Horrible stress marks that just get worse

[ToothlessC]

So my bearded dragon has a love/hate relationship with me. He is about 3.5 months old and just over 8" long. I've had him for 12 days and he has grown about 1.25 inches. Some days he will calmly sit on my chest or hand and even fall asleep. Other days he has horrible stress marks, dark coloration, and hisses, flattens out, and gapes at me whenever I put my hand in his tank.

He has a reptisun 10.0 with correct temps both basking (105) and cool side (82). He eats like a horse and poops regularly.
His lights run from 7 am to 9 pm daily.

Sorry for the glass, I clean it weekly but he likes to lick water off of it.

Here is what he usually looks like at 2-3pm.

And here is him just 20 mins ago.

These pictures don't do justice to how dark he gets. Just minutes after the second picture, his belly was pitch black and his back (usually orange yellow red and brown) was almost as dark.

This progresses throughout the day, sometimes it stops when he is fed but other times it doesn't. Sometimes he calms down when I take him out and bathe him (every 3 days) but other times it doesn't.
About 3 days ago when I had him out he rubbed his nose on me and everything else. I assumed this was pre-shedding (along with the darkness) but I haven't noticed any shedding.

 

[Claudiusx]

How far away is the tube from the basking surface?
What are you using to measure the temp?

Can you go over the daily diet?
Has he been poo'ing every day?

Sorry for the glass, I clean it weekly but he likes to lick water off of it.

How does water get on the glass?
In the picture I see water drops on his beard, do you mist?

-Brandon

 

[ToothlessC]

How far away is the tube from the basking surface?

~7 inches

What are you using to measure the temp?

IR thermometer.

Can you go over the daily diet?

Either appropriately sized crickets or (starting today) dubia make up his protein. The amount he eats per day varies based on his mood. Some days he eats only 10-12 crickets, or like yesterday he ate 41 crickets. He ate 14 dubia today, but today is easily the worst mood I've seen him in.

Fruits and veggies are offered daily, but he doesn't usually eat much. Veggies include basil (his favorite), kale, and green peppers. Fruits are usually grapes and are only offered every once in a while.

Has he been poo'ing every day?

Yes, at least once and sometimes twice.

How does water get on the glass?
In the picture I see water drops on his beard, do you mist?

-Brandon

I do mist, but not frequently. The humidity in my room is very low.

 

[ToothlessC]

This morning I noticed that he is perfectly ok until he starts basking. Then he gets dark and angry

 

[DeweysMom]

Babies sometimes prefer hotter temps, more like 110. I'm not sure if that's to blame, but it's a possibility.

 

[DixieLonestar20x]

For one thing, you should try swapping your basil or kale out for some collard greens or mustard greens. These are two of the best leafy greens for them. I have never given mine basil as I have never known it to provide much for them??

That being said, I don't necessarily think that is the issue. You should stop misting all together and just start bathing him about every other day and get him used to it as that is the best way to hydrate them.

Try those two things first.

My newest baby gapes at me sometimes but that is because he is a pig and sometimes grabs crickets off my finger/hand so he is used to seeing it and refering it to food. I am breaking the little fatty from that now.

 

[ToothlessC]

I've tried to find collared greens or dandelion but haven't been successful so far. Also he definitely isn't gaping about food. He's gaping defensively.

 

[DixieLonestar20x]

Can you pick him up at all?? Does he just gape or does he try to nip at you any?

(BTW about collard greens. I buy them at Walmart or any grocery store. Don't get the ones that are already shredded, get the whole ones. then you can feed the stalks and some of the leaves to your crickets/dubias to help gutload them some!

 

[ToothlessC]

Up until about a week ago I was able to pick him up alright. Now he gapes at me and nips. I put gloves on to get him out so if he bites me I won't jerk away and hurt his teeth. I'm not scared of getting bit just of hurting him.

He likes green peppers and is still poo'ing and eating like a horse.

 

[ToothlessC]

Stress marks arent as prominent but he's still horribly skittesh/aggressive.