Terrified of outdoors

[Sauzo]

Ok, so with it being summer now, I decided to take Harley outside. The last 3 or 4 times we go outside, she is petrified. She gets that scared eye look and black beards, pancakes and opens her mouth. She wont move but the minute I bring her back inside the house, she is back to her cuddly, finger licking self. Anyone else have a beardie that is like this? I know sunlight is good for them but Harley seems so terrified that I kind of feel bad taking her outside now. She is about 1.2 years old now also and she did go outside when she was a baby too but again even then she was scared but I thought it was just cause she was a baby.

 

[CooperDragon]

Some of them don't like being outside. You can try to bring her outside for small amounts of time and just keep holding her to help her feel secure. That may help over time.

 

[Elmontare]

Dont worry, youre not alone. My beardie turns to a black stone while outside. Ive brought her out several times now and havnt seen any improvment. I have a feeling though by the time she actually gets used to it the summer will be over and we'll have to go over it again after winter

 

[Sauzo]

Lol yup. I might try holding Harley when we go outside next time. I always just put her in her "playpen" with her pink basking blanket for security and that obviously doesn't make a difference.

 

[KarenInCA]

Rin likes it outside, and has even learned to go past the large pebble/stones to jump back over the threshold and inside the sliding glass door when he is ready. He squirms and tries to scratch me if I pick him up and head toward the sliding door and he is not ready yet, even though he sometimes gets really hot. I've learned to actually hold him with one hand and hold the base of his tail with the other to keep him from squirming if I need to take him inside when he is throwing a fit about it, so that he doesn't fall/jump out of my hand before we make it to the door.
He watches birds fly overhead and turns his eye to them to watch them, but they are smallish birds.
The ONLY thing he is deathly afraid of, is bi-planes and smaller airplanes that might fly overhead. The private airport is a couple of towns away, but we must be on an air path because they seem to fly along the same line, kiddy corner from one edge of our property to the other, in a diagonal route.
He hears them coming before I do, and long before they fly overhead. He looks up and then ducks and burrows into the grass as he flattens out from the moment he hears one till it's long gone. Poor guy!

 

[Sauzo]

Yeah, wish Harley liked it outside. My red tail boa loves it outside. I can sling her around my neck and do yard work and she will just hang out on me and if I get near a tree, she tries to sneak up the tree :lol: . Harley my beardie is terrified though. Like I said, maybe i'll try what Cooperdragon said and just hold Harley for short periods of time outside and maybe she will get used to it.

 

[Taterbug]

Have you tried letting Harley sit in an open window? Tater never much liked being outside, he wasn't so terrified but he was pretty stiff and nervous. Instead, I'd open up the glass on the window to let some UV in and let him sit on the back of a chair to watch outside. He loved that, and would chill for hours watching.

 

[Sauzo]

I've held Harley next to an open window a few times and she seemed ok with that. Maybe i'll try that.

 

[jgolden4958]

Wiley got so scared the last time we took her out that she jumped off my fiancé and made a mad dash for the house. We won't take her out again in case she decides to run away from the house.

 

[Brezzy99]

An open window with a secure screen is a great idea. I started letting them sit in the window before attempting to take them outside. Now they all love being outside.