Blake Is Often Stressed

Good Morning Everyone,

I am need advice/assistance on an issue(?) that I am having with my Juvenile Beardie Blake. They constantly seem to be stressed (dark marks appear on bellie/beard) while inside their enclosure and I am not sure why. When they are laying on my chest/leg while chilling on the couch, they seem totally content (the dark marks go away). I don't want them to dislike their enclosure to the point where they would rather be out than in. I should also note that Blake will let me touch them inside the enclosure, but they seem pretty skittish. They will dart away at first. But once they are in my hand, on my shirt, etc.... they seem fine.

About our day to day:
- Eats twice daily; vegetables squash & collard greens left out all day, with some BSFL (about 10) for breakfast at around 7am then when I get home from work, around 5pm I take the veggies out. Then I feed them a ton of BSFL for dinner, until they get their fill. Then take the rest out and out them back.
- Their lighting is on from 6:30am to 8:30pm; I have a reptisun 10.0 and a basking lamp that also provides UVB. The temperatures under the basking lamp is around 107* and the cold side is 82*, at night it drops to about 75*.
- I took them to the vet yesterday for their first overall checkup (not because of this issue) and everything checks out and the vet seemed pleased with how I was caring for them.
- The tank is a little over 50 gallons, has tile flooring, a hideaway, some wood to perch on, etc...

Any help would be appriciated. Should I just let them be, should I be worried, am I doing something wrong?
Thank you.

- Andrew

Ok so how many dragons? You keep saying them and they--------------- if you have 2 dragons in the 50 gallon tank that is not good--- dragons should not be housed together---- they are territorial and one will become dominant over the other thus one will not thrive --- I see one in the tank --
what kind of UVB coil or tube bulb?
Karrie

I apologize, I can see why that would be confusing. I have one beardie, Blake, but I am unaware of the sex because Blake is so young, therefore I was just being gender neutral. Lol

I am using a tube bulb reptisun 10.0.

The Reptisun is it in the tank or on top of screen? Also you said basking bulb also provides UVB too? I am wondering if its too much UVB --- can he escape the UVB w/ out having to hide from it?
Karrie

Thank you for the speedy replies! The reptisun is inside the tank, attached to the screen. The heat lamp is laying on top of the screen outside the tank.

Ok so the Reptisun is a T 8 or a T 5? This is because of bulb distance that I am asking - the T 5 is a strong bulb and would need to be 12-15 inches from basking area if its inside - if its a T 8 it needs to be 6-8 inches from basking area --- how long have you had him? they do go thru a period of relocation stress but if those marks are disappearing outside the tank it could be the lighting causing it - hence all the questions
Karrie

Not a problem! Love the questions! I am a new beardie owner and may be doing something completely wrong. It is a T-8. When I get home, I can send a photo of what my lamps looklike in the tank. I just used a photo I already had on my phone because I am at work fretting about the poor dragon. I have had him 19 days.

Ok so the T 8 is in the tank and approx how many inches from basking spot? It could be just the relocation stress still - my little one is still jittery and running as well and I have had him since around the 1st of Sept- so it does take awhile -- post a better pic of him when you get home so we can see him --- it might be just the coloring as well --
Karrie

Here are a few photos. His stress lines aren't terrible dark today, but they have been unusally dark normally.

His color looks good ---- and the T 8 is it approx 6-8 inches from the platform/ cave? He doesnt look like he has stress marks to me --- as long as he is eating and basking and pooping he should be fine --- make sure you keep him hydrated too--- you can wash or rinse his greens before serving them and he will get moisture from that as well -- and you might want to give him some variety of bugs -- like dubia roaches are another good staple besides the BSFL - maybe some medium super worms for treats a few as they can become addicted to them - also horn worms or silk worms butter worms ----
Karrie

This is what I am talking about when it comes to color. I just saw him like this. But he lets me pick him up just fine and everything. I don't get it. I just want to help.

And now asleep on me..... lol. I am so confused here.

I don't know if those are actually stress marks+ could be just coloring- they do change colors w/ mood etc-- some others on here can look and give their input-- if he's sleeping on you he's content
Karrie

I guess I am not sure. I just know his colors change. When out of his cage, white bellie. When it it, super dark.