Sooo in love!!!

[MIMI510]

For the last couple of weeks I have been spending as much time with him every chance I get and its finally paying off...I really want to have that special bond with him like the ones I see everyone on here have with their babies. It is still a battle taking Ryder out the tank because he is trying to run away from me but once out and we head off to a closed off quiet room he loves to run around a lick everything... including me! I hold Ryder for a bit and hand feed him Papaya which is his favorite. It so cute watching him explore his surroundings. Finally last night before bed time I wanted to spend a little more time with him so I took him out and put him on my chest and next thing i noticed is he did this little wiggle thing and laid down and feel asleep. I cant get over how much I already love him with him in such a small period of time! I can sit and watch him in his tank for hours! He probably thinks there goes that crazy lady again just watching me!

I would like to know how to prevent him from running away from me when trying to get him out the tank. I don't want to force him or stress him out. When he licks me does that mean he is finally starting to trust me? Since he did fall asleep on me I'm thinking that is a yes but wanted to clarify...Also does anyone have experience with introducing their beardies with another pet such as a dog? How well do they get along?

 

[traildrifterphalanx]

Welcome to the world of beardies! They are such lovable critters

Definitely be careful not to stress the little guy, but be persistent. I'd place your hand in the enclosure and leave it still, let him run, do whatever, lick, and when you go to lift him always scoop him up from the belly. Approaching them overhead will instill fear/stress because it feels like a bird coming in to snatch them up.

If you still have trouble, try to handle him more at night. They are diurnal critters and will be nice and sleepy and much easier to handle at night.

Another tip is when you approach with your hand, you could also present him food to associate you with feeding/trust. Just let him digest before taking him out

Them licking is their way of identifying things, like in the way dogs sniff everything. Him licking you is a sign he may be coming around, or just trying to figure out what you are. Introducing them to new items can be very adorable once the initial stress is gone and trust is there. They will lick things several times in a row like "wait.... wait... wait.. ok got it"

 

[MIMI510]

Welcome to the world of beardies! They are such lovable critters

Definitely be careful not to stress the little guy, but be persistent. I'd place your hand in the enclosure and leave it still, let him run, do whatever, lick, and when you go to lift him always scoop him up from the belly. Approaching them overhead will instill fear/stress because it feels like a bird coming in to snatch them up.

If you still have trouble, try to handle him more at night. They are diurnal critters and will be nice and sleepy and much easier to handle at night.

Another tip is when you approach with your hand, you could also present him food to associate you with feeding/trust. Just let him digest before taking him out

Them licking is their way of identifying things, like in the way dogs sniff everything. Him licking you is a sign he may be coming around, or just trying to figure out what you are. Introducing them to new items can be very adorable once the initial stress is gone and trust is there. They will lick things several times in a row like "wait.... wait... wait.. ok got it"

When he fell asleep on me yesterday I was so happy! I finally felt like we were bonding. Plus that little wiggle thing they do when they are trying to get comfy is too cute! Ive been hand feeding him Papaya when he is out of his tank but I will use this method to get him to actually come to me when he is inside...Thanks!

 

[traildrifterphalanx]

As far as introducing to other pets I would definitely wait until he trusts you first, you don't want to overwhelm him.

I have 1 cat (and frogs but they're in an aquarium and don't count, same with snake) that I introduced both of mine to. I introduced them because I trust my cat not to attack/eat/paw them. Please make sure your dog or other pet is trustworthy and calm with a small fragile animal before introducing them.
Introduce them with the dragon securely cupped in your hands with their little head peeking out. Your dragon will likely want to lick the animal you're introducing. If your dragon puffs up, separate the two immediately. If your dragon does not want to meet your pet, don't force it.

Watch for body cues from both the pet and the dragon. It should not be completely necessary that they get a long.

 

[MIMI510]

As far as introducing to other pets I would definitely wait until he trusts you first, you don't want to overwhelm him.

I have 1 cat (and frogs but they're in an aquarium and don't count, same with snake) that I introduced both of mine to. I introduced them because I trust my cat not to attack/eat/paw them. Please make sure your dog or other pet is trustworthy and calm with a small fragile animal before introducing them.
Introduce them with the dragon securely cupped in your hands with their little head peeking out. Your dragon will likely want to lick the animal you're introducing. If your dragon puffs up, separate the two immediately. If your dragon does not want to meet your pet, don't force it.

Watch for body cues from both the pet and the dragon. It should not be completely necessary that they get a long.

Yeah, I wasn't planning to do it anytime soon. He is way to small. I have 2 small dogs and was wondering how to go about introducing them later on down the road...Right now his tank is in the living room so he can actually see my dogs. He seems okay with it and doesn't show any signs of stress. Thanks for the input!

 

[traildrifterphalanx]

Welcome to the world of beardies! They are such lovable critters

Definitely be careful not to stress the little guy, but be persistent. I'd place your hand in the enclosure and leave it still, let him run, do whatever, lick, and when you go to lift him always scoop him up from the belly. Approaching them overhead will instill fear/stress because it feels like a bird coming in to snatch them up.

If you still have trouble, try to handle him more at night. They are diurnal critters and will be nice and sleepy and much easier to handle at night.

Another tip is when you approach with your hand, you could also present him food to associate you with feeding/trust. Just let him digest before taking him out

Them licking is their way of identifying things, like in the way dogs sniff everything. Him licking you is a sign he may be coming around, or just trying to figure out what you are. Introducing them to new items can be very adorable once the initial stress is gone and trust is there. They will lick things several times in a row like "wait.... wait... wait.. ok got it"

When he fell asleep on me yesterday I was so happy! I finally felt like we were bonding. Plus that little wiggle thing they do when they are trying to get comfy is too cute! Ive been hand feeding him Papaya when he is out of his tank but I will use this method to get him to actually come to me when he is inside...Thanks!

Sleepy time bonding is the best! And the nestling in wiggly never gets old, trust me.
My youngest is such an aggressive snuggler, it cracks me up. He'll tightly grip the surface he's on and with very wide eyes wriggle like crazy like if he's fighting some personal demons :lol: