Advice on Jake? With pictures!

[Alex14]

Hi all,

So this is Jake http://s1162.photobucket.com/albums/q540/alexf1228/ (the whole album... the last picture in the album is older). She about 6-7 months old and 33cm long (13 inches). I've recently moved from a more humid climate to a dry one and have noticed a few changes inher behavior.

While moving here, she was about to shed and took to hiding all day in her cave. I attributed that to the shed and didn't think too much of it. I left her with my parents for 2.5 weeks while I went back to the city to write my exams. When I returned, I noticed that she still liked to hide in her cave most of the day. Her poop was normal and she is still eating the same amount, but she just seemed... Blah.

Could that be because of her age? I heard that when beardies become teens their personalities change a little. Jake used to be a lot more lively and liked to sit on her rock all day. She's decently active when I hold her, but as soon as shes back in the cage, shes back in the cave. Today I took the cave out of her cage to see how she would handle it, so I'll let you know how that goes.

Her temps are good (97 on basking and 80 on cool with temp gun), shes got a 3 month old ReptiSun 10.0 tube, and shes on paper towel. She eats about 20-25 crickets a day (the evening meal is dusted with calcium and multivitamin) and sweet potatoe, arugula, butternut squash, and bok choy in her salad. I give her a bath 2 times a week.

Also.. does the end of her tail look too black? Try as I might (extra baths, rubbing the tail), I can't get the black to go away.

Any advice or insight into why she might be acting less... Jake-like would be amazing. I'm worried about my girl!

 

[Alex14]

Ahh I couldn't do it! I went into the room and she was sitting on her perch all stress-marked... so I put the cave back in. She went and hid in it a few minutes later. Should I have persisted? I felt so bad seeing her stressed like that.

 

[Alex14]

Bummmppp? Please help

 

[lynchy217]

My dragon Scylla went through a similar phase a few months ago, and even stopped eating veggies for a while, needless to say, I was worried sick. I came on here, asked a few questions and basically heard back that as long as shes active outside her cages its probably not a big deal. a month or so after that she was back to normal trying to perform daring escapes and whatnot...give it time...although I noticed when I gave her roaches instead of crickets she was a little more energetic...likewise baths and fruit seemed to get her basking and climbing too. Hopefully your situation is similar to mine, because shes doing great now!

 

[dragonlover3]

Hi,
She's a real cutie!
Her darkened tail can be mood/stress related. Shedding can cause some beardies to act less themselves but since the shed is done it may be something else.
It sounds like she's had a couple of moves recently in a short period of time. If I understand correctly she moved to your parents for a couple of weeks while you left for exams, then moved to your new place....is that correct? How recent was the last move?

From her perspective she moved to a strange place, didn't have her human for security and was taken care of by strangers for 2.5 weeks. Then moved again? Although relocation stress usually doesn't last that long, it can. She may be having a case of relocation stress. 2, even just 1 move can put them off for a while. Some will loose their appetite, not bask, and want to hide.

Is there anything different in the way her enclosure is set up since the move? Does it have the same background?....dish?...basking item?...any decorations? Sometimes beardies can have issues even with re-arranging their "furniture" It seems like something in the enclosure may be an issue since you say she is active when not in the enclosure then hides when she's returned to it. Do her stress marks fade when you hold her?
While she's in her enclosure is there something outside the enclosure that she can see that may be upsetting her? Is there an animal in the house she isn't accustomed to?

Are you confident your temp gun is accurate, so she isn't hiding because it's to hot? If your gun is accurate then her basking temp could even be higher. 97* is a bit cool for a juvie. Babies need 105* to no more than 110*. Then as they get older the temps start to trend down til adults need 95* to 100* Since she's a 6-7 month old juvie I'd bump her up to 103*-104* range.
How close can she get to the ReptiSun?....is there anything blocking full exposure? Is it on top of a screen top, or is the bulb cover still on the fixture.
What are you using for a basking/heat light?

Here is a link to a color coded, easy to follow list of veggies best for your beardie. Most here recommend and follow it. http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html

Here's a good schedule that's easy to remember for calcium and vitamins . Monday thru Friday dust with calcium. Saturday and Sunday dust with vitamins. Dragons don't process all vitamins well and you can risk vitamin toxicity so you don't want to give her vits. every day.
How is she tonight?
Amanda