- Joined
- Jul 8, 2017
- Messages
- 5,750
- Location (City and/or State)
- Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
and I hate it!
Here's what's happened.
If you've been following Thistle and me, you will recall that last week I removed the divider in her cage, gave her deeper substrate, and furnished her cage to what I thought would be mutually acceptable. It looked like this.
For the most part it's been great! I like it, and after a few days of total shock, Thistle was enjoying her new amenities.
Until...she learned exactly what I tried to avoid! She learned that she could bury herself under the coco chips and not be found. She stays there until I leave the room, she then comes out, and then scoots back underground when she sees me. She wants to be anywhere other than with me. It's weird though, once I do catch her, she settles right down, rides around on my shoulder, and does not appear frightened. She stopped biting several weeks ago. She just doesn't want to be with me.
And when she's underground, I can't even entice her with food. This I will not tolerate.
So I have removed all of her substrate except a thin layer that she can get under, but does not conceal her body or movements. And she has a nice pile in her hide. I put her decor back in...I'm not trying to deprive her of hiding spots.
And I am back to step 1 of trying to get her to come out of her hide while I offer food. We had been where she would run up my arm to get to the waiting plate of food. Not any more.
Where did I go wrong? Did I "open up" too soon?
What should I do now to get her trust? Just start over?
How can I get her to want to be with me?
My only spot of hope is that I talked to a friend with a beardie. She said he went through this stage, but after some time passed, he mellowed out and enjoyed going everywhere with her. He especially loved Petco!
Here's what's happened.
If you've been following Thistle and me, you will recall that last week I removed the divider in her cage, gave her deeper substrate, and furnished her cage to what I thought would be mutually acceptable. It looked like this.
For the most part it's been great! I like it, and after a few days of total shock, Thistle was enjoying her new amenities.
Until...she learned exactly what I tried to avoid! She learned that she could bury herself under the coco chips and not be found. She stays there until I leave the room, she then comes out, and then scoots back underground when she sees me. She wants to be anywhere other than with me. It's weird though, once I do catch her, she settles right down, rides around on my shoulder, and does not appear frightened. She stopped biting several weeks ago. She just doesn't want to be with me.
And when she's underground, I can't even entice her with food. This I will not tolerate.
So I have removed all of her substrate except a thin layer that she can get under, but does not conceal her body or movements. And she has a nice pile in her hide. I put her decor back in...I'm not trying to deprive her of hiding spots.
And I am back to step 1 of trying to get her to come out of her hide while I offer food. We had been where she would run up my arm to get to the waiting plate of food. Not any more.
Where did I go wrong? Did I "open up" too soon?
What should I do now to get her trust? Just start over?
How can I get her to want to be with me?
My only spot of hope is that I talked to a friend with a beardie. She said he went through this stage, but after some time passed, he mellowed out and enjoyed going everywhere with her. He especially loved Petco!