How active should a 6mo dragon be?

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Chip

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Hello guys!
I have to admit I've been a little hesitant to post anything here again, as last time I was bombarded with people telling me that everything in Chippo's tank was wrong. When I first moved to my new apartment, a lot of new things were happening and Chip developed a little phlegm, and I asked on here what to do. I ended up taking him to the vet, where he was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection but was otherwise in perfect health, the vet was very patient with me and looked at pictures and plans of Chips living situation and told me I knew what I was doing. I've worked with this vet a lot, as I am in the zoological field of study and work at an aquarium where he also helps out. So yes, everything was fine! We got some medicine and everything has been good!
But I still get nervous because, well, Chip seems lazy to me. Maybe it's just because I am used to very very active animals (think sharks, and well, other wild life). But Chip mostly just kind of lays around. He eats fabulously now that his URI is gone, he basks for a bit during the day, but a majority of his day is spent in the warm side, under his log or buried beneath his towel. Is this normal? He doesn't usually sleep, just lays there. Anytime I come over to the glass he looks at me, is engaged, but doesn't move. When I take him out to play, he is very VERY active, but then the rest of the day he just... Isn't active at all lol.
Again, I just want to know if this is normal before I go and bug my vet about him again! I don't want to overreact if this is completely fine.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Hi there, I'm sorry that your last visit here you felt bombarded. The ones who do it may mean well but never seem to know that they can be overbearing and are driving people away. Please never feel that you can't post here, if you ever feel someone is as I described, just tell them you don't want them answering your post and p.m. Drache613, she will take care of it for you.

Anyway, it sounds like Chip is doing well, some beardies are more like little couch potatoes, others are true live wires. You'll see post here with the exact opposite of Chip's behavior and the owner looking for help because the dragon is jumping + glass surfing all the time. It's good that he's active when taken out, that shows that he enjoys being out for some exercise. In their tanks they don't have much to do really. :) Once he's mature he may become more restless + active during the breeding season, but again, every dragon is different.
 

CooperDragon

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I agree that if his appetite is up and he's very active out of the tank, he may be bored. What you might want to try is set up a portable basking light somewhere safe in the house. Then let him roam around and explore a bit. He'll likely learn to return to the basking spot to warm back up and then continue roaming around. I do this with my guy all the time and he likes it a lot. Most of them also tend to like time looking out the window. If you can set up some kind of window sill seat for him (I have a small dog bed in the window, for example) he may enjoy seeing the goings on outside.
 

Chip

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CooperDragon":mca26d9u said:
I agree that if his appetite is up and he's very active out of the tank, he may be bored. What you might want to try is set up a portable basking light somewhere safe in the house. Then let him roam around and explore a bit. He'll likely learn to return to the basking spot to warm back up and then continue roaming around. I do this with my guy all the time and he likes it a lot. Most of them also tend to like time looking out the window. If you can set up some kind of window sill seat for him (I have a small dog bed in the window, for example) he may enjoy seeing the goings on outside.

I've been working on this actually! I have a portable CHE, but he does get lost in my apartment and can't find his way back lol. We're working on it, but for now we have to be careful with play time because he's been trying to get under my washer and my oven. I have a baby gate to block it but he's so short still that he just crawls under it. I also have to be careful with the window because he pushes his nose against it and the window is always cold no matter what I try lol.
Do you know of any things I could put in his tank to stimulate him while I'm at work and school? He has branches, but that's about it.
 

CooperDragon

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Instead of a CHE, I'd use a bright light. I have a MegaRay 100w that produces UVB and heat in one room and I have a PAR38 halogen flood light in the other acting just as a bright heat spot. He uses both a lot. CHE is better used for nighttime when visible light isn't desired.

You'd probably have to put up some kind of barrier for under the washer and oven. They love climbing into little areas like that. I've had to pull my fridge out from the wall a few times =). Cold window shouldn't be a big deal. He'll pull away from it if it bothers him.

For in the tank, climbing areas are good. Maybe some fleece scraps or small fleece blankets for burrowing if he likes that. I have a photo background around my tank from South Australia which my guy seems to like. My tank is also in my living room where most of the action is rather than in a bedroom or hidden away. Other than that, there isn't much to do while you're away.
 
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