Kai acting strange today

Hello so kai is 3 months old, about 12” long and 133 g. His tank is setup according to the suggestions on here but will run down all his specs if needed. This morning started off normal, I turned his lights on and made him a salad. He came out of his hide and started basking. About an hour later I went to feed his Dubias for breakfast (which he will usually immediately gobble up) he wouldn’t even look at them, just sitting like a statue under his light. So I grabbed him off his hammock and put him in front of his bowl. He sat there for a few seconds not moving, then had this total spaz out moment where he was running super fast and banging his head against his tank. This only lasted a few seconds but freaked me out. He immediately black bearded afterwards (or as much as he can for being a juvenile). Now he is sitting in the corner of his tank (where he landed from the spazzing out) completely still again, beard still slightly dark. He also is now closing his eyes, not constantly but more than usual. Did something spook him? I was thinking maybe I accidentally hurt one of his toes while taking him off the hammock? Literally nothing has changed and he’s been very healthy since we’ve had him. Any help would be appreciated.

Set up for tank please -- pics of tank and lighting---- that is not normal behavior and the black beard is not good either ---
Karrie

He’s in a 40 gallon breeder, plan on upgrading soon. Basking temps 100-108 taken with temp gun. Cool side 75-80. reptisun t5 ho 10 uvb in hood with reflector. Diet collard/mustard greens, sometimes bell pepper but I’ve never seen him eat them, Dubias and a couple small super worms once a week. He gets calicum with d3 dusted on Dubias 5x/week and a multi vitamin 2x/week. His poos and urates have been normal. It’s been about an hour and his beard isn’t as dark although he still hasn’t moved. He is alert and looking around now but still sitting in the same spot.

Basking distance for the UVB? Is it 12-15 inches from him? You set up sounds great---
Karrie

His main area he basks in (on the ramp) is about 12” from uvb. The hammock is closer tho more like 8”, I planned to move the hammock over to cold side and get him some rocks for basking. His screen is metal so I figure that is blocking out a lot of the uvb Which is why I have some spots a bit closer to the light, he can get away from it if he needs to.
He finally moved back up to his ramp but looked scared while doing it. Not puffing or black bearding but tiny cautious movements. Still no interest in his Dubias. I have him next to a window, he possibly saw something scary out there?

Yep I bet that is exactly what happened--- if Hiccup is sitting on the back of the chair in my LR he sometimes will see something that spooks him and he will get down from the back of the chair and run and hide under the throw pillow on the seat -- so you might think of wanting to move him --- his beard looks ok in the last picture -- so I dont think there is really anything wrong other than the fact he got spooked -- just keep an eye on him --- hopefully he will start to eat
Karrie

Ok thank you for all your help! It just scared me that he was freaking out like that, never happened before. But yes now he is not dark at all and basking. I’ll try feeding again later. I don’t really have anywhere else to put his tank so I will cover up that side.

Well he’s back to acting normal, just ate his bugs and some
Greens, and had his morning poo. Damn that scary outside place.

Good and yes I would cover the one side of tank that he can see outside
Karrie

Hello,

Ha, before I made it all of the way through your thread, based on the look on his face, I was
going to ask you if you had him by a window. Then, I noticed his tank & a window by it. I am
positive something scared him because that is what they do, make like a statue!
A large bird of prey probably zoomed by & scared him to death. LOL He is alright now though,
right?
Poor thing, that does happen though. I am glad it wasn't anything serious.

Tracie

Drache613":kx1lcy95 said:

Hello,

Ha, before I made it all of the way through your thread, based on the look on his face, I was
going to ask you if you had him by a window. Then, I noticed his tank & a window by it. I am
positive something scared him because that is what they do, make like a statue!
A large bird of prey probably zoomed by & scared him to death. LOL He is alright now though,
right?
Poor thing, that does happen though. I am glad it wasn't anything serious.

Tracie

Click to expand...

Yes! He is totally fine! Poor baby saw something terrifying out there. It took him a good 2 hours to completely calm down. I’ve covered up that side of the tank to avoid any further issues. His spaz out moment scared the heck out of me as well! I thought I did something wrong and that he was hurt/unwell. But just a case of the heebie jeebies lol

Hello,

That is a good idea to cover that side up so nothing will scare him like that from outside.
This happens fairly often when they get scared like that, they will just freeze!
I'm glad to hear he is just fine now though, poor thing. They can really worry you to death
when things like that happen.

Tracie