My Beardie loves climbing out!

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DorkiTimmy

Hatchling Member
I haven't posted in awhile, but I got a beardie that likes to always try to get out of the cage. He would try to climb our and occasionally escape, but I would always catch him and put him back in. Anyone else facing this? I thought it may be because the tank is too hot but it is a 80 gallon tank with like 150w heat lamp? But he would occasionally climb out still when lights are off as well too. I know I can get a lid to stop the climbing, but I don't mind. Just wondering if anyone have a climber/ escape artist.
 

CooperDragon

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He is probably curious and wants to explore outside of his tank. If you can provide a safe area for him go ahead and let him out to roam around.
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Check the temperatures , must not have any temperatures in the viv higher than 100 F (it's wiser to err on the concervative side wrt setting up the thermal gradient and zone and basking spot temperatures).

See this for a possible explaination of why he is constant trying to escape - viewtopic.php?f=5&t=233516 , the behavior sounds like frantic temperature avoidance behavior rather than curiousity ==> the entire tank is too hot !! (likely nowhere under 42 degrees C).

I think you need to either move the very strong basking globe higher (further from the basking spot and tank floor) or add a dimming thermostat and limit it's wattage (power / temperature output so there is cool zone at about 80 F and a warm zone at about 95 F and the basking spot is never hotter than 100 F).

150W basking globe might work in very cold climate over winter in a room than is never kept warmer than 18 degrees C during the day, but is going overboard IMO in most other situations and way too hot for a bearded dragon unless the viv is something like 4ft tall.

Tidbit : I know people who keep large goannas (ie Varanus giganteus , Varanus varius, Varanus panoptes) and they like it very HOT ! and they run 150W to 275W and even 375W (Tastic style https://www.ixlappliances.com.au/products/accessories.html) basking globes in their goanna enclosures (which if indoors are essentially a room in themselves - these are VERY LARGE and very active and powerful reptiles , not one that are bothered by cats BTW - in the wild they catch and eat cats !!!).
 

Shidohari

Hatchling Member
I have a 40 gallon zilla enclosure and I'm using a 150w Exoterra bulb for basking. It's in one of the domed fixtures with a ceramic outside where the bulb screws in.

Should I switch it back to a 100w exoterra bulb? Because the climbing branch reaches close enough to have her safely climb onto the lip of the enclosure she's done that occasionally. I'm almost wondering if I have the same problem as the OP.
 

DorkiTimmy

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
The lamp is around 12 inches away from the tank. I dangled it using this light fixture holder I bought at petsmart. The basking side is around 92 degree usually and the cool side is like 78. The tank is fairly large and long.
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
DorkiTimmy":2rfyfnka said:
The lamp is around 12 inches away from the tank. I dangled it using this light fixture holder I bought at petsmart. The basking side is around 92 degree usually and the cool side is like 78. The tank is fairly large and long.

If those temperatures are ACCURATE and true, then something else is at play here. (May well be he's keen to get out and explore.)
 

ncc74656

Hatchling Member
my beardie is a free range, she likes to run around and explore. ill place her in her tank and she will some times sit there all day under her lamp and chilling on her logs but 9 times out of 10 she is off running to the window to watch the squirls or running through the kitchen/living room, climbing around on the couches, jumping up on the TV screen trying to catch the mouse curser... and finially just finding areas she can either see outside or dark cool areas in a closet she can sleep...
 

Shidohari

Hatchling Member
When I had Kohaku out over the weekend after I got my Exo Terra Enclosure, I had her in my hand. However, she had more enjoyment using my forearms to jump to each armrest, and when she jumped to the right armrest she jumped to my wireless keyboard. When she makes it to the keyboard I gently scoop her back up into my hands and then she starts the process all over again. I'm always afraid she's going to try to jump off the small table that the keyboard sits on when she gets to that point.
 

ncc74656

Hatchling Member
my beardie will jump from couch to couch and from time to time off the top of hte couch and to the floor. the floor is carpet but still its a 3 foot drop. she just lands on her forearms and runs off, she has never hurt herself jumping
 
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What is a quick way to warm up a cold beardie? His heating element went out overnight and now he's very cold.
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