Have a question regarding beardie's poops and stress marks

[umbrezon]

Hello all! I am back with more questions.

My guy was moved into a 4x2x2 tank at the beginning of January, and I adopted him end of November. Lately, I have started to notice that he's been having more random poops that I wanted to ask if they were normal. For example, he did a GIANT poop this morning and everything looked fine to me, and then later in the day he does a little tiny poop again that's maybe the size of like a dime.

Additionally, I am still having the stress mark issue and cannot determine where it's coming from. His temps are good (75 ambient cool side, 82 hot side ambient, with the basking spot sitting around 100-104). UVB tube mounted in the back. His appetite is generally good, he tends to eat a lot of the salad sometimes and then other days doesn't really touch it. Definitely has an appetite for bugs when offered to him though. He climbs, appears normal, only thing I can say is he tends to get his head on the front doors and knock them like he wants out. I don't believe he can see his reflection. Just feel like there's something I have to be doing wrong but I can't determine what it is. He for example got really dark stress marks on his belly and beard this morning when I went to clean out his big poop this morning.

Just want some insight if anyone can offer on the poops and how I can make his stress marks go away! More than willing to provide pics of set up and things as needed.

ETA if possibly relevant: i've noticed he closes one eye while basking sometimes. Also, I'm not sure if the stress marks could be caused by him possibly just wanting to be out of the tank more? I've noticed sometimes if I just come in the room and he can walk out of the tank that the stress marks will lighten up a bit, but they will still be there.

 

[KarrieRee]

Hello all! I am back with more questions.

My guy was moved into a 4x2x2 tank at the beginning of January, and I adopted him end of November. Lately, I have started to notice that he's been having more random poops that I wanted to ask if they were normal. For example, he did a GIANT poop this morning and everything looked fine to me, and then later in the day he does a little tiny poop again that's maybe the size of like a dime.

Additionally, I am still having the stress mark issue and cannot determine where it's coming from. His temps are good (75 ambient cool side, 82 hot side ambient, with the basking spot sitting around 100-104). UVB tube mounted in the back. His appetite is generally good, he tends to eat a lot of the salad sometimes and then other days doesn't really touch it. Definitely has an appetite for bugs when offered to him though. He climbs, appears normal, only thing I can say is he tends to get his head on the front doors and knock them like he wants out. I don't believe he can see his reflection. Just feel like there's something I have to be doing wrong but I can't determine what it is. He for example got really dark stress marks on his belly and beard this morning when I went to clean out his big poop this morning.

Just want some insight if anyone can offer on the poops and how I can make his stress marks go away! More than willing to provide pics of set up and things as needed.

ETA if possibly relevant: i've noticed he closes one eye while basking sometimes. Also, I'm not sure if the stress marks could be caused by him possibly just wanting to be out of the tank more? I've noticed sometimes if I just come in the room and he can walk out of the tank that the stress marks will lighten up a bit, but they will still be there.

I would try and get your ambient temps up to the 90's mid tank--- 80's on the cool side and like around 100 on the hot side- are you getting surface basking temps w / a digital probe thermometer- the UVB mounted in the back is it on the wall or above/ over head? Stress marks can be caused by reflection --- improper UVB or improper temps in the tank -- how old is your UVB bulb? Is it a T 5 or a T8? Appetites can come and go in the winter -- hes eating thats good - winter months appetites seem to decrease-- the poop is good - normal -- closing one eye when basking is normal --

 

[umbrezon]

I would try and get your ambient temps up to the 90's mid tank--- 80's on the cool side and like around 100 on the hot side- are you getting surface basking temps w / a digital probe thermometer- the UVB mounted in the back is it on the wall or above/ over head? Stress marks can be caused by reflection --- improper UVB or improper temps in the tank -- how old is your UVB bulb? Is it a T 5 or a T8? Appetites can come and go in the winter -- hes eating thats good - winter months appetites seem to decrease-- the poop is good - normal -- closing one eye when basking is normal --

Mounted on the inside along the back - it is a reptisun T5 hood. The girl I adopted him from in November said she had just changed the bulb so shouldn't be due for a change for a bit. I feel if I try to get his ambient temps up more he'll end up with his basking spot being too spot since it sits around 102-104 at its hottest right now with ambient being around 82. I have thermometers on each side of the tank and get the basking spot temp with probe and infrared gun.

 

[KarrieRee]

Mounted on the inside along the back - it is a reptisun T5 hood. The girl I adopted him from in November said she had just changed the bulb so shouldn't be due for a change for a bit. I feel if I try to get his ambient temps up more he'll end up with his basking spot being too spot since it sits around 102-104 at its hottest right now with ambient being around 82. I have thermometers on each side of the tank and get the basking spot temp with probe and infrared gun.

Please post a pic of the tank so I can help you better

 

[xp29]

How old is he? Also it can take a while for them to become acclimated to his new home/situation, just be patient it can take weeks or even months depending on the dragon.
The reason i ask age is because babies and juvenile dragons need protein every day, from your post it sounds like you might not be doing that. If he is an adult its fine.

 

[umbrezon]

How old is he? Also it can take a while for them to become acclimated to his new home/situation, just be patient it can take weeks or even months depending on the dragon.
The reason i ask age is because babies and juvenile dragons need protein every day, from your post it sounds like you might not be doing that. If he is an adult its fine.

He's 3-4 years old, somewhere in that range, so he gets bugs (dubias, BSFL, etc mix) just 3 times a week and then salads every day. How long do you think I should give it before I worry about it being something else? I know it could just be he's still getting used to me, the tank, etc so maybe is the cause of the stress marks, I just worry that I'll keep passing it off as rehoming/new situation stress and it ends up being something else I may be doing incorrectly if that makes sense.

Please post a pic of the tank so I can help you better

I'm not currently able to get a photo of this updated, not at my apartment atm - however this is the general enclosure he has, with a magnetic ledge in the back now that I bought and he has a very large branch that runs from the basking rock to the other side for climbing (looking to get more branches here soon). The two basking bulbs are also now just the one - I got the 8.5" one that you had recommended in my post about the temps and it's been great so far. The paper towels are getting changed out here soon once I'm able to buy more play sand and topsoil. There's also two Govee thermometers on each side to measure the humidity and temps

Top down view - just the basking bulb is now the 8.5" instead of the two small ones.

 

[xp29]

Most beardies don't like change, it freaks them out, and it takes a while for them to settle. I think he is ok, give him a couple weeks to acclimate

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

I agree, your tank setup looks pretty good, so I don't think that is an issue. Sometimes, as others
have mentioned, it just takes a bit of adjustment for them to fully get used to a new home.
Your T5 Reptisun tube should be perfectly fine.
You have double checked the temperatures to be sure they are all good?
Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie

 

[umbrezon]

Hello,

I agree, your tank setup looks pretty good, so I don't think that is an issue. Sometimes, as others
have mentioned, it just takes a bit of adjustment for them to fully get used to a new home.
Your T5 Reptisun tube should be perfectly fine.
You have double checked the temperatures to be sure they are all good?
Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie

Hi there! I just saw this comment now so I apologize it's so late. temps seem to be good - stays around 81-82 with a basking spot of 103-106 on the wam side, 74 on the cool side. He still seems to have some black lines/stress marks and I wanted to pop back into this post as I noticed the other day his beard was paler. This is just shed right? Usually the spikes on his beard tend to be an orangeish color but they're turned pinkish gray-white.

 

[KarrieRee]

Hi there! I just saw this comment now so I apologize it's so late. temps seem to be good - stays around 81-82 with a basking spot of 103-106 on the wam side, 74 on the cool side. He still seems to have some black lines/stress marks and I wanted to pop back into this post as I noticed the other day his beard was paler. This is just shed right? Usually the spikes on his beard tend to be an orangeish color but they're turned pinkish gray-white.

View attachment 77913 View attachment 77914

Yes it looks like shedding starting - I would get your cool side up to 80ish during the day