Climbing

Status
Not open for further replies.

Hedoraht

Member
Hi, so my bearded dragon, Andre, loves to climb.
I mean, he spends like several hours of the day climbing up and down his furniture.
I think it's really cute, but I feel like I he doesn't have as much area to climb as he might like to?
He has two hides he can climb on, one of which I put a rock on so he can climb higher, as well as a hammock, but he always seems to want to climb the walls, even though he can't.
Warm side is 100-105, light is filtered through metal mesh because I'm worried about it hurting his eyes, cool side is 80. He also hasn't been eating or pooping much at all, but he was brumination last month despite it being summer, and he hasn't lost weight, so I don't see much reason to be concerned yet, just give him water and some vitamins now and offer greens and insects daily, but I'm wondering if he gets bored and has no appetite because of that? If so, any recommendations on providing more ways for him to climb? Thanks.
Also, cage is about 55 gallons, made by myself out of wood, 10.0 36" t8 UVB, one month old.
I'll try to add pictures if that would help.
 

Blackenedsabbath

Hatchling Member
I find that one of the best ways to handle a super active or curious dragon is to have a beardie-proof room or area for them to run around in (but still supervised of course). And if he loves climbing, you could get larger logs or "obstacles" for him to explore within the area. My beardie tries to climb the styrofoam wall in his tank when he's super antsy, but if he is let out for a run he'll just relax in his tank after he's got all of his energy out.

I'm admittedly not too familiar with how much brumating impacts them though, sorry :(
 

Hedoraht

Member
Original Poster
I've been allowing him to explore when I'm around, which he enjoys a lot, but I can't really just leave his cage door open all day.
He still shows no interest in food, but his weight is still good.
He rarely poops, only when he takes a bath, and I try to give him baths as rarely as I can since he hates them.
 
Slightly off topic, but all the keepers I know say to mount the UVB light underneath the mesh so that your BD can get it unfiltered. Maybe it will help his appetite and pooping? Also, you may want the vet to do a fecal test. Mine had a decreased appetite and less-frequent pooping, and it turned out that he had pinworms. I saw an improvement once he was given medicine.
 

ROOMA

Member
My Girl was quite restless, running up around the enclosure...I put a foam type rock looking backdrop in it and she climbs it like crazy now, to stop her surfing the sides i used extra suction cups and lined the sides with those Repti hammocks all along the glass so she can climb the sides there. I hung her a hammock made of a red washtowel with thread from mesh on the cold side and she sleeps and chills in it.

Her new bad habits are being worked on, IE running up one side and flipping into her water dish was corrected with tapping on her nose a few times with NO being repeated, picking her up looking at her and head bobbing to her then putting her back in...at least she does not do it all the time now.
Her new bad habit is laying on her belly in the salad dish, sticking her head in the corner then trying to "swim" in it kicking all the food out of it.

I am thinking of making her a play area with things she can climb on in another room and obstacles and rearranging them time for her to explore. Thinking maybe a inflatable kiddy pool with various log holes, rocks, boxes, foam rocks to climb on etc.... at least to let her burn off this energy and crazy curiosity/antics.
 

Hedoraht

Member
Original Poster
The UVB isnt behind mesh, only the heat lamp is.
I'd like to take him in for a decal test at some point, but since he wasn't eating, he wasn't pooping.
He does eat some greens now, but still ignores insects, so he passes some small stools frequently now, but the color and smell is normal and he is getting more and more active. I'll try to get him checked next week when I can get transportation.
I'm wondering if he went into brumination because our house furnace wasn't running in summer, since it's back on now he's been getting more active.
I also ordered some new decor for him to climb on, do hopefully he likes it, he usually enjoys new things being in his enclosure, very curious guy.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Members online

Latest resources

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

Mirage entered brumation yesterday, I'm gonna miss hanging out with my little guy.
Getting ready for another day. Feeling sleepy. 😴
I just walked into my room and instead of looking at me, Swordtail's eyes darted directly to the ice cream drumstick I'm holding
Finally replaced Swordtail's substrate
I miss you so much, Amaris 💔

Forum statistics

Threads
156,086
Messages
1,257,585
Members
76,069
Latest member
mommatojack
Top Bottom