My chinese sea dragon have be 'aggressive' towards me lately, why? (more info inside)?
okay. Well, I used to work at Petsmart so I'm not completely reptile stupid. I thought I was doing everything right.. I have some theories, but I requirement some thoughts.
I have a baby, well, conceivably not a baby but he’s pretty young. He’s about 12 inches from commander to the tip of his tail.. ( I say he, even though I don’t know what it is at this point)
here’s a pic=
http://i33.tinypic.com/2rhxyc7.jpg
So, I have a 40 gallon horizontal cage (yes I know it should be soaring not wide, I'm going to be getting another one soon) and there is sticks and stuff for him to climb, and plants and dirt and a big pool for him to play. I'm pretty sure he like his habitat now, because he’s not too big yet.. but he has gotten idle and wont try and find the crickets if they run and hide under leaves or something, so I WAS newly taking everything out so he could get them, but that was getting ridiculous so about 5 days ago I get an idea to get a tub, a plastic storage tub, that is pretty apt size and tall enough for the crickets not to get out.. and I thought I would lately put him in there to eat and I figure it would probably be better anyways, so he doesn’t get territorial of his cage, like snakes do. I put his long UVB neutral across the top so it would be bright and not a completely off temperature. It seemed to work really resourcefully, because I knew he wasn’t eating right before (1-3 crickets a hours of daylight or sometimes none) its supposed to be like 8-10 right??.. (large) and for the first time he was eating at tiniest 7 every day so I was stoked, that I got it right.. and I've even notice him getting a little bigger finally just in the ending few days. His crest is even becoming more noticeable, and its really adorable. Sounds peachy right? No. I wish.
So yesterday afternoon I tried the trial routine again, and he ate like 3 crickets and just sat near. So I was like ugh and waited because sometimes he freshly needs to do a little digesting, but like 5 minutes and still didn’t put away anymore, so I pick him up and for the first time EVER he puffs up and opens his mouth trying to be intimidating, and I just kind of guffaw because I know you’re not supposed to be like sorry and put them down, because then they are just going to be come aggressive every time they want down. I held him and he simply kept sitting like that and so I tried picking up a cricket with my other hand and feed it to him:] because I thought that would be kind of neat. He went for it and started ingestion it but dropped the other half. I was just category of like oookay then and I started the back side of his manager, he normally likes that. But he didn’t. He was purely had the GRR face on and started like sticking his tongue out. So I kept holding him until he finally closed his mouth and consequently I put him back. Today I figured it would be fine, but then I go to get him to put him in his little feeding nouns and he started opening his mouth and giving me the GRR face before I even tried to pick him up, so I be just kind of like wtffff !! I go away and came back after I checked my email, and he have cooled down I guess because his mouth was closed. So I picked him up and put him in the feeding tub and next threw in a few crickets, and he just sat in that. And I was like GRR, and then he be like GRR, and started just looking at me all pissed. And I be like whatttttttttt. Haha. So I waited for him to eat, and he didn’t even show an interest so I eventually picked him up even though he have his mouth open and stuff and I held him again until he closed his mouth, it took so long today. He finally did though so I put him back, but he’s still freshly staring at me in his cage, like I’m the satan or something.
I was thinking maybe, he thinks immediately, the only reason I pick him up is for food now, so immediately when he’s NOT in the cage he’s like “ahh” near his mouth, waiting for food, but when he didn’t eat at all, I was similar to maybe not.
I don’t think he’s stressed out In the bin or something because its been working for nearly a week.
I was also thinking maybe because he’s in affliction from growing? It looks like he might be going to shed, because there’s like a crusty on his head… but idk….
He also has a hit or miss orangeish spot showing up under his armpit. I don’t know if its because maybe he’s a boy and he’s getting color, but I thought that be only on the cheek, maybe I’m wrong.
What do you think is going on, why is my babe-in-arms mad? I want to fix it while its just starting.
Also, Am I right about the day after day food intake? 8-10 large a day? There’s a really nice reptile specialty store called metropolis by me and there’s a girl more or less 21 who told me that’s what it should be eating a day. She said she has 4, and I be like well he’s not very big, and she be like yeah, I know. 8-10,
(I’m aware that they can eat mealworms and wax worms and veggies and fruit)
I sprinkle my crickets with the multi-vitamin that they involve from eating all different kinds of bugs contained by the wild, and the calcium.
Please
Answers: I worked at Petsmart too! I probably got bit by those and the call pythons more than anything. I bought one and still own him. He was mean at first but I bought one of those leashes and got him out profusely and let everyone play with him. Now he is happier out of the cage than surrounded by it. I love him so much now! I hope you have lots of luck with your pet!
lately keep handling him and don't keep leaving him surrounded by his tank all the time... they like to be out !
