Constant hiding while juvenile.

Hello everyone, looking for some advice with my beardie, here's some info just for clarity on age etc and set up. This is my second bearded dragon and firsts behaviour was so much more different. He/she will hide pretty much constantly, if I lift him out he's happy enough to sit with me, doesn't get too spooked, doesn't run, at night he'll try and get in close for bodyheat/to sleep. However in his tank he will always be underneath one of his hides, when I set him in on his basking bit he'll stay for a while then eventually scuttle off and hide again. he'll come out to chase a locust or a waxworm or whatever feeder I have in, he's definitely eating proteins, isn't a huge fan of any salad except blueberries and these are only a treat.

Age around 8 months I believe
Length around 12 inches

Tank size 1150mm (width) x 375mm (depth) x 421mm tall (standard tank)
Lighting basking light is an exo terra 75w basking spot light
Uvb is an exo terra t5 uvb 30" 25w
Temperatures are all taken with a laser temperature gun and on basking spot ranges from 31 to 38 c depending on the area of the rock
Cool end temperaturez are around 21c
Warm end is about 25-30c

The area where he seems to hide at is usually around 27c.

He's already been to the vet while younger for a case of tail rot which was fixed, has a little bit of a stumpy bit at his tail but it doesn't seem to bother him.

At night though, he's happy enough to wander out from under his daytime hide to the cooler end and just sit in the open to sleep.

I am gonna say its the UVB your using can you tell me if that is a long tube I am guessing it is w/ the 30" correct?--- I would change out your UVB bulb to a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 -- they are one of the better bulbs on the market along w/ the Arcadia Desert 12% bulb - either one I would switch to - next your basking temps should be 95-110 F middle of the tank 90's F and cool end 80's -- the lower temps are more for nite like 65-75 F -- get your UVB bulb switched out and your temps up and go from there - the basking temps and UVB control the overall health and behavior of the dragon -- he should be basking at least 4 hrs of the day - if hes not doing that hes not able to start digestion of his food and process the calcium hes taking in - your UVB helps him do this plus ward off MBD and all kinds of other health issues

Munstrom":3u5h3qsf said:

However in his tank he will always be underneath one of his hides, when I set him in on his basking bit he'll stay for a while then eventually scuttle off and hide again. he'll come out to chase a locust or a waxworm or whatever feeder I have in, he's definitely eating proteins, isn't a huge fan of any salad except blueberries and these are only a treat.

Age around 8 months I believe

Temperatures are all taken with a laser temperature gun and on basking spot ranges from 31 to 38 c depending on the area of the rock
Cool end temperaturez are around 21c
Warm end is about 25-30c

The area where he seems to hide at is usually around 27c.

He's already been to the vet while younger for a case of tail rot which was fixed, has a little bit of a stumpy bit at his tail but it doesn't seem to bother him.

At night though, he's happy enough to wander out from under his daytime hide to the cooler end and just sit in the open to sleep.

Click to expand...

Are you somewhere south of the equator ? the weather might be at the back of this.

OR

The temperatures you're taking are not accurate .

None contact thermometers are OK if used properly , BUT very easy to muck up
> incorrect emissivity setting can throw off the temperature ready by several degree C.
> reading surfaces from too far away can also do the same
> reading reflective surfaces from the wrong position can also do the same.

I suggest you order a few digital probe thermometers like these https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Digital-LCD-Thermometer-for-Fridge-Freezer-Aquarium-Fish-Tank-Water-Temperature/123776450413?hash=item1cd1a6bf6d:g:mFYAAOSwjx9c5QKT&frcectupt=true
and check the basking spot and warm zone temperatures \\.
The probe attached to the surface will give an accurate combined measurement of radiated heat and conduction from the surface.
The probe dangling in the air will give an accurate combined measurement of radiated heat and convective heat ( warm air currents ).
I think you'll discover they are hotter than you have been led to believe , outside the dragon's preferred operating temperature range .