My dragon runs away when I try to pick him up! :(

[Nikkivsthesea]

I just got him two days ago. I adopted him at 8 months old. His previous owners said he's very very friendly and loves everyone. Every time I try to pick him up, he just runs away from me! Everything in his tank is still the same (organized a little differently, maybe) and it's the same tank. It's not a tank with side doors, so I do have to go in from above, but I do my best to try and scoop him up from the sides of his belly.

UPDATE: OH, I did change his substrate. His previous owners used sand and some type of pellets, which I switched to lizard carpet.

Help! Is he just stressed with a new home? I really want to handle him a lot to ensure he's friendly.

I have a Reptisun UVB + 100w, a Flukers night time 100w bulb, and a UVB 10.0 light (I forgot the brand). His basking spot is @ 102, and his cooling area is @ 86. I can post pictures upon request.

 

[CooperDragon]

If your nighttime temps are above 65 I'd discontinue using the night bulb. If you do need it, I'd make sure it is a ceramic heat emitter (infrared) rather than one that puts out visible light. As for the behavior, it sounds like he may be stressed out by the move. It can take up to a couple of weeks for them to really settle in. I'd be patient with him and give him some space. If he doesn't come around after a week or so you could try wearing a shirt for day and then putting it in his tank so he can get used to your smell.

 

[Nikkivsthesea]

If your nighttime temps are above 65 I'd discontinue using the night bulb. If you do need it, I'd make sure it is a ceramic heat emitter (infrared) rather than one that puts out visible light. As for the behavior, it sounds like he may be stressed out by the move. It can take up to a couple of weeks for them to really settle in. I'd be patient with him and give him some space. If he doesn't come around after a week or so you could try wearing a shirt for day and then putting it in his tank so he can get used to your smell.

Thanks for the advice! I believe they are - I will discontinue it. My nighttime temps with the night bulb are around 80, and without is around 60. I'm going to put a t-shirt in his tank tonight when we go to bed. Should I leave him alone for a while (as in, don't try to pick him up)? I've been hand-feeding him, and also petting him every time my hand is in the tank.

 

[CooperDragon]

How does he react to the petting (sometimes they prefer chin pets to head pets, depends on the dragon)? If he seems OK with petting I'd say keep that up a bit. I wouldn't force handling on him for a little while yet so he can get adjusted to his surroundings.

 

[Nikkivsthesea]

How does he react to the petting (sometimes they prefer chin pets to head pets, depends on the dragon)? If he seems OK with petting I'd say keep that up a bit. I wouldn't force handling on him for a little while yet so he can get adjusted to his surroundings.

He does okay with the petting. If he's standing up, sometimes he'll lay down when I pet him. I pet his body though, not his chin or head. Should I try petting his head or chin? :mrgreen: He eats well, I think. 20 crickets a day, plus greens and squash. But he hasn't pooped since the first day we had him -- Monday -- in his water dish. It worries me, but do you think that could be related to stress as well?

 

[CooperDragon]

Try petting his chin and head, see what he likes. No poop since Monday isn't awful, but keep an eye on that. Bath's help them go, but I don't recommend doing that until he's a bit more settled and is comfortable with handling. Just keep feeding him, his appetite sounds very good.

 

[Nikkivsthesea]

Try petting his chin and head, see what he likes. No poop since Monday isn't awful, but keep an eye on that. Bath's help them go, but I don't recommend doing that until he's a bit more settled and is comfortable with handling. Just keep feeding him, his appetite sounds very good.

Okay, so I've been continuing with the petting and feeding and he's been doing fine. Last night, I thought I would try to pick him up again (after having my shirt in his viv for 3 days). He let me!!!!! Oh, I was so excited. He just hung out with my boyfriend and I for about an hour, completely calm. We bathed him since I don't think he's getting enough hydration (we're getting a waterfall this weekend to see if he will drink from it) and he looooved it! After that, I dries him off and we cuddled on my bed until it was time to go to sleep.

Then today, when I came home from work, I noticed that he pooped!! He didn't poop in the bath the night before so I was a little worried. I'm not sure if this is a normal poop, however. I know it's okay to have some white, but is it supposed to be this big?!?! Also - he let me take him out again after I cleaned up his poop and offered him food (which he did not want...)!!! He only ate his fruits/veggies so far today and has no interest in crickets. He's warming up to us little by little. We just can't push him! Thanks for all the advice.

What do you think about the poopy?


UPDATE: Will try to upload the pics when I get on computer.

 

[Nikkivsthesea]

Here's some pics from last night, and also, what his poop looked like today.

 

[dynaMOna]

Wow, that IS an impressive poop! He must feel much better after that one. Mine doesn't keep to a schedule all the time, he will go every day for a week, then save it up for 3-4 days and leave a massive thing.

The white part is normal and healthy, it's the urate, and I see it in all my guy's poops.

Thanks for posting an update that you had success, you're giving me hope that my Rex and I can become friends as well. I'm petting him in the enclosure, and he sometimes hops up on my arm. However, then he rushes at my face, and I get nervous that he will launch himself off me and get hurt. The one time I had him out, he was not calm, and I'm terrified he will "get away" and hide someplace I can't get him. He's never really been handled, and since I got him 2 months ago, he now allows me to pet him.

Your dragon is very cute! I love the way they look at us, they have such personality!

 

[Nikkivsthesea]

Wow, that IS an impressive poop! He must feel much better after that one. Mine doesn't keep to a schedule all the time, he will go every day for a week, then save it up for 3-4 days and leave a massive thing.

The white part is normal and healthy, it's the urate, and I see it in all my guy's poops.

Thanks for posting an update that you had success, you're giving me hope that my Rex and I can become friends as well. I'm petting him in the enclosure, and he sometimes hops up on my arm. However, then he rushes at my face, and I get nervous that he will launch himself off me and get hurt. The one time I had him out, he was not calm, and I'm terrified he will "get away" and hide someplace I can't get him. He's never really been handled, and since I got him 2 months ago, he now allows me to pet him.

Your dragon is very cute! I love the way they look at us, they have such personality!

He took two poops the next two days about the same size, and none today. We're getting closer, I can just tell! He lets me handle him most of the time now - I still pet him every time my hand is in the tank. Sometimes, he still runs away, but I just leave him be and try again later.

Is your dragon young? The younger they are, the more they will try and run. Mine gets hyper outside of his home sometimes, but other times he's just chill. We cleaned his tank today.

I'll upload a pic later.

 

[dynaMOna]

Yes, he's young. I don't have an actual age for him since he's a rescue, however he's about 9" long. Right now he's climbing up the screen front of his enclosure, he wants out NOW!

We just had a little session where he was just chilling on my arm for a nice long time, I was able to pick him up to put him down on his branch, and he seems to want more. I'm just so nervous about removing him from the enclosure, but the advice I've been given about making sure he's fully supported, seems to make him comfortable.