Long time Breeders???

[drewlowe]

This question goes out to the people that have several beardies and have seen many different personallities during breeding.

I've asked 2 great reptile vets and some breeders in my area and nobody really has an answer for me. So i'm going to try here.

I have one set of beardies, that are almost 5 years old. I have had them since they were both 1 month old. They have lived together since i bought them except a few months (from age 7 months to 18 months). After that they have been housed together with out a problem. They have produced 2 successful clutches for me.

Now the problem. This breeding season for some odd ball reason my male has became an aggressive little jerk. LOL (kinda) I know there is to be some bitting (i'm not new at this), but for some reason he is just being way to aggressive. I know the usually bitting at the head, neck, and back, But this boy is trying to take chunks out of her. He has already bit her nose (really really bad) and taken a small bite from the right eyelid and a very good chunk out of the left eyelid. Enough that they will leave a nice scar. He's also not doing this bitting during mating. He will run right up to her bob his head and bite the crap out of her.

What would cause him to be this aggressive. The ony thing that has changed for them is less handiling over the past 2 years, but they still get handled on a normal basis. He isn't showing any agressiveness towards me or anyone else, just towards her.

She has laid one infertile clutch about 1 month ago and is currently in the nesting box as i type, i don't know if they are fertile but about a week before i took him out i did catch them in the act. He has been seperated from her for about 2 weeks now, cause i don't want her hurt anymore until i can find out what flipped a switch in his head.

Any help on why a perfectly sweet beardie would turn into a psycho face eater, please let me know cause i can't think of anything else that would cause him to turn this way after 5 years of being a perfect angel.