Psycho Bearded Dragon all of a sudden.

[AkHerps]

I've had my beardie since he was a baby, he is now 1 1/2 years old.

In the past week, he has undergone a drastic personality change. He used to be a sweetie, now I can't even reach in to give him food or do anything without him charging at me and trying to attack me, mouth open, beard black and he literally just tries to latch on.

He gets fed enough, every day, salad and roaches.

He appears to be shedding one leg and his tail right now, but he has never acted this way, even while shedding. The only time was when he got brought outside, and as you can see in my display picture, he was not happy. But he calmed down the second he was laying on my leg in the sun.

He is in a 40 gallon breeder, UVB/UVA bulb, 100 watt basking light over a cinder block, and a bunch of stuff to climb on etc..

What is happening...it's really disturbing...I don't over handle him, I actually haven't held him in the last week or two, but normally it's maybe once a week.

[ChuckSM]

If the room got too hot or too cold he can freak, so put a temperature gauge/gun laser in there and check.

He is a lil man now so maybe he is territorializing in hopes that you give him a lil girl

[AkHerps]

His temps are good, When his big light goes off at night he has a red bulb. But my room stays in the mid to high 70's.

Yeah, if he is going through something sexual like, will he calm back down??

[BoaFreak]

I had a 2 and a half year old male beardie that did the same. He used to fall asleep in my lap while watching football. That was our thing lol. One day I went to change his water and he lunged at me. After That I could never get him to calm down. He was the first dragon I have ever ran into That was that aggressive. My friend bought it from me and he said he is still very aggressive

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[AkHerps]

I'm trying to be his friend again by hand feeding him fruits...

[sarahlovesmiike]

LOL hopefully the bribes help!

[ed4281]

He's sexually mature and wants to get jiggy with it, This is the time of year that they mate in the wild. He is guarding his territory to show that he will not tollerate anything in his territory that he dosen't want there.

Throw a towel over him and take him out of his enclosure, once he is out he will most likely calm down. Try hand feeding him etc, once the winter hits big time he should be your sweet little boy again, hopefully.

[maverickgtr]

My female just started doing this! She hasn't rushed me trying to attack me but she has been black-bearding and running away from me and being quite difficult to handle even just for food or weekly baths, which she used to just love. I've checked temps and everything too but she still acts crazy. She did just start digging holes though so I'm definitely thinking she wants a male buddy...

[dembonez]

could he be trying to burmate?

[maverickgtr]

Brumation is when they go into a low activity state. Kind of like hibernation but not put sleeping, with brumation they're still active, just not nearly as active and they don't eat as much. This would probably have more to do with breeding season and that causing males to be territorial like ed4281 said in his post.