Trouble getting my beardie to calm down!

[Heroicchip]

Hi, i just bought my first beardie a couple weeks ago he is fully grown around 16 inches and is about 3 years old. The previous owners took good care of him but he wasn’t handled too much. When i put my hand in the cage he doesn’t seem to mind much, sometimes he will back off. If i go underneath to grab him he’ll ***** his head to the side and squirm a little. When i get him into my hand he’ll sit for about a minute or two but will try to wiggle away. I do let him explore my room and have his fun. He doesn’t try to bite me or doesn’t get a black beard. Will puff up and flex his beard occasionally though. I know it’ll be a slow process but i just want some reassurance or advice. I’ve looked at a lot of video of people giving tips on how to tame them. When i do bring him out I’ll offer him some treat “super worms or veggies” to calm him down a bit. He just never seems to want to sit and hang out. I do pet his back and underneath his beard but he doesn’t really respond much “ besides turning head to the side or flexing his beard or closing his eyes” to it so i cannot tell if he’s enjoying it or not. My goal would be to get him comfortable enough to have him sit on my chest or shoulder and just hang and watch tv with me. Any advice or tips would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[AHBD]

Hi there, you can definitely get him more tame so don't despair. Not all dragons will become the super calm ones but if you work with a squirmy or even aggressive one you can make a huge difference. First off, most dragons don't like to be petted....if they close their eyes it's kind of like just waiting for it to stop.

He's only been with you for 2 weeks, so that's a factor but now is the time to get him used to being picked up. My tip is what I've done for more than 20 years worth of beardies. Just pick him right up, gently but firmly, using both hands to support him. [ For anyone with a beardie that scratches, use gloves + long sleeves ] Then gently but firmly hold him to your chest with your hand over him the entire time. Don't worry if he wriggles a bit, he will stop pretty quickly as he realizes he's not being harmed and that he is safe. Don't do this while other pets are moving through the room or kids are jumping around. So just sit with him like that every day for 15-20 minutes and extend the time after one week intervals. Sit with him and after a while [ a couple of weeks ] let him sit on your leg [ never on your shoulder while your'e standing, many dragons jump + get hurt ] After a while he'll get used to the outings + will sit with you but may still prefer to explore so be sure you have a dragon safe room. No need to put a shirt or anything in his tank for him to get your scent as some people recommend, your scent is on everything in his tank already.

 

[Heroicchip]

Thank you for the reply! As soon as I read your comment I took him out of his cage and placed him on my chest with my hands cupping him over his back. The problem is tho he wasn’t having it at all :/. Initially he sat for a minute then turn his head and kept poking me with his spikes and tried to run off. I repeatedly kept trying this method for 15-20 minutes but still no success. Even gave him a superworm to try and calm him down but still he was determined to get away from me. He does this little puff thing with his beard and makes a clicking sound I think he does it when he’s stressed. He kept doing that so idk. It just upsets me because my initial reason to get a beardie was to be able to have him chill with me. I give him the love and attention a beardie deserves “even spoil the hell out of him”. I’ll keep trying this over a period of time and see if he will calm down with some time

 

[AHBD]

That's O.K, to be expected with some. You can try 10 minute sessions but just keep it up.

 

[Reptilelady]

It does take some time and patience. It took me some time for my beardie to relax and calm down. Keep doing the short sessions handling. You can also try to bond more with your beardie by offering food. He will learn that you are not a threat and will trust you. Another idea perhaps, try holding him before his bedtime have the lights dimmed or like a nightlight on so he can sense you want to cuddle with him.

Soon you will be able to snuggle up with your beardie like this