New Baby is Skittish.

[xXxKorexXx]

i just got a baby beardie a week ago. i'd say he is about 6 maybe 7 inches long right now. now i expected him to be skittish but with him its wierd. sometimes he doesnt freak out when i pick him up. but most of the time when he sees my hand he freaks out and runs. when i finally pick him up after he stops running he still tries to jump out of my hand. He doesnt bite at me so that is a good thing, but i need some help. Does anyone have any good advice so i could tame him alot better than he is now? Thanks Much

 

[DistDrag]

What you are experiencing is pretty normal with babies of that size. Just be patient and keep working with the little guy and you'll be fine.

 

[RioReptiles]

Some of them grow out of it within a couple days to a couple weeks. I don't like chasing them so I ususally wait till lights out and pick them up to hold them until they fall asleep. Its good bonding too and I love it when they wiggle themselves to get comfortable. I also find reasons to put my hand in the enclosure while they are in there, clean poo, whatever. Just to let them know you're hand isn't always trying to get them. Or I just give them a light stroke on the head or something. Keep doing this without picking them up and next thing you know they are jumping on your hand to get out.

 

[ddma]

i have 3 beardies, 2 - 4 month olds and 1- 2 month old. i got my 4 month olds a week apart. they were 6 weeks old maybe 7 inches. when i first got them they were skiddish, didn't want to be held, ran when i put my hand in enclosure, etc. this is what i did , i would put my hand in the enclosure in front of them but i wouldn't touch them, i would just let them see my hand and i would approach them from the side or in front of them, never from above. lizards have what's called a "3rd eye" it's located on top of thier head (you can't see it) this is so in the wild any preditors from above could be seen (as a shadow) and alert the dragon.so when you approach from above they feel the need to "run and get away". so i would put my hand in let them see but not touch them . then i would put my hand in and just pet thier body gently or thier head and talk in a soft voice. i would do this for several days then i would start to pick them up and hold them in my hand inside the enclosure and pet them , i have an exo terra enclosure that opens from the front which makes it easier to approach my beardies, when they would jump off my hand , i wouldn't chase them , i would just let them be. eventually i would take them out and hold them for short periods of time and then the time out of the enclosure would get longer. now they come out and sit on my shoulder, this is new so i do this for short periods of time. they are at the point now when i open the enclosure ,they do not run from me they let me handle them and pet them and they fall asleep. the other things i do, when i do the daily tidying up the cage , i do it while they're in the cage, so they are use to my hands being near them they are fed in a seperate enclosure then the one they stay in , they are fed twice a day ,so they are handled that way everyday.if you try to pick up your beardie from his enclosure and he runs and freaks out , don't chase him let him be and try again later. so now this leads me to my 8 wweek old beardie, i 've had her for 2 weeks , and she runs from me and she's skiddish , but i do the same with her as i did with the other two. so just work with your baby, i promise you , she/he will come around. good luck

 

[xXxKorexXx]

Thanks Much Guys... and Girls, i thank each of you individualy for taking the time to help my minor problem out. I will start doing the things you suggested and update you guys. Thanks again.