My new (and first) Bearded Dragon! With pics. (also a question)

[Quantum Constrictors]

Hey there everyone!

I got my first Bearded Dragon at a reptile expo here in Ontario, Canada!

Saphira is a Female Pastel Tiger x Citrus and Dang is she a beaut!

She is eating very very well and drinking out of her water dish and pooping just fine.

My question/s is/are well she is extremely grumpy. Everytime I put my hand in the tank she instantly puffs up and opens her mouth. She has even lunged before! She will not let me hold her what so ever. So I cant bath her or give her the love I want. She will let me pet her back and top of head sometimes but most of the time she just gets damn cranky.

I am guessing the breeder did not hand tame her at all. So how can I calm her down and start hand taming her when she doesnt even let me try? Any ideas or suggestions?

Please help!

Also here are some pics of her!!! I love her tons.. only if she would start doing the same lol.






Thanks alot everyone!

-Reptiliachnids

[The Serpent Merchant]

how long have you had her? she might just need some time to settle in. I'm fairly new to Bearded Dragons so I'm afraid I can't be of much help otherwise.

[Quantum Constrictors]

I have had her for just over a week now.

[The Serpent Merchant]

my little girls didn't give me any trouble at all, and I'm sure that she wasn't handled much from the place I got her. yours might just be more aggressive. I would just try handling even though she protests. eventually she might calm down. Hopefully someone with more experience will come along and help you out better than I can.

[samgoody9]

She needs to settle in don't carry her for a week u should only be changing her food and after a week or so hand feed her she needs to get use to u Know that she safe when she sees or feels yur hand but these lizards all have personalities as well so take that into consideration

[crepers86]

That is what it sounds like, you are new to her you are also a threat to her, and she is in a new place. Probably just needs her settle in period then start the bonding process, beardies I have read bond pretty quickly with there owner but don't rush it start by hand feeding and eventualy she will view you as a source of whats good and not what is bad. right now for at least a week I wouldn't even touch her. she will recognize you as you change water and food and clean on a daily bassis

[Quantum Constrictors]

Thanks for all the help,

This is what happens every time I go by her tank or put my hands in it. Lol so grumpy.

[Jabberwocky Dragons]

It's hard to tell how big she is from the pics. Dragons under 8'' should not really be handled more than is absolutely needed. That is probably why she didn't come hand-tamed from the breeder. They are very skittish at that size since they are prey for nearly everything, including larger bearded dragons.

Regardless, it is unusual for bearded dragons to be that aggressive (above pic) on a regular basis. I would double check all of your husbandry (temps, food, etc) and make sure she has a good hide spot to calm down and destress in. Hide spots are normally not a good idea for young dragons since it also provides a hide spot for feeder insects but it looks like yours really needs one.

As mentioned above, the best way to hand tame is to hand feed. Give your a couple weeks to completely settle before trying though. Hand-feeding really works! All of my adult and juvies rush to and line up at their glass doors to be fed dubias when they see me coming!

[Quantum Constrictors]

Thanks Jabberwocky,

She is 9" long and yah she is this grumpy all times. I have quadruple checked everything. Its all fine. I have had a hide for her in the tank this whole time she doesn't pay any attention to it. Ill have had her 2 weeks this sunday. Ill try to start hand feeding her in a few days.

Thanks again.