I've posted about this issue before, however I've taken a few suggested measures from my previous post.
I have a young male bearded whose age I do not know, but he is about 8 inchs long, but not very thick.
I've had him for about a two months now, and while he's settled into his habitat, he still hasn't seem to come to terms with being handled.
Before I got him I put in extensive research about Beardeds, and it said they are a type of lizard who do not mind handling, and are rather affectionate.
My beardy doesn't seem to be that way.
When I put my hand in the cage he tenses, and will back up or run away from my hand, I usually approach him from the front hoping he will crawl into my hand, if that doesn't work i usually pick him up from the side.
When I am actually holding him he doesn't relax no matter what way I hold him. He tries to get away and has even jumped from my hands several times, this always worries me because there are things he could easily get under and I wouldn't be able to grab him there.
He has even puffed up and opened his mouth at me when I've tried to pick him up once in a threatening display.
I've followed the suggestions of poster's before but they don't seem to be making a difference.
I've put in a shirt that I have worn that is covered in my scent in his cage in hope's it will get him use to the way I smell, but it doesn't seem to be working.
I've also tried getting him to associate handling with food by holding him and feeding him with tweezers.
I've also been softly talking to him while holding him, doesn't seem to help and sometimes seems to make it worse...
When I hold him I usually stroke him down his back, since most animals find petting comforting, when I do this I use the pad of one finger very lightly.
Nothing really seems to be working...
Could this be because he's young and is still very hyper, territorial, alert, and still unaccustomed to things?
What could be causing this, and what can I do to make him stop wanting to run away from me when I handle him?
Am I doomed to have a unaffectionate beardy who doesn't like being handled?
I have a young male bearded whose age I do not know, but he is about 8 inchs long, but not very thick.
I've had him for about a two months now, and while he's settled into his habitat, he still hasn't seem to come to terms with being handled.
Before I got him I put in extensive research about Beardeds, and it said they are a type of lizard who do not mind handling, and are rather affectionate.
My beardy doesn't seem to be that way.
When I put my hand in the cage he tenses, and will back up or run away from my hand, I usually approach him from the front hoping he will crawl into my hand, if that doesn't work i usually pick him up from the side.
When I am actually holding him he doesn't relax no matter what way I hold him. He tries to get away and has even jumped from my hands several times, this always worries me because there are things he could easily get under and I wouldn't be able to grab him there.
He has even puffed up and opened his mouth at me when I've tried to pick him up once in a threatening display.
I've followed the suggestions of poster's before but they don't seem to be making a difference.
I've put in a shirt that I have worn that is covered in my scent in his cage in hope's it will get him use to the way I smell, but it doesn't seem to be working.
I've also tried getting him to associate handling with food by holding him and feeding him with tweezers.
I've also been softly talking to him while holding him, doesn't seem to help and sometimes seems to make it worse...
When I hold him I usually stroke him down his back, since most animals find petting comforting, when I do this I use the pad of one finger very lightly.
Nothing really seems to be working...
Could this be because he's young and is still very hyper, territorial, alert, and still unaccustomed to things?
What could be causing this, and what can I do to make him stop wanting to run away from me when I handle him?
Am I doomed to have a unaffectionate beardy who doesn't like being handled?
