made progress bonding Now going backwards

[kissrocks4ever]

I got my beardie a month ago. In 2 weeks he'd let me pet him and sometimes let me take him out. He loved to run on my bed then right off it :O I thought it was cause he's about 3 months old but I found on YouTube a beardie about the same age sits on the person's bed do mine is not tamed enough. Boo. Now he going backwards. Today I tried taking him out( thought he loved a petting before breakfast) and he ran to the back wall, scratched it and ran to the other side of the tank. so now gotta start all over.or is it too late? What to do?

 

[Gail]

You aren't doing enough to tame him. You need to take him out multiple times a day for a few minutes at a time, even if he doesn't like it. Talking to him and a occasional pet isn't going to teach him you aren't a threat.
Reach in, pick him up and proceed to touch him all over his body. He won't like it, he may fight or even puff his beard, just ignore it and continue loving him. Once he has settled down and calm you can put him back in the cage. Never, ever put him back when he is acting up, it will teach him he can get his way by being naughty.
You can also sit in your bathtub and let him run around on you, its a safe place to keep him contained. Try handfeeding too, he needs to learn hands are good things.

 

[SDragon]

really don't worry, the tameness of your lizard isn't defined by a single incident, he may well have been caught by surprise, it isn't too late and it might account for nothing. Each lizard is individual so don't judge him based on a video.

If he continues to seem stressed, review how you interact, be slow and deliberate and don't approach him from above. Get him used to your presence. At some point you will need to pick him up but work up to it with gentle interaction first, show him you are not a threat, don't act like a threat.

If he is stressed by handling them do not do it repeatedly every day, it. Is far too much and a poor suggestion imo. Ultimately he is a unique creature you have to respect and work partly on his terms, especially this early on.

 

[Gail]

SDragon, seems like you are a bit paranoid about stress. Sure, you don't want to overly stress a dragon but daily handling shouldn't stress a dragon, at least not to a point its something to worry about.

Just because a dragon is unhappy, doesn't mean its stressed. Would you rather have the OP make his dragon a bit unhappy now or wait until its a untame adult thats near impossible to work with? Have you ever tried to tame a adult thats had minimal handling as a baby? I have and it not fun for the dragon or the human.

A dragon is like any other animal, it needs handling to learn people are safe.

 

[Esther19]

I agree with Gail. Daily handling is essential.

 

[kissrocks4ever]

You aren't doing enough to tame him. You need to take him out multiple times a day for a few minutes at a time, even if he doesn't like it. Talking to him and a occasional pet isn't going to teach him you aren't a threat.
Reach in, pick him up and proceed to touch him all over his body. He won't like it, he may fight or even puff his beard, just ignore it and continue loving him. Once he has settled down and calm you can put him back in the cage. Never, ever put him back when he is acting up, it will teach him he can get his way by being naughty.
You can also sit in your bathtub and let him run around on you, its a safe place to keep him contained. Try handfeeding too, he needs to learn hands are good things.

Thx. I only take him out 2-3 times and not for more than 10 minutes. Took him out for a half hour. He was squirmy. Will take him out when it's his bedtime for awhile. Then the same every day...every two hours at least.

 

[Gail]

Most babies are squirmy and love to run off to explore. Thats why its important to have a safe beardie proof area. A bedroom or bathroom works well though I know hanging out in the bathroom isn't the funnest thing.
He'll come around soon but don't feel discouraged when he does run off, some babies are just more active and don't like to sit still.