hey I have a 4 and a half month old Bearded Dragon, he is eating well basking properly and growing fast. over the last couple of weeks whenever his tank is approached he opens his mouth and threatens to bite, i am still handling him but it's quite a task getting him out his viv. once he is out he calms down alot but is eager to get away i've never seen a Bearded Dragon act like this before. any advice wood be great Thanks

Welcome to Herp Center Kaytor. I believe it is a phase they go through, like terrible twos. As long as you continue to handle him and dont put him down when he squirms, he will eventually calm down. It just takes time and patients. Also make sure you view our other forum (HCDragons) designed soley for Bearded Dragons.

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MARSHA
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thank you for your reply I will keep you updated on any progress

Ditto Marsha's post, and don't forget that to them we are just a big predator looking to make a meal out of the little Bearded Dragon, once it knows you are not a threat it will calm down. Usually when they get full grown they don't worry about much of anything, they just want to bask lazily wherever they can.

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You should never chase a Bearded Dragon with your hands.This way it takes much longer to tame them,if at all! Always move slowly towards the Bearded Dragon, and get him used to your hand.If he doesn't want to be picked up,try another day.

I strongly disagree. if he learns that by acting up it will cause you to go away and leave him alone you are teaching HIM how to train YOU to go away and leave him alone.
This is not what you want to achieve. Just move slowly and go ahead and pick him up. He has to learn that you aren't going to eat him. Handfeeding is also a good bonding tool. I take a long pair of blunt nosed tweezers and feed them their crickets individually. I haven't had one yet that would be stand-offish when it came to crickets!
In fact they get so enthusiastic about it is the reason I use the tweezers.

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Merlin,
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Ditto Merlin,

Same goes with iguanas too...you have to show them whos boss, not let them "boss" you around....good luck with your little guy...he will come around soon....Lyn

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and savannah's ....ok so pretty much all of them. Like said...and I've seen it first hand, just like kids....if it works to get their own way....they are going to exploit it.

If you attempt to pick him up, you must follow through with it (even if it's for only a momment).

Once you have ahold of him, never put him down unless he is calm (sometimes this can take a while....don't start unless you have the time to commit)

It really really works.....no lie

i am persistent with him and have been hand feeding for a month or so. when catching him to handle I enter his viv slow and low once he stops moving I just gently stroke his back then slowly pick him up. i support his whole body and tail when holding his and once he has given up struggling I stroke his head back and chin for a while then return him to his viv I do not put him back is he is struggling. Thanks for all your advice : )

wonderful....you're off to a good start.

Now it's just a matter of spending ALOT of time holding him. I've got 2 just like him, a brother and sister and with all the others I have I just didn't have the time to work on their attitudes....so they just got worse.

Now I have my older kids working on holding and petting them for 1-2 hours nitely and it's working....they are getting so much sweeter.