How do i get my beardie use to being picked up?

[Hammy]

Ive had my beardie about a month now and im not able to pick him up to bathe him or anything. If i put my hand in the enclosure he freaks out and goes crazy. I dont do it often because i dont want to stress him as it took me a while to gethm eating regularly. Anyone have any tips? Thanks!

 

[Ofthelime]

How do you pick him up? He should be used to you by now but you may pick him up wrong.

 

[CooperDragon]

Try holding him in the evening just before or right after lights out. He's likely to be tired and not give up much fight. If you hold him in the evenings for a while he'll likely get more used to you being safe and will tolerate handling a bit better during the day. Be patient with it, it can take time.

 

[Esther19]

Approaching him from directly overhead may be scaring him. (Think bird coming to eat him.) Try to let him see your hand while you approach him from the side and scoop him up from under his belly.
Talking calmly while doing so will probably help, too. Once you pick him up, talk to him face to face. That has helped my dragons get used to me. One of my girls opens her mouth like she is trying to talk. Seriously.

 

[Hammy]

Ive tried coming in from the side and front but as soon as he sees my hand he will run to the other side of his enclosure and try to climb the walls. I cant get my hand anywhere near him without him running away and going crazy. It hasnt gotten any better since i brought him home.

 

[Taterbug]

Some need more patience than others. Will he respond to food? A technique some folks use on other lizards is to lure them out with food, then eventually on the hand etc.

 

[Hammy]

He will occasionally snatch a meal worm from my hanf but thats only if i dangle it in front of him. He never walks towards me or anything.

 

[Ofthelime]

Are there other residents of your home who may be bothering him?

 

[Hammy]

No one in my house go near him unless im home and they know not to try and pick him up or anything. He was the same way in the pet store when i bought him. They had to take everything out of the enclosure just so they could get a hold of him to take him out.

 

[Hammy]

Thanks! That might work. Ill start that this week. Also didnt realize i double posted so my apologizes.

 

[Ofthelime]

Was he perhaps a rescue? Or maybe the people at the store didn't pick him up right.

 

[Hammy]

I dont think he was a rescue,he was only a baby when i got him. But im not 100% sure,anythings possible i guess. They just couldnt get a hold of him,he would run behind anything he could find to get away from them.

 

[Ofthelime]

Ya he may have just had a bad experience at one point. He should warm up eventually though.

 

[NattyB]

Yeah I agree - probably just a bad encounter with a human.

The more you interact the more they will trust. My Mick is a year old now (i got her at 6 weeks) She doesn't care about anything now. Except planes - she runs away thinking its a big bird

 

[SIZEMICT]

It took me about 2 months before Russell settled in. I had caught him free roaming outside. Be patient. Feeding and cleaning the tank will get him used to you. Sitting in front of the tank regularly will also get him used to your presence. I did watch some videos on YouTube for taming your dragon. After watching a few I just did whatever felt right. Patience is key. I remember wondering if he would ever be tame. 2 months seemed like forever when I was taming him. Now it didn't seem like that long. I enjoy the time I spend with him out roaming around more than I could have imagined. Also after I was able to handle Russell I started letting him roam in the bathroom so it would be easier to contain him. Now he has free roam of the bead room when he is out.

Don't stress or give up it is worth the wait.