Chomper is about a year old. So today i took the ole girl outside to bask. When i placed her on the grass she seemed to enjoy the rays and was out there relaxing. As soon as i approached to grab her she exhibited a behavior she has never done before. Mouth wide open , beard jet black and puffing it forward and she pancaked herself to look huge. I let her relax for a bit to see if she would relax but nothing, jaws wide open beard jet black and puffing. After 5 minutes I picked her up using her soaking plastic tub and once in her enclosure the beard unpuffed but stayed black for a while. Done anyone know what my girl was trying to tell me?? Thanks
Something like this? This is how Peaches reacted to my wife, trying to pick her up, lol!
This is an instinctive defensive posture, used when something they see as a threat to them. Outside is something they have to get used to, it is very over welming to them because, they don't know where the predators will come from (above in the sky is mainly what they watch), you are tall (a giant to a dragon) this is why your dragon did this.
My 1 year old did this the first few times we took her outside. I was worried she might bite my daughter so I took over. Shes an old pro at it now. We bought her a harness and started taking her out on my shoulder with my hand on her... So she felt safe. Then I would lay in my hammock with her and she had the freedom to snuggle with me or explore the hammock. Its really kind of about teaching them that you are watching out for them so they can be less defensive. Now I can let her down in the grass and stand with her and she no longer does the defensive posture. She still does it with my daughter though... So now she needs to work on gaining her trust like I have. Just takes time and patience.