Just Adopted 3 Year Old Beardie - Help!

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Brigieeee

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Hi! I am so excited to join the bearded dragon community. I just adopted a 3 year old bearded dragon 3 days ago and I am IN LOVE! He wasn't living in an abusive situation before, but definitely was experiencing a lot of neglect and wasn't handled often or given a lot of attention. I was wondering if I could get some advice from some experienced beardie owners for how to give him the best life possible!

I have a heated rock, a basking rock with a hide underneath, a hammock, and a tree branch for him to climb on inside of the tank. I have 2 thermometers that measure opposite sides of the tank, a basking light, and the ReptiSun 10.0 UVB light. I also have calcium powder to dust his food, greens and vegetables for his tank, and super worms for him right now. I also have these orange pellets his previous owners fed him a lot, but im not sure how great they are for him. I've given him one bath and I have been feeding him live food in a separate container and planning on doing it 2/3 times a week. I am using the Zoo Med Repti Chips as a substrate because it was recommended by my vet(not the bark or sand, I know how dangerous those are - but I want him to still be able to dig and experience his natural habitats.) Is there anything else I need for the tank? He's had diarrhea for the past 3 days and I'm unsure if its because he's sick, the temperatures off, or he's just stressed in his new habitat :shock: :? He also keeps glass surfing, even though I have backgrounds on the 3 sides.

He seems alright when I hold him, sometimes he doesn't like to be held and just wants to climb around and explore. If I can, I take him out when he's glass surfing and he climbs around my house and explores. He does keep trying to climb the walls of my house though, which I'm kind of unsure about why. Is that normal? Or is he trying to escape? When he is tired he will let me hold him and not try and escape or climb on me. I really want to build a bonding relationship with him but im worried since he is already 3 it won't be possible. I just want to give this little boy the best life possible. Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated on how to help him adjust to his new home and build a strong relationship with me. Thanks!!
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
What size tank is he in? And your 10.0 uvb is a coil or long tube fixture? He's goin to go thru relocation stress so this could contribute to the glass surfing but we need to rule out lighting- your basking temps are being taken by a digital probe thermometer?
 

Brigieeee

Member
Original Poster
Right now he is in a 56 gallon tank, 36 inches wide, 18 inches deep, and 24 inches high. I have the long tube fixture. My thermometers are digital thermometers but not with a probe. It says that my tank is typically 98 F in the hot side and around 78 in the cool end. It also measures humidity which said 21% in the hot and 32% in the cool.

He was more friendly today, he climbed a lot over me and was exploring a lot and would just rest on my lap when he got tired, but still kept glass surfing. He would rest for like 10/15 minutes and then want to come out again. Does he just want to hangout outside his tank? Whenever he wasn't basking he wanted to come out.

Also, I keep noticing that he will sometimes close only one of his eyes. At first I thought he was closing both because he was uncomfortable or scared but it will only be one and he still seems happy when he does it. It happens when he's climbing on me, sitting in my lap, or just chilling. I want to make sure this is normal/okay
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Yes normal eye behavior- the UVB is a T 5 or T 8? Distance and placement is crucial between the two bulbs--- the digital thermometer need a probe - your getting ambient air temps- you want the probe so you can set it on the basking spot where he sits - older dragons do not like real hot temps- usually 95-100- he may just be restless but we want to get the lighting in order first
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
The T 5 can sit on top of screen as long as the screen is a wide hole type --- if its a fine mesh it should go inside the tank --- so distance for top of screen is 8-10 w/ basking decor piece directly underneath - inside the tank 12-15 w/ basking decor directly underneath
 
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Scenery decals for back of tank

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