Once and for all, which is it? gaping=too hot or okay

[acwood04]

I have been reading this forum frequently and reading books as well since I just got a baby beardie, (about 8.5in) and when I have her basking at temps around 102-104 she is constantly gaping, now I've read that they do this to regulate the temps in their bodies and I've read that when they do this they are one step away from being "overcooked". My girl is gaping a lot of the time but she wont go to the cold side of the tank when she seems to get hot.. So lets settle this once and for all.. which is it?

 

[Rachella]

I personally see no problem with gaping.. I haven't seen or read anything that means they're going to cook when they do. I do know that they do it as a way to regulate body temperature - beardies are lazy and will get away with what they can before hauling their arses to the other side of the tank.

The temperature you've listed raises no immediate concern, so I doubt she's -too- hot... She may just be trying to gape her way into not moving. I do know that eventually, in my experience with my two beardies, they do move if they get too hot. It rarely happens, as gaping seems to do the trick most of the time, but they do move if it doesn't.

Hope this helps.

 

[peera]

Seconded. They'll move if they're cooking, gaping is just a way to let out some of the heat.