Hey guys, so i got my beardie Drake last January of 2016 as a baby. Hes is now huge and 22 inches long. Lately hes been getting super annoying every morning once his lights come on at 10am. Constant glass surfing and jumping EVERYWHERE to get my attention. Hes rhe type of beardie that will NEVER poop in his own viv. So i have to take him out to poop in thr bath or wait for him to poop somewhere on the carpet..but somrtimes he doesnt even poop, he just runs around for an hour and hides in the corner of the room somewhere. Its like he really dislikes being in his viv for some reason. Its a 40 gallon..basking spot is between 95 - 110 degrees, rest is 85 ish. He has a reptisun tube light for uvb. Is his viv just too hot or something? He'll actually settle down and bask if i wait for him to expend his energy running around the room, but i cant be waiting for him to do that every morning because of work..what should i do?
A 40 gallon viv is too small. Adults need at least a 4X2X2 foot viv as a minimum.
Below is what I've got my guy in and I still feel like its too small, but at least in that I can feed him crickets and he can run around chasing them, etc.
I had my guy in a 40 gallon tank prior to moving him into this and the behavior change from the move was huge. When he got into his new home is started head bobbing, more regular bathroom behavior, appeared to be more content, etc.
I think he may not like to poop in the 40 gallon because it's so closed in the smell get's really bad.
Also, he may be glass surfing and running around because he's looking for a new territory because he doesn't like his current territory. I think that's what mine was doing because when he got into his new viv he crawled up on top of the shelf and started head bobbing, which he had never done before, so I think he was saying that was his territory, like he was happy to have it.
Hmm, i was actually thinking that could be the problem.. Do you recommend any place that sells vivs like yours or similar? I have no experience in carpentry, so trying to make one is a big NO.
I custom built mine, but for sure the first place I would look is craigslist. I'd also check ebay. Then there are some places (others can recommend) that sell new 4X2X2 vivs, but the cheaper (and often better) route will be craigslist & ebay fo rused vivs IMO. On those places you can find really nice custom vivs sometimes.
You seem to have the same problem with your beardie that we have with ours: It's really hard to tell the difference between the little dance that means "Get me out of here I have to go to the bathroom," and the one that means "Get me out of here I want to run around the house and get into mischief," at least until you start to see the arch at the base of the tail, but usually by that time it's too late to get the bath ready before the mess happens. :roll:
A larger enclosure should help -- I agree that the 40 gallon tank is too small, especially for an adult his size. We have a 125 gallon aquarium for our beardie, but that's not the only way to do it. I hope you can find something that works for both you and your beardie.