new to me 3yr old beardie slightly agressive

[hayl55]

Hello,
I just purchased a 3 year old female beardie today. I've had a beardie before and her care will be top notch however she is very skiddish and slightly aggressive. She would bite me if I let her.
Will she calm down and become friendlier with time and handling? Or once aggressive, always aggressive? I picked her up once she was asleep and she still woke with a fright, and took a while to calm but she eventually fell asleep on my chest, I would gently stroke her and she seemed torn. Part of her liked itn part of her was afraid. Will this fear and aggression go aeway with time, patience, and gentle handling?

 

[kingofnobbys]

Hello,
I just purchased a 3 year old female beardie today. I've had a beardie before and her care will be top notch however she is very skiddish and slightly aggressive. She would bite me if I let her.
Will she calm down and become friendlier with time and handling? Or once aggressive, always aggressive? I picked her up once she was asleep and she still woke with a fright, and took a while to calm but she eventually fell asleep on my chest, I would gently stroke her and she seemed torn. Part of her liked itn part of her was afraid. Will this fear and aggression go aeway with time, patience, and gentle handling?

Yes, even totally wild bearded dragons will tame up and become great pets with time, I had one as a child, was really relaxed with me (my brother in law found it under the front fender of his car after he thought he'd accidently run over it on a bush road (lizard ran across the track was we drove past). We brought it back home in a sugar bag and set it up in wire bird aviary . No one in the family could go near it without it threat displaying and hissing at then, never bit anyone (usually they are all bluff and they'd rather run away than take a piece out of a hand).
I've always been great with lizards, kinda like a "lizard whisperer".

I'd simply spend lots of time letting her get to know you, popping a food treat in that open mouth when it's displaying and just take your time , let her come around in her own time.

 

[hayl55]

thank-you. She seems to be already calming down a wee bit. still puffs out and hisses/lunges with mouth open if she gets cornered, so I try my best to only approach her when shes in a space she can get away from me. she has a love hate for being burritoed. she squirms adn tries to get out, but once she settles she falls asleep and snuggles in...lol hopefully in time I can trust her not to bite me in almost any situation.