Lazy Bearded Dragon.

Hi everyone, I've had a quick look through the forums and can find lots of topics about one or two concerns I have but not all at once.

I know I'm supposed to provide the bulb details etc but I can't get to them without moving the tank and barry is asleep and he's grouchy enough as it is haha.

I do know that he has a UVB coil bulb (exoterra), a plain basking lamp (also exoterra) and a heat mat for night times. All are controlled by thermostats. He is kept in a 4ft wooden vivarium and up until a couple weeks ago I had him on this gravel type substrate. I have since changed to linoleum because he barely touched the floor so it seemed wasteful to keep throwing money away for something that he didn't use.

My concerns are, he doesn't do anything. And the reason I feel this warrants a new topic is because he never has done. He barely eats insects, maybe as few as 5 adult locusts a day. (From what I can tell as they hide alot) and the only thing I can reliably get him to eat is wax worms.

He has never eaten vegetables, he's almost a year old now and I've tried all sorts and he seems to hate everything. He has moments were he'll eat one green bean but that'll be it. I still provide salad type things and the occasional raspberry (as he has licked them and shown some sort of interest) but most of it gets thrown out. I do need to weigh him, I would say he is small for a beardie of his age. I do try to take him out but most of the time he either sits on my shoulder and does nothing or will find a place to hide. He doesn't really show much interest in anything tbh.

I've just used one of those laser thermometers and the hot end is 25°c and the cool end is 17°c. I have been sitting with my back door open so I'd imagine those temperatures will be slightly lower than when I'm at work and he's left alone.

If anyone has any advice I'd be very grateful.

TLR beardie won't eat vegetables, barely eats insects and doesn't seem active. This has been going on since he was tiny.

Welcome to the forum---- first of all you need to ditch the coil and get this
Which UVB light should I use?
The best UVB light is a ReptiSun 10.0 fluorescent tube HO (Or Arcardia 12% in the UK). Compact or coil bulbs do not emit the proper amount of UVB light for a bearded dragon, and should not be used. Other brands, such as the Zilla Desert Series and ReptiGlo have been known to cause eye problems and other health issues with bearded dragons, and should be avoided. The reason that some UVB lights (Zilla, ReptiGlo, coils/compacts, ect.) are considered dangerous is because the wavelength of UVB that they emit is shorter and more intense than the wavelength of the "safe" lights (ReptiSun, Arcadia). UVB lights should be replaced every 6 months. The T5’s are a strong bulb and only need to be replaced once a year – the T 8 every 6 months--- where as the T 8 are not as strong—they need to be placed inside the tank the T 5 10.0 bulb approx 12-15 inches from basking spot – the T 8 approx 6-8 inches and inside the tank from basking spot—the cover needs to be off the bulb for full effect of the UVB rays-- ASAP---- the basking spot needs to be 95-105 and it needs to be a bright white basking bulb ---- cool side of tank 80's during the day not below 60 at nite -- your dragon is not eating and is lethargic and my guess is developing MBD from not proper UVB- the lack of eating is not hot enough to digest his food ------- please do this ASAP and you will see a difference in the behavior---- how often does he poop and what do they look like are they runny are the dry and chalky looking?
Karrie

Hi there,

Could you post pictures of barry for us? And of his tank?

I do agree, lighting and proper temps will play a large role in his activity levels.

25c is WAY too cold for the hot side. My cold sides are that warm.
Depending on Barry's age, you want to give him a basking SURFACE temperature of around 40c. This should leave your hot side more so around the 35c range if your basking surface is 40c or so.

Temperatures are extremely important.
If he can't get warm enough, his basic metabolic functions won't be working, such as digestion.
He won't be digesting his food, so he won't be eating.
If he's not eating and not digesting his food, he won't be getting any nutrients.
And obviously if he's not getting any nutrients, he won't have the energy even to be active, let alone the fact that as cold blooded creatures get colder, they get slower and less active. They need the proper temperatures.

It's a big cascading effect, and it really does sound like you need to bump up your temperatures.
Do you have a digital thermometer with probe end also? Those are good to have, they are cheap, and can be used on all surfaces unlike certain IR thermometers.

-Brandon

Thanks for the replies, I can change both of these tomorrow. Well the temperature I can change when I finish work. That hot end temperature was on night time mode, his basking light wasn't on so will seem colder. It is a normal white basking lamp. The tank he's in only has the bulbs on the back for the round type. So normally he sits on the guard above the UVB all day. Plus all of his food when he does eat is dusted with calcium powder and he gets calcium drops in his water. I'll take some new pictures tomorrow, unfortunately I work 13 hour shifts so tonight will be too late. He's shedding as well so this will be fun, he normally goes abit touchy when he's crispy. He's friendly and likes being stroked, except when he's shedding. He's also getting used to baths, which is a bonus.

Hi guys here's some pictures. I did buy a new tube style uvb bulb. But nowhere in my town had the fixture for it. So I'll order one online. His poo seems fine to me, very similar to a snake poo. Solid but soft with a white head. The basking light is off in the photo because of the thermostat, I've just turned them both up slightly so hopefully that should increase the temperatures in there. He's just eaten some rocket... waiting till I make a post about him not eating veggies then eats some. https://ibb.co/9V86Gqb
https://ibb.co/w0j9vx0
https://ibb.co/2tHXGtg
https://ibb.co/ct3HTvQ
https://ibb.co/ynVg2xj
https://ibb.co/NY2nM2k
https://ibb.co/MSgB1qd
https://ibb.co/9vPPhBD
https://ibb.co/mbwnKcQ

Oh and this was before a soak to help him shed.

He looks healthy. I'm sure he'll enjoy some lighting improvements though. I suggest trying to move the lights so that they are on top of the enclosure shining downward. The basking and UVB lights should be next to eachother so they are providing highest output over the basking area while creating a gradient away from it. Keeping the lights out of reach will reduce risk of burns and also better simulate the way sunlight reaches them (from overhead).

CooperDragon":x0wdjh6n said:

He looks healthy. I'm sure he'll enjoy some lighting improvements though. I suggest trying to move the lights so that they are on top of the enclosure shining downward. The basking and UVB lights should be next to eachother so they are providing highest output over the basking area while creating a gradient away from it. Keeping the lights out of reach will reduce risk of burns and also better simulate the way sunlight reaches them (from overhead).

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Thanks I never thought of putting the bulbs together. I'm hoping to get a bigger tank for him soon anyway, so I'll look for one with the light fixtures on top. I'm paranoid he's too skinny, I see so many beardies on the internet with nice big bellies and his is quite slender.

I think a lot of dragons you see are overweight. He looks a little bit thin, but his arms and legs are well developed and he looks healthy to me.

CooperDragon":24rijine said:

I think a lot of dragons you see are overweight. He looks a little bit thin, but his arms and legs are well developed and he looks healthy to me.

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Thanks, very reassuring. Ironically all I've done so far is turn his temperatures up. And as I was doing that he started eating salad. He ate a full bowl yesterday...

Sheepyish494":3tx7bwqs said:

CooperDragon":3tx7bwqs said:

I think a lot of dragons you see are overweight. He looks a little bit thin, but his arms and legs are well developed and he looks healthy to me.

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Thanks, very reassuring. Ironically all I've done so far is turn his temperatures up. And as I was doing that he started eating salad. He ate a full bowl yesterday...

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A lot of times that's what it takes! That's why I mentioned how crucial proper temperatures are

I'm glad to hear of some improvements. You should definitely see more if you make the changes Cooper suggested.

-Brandon