Not sure what to do

[OperationReggie]

Hello, my beardies is about 8 months old now and he used to enjoy being picked up and would often scratch the glass in order for me to pet him or pick him up but recently he has stopped doing this and every time i stroke his back/head he will sit for 5 seconds then try and get away, i know that i cant let him think running away will stop me from trying but i dont want him to think he is in charge. He also wont let me pick him up anymore, he is also mid way through his shedding but that never stopped him before, i know they go through a puberty like stage but im not sure if its that or if i am doing something wrong. ANY help is greatly appreciated

 

[kingofnobbys]

Sounds like my Toothless ....

I believe he will have noticed a larger world a while ago and he become very curious and wants to explore it ... I'd place him on the floor in a beardie safe area and give the chance to roam about exploring (limit his time initially to not more than 10mins) and then collect him and he'll likely be ready for a nice snuggle then.

 

[OperationReggie]

Thanks for the reply, i wish i could do that but he was a very scared baby beardie so only about 3-4 months ago he would allow me to pet him/pick him up and anytime i try to bring him out just as he passes the glass he would jump from my hand back into the cage. I dont want to force him to do anything because i dont want him stressing out.

Whenever he is in the cage he will often scratch the glass like i said but when i try to pick him up them he will go to the other side of the enclosure then when i close the glass he will go back and do the same, not sure where to go from here.

 

[OperationReggie]

Ok now im 99% sure its a puberty thing because yesterday he was fine (behavior wise) and today he is puffing up his beard and he lunged at the glass with his mouth open which was fairly scary because this is the first time he is doing that and as im typing he is doing the hand wave to show he is submitting, do you think the smart thing to do would be to let him settle down for a few days i dont want him getting stressed over nothing. He doesn't try to attack my hand when i put crickets/kale/peppers in there for him so im not sure what to do really.