EWD Need advice

[Merlin1]

Hi everyone,
My water dragon kepts pooing on me every time I hold it. Should i kept trying to tame him because im thinking that it scares him that much it will soon cause a heart attack and that i should stop holding him. Any ideas what
I should do???

Cheers Merlin

 

[DeadlyDanny80]

Hi everyone,
My water dragon kepts pooing on me every time I hold it. Should i kept trying to tame him because im thinking that it scares him that much it will soon cause a heart attack and that i should stop holding him. Any ideas what
I should do???

Cheers Merlin

Mine used to do the same... Defense mechanism I believe... I wear an old shirt & when that happens I continue to hold him (so he dosnt think that everytime he poo's he gets put back in his enclosure)

Also I pick him up mid morning before feeding or late afternoon... He rarely poo's on me now

Good luck

 

[Merlin1]

thanks heaps

 

[MathewB]

I think you'd be better off not handling him at all. People use that 'technique' to get monitors and other such animals used to them.

 

[DeadlyDanny80]

I think you'd be better off not handling him at all. People use that 'technique' to get monitors and other such animals used to them.

Experience says differently unless you can offer a more effective alternative? If so I'm all ears & would appreciate your insight...

 

[Hamalicious]

EWDs are not exactly good lizards to tame, they generally don't calm down and will barely tolerate handling, they will sit there quietly but either scratch or run if given the chance. IMO they are a great lizard to keep in pits as they need lots of space and are very active, so they are great to watch in a natural out door enclosure.

 

[Rogue5861]

EWDs are not exactly good lizards to tame, they generally don't calm down and will barely tolerate handling, they will sit there quietly but either scratch or run if given the chance. IMO they are a great lizard to keep in pits as they need lots of space and are very active, so they are great to watch in a natural out door enclosure.

Agreed. They do tame down and don't mind people to much but come adult size they are best kept as an outdoor display animal. I have a mate with a trio that don't mind him but they like to be left on there own feet, a 3ft male can do some damage if he wants to.


Rick

 

[Hamalicious]

Sorry to hijack your thread but this might be a good chance to ask, i'm about to upgrade my EWD male to an outdoor aviary as he has out grown his indoor enclosure. Anyone else keep them in aviarys?

 

[NickGeee]

Haha mine did that to me all the time.

 

[MathewB]

Experience says differently unless you can offer a more effective alternative? If so I'm all ears & would appreciate your insight...

From what I've seen, heard, and read, they're not very good handlers. Maybe you got lucky with some good handlers, but in general I don't think they're overly keen on it. An alternative would be to not handle it unless necessary, but I have seen somewhere a technique for getting monitors able to handle, a thread maybe posted by crocdoc. /insight

 

[Rogue5861]

Sorry to hijack your thread but this might be a good chance to ask, i'm about to upgrade my EWD male to an outdoor aviary as he has out grown his indoor enclosure. Anyone else keep them in aviarys?

My mates are in an aviary, i dont have any photos but they do great here in adelaide even with our cool winters. A big pond of water an some big branches in the sun an they seem to thrive outside, definately an amazing looking dragon.


Rick

 

[Merlin1]

Haha mine did that to me all the time.

did it stop after a bit????

 

[SurrealReptiles]

What a load of crap!
EWD can be tamed, it's just that people are too lazy to put the effort in to achieve it.

 

[Merlin1]

What a load of crap!
EWD can be tamed, it's just that people are too lazy to put the effort in to achieve it.

I kinda have with my other baby which is his brother but the other one that i post this post up for kepts pooing on me. did that ever happen to you?????

 

[SurrealReptiles]

Of course, you need to realize that no reptile enjoys or needs to be handled but most can become accustomed to it. You also have to realize that they won't tame to level of a blue tongue or beardie but can be calmed to the point of allowing you to touch them in their enclosure without freaking out.

The best way I found is to put their head between your index and middle finger so you are holding near their shoulders and cradle their body in your hand so it supports them, turn them on their back and use your other hand to support their tail. You will get to the point where you can allow them to rest in your hand without gripping them at all. Continue it until they will allow you to place them in your palm/on your arm without running off.
I have used this method from about 2 years old all the way up too full grown adult males and have yet to have it fail.

Just remember to space out handling, it's a long process but most certainly can be done.

 

[Merlin1]

ok thanks heaps

 

[bk201]

Ewd are great lizards to tame slowly

gain trust don't force them

start to hand fees them and touch them during feeding

they tame down like dogs after years not a week a month or two by forcing them to be handled but if you do it slow and right you can have an amazing pet.

 

[DeadlyDanny80]

Of course, you need to realize that no reptile enjoys or needs to be handled but most can become accustomed to it. You also have to realize that they won't tame to level of a blue tongue or beardie but can be calmed to the point of allowing you to touch them in their enclosure without freaking out.

The best way I found is to put their head between your index and middle finger so you are holding near their shoulders and cradle their body in your hand so it supports them, turn them on their back and use your other hand to support their tail. You will get to the point where you can allow them to rest in your hand without gripping them at all. Continue it until they will allow you to place them in your palm/on your arm without running off.
I have used this method from about 2 years old all the way up too full grown adult males and have yet to have it fail.

Just remember to space out handling, it's a long process but most certainly can be done.

Now that's some insightful information that will prove most helpful... Thank you for your valued contribution...

 

[DisturbedDave]

Of course, you need to realize that no reptile enjoys or needs to be handled but most can become accustomed to it. You also have to realize that they won't tame to level of a blue tongue or beardie but can be calmed to the point of allowing you to touch them in their enclosure without freaking out.

The best way I found is to put their head between your index and middle finger so you are holding near their shoulders and cradle their body in your hand so it supports them, turn them on their back and use your other hand to support their tail. You will get to the point where you can allow them to rest in your hand without gripping them at all. Continue it until they will allow you to place them in your palm/on your arm without running off.
I have used this method from about 2 years old all the way up too full grown adult males and have yet to have it fail.

Just remember to space out handling, it's a long process but most certainly can be done.

I'm probably not picturing this right, but are you saying to hold them upside down, cradled in your hand? If so, I thought that holding dragons upside down is a big no no, something about their rib cage pressing on their lungs? I'm at the moment trying to tame my EWD's (4 months old), so this is quite helpful!