Bearded Dragon Taming

[Neeko]

Need help mine hiss, puff, open their mouths, and even bite. I've had them for 3 months or so, tried feeding in a separate tub and they had no clue what to do. Not sure if they associate my hand with food or what. Any tips or info would be great, though I've read it all. So maybe some secret tips that aren't as common or known about.

 

[adam1120]

Mine was like this when he was younger just hold him often soon than later they settle down as they get bigger they get less crazy pretty crazy they go from crazy mean beardie into a lazy bean bag basically loli love beardies

 

[Neeko]

Mine was like this when he was younger just hold him often soon than later they settle down as they get bigger they get less crazy pretty crazy they go from crazy mean beardie into a lazy bean bag basically loli love beardies

I enjoy mine for the aspect of viewing but ive gone in with a glove and i get the chow down on a finger. It doesnt hurt bc of the glove but if it was my finger im sure it break skin. they got a saw blade as a mouth.

 

[adam1120]

Yea I used to get bit by mine when he was young and wouldn't even go for the food he will bite ur hand first then try the food lol and yea I've gotten bit from him once when he was as big now by accident broke the skin was bleeding alot but funny just make sure when he bites u don't pull bak or so fear means he's winning..but after like 2 weeks of holding him every day he got very tame and now he's into a bean bag 7 months later u jus

 

[kellen.watkins]

I'm having this issue with mine, he was cool when he was younger and for the past couple weeks he has been mean, I've had the kevlar gloves on handling him, I used to just use the gloves to get him out but last week he flipped out on my lap outta nowhere and definintly broke the skin (he's 8 months and 17" long he's a pretty big boy) so I'm just gonna be persistant I'm thinkin its puberty, I thought he would be worse when the extreme got here but he looks at the baby tegu like he does a pinky mouse lol

 

[Neeko]

When you say hold, I do. It's a firm grip, is that ok?

 

[adam1120]

Yea u can but don't grip him too hard where he's like squirming to get out lol u gotta show him it there to feed him do u hand feed him?

 

[Neeko]

I don't hand feed. Just drop the food on their cage.

 

[adam1120]

ever since i started to hand feed my female has really got more used to me and she will come up to the cage when she nows it feeding time just a lil more contact with them never hurts

 

[herpgirl2510]

Aggressive dargons seems weird. I would try handling more and try tong feeding normally you can just use your fingers but not if they are going to bite you. Feeding is a great way to bond with your reptiles. Iffy on tegus though .

 

[Neeko]

Would they associate my finder with food though? Should I let them big my skin just to show them nothing happens. I rather not get bit... if i have to its fine -.-

 

[adam1120]

I like hand feeding cus it brings u closer to him/ her not tongs feeding nothing againast u herpgirl just I like that it gets me closer to them and shows ur not trying to hurt/ or eat them trying to feed them and care of them

---

I would hold the food in front of him too like teasing him but just to show u have the food and gunna give it to him make sure ur hands don't have calcium powder on them they always try and go for the white on my fingers lol

 

[Vince]

Mine was like this when he was younger just hold him often soon than later they settle down as they get bigger they get less crazy pretty crazy they go from crazy mean beardie into a lazy bean bag basically loli love beardies

I enjoy mine for the aspect of viewing but ive gone in with a glove and i get the chow down on a finger. It doesnt hurt bc of the glove but if it was my finger im sure it break skin. they got a saw blade as a mouth.

I've always heard this is one of the best things to do. Just let them do their thing on your hand in the glove until they realize the hand isn't going anywhere and stops. I've also heard it helps to wear the glove inside out so your scent is on the outside where they're biting (otherwise when your bare hand goes in it's a whole new training provess).

Wish I had some advice that I could say "this worked for me", but mine has never been aggressive at all. He was never even been very skitish of us. From the first day we had him he'd let us pick him up with pretty much a "whatever" attitude.

 

[Vermundor]

I sometimes have the same problem with my beardie. He likes to act up once in a while. I highly suggest you hand feed your beardie. Also, make a beardie safe room in your house and let him run around while you go on the computer/read. That's what I do with my lizard, and eventually he'll come to my bedside and lay down. If they're adults, tidy up your room, close the door, and let him run. I find that this is the best. He'll be surrounded by your scent, which will get him a bit more used to you.

I don't see how'd you'd need to use a glove, a beardie bit doesn't hurt at all. He may claw you a bit, but thats really a minor problem.

 

[adam1120]

they do kinda hurt i got a pretty big 8 month year old and at 6 months he bit me he left bite marks deep in skin and make it bleed lol he didnt let go he kinda keep it there for like 4 secound sawing at my hand lol it hurt but was funnyi didnt move my hand till he stop didnt want to break his teeth.

 

[kellen.watkins]

Yeah my 8 month old hurt, it was like a super paper cut lol and I have always hand fed and tong fed my beardie, kinda backfired a lil bit cause now he won't really eat unless I do which at times is annoying lol and he doesn't act up all the time its just sometimes, sometimes he puffs his beard at me and tries to act all biig and bad I think its puberty cause he was always a sweetheart his 1st 6 months I would let my neices handle him and my friends kids, now I won't til he settles down

 

[adam1120]

yea thats why i only feed live roaches or crickets or worms moving i never hand feed them veggies i knew they would get lazy i sometimes do just as a treat but never did it when there were a baby i knew betterif they dont eat try putting them in a clear container in there enclosure so they can crawl out so they can always see them moving around. you feed roaches or crickets?worms?

 

[kellen.watkins]

Lol I feed roaches worms and crickets, along with carrots romaine chard grapes kiwi cantalope mango blueberries honeydew and beansprouts, I only feed live he's just a big baby and always wants to be hand or tong fed lol he's my fatty coward he gets afraid of everything trucks tha drive by my apartment the gunfire from video games (blackops) lol

 

[Vermundor]

they do kinda hurt i got a pretty big 8 month year old and at 6 months he bit me he left bite marks deep in skin and make it bleed lol he didnt let go he kinda keep it there for like 4 secound sawing at my hand lol it hurt but was funnyi didnt move my hand till he stop didnt want to break his teeth.

Yeesh, are you sure he isn't a hybrid alligator of some sort? My adult beardie bit me when I tried to give him a bath while he was shedding, and it didn't even break the skin.

 

[kellen.watkins]

lol that would be cool if he was half alligator, he bit and ripped, maybe yours is a sissy lol jk mines a sissy when he eats mice he crunches the skull he has a decent bite