Beardie throwing a tantrum maybe?

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It’s been almost 2 weeks since I took in a 2 year old female beardie. She’s my first reptile and so I’m very much still learning. She came from a home that had her in a 40 gal with a heat rock, a 60W basking bulb, no UVB and a diet of pellets, crickets, and blueberries.

In the past two weeks, I have upgraded her to a Zen Habitat 4’x2’x2 enclosure. Her basking log is around 95F and the cool side is around 80F. I use digital thermometers with a probe as well as an infrared thermometer gun. Her diet now consists of collard greens, turnip greens, acorn squash, and then I change up the other veggie on top. She also gets Dubia roaches which she greatly enjoys. Mounted inside her enclosure is a Reptisun 5.0 T5 HO, which is at least 12 inches from her basking spots. I just got all of the heating and uvb adjusted properly yesterday (I had been struggling to get it right the past two weeks).

Anyway, she’s recently been going nuts at the glass, so the past two days I would get her out when she was going crazy. She would run around for a minute then find a dark spot to nap. I’d leave her be for a while then put her back in her enclosure for a fear of being cold, as well as she hasn’t been eating much of her salad the past two days. Now this morning, she ate a couple bites of her salad and then at around 10 AM (her lights come on at 7AM), she started going nuts! She’s rubbing her nose on the acrylic doors, climbing up her hammocks and glass surfing, throwing her salad everywhere. I assume she wants me to get her out, but I also know she’ll learn that she’ll get what she wants by doing that.

So is she just throwing a fit to be let out? Or do you think something is actually wrong? I’m afraid she’s going to end up hurting herself, but I don’t want this to be part of her daily morning routine ??‍♀️
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
The 5.0 UVB is not strong enough for that size of a tank --and to let you know the 5.0 should be 8-10 inches since its considered the T 8 --- I would get the 10.0 as soon as you can - the distance is fine for the 10.0 but not the 5.0--- so you got her basking temps to what? Do you have a infrared heat gun or digital probe to get those temps --- I have a Zen as well - Hiccup was driving me nuts about a month ago wall surfing etc............. I would bring him out for like 2 hrs sometimes after putting him back in the tank he would start again after a few hrs of doing that he would finally simmer down this went on for like 2-3 weeks he is finally back to normal basking and lounging around -- shes not digging just surfing?
Karrie
 

MrSpectrum

Gray-bearded Member
You've got a lot going on there. If that's really a 5.0 UVB (and not a typo), then you can lower it a bit until it's beat, then I'd replace it with a 10.0 and put it back up where it is now.

These critters can get moody, and act up/out. I wouldn't worry too much about her hurting herself; mine jumps off his tower daily, crashing into rocks, plants, the tile floor... They're semi-arboreal, so they're built for some of that.

How's her plumpness? Is she perhaps gravid w/ infertile eggs? (They can do that). If so, she may be looking for someplace to dig a nest.

It could be a lot of things. Best I can suggest is watching her, and trying to figure out what it is she needs/wants. But don't stress over it. :wink:
 

CiriTheBeardie

Member
Original Poster
In a previous post, I was told the T5 was preferable for that size enclosure over the T8 and that it needed to be at least 12 inches from the basking stuff ? I’ll lower it for now. So which one is the best one?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
They are both good bulbs -- the 5.0 will need to be replaced at 6 months and get the 10.0 not the 5.0 that bulb is more for aquarium use --- just lower it so shes getting the rays
Karrie
 

CiriTheBeardie

Member
Original Poster
In response to the eggs, she occasionally digs at the shelf liner I have down but it hasn’t been any dramatic digging. But just in case, here is a side view of her with her belly off the ground just in case!
107597-8029182441.jpg
107597-8035667645.jpg
 

MrSpectrum

Gray-bearded Member
She doesn't look gravid--on the contrary, it looks like she may have recently laid a clutch.
Make sure she gets enough calcium w/D3 to replace what may have been lost. :wink:
 

MrSpectrum

Gray-bearded Member
I think there's been some confusion.

CiriTheBeardie":2eia6s0w said:
In a previous post, I was told the T5 was preferable for that size enclosure over the T8 and that it needed to be at least 12 inches from the basking stuff ? I’ll lower it for now. So which one is the best one?
That would apply to a T5 10.0. In the OP, you said:
Mounted inside her enclosure is a Reptisun 5.0 T5 HO, which is at least 12 inches from her basking spots.

KarrieRee":2eia6s0w said:
They are both good bulbs -- the 5.0 will need to be replaced at 6 months and get the 10.0 not the 5.0 that bulb is more for aquarium use --- just lower it so shes getting the rays
Karrie
The 5.0 (if not a typo) is a T5, and should be good for a year. A T8 should be replaced in 6 mo.
T5, T8 refer to the diameter of the tube in 1/8" increments... 5/8" and 8/8" (1") respectively.
5.0 and 10.0 refer to the intensity of the UV, 10.0 being stronger at the same distance as a 5.0.
10.0 is intended for arid/desert dwellers like BDs.
5.0 is for more temperate/tropical dwellers like a chameleon.[/quote]
 

CiriTheBeardie

Member
Original Poster
I must have made a mistake when purchasing! I was going off of the “What to buy” page, and wanting the tube that went with the light fixture that was subjected for the 10.0 HO bulb (the fixture from Home Depot). I must have got them confused when buying the bulb from Petco. I’ll make sure to get the 10.0 next time!
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4

DragonPete

Sub-Adult Member
CiriTheBeardie":1voz8fes said:
I must have made a mistake when purchasing! I was going off of the “What to buy” page, and wanting the tube that went with the light fixture that was subjected for the 10.0 HO bulb (the fixture from Home Depot). I must have got them confused when buying the bulb from Petco. I’ll make sure to get the 10.0 next time!
If you don't have or can't get a reflector for your fixture, it can be made easily with smooth aluminum foil. I understand that works and it's what I did since I couldn't afford to replace the fixture. You do what you can.
I believe Brandon has even given directions on how to do it and tested it to be sure it's sufficient.
-Dee
 

MrSpectrum

Gray-bearded Member
CiriTheBeardie":2hcpz8xo said:
I must have made a mistake when purchasing! I was going off of the “What to buy” page, and wanting the tube that went with the light fixture that was subjected for the 10.0 HO bulb (the fixture from Home Depot). I must have got them confused when buying the bulb from Petco. I’ll make sure to get the 10.0 next time!
No problemo. We all make mistakes. I had a deuce of a time getting the right bulbs together. It's a long sad saga I'm still trying to forget. :oops:

Reflectors are fine, but I've been running w/o one from the git-go. I had a defective reflector from Sunblaster, and when I tried to implement Brandon's "fix" it shattered, so I still have none, but my beardie is fine. I just had to build his basking platform 3" higher (9" from the T5 10.0) and he gets 3.0-4.0 UVI, measured w/ a Solarmeter.

He's a happy camper except that today he's in one of his "moods"... :roll:
Dragonz iz weeerd
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
it reflects the rays downward to her -- she needs to have the reflector especially w/ the that size of a tank --- she is not getting sufficient UVB --- I am not saying thats what is causing the behavior but it needs to be corrected -
Karrie
 
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