Stays on log all day?

Hello,
I recently rescued Stoick who's a 4-year-old male beardie about a month ago. Recently I've noticed that he stays on this one particular log almost all the time. Also the log is on the cool side of his tank. It concerns me because in the morning when I come in to check on him and give him his salad he's still on the log and very dark and a little cool to the touch. He doesn't go to the basking side of his cage so I started putting him there myself because I'm worried he's not getting enough warmth. Once I do put him there he stays there and perks up (like he looks around, licks, raises his head up, stretches the beard, and seems happy). Why isn't he going to the basking side on his own? Should I put his log on the basking side?
A little background:
The hot side of his tank I try to keep around 95-102. Hottest it's ever been was 106.
His cool side is about 80-85 but can drop down to 70 at night.
He has a UVB bulb.
He gets a regular diet of salads and crickets and roaches.
He just recently shed. And he's eating normally. And he pooped yesterday.
He's in a 40 gallon tank. He has decorations and a hammock (that he never uses).
The basking light is a halogen bulb, could that be the problem?
Thank you so much for any help. Stoick is only my second beardie so I'm still learning.

He has a UVB bulb????????? What kind of bulb------ brand and bulb please--- halogen bulb? Is it a off color and if it is is it pointing straight down or side ways? So it sounds like he wont go bask on his own? How long will he stay if you move him to the basking side?
Karrie

Is that hot side measurement the actual hot side, or is it the actual basking surface?
What are you using to measure the temps with?

80-85 is a little warm for the cool end, he might be a bit hot.

Halogens are fine basking bulbs.
Could you possibly post a picture of your setup for us to see? And a picture of Stoick?
How do his urates look?

-Brandon

KarrieRee":aw9aro0z said:

He has a UVB bulb????????? What kind of bulb------ brand and bulb please--- halogen bulb? Is it a off color and if it is is it pointing straight down or side ways? So it sounds like he wont go bask on his own? How long will he stay if you move him to the basking side?
Karrie

Click to expand...

It's the ReptiSun 10.0 UVB bulb. It's the long one so it points straight down. And the halogen bulb is GE 50W bulb. It also points straight down. And if I put him in the basking area he stays there for a good while and then returns to his log. I think he just really loves that log, maybe?

claudiusx":2c6lh3cp said:

Is that hot side measurement the actual hot side, or is it the actual basking surface?
What are you using to measure the temps with?

80-85 is a little warm for the cool end, he might be a bit hot.

Halogens are fine basking bulbs.
Could you possibly post a picture of your setup for us to see? And a picture of Stoick?
How do his urates look?

-Brandon

Click to expand...

It's the actual hot side measurement. I currently have 2 thermometers in his cage. One that's a "reptile" thermometer with a probe (don't know the brand but I got it at Petco in the reptile section) and one is a ThermoPro thermometer with humidity readings as well.
And ok. I'll try lowering the temperature. Maybe that's it.
And yeah I'll try to post pictures. I'm new to this forum so I'm not sure how to post pics yet.

So what is your basking surface than measured with the probe? Adults tend to like a basking surface a bit cooler, and I have a feeling if that's your hotside temp, your basking surface is much too hot, which would be why he isn't basking under the light.

-Brandon

claudiusx":3kvajesb said:

So what is your basking surface than measured with the probe? Adults tend to like a basking surface a bit cooler, and I have a feeling if that's your hotside temp, your basking surface is much too hot, which would be why he isn't basking under the light.

-Brandon

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Oh that would make sense. I haven't measured the basking surface itself but you're probably right about it being too hot. Do you think I should go down in wattage for the bulb? It's currently a 50W.

claudiusx":a6ntb5ym said:

So what is your basking surface than measured with the probe? Adults tend to like a basking surface a bit cooler, and I have a feeling if that's your hotside temp, your basking surface is much too hot, which would be why he isn't basking under the light.

-Brandon

Click to expand...

But also at night his tank can drop down to about 70 and I know he sleeps on the cool side of his tank too. And then in the morning when I go check on him he's still on the cool side of his tank. Should he go to the hot side to warm up? And in the morning when the lights first turn on they're not very hot right away (maybe 80s, low 90s). So wouldn't he want to go warm up after a cool night? I'm genuinely curious. Thanks for all the info!

How are you taking his temps in the tank? And yes he should be going to the warm side of the tank to warm up
Karrie

KarrieRee":37ytgkeb said:

How are you taking his temps in the tank? And yes he should be going to the warm side of the tank to warm up
Karrie

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I have two thermometers. One that's small and from Petco with a probe and the other is bigger from ThermoPro and also takes humidity readings.

You need to get a infrared heat gun --- from Walmart Home Depot or Lowes -- they are the best for getting actual temps and they are not that expensive---- the digital will work you need to set the probe where he is is sitting leave it there for like 10 min and then check it --- temps for basking should be 95-105 or so ---
Karrie

KarrieRee":1vaoqf83 said:

You need to get a infrared heat gun --- from Walmart Home Depot or Lowes -- they are the best for getting actual temps and they are not that expensive---- the digital will work you need to set the probe where he is is sitting leave it there for like 10 min and then check it --- temps for basking should be 95-105 or so ---
Karrie

Click to expand...

Ok I'll do that. Thanks!

Your digital with probe end is fine really. I like recommending those over the IR guns personally, just because the IR guns can be finicky. They have to be used on only certain surfaces, unless you buy one with and adjustable emissitivity setting. The probes will read any surface, and are usually pretty accurate.

I would measure your basking surface, and depending on what it is, then you can decide what to do as far as bulbs or distances go.

Beckat24":3pm545m4 said:

So wouldn't he want to go warm up after a cool night? I'm genuinely curious. Thanks for all the info!

Click to expand...

Yeah ideally, but sometimes they get lazy. And if he knows it always gets hotter, he might just choose to stay there on the cooler end.

Has he been eating at all?

-Brandon

claudiusx":g1b789b5 said:

Your digital with probe end is fine really. I like recommending those over the IR guns personally, just because the IR guns can be finicky. They have to be used on only certain surfaces, unless you buy one with and adjustable emissitivity setting. The probes will read any surface, and are usually pretty accurate.

I would measure your basking surface, and depending on what it is, then you can decide what to do as far as bulbs or distances go.

Beckat24":g1b789b5 said:

So wouldn't he want to go warm up after a cool night? I'm genuinely curious. Thanks for all the info!

Click to expand...

Yeah ideally, but sometimes they get lazy. And if he knows it always gets hotter, he might just choose to stay there on the cooler end.

Has he been eating at all?

-Brandon

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Ok awesome! And yeah he's been eating as normal. He ate some salad and cockroaches today (it's insect day for him) no problem. He didn't eat as much a few days ago but I think that's because he was shedding. Now it seems like he's fine! I adjusted his lamp a bit higher so that it cooled down his tank and he seemed much better. He was running around his tank and even checking out the hammock on the hot side of the tank. And then eventually he went back to his log. Lol. But thank you so much for the help!

Sounds like progress to me. Shedding also gets them grumpy which could explain his behavior a bit too!

-Brandon