Tamming a dragon?

[Oriheme]

I have had some success with taming Dragonite.. but I am curious if there is anything else I can do to show her I am not a threat, and help out with bath and viv cleaning times. I have a shirt of mine in her viv(which she normally cuddles and sleeps in) that I change out every few days or when I remember to. I will put my hand in her cage and softly talk to her, sometimes she just stays in a corner furthest from me looking like she is breathing really fast then other times she will actually get up the courage and come over and lick my fingers and one time she actually climbed up on my hand for a few minutes. I talk to her all the time when I am around her and she seems to like to hear me talk to her but thats about all. I remember someone saying when they have been asleep for a little bit pick them up and let them sleep on you but I havent yet, its been 2 weeks now since we got her do you think its time to start doing it with her? How long does it normally take until baby dragons get used to someone handling them? Bath and cage cleaning time is very stressful for her and for me as well! Any suggestions?? Anybody know??

 

[jacody]

It does take some time.. what I've always done w/ new babies is to put my hands in her/his viv and not go close to the beardie, but "move" things a bit here and there basically just pretending you're tidying up.. even if it's for a few seconds and you go in and touch her/his log or substrate.. eventually your pet will realize that the hands near it is okay.. I know it sounds kinda dumb, but think baby steps.. for bathing if you can just sit on the floor w/ a small tote filled up to the shoulders and support the baby underneath w/ a thumb on the back behind the head not forceful but as a precursor to getting them used to bathing.. on the floor was safest for me w/ a tentative bather.. if they try and escape and jump out it's not a big deal.. do it near the viv and if he/she is scared just pop your beardie back into its home.. once it gets used to hands in the viv you can start w/ the tail furthest from the head or touch his/her back occasionally.. let us know how it goes..

 

[disturb3d0n3]

I did the pulling out after she fell asleep last night. I grabbed the washcloth I usually put in for her bedtime and just put her on my chest with the washcloth covering her, she cuddled me and went right to sleep.

I also never gave in when she would hiss and try to be all big and bad.. It would just make her come out longer. Now she barely flinches when I open her cage and will lay there and let me give her a head rub and then I dump her food in. I've also been able to hand feed her..

However she's still flighty with my girlfriend.. But I spend the most time with her and am the one who usually gets her out of her cage.

 

[jacody]

you prob. don't want to hear it and have prob. read it be4, but I shy away from hand feeding.. yes, it may make you think you're bonding/trusting more, but you don't want them thinking your hands.fingers are associated w/ food anymore than you placing live feeders in the viv which everyone obviously has to do anyway.. if you're doing it so your dragon will eat its greens, just give it more time and he/she will catch onto that when it wants..

 

[disturb3d0n3]

I normally don't do it often.. I only did it to make her taste blueberries for the first time. I've got a 4.5 ft iguana.. I learned the hard way with hand feeding lol but my baby bearded dragon definitely can't do as near as much damage as one bite from my iguana. Thanks for the advice though

 

[Oriheme]

I have been keeping it slow, but it is so hard because she is so cute and I just want her to befriend me like Boba Fett has!! He never had this problem... He was very people friendly from the beginning..

I put my hand in her cage randomly through out the day just to get her used to having a hand in her cage. Sometimes she will come up sniff me(through tongue) and walk away but mostly she runs to the far side of her cage and hides away. Last night I pulled her out and put her on my chest for a while, she was too tired to fight it.

Baths we have right next to her cage in a small tote thingy, and as long as my hand isnt in there it seems to be okay. but the second I touch her she goes insane trying to get away. She has jumped out of my hands multiple times and tried running underneath the couch or under the entertainment center.

When I clean her cage I remove everything from her cage first then I catch her(which is a pain) and put her in a small tote until I am done with the cleaning then I pick her up and put her back in her cage. Where she bolts away from me.

I hate it! I feel like I am just scaring her away from me, but she has to get baths and she has to get her cage cleaned! I dont like forcing her to be in my hands. She has never hissed at me, yet or really done much of anything but gape at me. I am afraid that she might bite me eventually but idk for sure.

With hand feeding, I used to tongue feed her because that was the only way she would eat, it seemed like she would refuse to hunt, so it was easiest. She has came around to hunting though which is nice. so i dont really hand feed her any more.

 

[jacody]

I know it's frustrating, but she'll come around when she's ready.. I forget, but how long have you had her? I wish I had more advice as to how to speed up the process, but like any animal usually it's on their terms and that's that!! Just keep trying.. where did you find her? Was she left alone a lot or ever handled? Was she somewhere where there was a lot of activity??

 

[Oriheme]

I have had her for 2 weeks now. I got her from Fire and Ice dragons and they told me they dont handle there babies at all. So i was expecting her to be a little skiddish. I honestly dont know what I was expecting. She is a healthy little girl. and cute as can be.

 

[disturb3d0n3]

I'd say you're doing everything right! Keep at it, she'll eventually give in. I wouldn't be worried about her biting.. She would've done it already. Even then it would be more of a shock than anything so just make sure your reaction doesn't scare her.

Edit: that's normal...It took about a month for Dany to warm up to me.

 

[Oriheme]

OK i will just keep on trying, and I wont let her bite scare me if she ever does. Thanks

 

[jacody]

That makes sense if she was never handled.. like everyone else said, just keep up whatever you're trying and it'll work itself out.. patience is hard to come by when it involves any type of pet.. waiting is never easy!!

 

[Oriheme]

LOL I didnt even have patience when it came to my pregnancies!! I know in the end it will be worth it! Its just frustrating right now

well on that note I did have some hope today.. Her bath broke, started leaking all over my floor before I even got her in the bath. So I had to take her into the bathroom sink to give her her bath. Well she liked swimming around for a little bit and when she was done she came to my hand and climbed up onto my arm and looked up at me. She sat there until I wrapped her in her towel. Then she fell asleep in it and wouldnt let go into her cage it melted my heart!! She is so beautiful!!!!!!!!

 

[disturb3d0n3]

Aww! I know the feeling, my little one got a lot of exercise in her bath while I was cleaning her cage.. She's now fast asleep on my chest

 

[Oriheme]

AWWW!! How big is she? I have to break out the tape measure soon for Dragonite soon and see how much she has grown since we got her. I know she has gained weight lol just by looking at her!!

 

[disturb3d0n3]

She's 3 months old and 9 inches long. I've had her for almost 6 weeks now and she's grown so much! Here's the thread I made, you can see her progress

http://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=194992