likes to soak in. Everything is cleaned weekly with a mild bleach/water combo. In the morning his food dish is filled with dragon pellets and fresh shredded kale or another leafy green. In the afternoon he gets calcium dusted crickets, occasionally he gets a pinkie. Weekly he gets a fruity treat.
Edit: Cartman's reaction/behavior to us is even when he sees us coming to the cage he attacks us through the glass, reaching in he will jump at us and try to bite, and once we have a hold of him his mouth is open the whole time while whipping his tail around and trying to get away. We are just so sad because we haven't done anything different from our other dragons and he is just incredibly aggressive which is very unlike the dragon breed. I'm starting to wonder if I just happened to purchase a baby who has aggressive streaks in his genes.

 

[w0554096]

Well you're definately taking very good care of him, though he is quite tiny for an 8-9 month old.
What kind of UVB/basking bulbs does he have? What are his temps?


He sounds to be extremely aggressive, going right on the attack. You're right that it's not common behavior. In fact most dragons that show aggression is frequently only when the owner has put their hand in the tank. It sounds like he gets aggressive as soon as he sees you coming.
For now you can certainly try putting an article of clothing with your scent on it in his tank. I'm not sure that it'll do any good at this point, as he's getting aggressive before your scent even reaches him. Won't hurt to try it though.
You can also try blocking off his view for a while, so that he can't get so worked up before you even get close to him.
This is puzzling. I will see what else I can find.

 

[blue11]

just a thought ...

have you ever picked him up regardless of his behavior ... and held up him gently but firmly up against your chest?
if you need to use gloves, use gloves. i might have missed that somewhere when i was reading your post.
it *seems* like you can sometimes redirect aggresive behavior by simply not allowing it to happen if you have the time or youre not too apprehensive to work on it.
remember, you're the one in control, but he is now pretty much controlling you. you can close his mouth, just shut it and hold it, like hahahaha no way Cartmen, no way.
and hold his tail still too. see if he stops fighting and resisting, until he tires out and calms down. he will tire out.
god, i know that must be so frustrating, escpecially since you raised him yourself!

you are right, some dragons just are aggressive in behavior, as some are chill, some are active, some are still, some are personable, some are curious, and some would just rather be alone, some thrive on being around people, and some are just NUTS ... it takes all kinds to make the dragon world go round.
generally though, it seems this kind of behavior comes out when the dragon is abused/provoked/neglected and scared (which Cartmen is NOT!!!) so i know this must be really difficult to deal with.

If you can, or if you havent already, try the holding method, consistently an d persistently. You dont wanna stress him out by doing this, BUT, Cartmen sounds like he is already really high strung, so the holding might eventually yield the opposite result, and calm him down. i would recommend the hand in the tank method, but sounds like he is going to go right for it to bite!!!

i wish i could be more helpful, but let me know your thoughts on this.
i remember when Blue was a baby, she would open her mouth at my hand, and i would just close her mouth, like, NOPE, and work slowly with her, she has become the most chill dragon ive ever encountered

If he sees Chimera, that can be a trigger to be on guard and aggressive. Chimera seems like a sweetheart. It seems like you have tried alot as far as placement of the tank and such, i would try not placing him to where he can see Chimera.
My dragons have their own rooms, but i know you have tried that as well.

 

[Lenewen]

My little stinker, Ella, was a biter as a baby. She was the meanest bearded on the block. So mean, in fact, my breeder friend and I traded dragons. I took Ella because though my friend has more experience than me, she just couldn't deal with her. And I gave her my Stella (around the same age) who was sickly but sweet and needed extra attention I didnt have time for.

It's been a year and I have fully rehabilitated Ella. You can't take their crap. Just take them out of the enclosure (gloves are a great idea but I never used them) and hold them against you for a couple hours. Wrap him/her in a blanket. Put him/her on your lap at night while you watch TV. Without contact on a constant basis, he will control you and he won't ever behave.

Ella is now my loving dragon, though still standoffish with strangers. She is an EXCELLENT breeder and with her leatherback genes, I am super excited for her eggs to hatch. We have a few weeks to go on that.

I have owned too many reptiles to count and there is a generally accepted label for aggressive lizards known as "hot female". I don't know if yours is a boy or a girl but if it's a girl and the temperature during incubation was too high, she will likely have an aggressive nature. There is nothing you can do except give up and give her to someone else or bite the bullet and force her to be around you more so she stops being aggressive towards you. Ella was so bad, she would hiss at my boyfriend. She is not that way anymore but it took constant handling and we had to laugh off more than one nipped finger. It also helped putting my alpha male Georgie in with her for a few days to kick her into shape and, of course, fertilize her

 

[XiDiS]

Over 8 months old and only 8-9"? Wow thats a lil small isnt it?

 

[Lenewen]

He's still relatively small, about 8-9 inches nose to tail.

Are you measuring the full length of the tail in this? Or just to the base of the tail from the snout?