Why is my bearded dragon SO MEAN!?

Alright so I've had my baby beardie now for about three months now. He is about 7 inches long, i would have to say he age is around 4 1/2 months because he was TINY when I got him. But what I do is I feed him in a separate Tupperware container so he doesn't have to chase his crickets all around his enclosure. He eats like a beast, and he is just beginning to munch down on some veggies (but he has a veggie bowl in his tank).

But what I am writing about is every time I try to get him out to feed him, he takes off running, and when I get near him he opens his mouth, hisses and he puffs out his beard as much as he can. He has even bitten me twice!! Every now and then I take him out of his tank and let him run around on my living room floor and on me. He is fine then and very active and curious, but when I try to get him out, he turns into a little you-know-what! I've tried giving him some space, that didn't help. I tried more frequent handling, that didn't help either. I don't know what to do :( please help.

Each had their own personality. Personally id just keep him as little stressed as possible and allow him to chase crickets in his tank.


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He is tiny and you are huge, lol. My female was the same when she was little now she's is fine. Once he is a little bigger her will not see you as a threat. Give it time and he will calm down. My female would bite me every time I went into her cage for cleaning now she sits outside her enclosure and eat out of my hand and will sit on my bed and not make a fuss. Give it time and he will come around.
Tom

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Originally Posted by Trackstrong83

Alright so I've had my baby beardie now for about three months now. He is about 7 inches long, i would have to say he age is around 4 1/2 months because he was TINY when I got him. But what I do is I feed him in a separate Tupperware container so he doesn't have to chase his crickets all around his enclosure. He eats like a beast, and he is just beginning to munch down on some veggies (but he has a veggie bowl in his tank).

But what I am writing about is every time I try to get him out to feed him, he takes off running, and when I get near him he opens his mouth, hisses and he puffs out his beard as much as he can. He has even bitten me twice!! Every now and then I take him out of his tank and let him run around on my living room floor and on me. He is fine then and very active and curious, but when I try to get him out, he turns into a little you-know-what! I've tried giving him some space, that didn't help. I tried more frequent handling, that didn't help either. I don't know what to do :( please help.

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The first thing I would do is to stop feeding him in a separate tank. It sounds like it really stresses him out. Even though it seems like he's eating a lot, I have no doubt that the stress is affecting his appetite. That in turn will make him even more cranky and will also slow his growth rate from lack of eating enough.

He is very small for 4 1/2 months old. I know it seems like you're helping him out but he really needs to be left alone for feeding time until he's more comfortable. Once he gains a couple more inches, I bet he'll seem like a different dragon.

We bought a beardie from a expo in Toronto that acts the exact same way. I'm not sure how old he is but he's like 7-8 inches long ... if I put my hand in his tank to get his food bowl for superworms he puffs up, beard goes black, he hisses, opens his mouth as wide as it'll go! I don't dare take him out, he tries to run away and will jump out of your hands! He's the only one like that as well!

Maybe try to use some feeding tongs and give him pieces of fruit or veggies he really enjoys, try to build up some trust so he knows every time you open his cage it's not just to grab him out. I know my girl wasn't that mean but when I would take her out she would just down and run from me, she's gotten better over time. I still feed her fruits as a treat w/tweezers sometimes she enjoys it.

My daughters beardie loves my daughter and my wife hates me. I have never been anything but good to him. He kinda tollerates me now. The guy at the reptile store says its probably a male and therefore see me as a threat. Not sure if he was pulling my leg or not. I am more of a snake guy.

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Originally Posted by luvmyballs

My daughters beardie loves my daughter and my wife hates me.

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bummer about your wife. hopefully you two can get things figured out.:P:P:P

Lol my wife called me and said she might if don't go back and fix it. I ment he loves my daughter and wife but he(the beardie) hates me.

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Originally Posted by 1nstinct

He is tiny and you are huge, lol. My female was the same when she was little now she's is fine. Once he is a little bigger her will not see you as a threat. Give it time and he will calm down. My female would bite me every time I went into her cage for cleaning now she sits outside her enclosure and eat out of my hand and will sit on my bed and not make a fuss. Give it time and he will come around.
Tom

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My baby beardie is about 8 weeks old and I can't handle her at all, she just opens her mouth widesign and goes for me, do you think she will grow out of it. I have a 10 month old dragon which I've had from 10 weeks and she was never like that