My beardie is doing something weird

Every once in a while my little Drogo will puff out his neck and twitch, sometimes he'll open his mouth as well. What's going on? He's also shedding at the moment and I've noticed it more often after he's eaten.

Well you've got a lot of things going on there at one time, all of which can be normal behavior, or can also be a problem. If he's shedding he could be stretching his beard out to looses his skin, but the "twitching" is troubling. What do you mean by "twitching"? He could also be opening his mouth and gaping because he's too hot, or he could have a respiratory issue. We need more information about him and his setup to know. Can you post some photos of him, his enclosure, and his lighting? How old is he? How long is he from end to end, and do you know what he weighs?

How large is his enclosure? What brand/model/type (compact, coil, tube, or mercury vapor bulb) of UVB light does he have? How old is it? Is it mounted inside his tank or on top of a mesh or glass lid? How far away from his main basking spot is the UVB light?

What brand/wattage/type (compact or coil) of basking bulb does he have? Is it right alongside the UVB light? What are the temps of his Basking Spot, his Hot Side Ambient, and his Cool Side Ambient? And what type of thermometer are you using to measure the temperatures (stick-on, digital probe, or a gun)? How many hours per day are his lights (UVB and basking) on?

What is his daily diet (what type of insects and how many per day)? What type of greens and veggies is he offered day? Do you use a Calcium and/or Multivitamin powder? If so, what kind and how often for each? Is he pooping regularly?

I'm asking these questions because any kind of "twitching" is very often a sign of either a calcium deficiency (MBD) or a vitamin B1 deficiency, which is typically due to inadequate UVB and UVA lighting, improper diet, improper supplements, or all. And the mouth gaping can a sign of an improper temperature gradient inside his enclosure. All of his symptoms or behaviors can be caused by inadequate or even dangerous bulbs, like most coil lightbulbs, colored lightbulbs, etc.

How old is Drogo ?

How old is his UVB light ?
How is it set up ?
Specifics on the UVB light (brand, type, wattage, %UVB rating, in a reflector dome or hood, above or below the lid, type of lid, distance from his basking spot).

Need much more information to be able to help or even guess what might be going on.

kingofnobbys":33vw6bnc said:

How old is Drogo ?

How old is his UVB light ?
How is it set up ?
Specifics on the UVB light (brand, type, wattage, %UVB rating, in a reflector dome or hood, above or below the lid, type of lid, distance from his basking spot).

Need much more information to be able to help or even guess what might be going on.

Click to expand...

He's I'm guessing around 2-3 months old. I got him at a petsmart after he had a foot amputation, so they weren't able to tell me his exact age. The temperatures in his basking area are in the upper 90's to low 100's and he also has a heat rock that he likes to poop on. I do have a UVB light but I don't remember the rating. The tank is actually a 40 gallon fish tank. This is him right now. (Excuse the calcium mess, he likes to eat it by itself sometimes) The thing I'm noticing is more of what seems to be a gagging motion than a twitch now that I've seen it again. It's been happening after he eats something and then goes to bask or sit on his rock.

DrogoMom":349ih36e said:

kingofnobbys":349ih36e said:

How old is Drogo ?

How old is his UVB light ?
How is it set up ?
Specifics on the UVB light (brand, type, wattage, %UVB rating, in a reflector dome or hood, above or below the lid, type of lid, distance from his basking spot).

Need much more information to be able to help or even guess what might be going on.

Click to expand...

He's I'm guessing around 2-3 months old. I got him at a petsmart after he had a foot amputation, so they weren't able to tell me his exact age. The temperatures in his basking area are in the upper 90's to low 100's and he also has a heat rock

<<< need to get this right , for a beardie I am for 40-43 deg C at the basking spot NEVER HOTTER.
<<< you need one of these at least >>> http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1-LCD-Digital-Temperature-Thermometer-Fridge-Freezer-Aquarium-Fish-Tank-Reptile/172452294173?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140107090050%26meid%3D2f7042e06fbf49ef8ed29ef34ebfc083%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D391259141696 where you can temporarily fasten (tape) the probe to the basking spot and get a good combined surface & air temperature for the basking spot.

I see you have one of those dodgey dial style thermometers , they are so inaccurate that you really have absolutely no idea what the temperature is in the viv because they have horrible reputation for extreme INACCURACY , could be out by 25%.
Through it in the bin , it's worthless.

<<< get a sharp knife and cut the power cable where it enters the heatrock , or simply bin the heatrock entirely , they are very dangerous , many lizards have been badly burnt by malfunctioning heatrocks which overheated.
that he likes to poop on. I do have a UVB light but I don't remember the rating.
<<< if you can't remember the rating , take it out and take a look when lights have been turned off for the night and they have all cooled , knowing this is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT

The tank is actually a 40 gallon fish tank.

This is him right now. (Excuse the calcium mess, he likes to eat it by itself sometimes) The thing I'm noticing is more of what seems to be a gagging motion than a twitch now that I've seen it again. It's been happening after he eats something and then goes to bask or sit on his rock.

Click to expand...

I also notice you have a mesh hammock , these are very popular but are also responsible for many beardie leg and arm and shoulder and hip and toe and finger injuries because beardies have a knack of getting their nails snagged in the mesh and then panic and wind up doing very serious injuries to themselves - best to remove the mesh hammock and replace it with basking branch .