Bearded Dragon Personality Question?

[NightFury]

I have heard from many soucres that beardies love attention and being with their people. That they are just a overall loving reptile. But, mine isn't. He doesn't seem to really like/care for me. For example, when I go to touch him in his tank, he shrinks away from my hands. It may be from him living in a glass aquarium, so my hand does have to go over his head to touch him or pick him up. So maybe he just gets spooked? He also tries to go back into his cage asap. I once had him try to jump back in his cage! However, when he is out, he isn't stressed or spooked at all! He will even sit calmly and attentive on my shoulders. Is there a reason why is isn't very found of me and doesn't like to come out? I've seen some where they will tro anything to be with their people, even climbing up their arms and rubbing at the cage glass to come out! Is there anyway to get mine like this? Or, at least, enjoy coming out and being with me/other people?

 

[Monkeys563]

Other than just keep giving him attention you can't really make him like to be with you more some like to be out some don't. My dragon does everything to be with me but some of my reptiles aren't like that. For example I know your talking about a dragon here but one of my geckos loves to come out and walk around but putting my hand in his cage really scares him so I just kept working with him, I try to come from the top but then come towards him from the side. Also I don't know your dragons age but maybe he's just a little jumpy if he's young?

 

[Canicke]

Approaching from the top is kind of like a natural enemy which comes from the top birds fly down to pick them up

 

[PatsyB]

Give him attention, talk to him, put something with your scent in his tank. reach into his tank and let your hand linger in there to get him used to your hands, when you pick him up try scooping under him from the front and gently nudge his back side onto your hand. When you pick him up you want to avoid putting your hand over his head, it casts a shadow over his third eye and makes him think there is predator overhead. Pet him at night when he snuggles into his sleep spot right before lights out, his defenses will be down and he will let you pet him.

I had a hard time with Luci when he was young. He always wanted out of his tank but when I would try to get him he would shrink away from me or try to bite me and "hiss" at me. The thing that worked best for me was the petting him before his lights went out. Sometimes I would even pick him up and hold him in his tank before he went to bed and I would pet him and talk to him. He's just over a year now and still a little skittish with me. When I pick him up he spazzes for a minute until I put him on my shirt then he realizes he's going to play.

He's very different than Dexter, she is very sweet and looks like she is always smiling. She loves to be picked up and snuggled. Luci has his good traits too. Even though he isn't as cuddly, he's very adventurous and he looks at me when I call his name and sometimes I can get him to come to me. He's very goofy and will attack our shoes and eat crumbs off the floor. So even though he's not as sweet as his sister, he still has personality traits that make him lovable. Just like people, we love different people for different reasons.

 

[Canicke]

And – there may be a smell on your hands that he doesn't like. If you use perfume or scented soap or hand lotion – try washing your hands off first. Offer him food on your hand. Does he like worms? Put a worm on the end of your finger then put a warm towards the bottom of your finger then put a warm on your palm

 

[donprec]

Maybe I'm not one to comment because Precious is my first bearded, we've only had her a few months and were really lucky that she came to us already very trusting, calm and sweet. But from my experience with various other pets...I really believe in the power of food. My first step with trying to bond with any new pet is to make them aware that if they want a particular really good treat, they have to come to me or be on me, to get it.
When we first got Precious, we would feed her worms on our lap. Now when we hold one of the containers that she knows the worms are in, she'll come to us and climb up our lap automatically because she knows that's where she's likely to be given that treat.
Same thing with baths, she hates them! She would scramble and carry on, one time she even jumped on the shower curtain and was holding on for dear life. So we always gave her a treat after. She still doesn't like baths but will tolerate them with the most pitiful look on her face as if we're forcing her to do something so horrible. But she makes sure she gets her treat after! One time I went to put her back in the cage without giving her a treat and she wouldn't let go of my hand and kept backing up on my arm. It was like she was saying “After what you just put me through, I'm not going anywhere without getting my treat first.”

 

[NightFury]

Thanks for all the great answers guys! Mine will eat out of out my hands, so that's good. I plan on putting one of my shirts in there, but I will make sure there is no perfume/deodorant on it.
I think a main reason he doesn't like me touching him in his cage is, like I said earlier, I have to come over top his head thanks to the cage being a tank. However, I plan on building one of those wooden ones with front sliding doors, that way I won't have to reach overtop of him.

 

[NightFury]

I also give him worms after his bath, which I see as treats for him.