Should I be concerned?

[SpartaRocks]

My 4 yr old Beardie, Sparta, looks health. But lately he stays in his cave... its been like weeks. We try to get him to eat, but he hasn't eaten in probably a month. I take him out, give him a bath, try to give him food, but he just heads back to his cage area. Should I be concerned? His last bowel seemed normal. His coloring is normal.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

I agree. He very well could be trying to go into brumation, but let's get him under a better
UVB light first to see if he starts to improve. Do you know what his weight is? What type of
thermometer are you using to measure the temperatures?
You don't want to let him go down for brumation if he might be having calcium issues right now.

Tracie

 

[fcooper]

Could he be trying to go into brumation?

My guy started brumating about a week ago!

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Any updates on your dragon for us, is he still going in & out of his cave?

Tracie

 

[SpartaRocks]

Thanks everyone. Yes, he is still in his cage. I went and got a digital thermometer… it’s 95 in his cage. About 90 in his cave. When I take him out he sits and stays under the hammock mostly then will go back into his cage. I have the new UV light that we are installing to replace the other bulbs. The humidity is reading 44%. I took his water bowl out. He never messes with it anyway. I took him out to feed him. He ate 1 cricket, and a few grapes. Then hung out on the heating pad for about 3 hours!

The one bulb in the front is his night light. It’s a 100watt.

 

[KarrieRee]

Thanks everyone. Yes, he is still in his cage. I went and got a digital thermometer… it’s 95 in his cage. About 90 in his cave. When I take him out he sits and stays under the hammock mostly then will go back into his cage. I have the new UV light that we are installing to replace the other bulbs. The humidity is reading 44%. I took his water bowl out. He never messes with it anyway. I took him out to feed him. He ate 1 cricket, and a few grapes. Then hung out on the heating pad for about 3 hours!

The one bulb in the front is his night light. It’s a 100watt.

If your using any kind of colored bulbs please replace w/ a CHE --- colored bulbs can / will cause health concerns along w/ damage to the eyes --- are you using a coil UVB in the other dome? If so please replace w/ a 24" long tube fixture for a 40 + gallon tank Zoo Med ReptiSun T5 HO High Output Terrarium Hood w/ this bulb 22" Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB T5 HO
Your humidity is good- are you using a digital probe hygrometer?

 

[SpartaRocks]

Yes on the digital. Changing the uvb to the one listed. I’m using

 

[KarrieRee]

Yes on the digital. Changing the uvb to the one listed. I’m using

Please shut that off and do not use it! Those cause all kinds of health issues --- if you need heat at nite please get a Ceramic Heat Emitter - they produce heat and NO light -- you will need a ceramic socket so a dome would be good placed on the back of the screen center of tank - you dont want to use it unless your tank is falling below 65 at nite - dragons like cool and dark it helps metabolize their system--- what UVB is listed your using? the one I posted ?

 

[SpartaRocks]

So why do they sell these things if they hurt the dragons. I’ve been using all this for 4 years. And yes I will turn the night light off. And I bought the Arcadia 24w pro t-5 uvb kit with 12% uvb

 

[KarrieRee]

So why do they sell these things if they hurt the dragons. I’ve been using all this for 4 years. And yes I will turn the night light off. And I bought the Arcadia 24w pro t-5 uvb kit with 12% uvb

Good bulb - is your screen a fine mesh like a screen door or a wide hole type? Distance and and placement is determined by your screen - you want to mimic the sun for basking light - there are no colored lights in the wild - those bulbs are being sold to make money- dragons eyes are very sensitive to light they see better than you and I - it hurts the 3rd eye they have on top of their heads used to spot predators

 

[xp29]

I think those bulbs are more ment for geckos, but they should be clearly marked as such imo

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

How is your dragon doing this evening?
It is quite unfortunate that they still have the compact/coil lights, & colored lights on the market for
reptile use. So, it is up to reptile forums such as us, to help educate everyone on the better products.
I wish that petstores would make more of an effort to educate their workers on the correct products for
the reptiles.
You are now using the Arcadia D3 12% T5 tube?

Tracie

 

[SpartaRocks]

So where should I put my uvb? And then I have 2 other bulbs.

 

[KarrieRee]

So where should I put my uvb? And then I have 2 other bulbs.

Please get some more decor in the tank and please get him / her a hide - I would also get rid of the sand- maybe look at getting some textured NON adhesive shelf liner --- the UVB needs to be directly over a piece of basking decor 8-10 inches ---

 

[xp29]

If you mount it inside that would be idea, if not arrange light so that there is overlap of uvb and basking

 

[SpartaRocks]

I plan to mount it underneath the screen. Sorry… hubby took his cave out…this is his decor.