Sudden aggressive behavior

[dracospike]

Ok so I read the article on brumation and I am not sure if this applies to my beardie. He is less than a year old as far as I know. We got him at the end of March last year. When we first got him he was very aggressive and could not be handled. It took us about 5-6 months before we were able to hold him with out gloves to protect us. Since that time he seems to love to be held. For the past month or so he has been very active running around his viv and trying to climb out. When I see this I take him out and carry him around. I am not able to let him run free as I have a dog who tried to bite him once. After awhile I put him back in and he seems ok. This extreme activity is alternating with times of him being pretty lazy and not eating a whole lot. Well today he was being rowdy, jumping around and trying to climb out. I went over and took him out. He immediately tried jumping out of my arms, was hissing and flaring his beard(all his old behaviors). When I finally got a good hold he lashed out and bit my wrist so hard that he left marks through my sweatshirt sleeve. Then he turned on my other hand and bit my finger hard enough to leave a 1/2 inch cut in my finger and drawing blood. Honestly the bite on my wrist would have been way worse if I hadn't had a sweatshirt on. So I put him back in his cage. After about 30minutes of him just sitting there he is now jumping around and trying to climb out again.

 

[brittani299]

Hello
Can you answer these questions

How old is your dragon?
How long have you had your dragon?
How long is your dragon?
What is the sex of your dragon?
What size enclosure do you have your dragon in?
What type substrate do you have on the bottom of your tank?
Do you use UVB lights?
If so, Is it a coil, compact, fluorescent tube, or Mercury Vapor bulb?
What is the brand name and number of your bulb? Wattage (if MVB)?
How old is your UVB bulb?
How close can your dragon get to the UVB?
Do you use a separate basking bulb? What kind and what is the wattage? Is it a white or colored bulb?
Di you have any type of night time heat source (ceramic heat emitter, colored bulb, etc)?
How long are lights on each day?
What are the basking temps?
What is the cool side temp?
What is the night time temp?
Do you take the temps with a stick on thermometer, a digital thermometer with a wire and a probe end or a temp gun?
Where exactly are you taking your basking temps?
Do you use a heat rock or heat pad?
What do you feed your dragon? Please be specific.
How often do you feed and what time do you feed (morning, afternoon, night)?
Do you gutload (feed) your crickets, worms, etc?
Do you use vitamin or calcium supplements? What brand(s)? How many days a week do you use each of them?
Is your dragon having regular bowel movements (poops)?
Do you bathe your dragon? How often?
Do you mist your dragon or offer water other than in the bath?
Have you gotten a vet check and fecal done?
Does your dragon share an enclosure with another dragon?

 

[dracospike]

I have answered these questions on previous post and rather than typing them all out again I will say that all my lights are what is suggested. My temps are correct and I do not use sand. My viv is set up correctly. I am not sure what any of this would have to do with his sudden behavior change. Nothing has changed recently. Also I stated how old he is and how long we have had him in my original post about his aggressive behavior. I don't mean to be snarky but this is the first thing that is always posted when a question is asked. I my have been a dragon mom for a little less than a year but I have done extensive research and have followed all the advice given to me on here.

 

[brittani299]

First off I ask that question a lot because 1.) people 97% of the time have something wrong. The wrong UVB can cause these problems. 2.) having the wrong diet can cause these problems. So please don't get upset that I asked it. How was I suppose to know that you already answered these questions. If everything g in your setup is correct then I would say that your beardie wasn't handled correctly when it was young. It sees people as a threat. It is going to take time. Put a shirt or something with your scent on it in his cage. Leave it in there for a few days. He will get your scent from it and start to see that you aren't going to hurt him. It is also brumation season and that May or may not be playing a role in it. Also if he is young he may be going through what is equal to teenage ages in adults. If this is a case he will be over it in a few months or so.

 

[dracospike]

I have had this beardie from the beginning. We have always handled him correctly and until today when he freaked out and attacked me he has loved being taken out of his enclosure and held. He was aggressive as a very young beardie but we went through all of your suggested techniques when someone else suggested we tried them. We have had NO aggressive behavior in 6 months. He was been very loving and interested in being a party of what is going on. He can be hand fed and again loves to get out and ride around on my chest. I am the only person in the house who regularly handles him. This is completely out of character for him. Plus it is not just the aggression but the almost frantic/hyper way he is jumping around his cage trying to climb on the uv tube like he is trying to get out. Again until today it would take him out and he would settle down.

 

[mortitia]

Hi

Aren't they a pain when you can't work out what's wrong?

I am no beardie expert but in your post you said you have a dog that nearly bit him. Might this be a cause of your problems? If it is, he may take exception when he comes across a dog smell, either on your clothes or in your room.

As to the glass surfing and 'trying to get out' my 4 yr old dragon has gone through phases of the same thing. going on all day, day after day. Then the minute I take him out he goes nuts to get back in.

best wishes
Marie x

 

[dracospike]

Oh my it is so frustrating. It could be the dog smell I never really thought of that. It has been a few weeks since it happened but who knows. I took him out again last night and he was fine. Then again today he had his bath. He is in the process of shedding and it seems like it is taking way longer than normal. I am wondering if he is just a little grumpy. I wish that I could take him out and let him run free but that will have to wait till it is warm out and the dogs can stay outside. Sometimes I wonder if he is bored. Who knows. They are such mysterious little things. I appreciate your response

 

[mortitia]

They can be so very frustrating, the person who can work all this out will be very wealthy & busy

Marie x

 

[Tonja]

Im amckre going to ask this, so don't take it wrong please. When you picked him up, did you reach in over his head to pick him up?

 

[dracospike]

I never reach in and just grab him. I always reach in and start rubbing his head because he loves that then I just rub down his back and slowly put my hand under his belly to pick him up same way I always do and he's never had a problem with that before. Plus he did not bite me until I already had him in my arms and was holding him about 30 seconds

 

[Tonja]

the reason I asked this is that dragons have a third eye in the top of the head. This eye sees light and shadow and serves also as a warning system to predators. If by any chance <Im not saying you reach in and just grab him> you went to rub his head and the "3rd eye" picked you up as a shadow, it may have agitated him enough or scared him enough that he saw you as a predator and after the fact bit you as such. It was just a thought.

 

[dracospike]

Since we had problems with aggression when he was small. We always come at him at a level where he can see us. Then I talk to him as I reach in.