Friend needs help taming bearded dragon

[ponders]

Thought I would ask you guys if you have any tips for taming a baby dragon.

It's about 6 months old. Petco sold my friend a dying dragon that she had to force feed and eventually it died. They replaced it for her, but this one doesn't like to be handled (could be cause it's not on death's door)
She says it flares up at her, tries to bite her and then freezes. By then she's scared to touch it.

I don't have any experience with them, so do you guys have any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[fluxlizard]

Hi there.
I have quite a bit of experience with bearded dragons. I've had a multigenerational group going since 1994.

I've found there are two general categories of dragons like you describe. The first are just not used to people and unusually shy. If it is this kind, after a couple of weeks in the home, it will calm down and become more easily handled.

The second kind is just plain crazy. These are born 1 in 100. It might be a hormone thing- in my experience these sort of mature out of it, but your friend might have to be patient. It can sometimes take as long as a year before they cool down and start to behave normally.

I really don't have any tips for taming. If it is the first kind, just being around your friend will do the trick. If it is the second kind, I haven't found anything that will work. It will just be nasty until it matures out of it. The second kind can really be pieces of work in the meanwhile- they will jump and lunge to bite when they are in their "teens" and around 12-17". At 6 months old, your friend's dragon could possibly be one of these- these are often "normal" as babies" and it kind of comes out a bit later.

 

[ponders]

Thanks! I think she has the second kind and hopefully when he gets through his teenage phase things will be better!

 

[fluxlizard]

if it is the second kind, sometimes it gets lots worse before it gets better. But eventually it does get better. I've had a few individuals over the years that would flare their beards and gape even when I got too close to their terraria, and even lunge at me if I got too close or reached in to change water, etc. But they grow out of it in time. Sometimes after quite a long time (18 months old or so)...