New baby, black lines in tank nothing when held.

Hello! I am a brand new dragon mom. I've only had Vol'jin for a week. He is 3 months old and just under 10 inches tip to tail. Ever since the first night he has fallen asleep on my chest. I had done research before I got him and everywhere said to leave him be for the first week or two but he climbs up and jumps to me every night before his lights go out. I'm worried that its not good for him?

I left him alone last night and all today and only talked to him in his tank. All day he's had black lines on his belly and neck and he hasn't wanted to eat anything. He also didnt poop yesterday or today. I picked him up tonight and put him on my chest so that i could move his log a bit and almost immediately his black lines went away and he burrowed himself under my shirt and fell asleep. Is this okay? Everywhere says that I should be letting him adjust and that he shouldn't really be wanting to be held.

I'm not 100% on his basking spot (my temp gun gets in tomorrow) but the ambient temp on his warm side stays about 95 F and his cool side is around 80. His uvb is the reptisun 10 He's been eating crickets and phoenix worms as well as his greens. He also really loves raspberries.

I'm just worried that I'm the one who is stressing him out, but he always seems to want to be with me? Am I making it worse by letting him sleep on me? :?

Top is from a few hours ago, bottom is what he normally looks like.

He looks like he's doing really well. He isn't stressed, I'd say just the opposite. It sounds like he has settled in quickly and is comfortable around you. It's totally fine to handle him and take him out and interact with him if that is how he is reacting to you. Enjoy the snuggles when he falls asleep with you =). If he is curious and wants to roam around, and you have a safe place for him to do so, go ahead and let him explore a bit. The dark marks are almost universal with the little guys and just a reaction to him darkening to absorb heat/light and not really a good indicator of his mood. Do double check the surface temps when your temp gun gets in. You want the basking surfaces to be between 100-110 and have some areas around that in the 90s and down to 75-85 on the cool side but tweak it according to how he reacts. If he is in the basking site all the time and enjoying it, keep it the same or increase temps slightly. If he is avoiding it a lot, decrease temps etc until you find what he likes best.

CooperDragon":4g4yt1os said:

He looks like he's doing really well. He isn't stressed, I'd say just the opposite. It sounds like he has settled in quickly and is comfortable around you. It's totally fine to handle him and take him out and interact with him if that is how he is reacting to you. Enjoy the snuggles when he falls asleep with you =). If he is curious and wants to roam around, and you have a safe place for him to do so, go ahead and let him explore a bit. The dark marks are almost universal with the little guys and just a reaction to him darkening to absorb heat/light and not really a good indicator of his mood. Do double check the surface temps when your temp gun gets in. You want the basking surfaces to be between 100-110 and have some areas around that in the 90s and down to 75-85 on the cool side but tweak it according to how he reacts. If he is in the basking site all the time and enjoying it, keep it the same or increase temps slightly. If he is avoiding it a lot, decrease temps etc until you find what he likes best.

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Thank you so much for the reply! What a relief! My temp gun came in today and his basking spot was a little low at 95. I've swapped to a higher watt house bulb and it's heating up nicely now to 104. He ate really well today on his phoenix worms and had a massive poo.. so I think he's doing good! Being a new mom is stressful, haha! :lol:
Currently he's with me and keeps licking my shirt and neck, so CUTE!

Sounds good! That is a much better basking temp. It sounds like he's a happy camper. I look forward to hearing about his adventures with you =).