Cranky..

[coastergirl946]

Curt (my boyfriend's dragon) is usually a good little boy. He's about 3 years old, and doesn't mind being held.
Last night, we gave him a bath because he hadn't pooed in about a week and a half and was ignoring his crickets. No poo.
Everything was fine until he suddenly lashed out when we took him out of the bath, he became very upset, tail whipping, scratching, puffing his beard. Normally he will lay there on my hand and just chill out. Last night he struggled to get off my hand, and when I finally got him calmed down a little, he dug his claws into my hands so hard that I have bloody scratches that still sting. I nearly dropped him because he was hurting me so badly. We put him back in his viv, and he had a fully black beard complete with spikes for over an hour, and he still ignored his crix. He does hate water, but this is insane. We have tried to be patient and kind with him, but this behavior of his has gotten me having second thoughts about ever wanting a dragon of my own.. I am afraid to handle him again. There has been no recent change in his setup, but the temperature here in Ohio recently dropped to a bitter cold, and I don't know if it is him sensing the weather change.

How do you guys deal with things like this when it happens? I don't want to be turned away from beardies because of this, but last night was not fun in the least.

 

[Beardednoob]

First off I am going to point out something that is very obvious, please don't take offense as I am not trying to insult you in any way.
He is a pet. :wink:
When is the last time you put your cat in the bath? LOL fun stuff right. I am relating the 2 because some cats will actually enjoy a bath. Right? Well some dragons may not enjoy a bath in the same manner. I don't think my dragons ever generally like bath time, they splash and try like crazy to get out at first then, I will comfort them for a minute, then all they do is sit there with the stare. Like "if I was big enough, boy I whoop yo A!" LOL Seriously though, if he is eating his greens very well then you could get away with spritzing him daily and giving baths less frequently. Another alternative is dragon treats they are nutritious with a high moisture percentage. Being 3 years of age he is most likely set in his ways too. As to you getting you own dragon, as I said before every dragon has their own unique personality and character. Some of that as like with a child, is from how they have been raised. There are prime learning periods in all thinking creatures. These times are what is gonna be the building blocks to who the child or in your case dragon will grow up to be.

One question though, he is old enough to brumate, is he sleeping more? trying to hide? eating less? pooping less?

 

[coastergirl946]

is he sleeping more? trying to hide? eating less? pooping less?

The answer to all four is yes. He's about 3 years old too. I'm pretty sure he's brumating. We gave him the bath with belly rub just in case he needed to poo (thankfully he wasn't impacted again).
I know you weren't trying to be insulting. I have just never seen him like that after a bath before and it kind of surprised me a bit.. maybe he was just throwing a tantrum. :lol:

 

[Buggsy]

They can get grumpy if you wake them up and they want to sleep. When was the last time he ate anything??

Just to be sure its brumination and nothing more sinister now is a good time for an anual check up, with a fecal test.