How do I get my new beardie to like me?

[Jodi]

How do I get my new beardie to like me?

 

[jjh1]

How do I get my new beardie to like me?

How long have you had your beardie?
What age is your beardie?

If they are babies and adults they need to take time to adjust to you just be patient talk to them try to pet them in their cage.
You can try to hold them at sleepy time thats the best time.
Put a t-shirt that you have worn all day in the viv so they get to know your scent.
It basically takes time.
They might hiss they might bit but you need not be scared just be patient and keep trying.

 

[gambit168]

try hand feeding your beardie, you can just use your hand or a tweezer if you're not comfortable holding a live feeder. it will teach your beardie that you are not there to harm him/her, and it'll get comfortable with you in no time.

 

[mikimom07]

I had the same question! Great advice and will be trying the t-shirt idea! I tried hand feeding but they won't take any food from me yet

 

[GDP]

Ive yet to have a problem with my baby I got from petsmart. I think the key is just not show fear as they can probably sense it, which makes them more nervous and likely to bite or whatever. But yeah just gotta keep handling em. Eventually they will calm down. Actually I think its more along the lines of training the handler then the pet. lol.

 

[Jodi]

They told me he was 4-6mths old. He doesnt hiss at me and he will eat out of my hand. Ive had him for about 6 days now. Its just when I pick him up, after about 1 minute he always tries to run out of my hand and kinda puffs his beard a bit.

 

[Goonie]

[Moved from General to Behavior]

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They told me he was 4-6mths old. He doesnt hiss at me and he will eat out of my hand. Ive had him for about 6 days now. Its just when I pick him up, after about 1 minute he always tries to run out of my hand and kinda puffs his beard a bit.

Perfectly normal. Babies don't sit still for very long; they're always on the move, exploring everything around them. They also will test how much dominance they can have over you, thus the beard poofs.
Just don't give in and let him have his way. Repetition is key :wink:

 

[GDP]

heh yeah its funny with mine. He will try to escape from my stomach and I use my hand to block him. He nudges my hand repeatedly and tries to clim over. I only remove my hand when he stops. But yeah my point is thats how they will learn. And yeah its normal for them to try to run off as babies. It wont be till they get older do they calm down to the point you can fall asleep with them on you. Which ive done with my old beardies on accident lol.

[Moved from General to Behavior]

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They told me he was 4-6mths old. He doesnt hiss at me and he will eat out of my hand. Ive had him for about 6 days now. Its just when I pick him up, after about 1 minute he always tries to run out of my hand and kinda puffs his beard a bit.

Perfectly normal. Babies don't sit still for very long; they're always on the move, exploring everything around them. They also will test how much dominance they can have over you, thus the beard poofs.
Just don't give in and let him have his way. Repetition is key :wink:

 

[tattykassy]

When we get new baby beardies at the store I start by holding them, they usually run like crazy to get away but you be persistant and when you catch them, hold them gently and pet them and when you put them in a bath you pet them and talk to them. It usually takes about 2 or 3 weeks before I can pick them up without them running, and then I usually put them on my chest and let them hang out while I clean the back room. If they puff up their beard, I usually rub their beard and talk to them and it goes down and they settle down. Eventually they learn puffing their beard isn't going to get me to put them down. I hand feed them their treats every day, and make sure to have some sort of interaction with each of them seperately every day.
After about a month and a half of this, they are pretty friendly. Its nice because when people come to buy them they get to hold each one and figure out what one they want and it usually becomes a tough decision for them because they're all equally friendly. Even the kids get the chance to pet one and hold one without being scared.
Just being persistant works I think, they never start off being friendly it takes some time of them being with people and realizing people arn't going to hurt them before they warm up to you.
Thats just my experience though, when I got my beardie from the store he was already friendly and enjoyed being held, but I have a feeling it had to do with the employee's holding him alot from the beginning also.

 

[Jodi]

I wish I could of talked to you before tatty kassy. I just got my beardie from a pet store in sherwood park. I would'come to your store. They seemed like I was bugging them asking to hold everyone. Whats it called?

 

[tattykassy]

What was the name of the store you went to in Sherwood Park?
I work at PetPro's in Leduc, the manager and myself pay close attention to our beardies as we both have one and tend to dote on them more then the other animals that we carry. I'm sad and happy to say that we've sold out of our beardies though, we sold the last one yesterday. Its always bittersweet, I even brought my extra hammock from home yesterday so they had somewhere else to hang out but I guess I was too late. I know the person that bought it though so I know its going to be taken care of well.
Hopefully we will get some more soon though, we're out of Firebelly toads and don't have alot of gecko's and treefrogs left so we are due for another order.

 

[tattykassy]

Actually come to think of it, you probably went to our sister store in Sherwood Park, right?
I don't know the employee's very well, but I've heard from other customers about that store.
Anywhere you go, it has alot to do with the people working there. When I started working here, they fed their beardies mealworms because it was "easier to clean up after" and didn't really spend alot of time with them. The manager cared for them as much as she could, but was often busy with other tasks and let the employees look after them.
Once I became interested in them, I started researching about them and found this site. It wasn't too long until I had my own beardie, and started making some changes at the store reguarding their care. I made it my personal mission to make sure that when I worked, they had a clean enclosure and were fed the right food. They no longer feed them mealworms and no longer complain that they have to clean the enclosure more often then they'd like, because I generally do it. They never used to bath them, and now the other employees look forward to doing it because you get some interaction time with the animals (our owner generally doesn't like it when we spend time with the animals) so it gives them an excuse to do so.
Unfortunately, people that work at petstores don't really get any training in reguards to how to look after animals, they are sort of expected to do the research on their own. Its a shame because alot of people put their trust in the people that work there to know what they're talking about, and most times they just make up stuff to try and sound smart. Luckily we have some pretty good people working where I work, and most of the keyholders each have their own forte'. If someone comes in wanting to know about rabbits, I know which person to refer them too. If people come in wanting to know about fish or reptiles, they generally send them my way. Its better to be honest about what you know rather then making things up.

 

[Jodi]

Ya I should've come to your store. They just seemed annoyed I was asking so many questions. But what do they expect? Thats their job. But back to what you said before, you said when they puff up their beards you said you rub under their chin. Im kinda afraid to do that Im scared hes gonna bite me. His head is at least the size of a twoonie. He seems really peed off today. Hes shedding tho. Do they normally get grouchy when they are shedding?

 

[tattykassy]

I've been told that they get grouchy when they are shedding, but I have been lucky personally that none of the ones I have interacted with are grumpy when they are shedding. My dragon is pretty relaxed most of the time, so even if he is shedding he is pretty calm. I do make sure he gets his bath every day though when he is shedding, it gets all the skin off alot easier and it makes him more comfortable.
The ones at the store we usually get at about 2 months old, so pretty young. The first few weeks after they arrive, they can be a bit fiesty, but I have never had one bite me. They usually either run or stand their ground and puff up their cute little beards. But usually they keep their mouths closed when they do it, so I just reach in and rub their beard and talk to them a bit, usually "Hey Mr.Man who do you think you are? you think your bigger then me?" Just remind yourself that they are babies and your gigantic and even if they do take a snap at you, it won't hurt that much. I've noticed that when I coach other employees on how to handle them, that if one puffs and they pull their hand back that beardie will puff more often. I think the people here are correct that they are not dumb and if they see you retreat when they puff they will think they have the upper hand. In the wild, when they puff up and another dragon retreats, they think they're tuff stuff. You just can't give in to that. Otherwise they learn that they can get away with it.
If a puppy bites you, and you give in to that, he will grow up to learn that biting gets him what he wants.
Same sort of idea with these guys. If your really afraid, wait until the morning before he has his lights on and try and hold him then, or at night time. Those times they are sleepy and slow, they are the most docile then.
Just have confidence in yourself and remember that you are getting to know each other and your much bigger then him, I think you'd have the upper hand in a fight and I think he knows that too.

 

[Jodi]

Hes never tried to bite its just when he puffs up I know I shouldnt put him back down but its hard to hold on to him cuz he just tries to get out of my hands. So I have to keep putting one hand in front of the other so he wont fall. But he really wants to go so its hard to hold on to him. It feels like Im freaking him out more.