Sleeping More, Eating Less

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ksk810

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I finally have the new tank set up, so I'm sharing a picture and some general info so you guys can approve it or help me make changes.

His energy is really high with the new lamp (although he's been trying to climb the background off and on- I just put it in Monday so I'm giving it a few days to see if he stops) but he recently stopped eating again. 16 crickets Sunday and then 0 Monday or Tuesday. Ignoring his salad. He ate some wax worms yesterday though. He looks healthy, his poop is normal (when he does poop- he's eating less so he's pooping less) and he's up and awake and running around/basking from about 8am to 7:30pm now.

The UVB tube is the T5 5.0 (the 5.0 came with the fixture but I have a 10.0 as well). The tank temps are:

Basking spot: 103.3
Cool side: 78.6
Ambient temps range from 79.9 to 83.5 in different spots around the tank

Are my temps low? Is there an easy way to make them a little higher? Other suggestions for set-up? I only put water in for a few hours each day because he doesn't drink it and it raises the humidity, so there's no water dish in the picture. I'm going to hang a hammock for him this week as well. Does he need more to climb? Thank you for any input!
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KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I would move the UVB out to where he can sit directly under it the 5.0 needs to be taken out and put the 10.0 use the 5.0 as a back up --- it needs to be in the tank approx 12-15 inches from basking w / no cover on the bulb - meaning its exposed for best UVB rays -- the basking temp is good
Karrie
 

Claudiusx

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
I agree with Karrie, If you could move the tube so it's more over towards the basking end that would be better. You will likely need to move your basking surface slightly more forward and your basking bulb more forward so that the reptisun can be closer.

Your ambient temps are fine :)

-Brandon
 

ksk810

Member
Original Poster
Okay, I feel like I'm ALWAYS asking about something but I get worried so easily...and even with the new UVB the behavior hasn't improved that much.

Benny is reluctant to come out of his hide in the morning even though he's on a 12-hour lights schedule 7:30am to 7:30pm (and he often puts himself to bed as early as 5pm) and then sometimes we find him in the hide again in the middle of the day.

Yesterday he did not come out of the hide on his own at all until I put him on his rock, and then he stayed out and active until about 5pm. Today he came out of the hide around 8:30 but was back in by 12:30 (or before- not sure because I wasn't home). He's periodically refusing crickets and salad. I think this may be due to a wax worm preference- I occasionally use them as treats. He was refusing crickets over the weekend, then ate 25 crickets Wednesday, then refused them again yesterday but ate 2 wax worms that I mixed into the salad, and nothing since then. He pooped yesterday (well-formed, plenty of urate, not runny, didn't smell foul) and when I get him out he's super alert and he gets around really well.

I moved the basking rock and the heat lamp so that the uvb tube runs behind the basking light like you guys suggested. I do live in a basement apartment so there's not much natural light down there and his behavior changed markedly with the beginning of fall if that might have anything to do with it. I'm just concerned that he isn't getting enough protein or calcium at such a young age (less than four months old) when he's refusing food. He doesn't look skinny or otherwise unhealthy, and he's gone from 5 inches to 12 inches long since I got him but he hasn't shed in a long time. Do I just worry too much?
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ksk810

Member
Original Poster
Update: Saturday he ate 25 crickets after eating nothing Thursday or Friday. Yesterday he ate three pieces of his greens and slept all day. This morning I woke him up to bathe him and he stayed on his rock for 1.5 hours before going back to the cold side and burying himself under his newspaper. ??? Help! He also hasn't pooped since Sat.
 

ksk810

Member
Original Poster
Yup! And he is a she, it turns out! Her name is Benni. I'm not sure why I abbreviated it in my previous posts. I think she was responding to the changing seasons, because she slowed down for the winter and then bounced back as soon as it warmed up again. She is healthy and full of attitude & life!
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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.
Pearl Girl wrote on moorelori1966's profile.
i feel so sad reading your about me 😢
Clapton is acclimating okay I think. He's quick as lightning so I'm not sure how much I should bring him out of his house yet. He's not at all interested in his salad though. I wonder if I should change what I'm giving him. Least he's eating his crickets.

Things to do:
Buy calcium powder
Material to raise surface for basking spot
Scenery decals for back of tank
Taking my beardie for a walk

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