question about handeling

[burt1016]

well. i had a bearded dragon named burt for around 4 weeks. i play and hold him daily. but when i do he squirms and jumps to the floor everytime. he runs in cracks into bookshelves and anywhere he can go. How can i make him stop running around. he is around 2 or 3 months old.

 

[ilovebeardeddragons]

well i think its just cuz hes so young its like a little kid with lots of energy you could buy a leash that way he cant hide

 

[burt1016]

K thanks where can i buy one. Is it possible to make?

 

[NegativeCreep]

I'm still working with my little girl, but she still squirms a lot. I've gotten to where I let her run around on the bed, but reel her in when she gets too far. I was so excited last night when she ran up to me and crawled up my belly! I've been handling her a lot more. She lets me know when she is ready to go back in her viv. I just lever her alone a few hours and then go get her out again...

 

[ilovebeardeddragons]

youi can buy them at pet stores and online and yes you can make one but i've never done it you might just google it and see what comes up just search lizard leash or reptile leash

 

[jscott]

just make sure it looks more like a chest-harness and less like a noose :| ...

*edit*
untill you get a harness, try to find a room in your house with little or no large furniture pieces. no beds to hide under, wall units to crawl behind. you dont want to accidentaly hurt him while trying to fish him out of some crawlspace.

you could even think about using a kiddie pool. those are big enough that you could sit down in there with him and if he jumps, he will be contained in the pool still.

 

[burt1016]

Do you know if it is hard to make and my beardie always crawls up my belly up on my shoulder than jumps off

 

[jscott]

try to avoid letting him fall to the floor. he is light but he can still get hurt badly from a long fall to the floor. try to stand on thick carpet when handling him if possible.

try the kiddie pool thing(no water of course). sit down in there with him so if he jumps he wont have far to fall. also, he cant get away as long as hes in the kiddie pool. just make sure you dont accidentaly sqish him if he runs under your legs or feet.

 

[ilovebeardeddragons]

my beardie always crawls up my belly up on my shoulder than jumps off

nyroc does the same thing but he climbs on my head then jumps off

heres a link to a pic of a harness so you can see what they look like and i dont know if there hard to make
just scroll then theres a pic of a tan one its the 5th pic
http://www.google.com/products?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4PCTA_enUS294US295&q=reptile+harness&um=1&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&resnum=1&ct=title

 

[Ethelia]

Hi there.

My first dragon was a rescue, who had never been handled, so we had to tame her from scratch! Dex would go to bite me and PANIC if i tried to hold her, squirm, run, and launch herself off into the distance.

Some beardies are just jumpers, so might not settle down completely. But most i believe sport this behaviour because they dont feel happy just sitting with you. Dexter certainly just leaped away from me when we first got her.

I used the following tricks that helped her settle down when i was in the taming her stage:

- put your hand in her tank, flat, but dont touch her. she'll see your not there to grab her. do this every now and then for a day or so.
- once youve done for a while start only hand feeding her (wriggley mealworms work best) if she goes to bite you. be brave and try not to flinch. just raise your hand up and remove the food. she'll soon learn biting isnt a good idea.
- then go for handling her again but do it an hour or so after lights out when she'll be sleepy and bored of fighting. at this time you can try thr 'beardie burrito'. this involves wrapping your beardie in a blanket/towel like a newborn baby and laying them on your chest. if she doesnt like the beardie burito try wearing a dressing gown, alot of beardies enjoy softness. Dexter loves mine.
- when handling in this taming period make sure your not wearing any strong aftershave and that you dont smell like food.
It can also help to find an old item of clothing of yours (or cut a chunk out of it) and leave it in the tank. She will become used to your smell.
and repeat!

Taming her completely should carm down her behaviour and stop her panic running.
Id also suggest putting her on the floor first, letting her run around, climb and go nuts, then when she's tuckered herself out pick her up and try to have a snuggle.

Although you might end up getting a few scratches it is VERY important not to just put her down if she struggles and goes to LEAP FOR FREEEEEDOM! She will learn that fighting gets her her own way and will make the process longer and harder.


Good luck!
Keep us updated.

Holly x

 

[burt1016]

Thanks everyone i got good ideas!!!

 

[Combichristina]

It can also help to find an old item of clothing of yours (or cut a chunk out of it) and leave it in the tank. She will become used to your smell.

That's what I did with Daytona, I actually wore an old shirt for three days to get it nice and um....aromatic. I put it in her tank and in a few days she was used to my smell and was much more tolerant, the shirt is now a favorite basking spot. I also used the hand feeding method for a while. With some slow steps and calm nerves your beardie will be your buddy in no time. One of Daytona's favorite spots is on my shoulder now. She's still my little stunt dragon but she'll grow out of it.

 

[burt1016]

thank you ethelia i will try the one hour after lights out and snuggle and beaarde burrito. k thanks a lot.