Bearded dragon advice

Status
Not open for further replies.
Hi guys

My beardie Sam is acting kinda strange to me. Only today I’ve noticed he’s breathing heavily and as he exhales his beard puffs slightly? It doesn’t go black or anything though. I’ve also notice him gaping his mouth open a few times today (only for a small amount of time) even when he’s not under his basking spot? He’s been eating perfectly fine and pooping regularly. He isn’t eating today for some reason and his poops are big too. He’s quite lively though he’s bouncing around the tank and climbing around and stuff which I hope is a good thing? He’s very alert too.

Is this heavy breathing and mouth gaping normal?

I should mention too that the weather here is quite warm too.

Also, he’s currently in a shed and is about 18 months old.
 

dezismom

Juvie Member
With the warmer weather, he may be overheated in his viv...do you have a good thermometer? Can you post his heating measurements, along with some photos of his set up? As long as he is eating and pooing okay, and is active and showing no other signs of distress, (black beard, dark color, hiding, not wanting to be touched, crusty matter around nose mouth or eyes, dirty vent) I would not be overly concerned yet, but would keep a sharp eye on him. If anything changes, be prepared to act quickly and get him to a vet trained to treat lizards. Sometimes gaping can be an early warning sign of a dangerous respiratory infection, or some other serious condition. But more often, it is simply a sign of being too warm. I would definitely check his temperature parameters in his viv--around 105* (f) under the basking light, and cooler areas in the 80's. He needs to be able to choose what temp he needs to be in. Because he is gaping, offer him fresh water more frequently by drops from a syringe on his lips.
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Most likely he's beard/throat and chest skink stretching in preparation a shed.

But good idea to keep a very close eye on the tank temperatures , particularly if it's very hot weather where you are and you don't have airconditioning in the house …. gapping can be an indication of being too hot.
 

Staceythorn

Member
Original Poster
Hi thanks for the advice. His temperatures are bang on according to my aunt who is a very experienced beardy owner. Here’s his setup. The light genuinely is white the lighting in the room makes it look blueish.

Thanks
92065-8465833505.jpg
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Tip - told this by two very experienced local reptile vets who also breed dragons and skinks as hobby / sideline
If you expect it will be heatwave conditions and you will not be home in the hottest part of the day
> it is OK to leave the basking globe / lamp off and only run the compact UVB or T8 or T5ho UVB tube , the tank will be warm enough without the basking globe.
 

Staceythorn

Member
Original Poster
That’s good to know thanks! I was leaving it off for a few hours a day to help him cool down and wasn’t sure if I was doing the right thing or not :)
 

Staceythorn

Member
Original Poster
Hi guys,

I’m having a bit of a problem with my beadie. Sam is a year and a half old and is a male. Recently for the past week or so, he’s been going absolutely mad glass surfing, to the point that he kept my sister awake with it one night (his tank is directly under her room) , what’s weird is that I take him out every time and he finds a dark corner in the sitting room and wiggles down and sleeps for ages if I let him every single time. Then I’ll put him back then about half an hour later he’s going mad again. It only seems to be evening/night time that he does it though and he seems to calm down when the kitchen light is off or when his heat lamp is off but I can’t keep it off for a long time as you know. He eats morio worms with peppers or berries etc everyday (food has never been an issue) he has a 75w heat lamp and a UBV rod. He poops healthy too. Maybe he’s looking for a female? Any advice on what to do to calm him down/make him stop is greatly appreciated. Thanks so much in advance :)
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
It's possible he's looking for a female but if he's only doing this at night and he bunkers down when you take him out of the tank, I'd try putting some fleece scraps in the tank for him to burrow down in. Maybe he just wants a cozy place to sleep.
 

Staceythorn

Member
Original Poster
Ohh that’s true now that you say it he likes to be surrounded kinda thing. Like one time he put himself half under half out of the couch and another time he slotted in between a chair and the wall. Good idea thanks :)
 

Staceythorn

Member
Original Poster
Hi guys,
Sammy is about two and I’ve had him for the past one and a half years, I feed him a mix of morio worms and locus with salad stuff like peppers and cabbage occasionally, give him calcium dust, wash him properly etc but recently he’s been glass surfing like MAD. I asked at the pet shop and they gave me a night light so that it’s sitll a little warm but dark in the tank (when I took him out he went to the coldest and darkest corner in the house). That works fine but when the kitchen light is on (the room his tank is in) he goes mad until I turn it off then it’s completely dark and he nods off to sleep. I’m wondering if it’s okay to maybe but a black blanket over the tank temporarily so that he can sleep as that’s obviously what he wants? Also when he wakes up the next day, should I change his light to the normal heat lamp or just leave it as is to see if he nods back off as he only wakes up for a few hours a day before he starts going mad again? Thanks for your advice. Temps are fine always have been?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Beardies do not need a nite light or blanket over there viv - a dark room at nite is fine for them -- like us they like to sleep in the dark-- any nite lights are not good
Karrie
 

SPandS

Juvie Member
I'm a bit confused. Your dragon is glass surfing so someone told you to use a night light? Does the light put off light or is it a ceramic heat emitter which only puts out heat? Are there any places to hide in the tank that he could go to if he wanted to lay someplace dark? That glass surfing could be hormones and he's wanting out to find a mate. Or if it's only at night when his light are off but there are room lights on maybe it's causing him to see his own reflection and it's frustrating him. Either way I would use a regular bright white basking bulb during the day and at night use no light.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Members online

Latest resources

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

I miss you so much, Amaris 💔
What is a quick way to warm up a cold beardie? His heating element went out overnight and now he's very cold.
Pearl Girl wrote on moorelori1966's profile.
i feel so sad reading your about me 😢
Clapton is acclimating okay I think. He's quick as lightning so I'm not sure how much I should bring him out of his house yet. He's not at all interested in his salad though. I wonder if I should change what I'm giving him. Least he's eating his crickets.

Things to do:
Buy calcium powder
Material to raise surface for basking spot
Scenery decals for back of tank

Forum statistics

Threads
155,899
Messages
1,255,688
Members
75,966
Latest member
georgiarichmond
Top Bottom