Comments on: Why is my pet Chinese water dragon not social? How do i get it to be more social?

By: desiree_jade410

desiree_jade410 — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:51:50 +0000

i have 2 water dragons…i get frustrated alot because they do not like to be held a whole lot. IMO, you can not totally train a cwd to like to be held. they are all different, ive seen a 4 y.o male who LOVED to be held, and a few that were super aggressive. i spend ALOT of time with my 2, and they still dont really like to be social. my male is better then my female, my female is super skiddish and when i take her out, she hides in my shirt. you could try to spend more time with it, and hope that it learns to like being held. be just as stubborn and persisant as he is. good luck!!

By: Antony

Antony — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:39:37 +0000

http://dogandcatanswers.yahoo.com/

By: Happy taro! oishi

Happy taro! oishi — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:05:28 +0000

Almost all reptiles are not social, and don’t like to be handed by humans. Theres nothing you can do. They don’t like to be handled.

By: ImogenDevaux

ImogenDevaux — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 23:50:04 +0000

unfortunatly allannas has it perfectly right…lizards are not sociable creatures..dragons barely socialize with anything apart from breeding season, they will never ”enjoy” being handled and are more of a observers pet.
Its not advisable to take it from its enclosure if it clearly does not want to be taken out. This is going to stress it out unimaginably and a stressed out dragon can turn into a sick dragon very quickly..imagin a purple blob shaped giant thing putting its arm into your bedroom window, pluking you from your bed and making you sit on his arm every day…would you enjoy that? or want to get back into your bed?
Their absolutely fantastic to care for and observe and that the true mark of a reptile keeper, someone whos in it for the pleasure of keeping these awesome creatures, not having them sit on their shoulder cause they look cool.
If you really want to have a lizard who is more sociable why not think about a beardie? or gecko? their easier to handle and are less likely to get stressed from occasional handling as they dont seem to mind humans too much.
I hope this helped, good luck

By: RAWR

RAWR — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 22:58:49 +0000

You need to start holding it more often. First you must get it use to you though. You can do this by putting it in the bathtub with you (no water of course) with all exists closed so it can’t get out and just let it crawl around you. Don’t move too fast and when it comes close enough pet it, or offer your hand for it to get on.(did this with my lizard, it worked). When you take it out of the cage know your boundaries. Don’t take it out of its hide, thats is its “safety zone”. When you pick it up get it with an open hand and leave it just a few inches off the ground so it knows that if it wants to get off then it can. Do this a couple of times through out the day so it knows you aren’t a predator.

The dragon is small, while you are much larger than it. When picking up the lizard do not come from above. It’s natural predators come from above to grab it. So you should try to pick it up from the belly not the back. Scoop it up with your hand. If it wants to run let it run through your hands, don’t let it get loose though! This way it knows you aren’t going to harm it.

By: Allanas

Allanas — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 22:21:03 +0000

Sweetie, it’s a lizard, not a beagle.

You want to cuddle, get something with fur.

You take reptiles as they are. YOU adapt to THEM – not the other way around.

If that one doesn’t like humans – tough titty. Some do, some don’t. You should have done more research.

By: Lady Hyena

Lady Hyena — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 22:08:36 +0000

when it swerms and fights you do you just put it back? when it jumps into the cage again do you let it be? If yes to either of them or even sometimes your making it think that when it does this you’ll leave it be. It take ALOT of hard work and TLC to tame a water dragon. Some dont even tame. There alot like iguanas in this aspect. If there not tamed at al and grow up like that. Be prepared for some tail whips. You need to spend alot of time taming it. Like more then a few minutes and several times a day. At least 3 for about 20 minutes each then after it gets used to that extend the time. Reward it when it gets to go back into its home. Give it its favorite food and only then. If you asked this then i assume your a first time reptile owner=w= best of luck mate. You choose a difficult one to want as a socail pet:/

By: Cat Daddy

Cat Daddy — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 21:25:06 +0000

You can’t. You should’ve taken the time to study the animal and it’s needs carefully before consigning it to a life of misery as your pet. Like most lizards, Chinese Water Dragons are naturally shy, paranoid, and not given to being cuddled. In their normal habitat they usually rest & sleep on branches overhanging water so they can quickly & easily escape threats through the simple expediency of leaping off into the water.

They require a very large cage with plenty of shelter from prying eyes, and it has to be kept clean. Nature does this in the wild by raining on everything occasionally. In captivity, you have to take care of these things.

I would seriously think about selling your dragon to someone who is better suited to care for it properly. You want something cuddly get yourself a chihuahua.