New Brearded owner

[Rebecca]

I just got my first breaded dragon. I was wondering how fast they grow, and also haw I can tame it down once it's settled in.

[jakejeff]

If all your husbandry is correct (ie. heat light ect.) they grow realy fast I got my first in febuary as a hatchling he was tiny the size of a peanut now he is 80g and about the size of a can of pop. as for taming I am still working on that mine realy hates it and runs away all the time

[eyespy]

Klingon time! When I get new beardies, I wait until they are almost completely asleep, then gently scoop them up from under their sweet little beards and chests (never approach from above, that's what hawks and eagles do right before they dine!). Then I let them cling to my shirt while I sit and read or watch TV. They enjoy the body heat and get used to my scent and my presence.

Never stare or appear to be watching a new pet, ony predators have a direct glance in the wild.

Always make sure you don't smell of other pets before approaching a beardie.

Try to approach with food treats. Even if they won't take them from you they do eventually come to see you as the source of tasty things. Reptiles feel at their most vulnerable to predation when distracted while eating and it's a great sign of trust if you see your little dude eating when he knows you are nearby. Don't force the handfeeding, just let it come naturally and you will know when your beardie has begun to start trusting you.

Try not to come in from above, always let your hand move along ground level for at least a foot or so before touching your beardie.

Sit while resting your hand in the cage frequently. Don't move your hand about, don't hide it behind cage furniture like you're a predator in ambush, and don't watch your beardie while you are doing it! Just sit there as still as possible, maybe with some fruit or greens on your hand, while reading or watching tv. Let him get used to you in a non-threatening and non-contact manner.

Dole out crickets or other live prey by just a couple at a time so your hand is definitely associated with yummy things! It's also easier to round up any uneaten crickets that way so you're not chasing them around the tank and freaking your beardie out. Use of a separate feeding enclosure so that he comes to expect food after being picked up is often helpful as well.

Yep, they grow tremendously fast as jakejeff said. Make sure you are very generous with the calcium for the first year as it seems like you could hear them grow sometimes.

[Rebecca]

WOW thanks!! Eyespy that was alot of help!!

[eyespy]

Happy to be helpful, Rebecca. I learned any little bit I know from asking other folks, so what goes around comes around. Nice when that phrase refers to a good thing. ;)