i'm scared of my dragon

[Nattyklis]

i can't pick him up, every time he moves i jump which isn't good for him. i ended up pushing him onto a lid and then into the water for a bath. its the same for crickets, got a system now where i don't freak out to feed him crickets. how do i get over this?

 

[kmutter27]

First off, try to relax. Don't pick your dragon up until you can be calm. Dragons can tell when your scared, nervous or what else you might call it. Your energy can be transferred to the dragon. Example, when you're scared, so is your dragon. So just try to touch your bearded dragon's back for a little. See how your bearded dragon reacts. Then move onto touching the top of the head and see how you and your dragon react. So you and your dragon can learn to trust one another. Slowly, then try to pick up your dragon. Now I wouldn't recommend doing all of this all in one day. You just have to work on it. When you get to hold your dragon, you don't have to force them to stay on you but you can run your hands one after another so that it can move across your hands..
But just take it slow and learn to trust your bearded dragon and remember to relax It takes time.

As for the crickets, you just get used to it. You can use the big tweezers they make to pick up insects as well.

 

[Nattyklis]

thats what happens when i touch him. his back flattens and his eyes close. how do you even pick them up properly. half the reason is i don't want to hurt him by picking him up wrong.

 

[twinmommy]

That's OK. Maybe he is just relaxing, maybe you petting his back feels good. Just gently slide your fingers under him from the side. He's little so its not too hard to make sure all 4 limbs are supported. Wrap him in a towel and relax back in a chair. Put him wrapped up on your belly. Then just gently stroke him. He will probably fall asleep.
talk to him a lot in his viv. I always tell my Legs, "hey pretty girl, mommy is gonna get you!" She will look up at me so she knows my hand is coming near. I just slide one hand under her belly from the side and keep cooing at her. She runs all over me now. I was skiddish at first but I saw her black beard my mom once (I know how she felt --I'm 37 and I wish I could black beard her too, sometimes! Lol) she has never done that to my husband or my 3 kids. My 4 yo daughter is Legs best friend! After I saw that I calmed down because I figured if she was mad at something, she WOUld let me know!
Just take your time and remember to be calm. When I worked in the ER I quickly learned that panic is catching. If she senses your stress, she is apt to be stressed too.
good luck to you. With that pretty little baby, I bet she will have your heartstrings in no time!

 

[Nattyklis]

lol thanks she/he is very pretty, thats why i spent the extra money. don't know what morph or anything. i'll try to stay calm next time. i'm skittish of little animals. i always got bit by little animals while every dog and cat i met loves to be around me. I thought it was bad when they flatten their back like that.

 

[kmutter27]

Yeah just support all limbs and hold near your body blankets/towels can be very comforting to bearded dragons. you'll get the hang of it. I was worried too when I got my bearded dragon but it just takes time. Now I hold him and he rides on my shoulder. And he hangs onto my shirts

& your bearded dragon is beautiful

 

[Nattyklis]

thank you. he is very pretty. wish i knew the morph. i'll try tomorrow to just pet and maybe the day after we'll try another bath and i'll actually pick him up

 

[Nattyklis]

My boyfriend finally picked him up and put him in my hands. He's fallen asleep now under my boob.

 

[Momswims1]

Hi. Rebecca here. I have little Leatherbacks just like that. I got them when they were just two and a half weeks old. Don't be afraid of the little beardie. It justs wants love. They crave attention and cuddles. I was glad to hear she fell asleep on your tummy. That is a great start. Try rubbing her gently between the eyes and under the beard. They love that. Also try hand feeding. She is so small right now, there is no way she can hurt you, even if she did bite you , which would only be by accident anyway.
Talk to her as much as you can and she will learn your voice. Eventually she will learn to walk up onto your hand when you reach for her. If not, do like the previous person said and gently pick her up with her legs supported. Hold her close. You two will be in love with each other in no time.
They also love to cuddle up under your hair or in your neck because it is soft and warm. Try putting something of yours that smells like you in her tank so she has that comfort.
She is SO cute. A real beauty.

 

[Nattyklis]

i'm just proud that i finally got brave and picked him/her up to put him back in the cage. he wasn't happy about that. i think i should be ok now that i actually picked him up once on my own and figured up that the trying to climb up the walls of the tank was apperently him wanting to be picked up. however being in the hair may not be ok. i have really curly hair and i don't want his feet to get stuck in the curls.

 

[jessLrds99]

Run and save your life!

 

[Nattyklis]

Oh yeah his scary all right

 

[morphmom]

Ok! I have new info! Myah bit me today! :shock: LOL! It was my fault. I'm training her to eat from my hand. (trust exercise. :wink: ) Well, she was so excited to get her squash and raspberries that she latched on to my finger. Hard! LOL! She ruffed up a few layers of skin and there was a tiny drop of blood but I can honestly say it wasn't bad at all. I even continued the hand feeding.The pain was about the same as plucking your eyebrows! :lol: I kinna felt bad for her. She looked up at me all wide eyed like 'mom! I don't know how this got in my mouth! :shock: ) So, I can now say I know what it feels like. We'll continue the hand feeding, it was very obvious that it was an oopsy.

 

[trinity040400]

:laughhard: :laughhard: :laughhard: Its so small and your scared of it? :laughhard: :laughhard: :laughhard:
Ahem, Dont worry I was really scared or my first beardie too. It has been 2 year and he has just started to let me pick him up.

 

[Nattyklis]

That's rude. Im quite offended. You laugh at me when you were scared of your first one to. Thought this was for people to help and want help not to laugh at people