Very skiddish. Tips on taming.

[jaketj34]

I’ve had my bearded dragon for about 4 months now and he still seems to be scared and unsure of me and his surroundings. I’ve made sure his enclosure set up is correct lighting and heat wise. Basking 110 90s warm side 75-80 cool side. He eats primarily dubia roaches and black soldier fly larvae. About 50-60 roaches a day. Poops everyday. And he’s about 11in long (not sure on age) So i don’t see any signs he isn’t healthy. I’ve hand fed him which he does no problem and took the past couple months to try and get him comfortable slowly but will flinch and lower his head almost every time you come to the enclosure also has never shown other displays of head bobbing, waving, showing his beard, ect. Doesn’t like to be picked up and runs to hide when he’s out. Is there anything else I could do or is this normal and just could take some more time? Here’s some pictures of enclosure and him if there’s something obvious I’m missing

 

[mango_the_beardie]

I’ve had my bearded dragon for about 4 months now and he still seems to be scared and unsure of me and his surroundings. I’ve made sure his enclosure set up is correct lighting and heat wise. Basking 110 90s warm side 75-80 cool side. He eats primarily dubia roaches and black soldier fly larvae. About 50-60 roaches a day. Poops everyday. And he’s about 11in long (not sure on age) So i don’t see any signs he isn’t healthy. I’ve hand fed him which he does no problem and took the past couple months to try and get him comfortable slowly but will flinch and lower his head almost every time you come to the enclosure also has never shown other displays of head bobbing, waving, showing his beard, ect. Doesn’t like to be picked up and runs to hide when he’s out. Is there anything else I could do or is this normal and just could take some more time? Here’s some pictures of enclosure and him if there’s something obvious I’m missing

ok uhm quick question how are you going in to pick him up? like from the top side or what? because if you do it from the top they see you as a predator and will run away and be scared. what I did when that happened with me and my dragon is I took two fingers put them on the side of her and slowly lifted her up. if he runs away give him a minute then try again and when you finally get him do that every day and hold him for 15 minutes

 

[Beansbanana]

How far is the uvb from the basking decor? That might could affect behavior. @KarrieRee is the uvb expert.

 

[jaketj34]

ok uhm quick question how are you going in to pick him up? like from the top side or what? because if you do it from the top they see you as a predator and will run away and be scared. what I did when that happened with me and my dragon is I took two fingers put them on the side of her and slowly lifted her up. if he runs away give him a minute then try again and when you finally get him do that every day and hold him for 15 minutes

Ok thanks I’ll try that. I was attempting to just put my hand in front of him and slowly move it forward to see if he’d climb up. But when he would start running and I needed to get him out to clean I would Reach at him from above until I could get him to stay still. I’ll try from the side and lifting tho and see how that goes. Now when I have held him a few times he try’s to walk off my hands and I have to use my hands like stairs and he climbs from one hand to the next over and over and over again until I feel like he’s just being to stressed out from trying to get away so I put him back in his tank. Should I wait it out the 15 min and see if he calms down or just put him back if he keeps trying to walk off of me.

 

[jaketj34]

How far is the uvb from the basking decor? That might could affect behavior. @KarrieRee is the uvb expert.

I have it about 10 in from his basking spot and 8in from the bridge in the center of the cage where he spends his time when he’s not basking. I tried mounting it in the cage but it was just to close to him

 

[mango_the_beardie]

Ok thanks I’ll try that. I was attempting to just put my hand in front of him and slowly move it forward to see if he’d climb up. But when he would start running and I needed to get him out to clean I would Reach at him from above until I could get him to stay still. I’ll try from the side and lifting tho and see how that goes. Now when I have held him a few times he try’s to walk off my hands and I have to use my hands like stairs and he climbs from one hand to the next over and over and over again until I feel like he’s just being to stressed out from trying to get away so I put him back in his tank. Should I wait it out the 15 min and see if he calms down or just put him back if he keeps trying to walk off of me.

if he trys to run give him 3 mins again until you can hold him for 15 mins even if he's tired bc then he'll realize that its not as bad as he thought