Always has stress marks

[Majora]

Hi there,

I have had my beardie Majora for about two weeks now. He's about 7 inches long. I had his setup checked in the General Discussion forum, all his temps are correct (basking is around 105, ambient is 92 on hot side and 83 on cool side, measured with a digital probe thermometer). UVB light is a Reptisun 10 compact, but I have a Reptisun 10 tube coming in the mail this week. His tank is a 20 long and his substrate is shelf liner. He eats very well - he eats his salad and eats around 30-40 crickets a day, plus some beardie bites. He spends most of his daylight hours basking and gets soaks every other day.

However, he has had very dark coloring and stress marks since the day I brought him home and they haven't gone away. The only time he has a nice white belly/beard is when he is sleeping or right after he's eaten. Other than that, his tummy and beard are always dark and spotted. He also tends to glass dance in the mornings when I first turn his lights on.

The only reason I can think of is that his tank is in a high-traffic area of our apartment, so he sees us going by all day. He can also see the computer from where he is and I've noticed he glass dances sometimes if someone is watching a video. His tank doesn't have a background or anything on it, so all sides are clear, and he doesn't have a hide because I read that baby beardies shouldn't have them. He does have a plant in one corner of his tank that I have seen him hide under once or twice, though. Do you think this is stressing him out? Should I cover the tank to make him feel more secure, or get him a hide? He doesn't seem scared of us at all or like he wants to hide, but the stress marks worry me.

My only other thought was that it could be the UVB bulb, which will be replaced as soon as the new one arrives this week.

Any suggestions or ideas as to what might be stressing him? Could it still be relocation stress? 2 weeks seems like a long time for that.

 

[Majora]

Okay, I took him out for a bath today and noticed his stress marks went away. So a little later on I took him out and let him run around the apartment on his harness and leash. He seemed really happy and his stress marks disappeared then, too. As soon as I put him back in his tank, he turned all dark again. Is it possible that he just doesn't like being in his tank and just wants to come out all the time? Is this normal?

 

[blue11]

hi
just to give you maybe a little ease about this ... i have noticed that some beardies just "have" those marks as part of there pattern or colouring. My beardie Blue, she is just as happy and chill as can be, her set-up is correct, she has a great appetite, loves baths, poops well ... like to chill on my shoulder and sleep on me. However, its not often that her belly goes totally creamy white, sometimes in the bath it will turn a pretty white or when she is cooling down to sleep
she just has her markings that i know are often referred to as stress marks, but just in my opionion, it doesnt always mean that your beardie is "stressed" ... i gauge stress on her behavior, not by her belly and chest.
When beardies are in the viv, or in a heat source, some go darker rather than lighter to absorb the heat. When Blue's body temperature is cooler when the lights go off and she is out in the house on my chest going to sleep, not trying to absorb any heat, she lightens up and gets the white belly then.
After a year and few months, I have come to understand that it's just part of who she is and how she takes in her heat, and her colouring/pattern too.
Now, ive seen alot of beardies that brighten up in the viv in their basking spot. So go figure, of course!!
Maybe this will ease your mind. Heck, I know I HAD STRESS MARKS from worrying about her "stress marks" for so long. HA! They come and they go, and unless your beardie is acting uncomfortable or scared or sick, i think you are JUST fine I am sure they are indicators of stress in some situations of course, but if this a normal thing for Majora
I did notice that he has only been with you for 2 weeks, soooooooo he could be going still through re-location stress, sometimes it takes a month or so for them to acclimated to a new home! And the compact bulb is a bad one, which you know, so you are totally awesome for ordering the Repti-Sun tube KUDOS!
So, you might find they actually go away, or you might, in time, find they are just a part of him. He sounds like a young beardie, and they are infamous for always having the marks on there belly anyhow
You will get though it an so will he. dont stress too much over it ... sounds like Majora has alot of growing and shedding to do, and he sounds like a very healthy little dude!!!
Are you planning on upgrading your viv? they grow FAST!!! and in a 20 gallon, because it is a small tank, you dont really get the temperature gradient that they need. I had Blue in 20 long for the first 4 months of her life and then into the 120 gallon she went! I wish i would have switched her over sooner, but her tank was being built, and ya live and ya learn, ya know? always learning.
So that might be something to think about
you an Majora are gonna be just fine ... you have a very cool journey ahead of you. and once you get the lighting fixed, an a bigger tank, you are on the right track to an even healthier and happier Majora
Do you have any pics of Majora and your set-up? That would be so cool to see
Have a BEARDIFUL day!
~Emily an BlueBelle

 

[DLohrman]

So are stress marks on the underside of the belly almost resembling a honeycomb? Is it normal for them to come and go? I notice them in the first 10 minutes of them being on the patio and then go away. I also notice them in their cage only on my bigger one in the morning just after I turn on their lights (maybe he's just waking up/too cold?). No eating/pooping/activity issues in both other than the bigger one, Buddy, having the "shakes" (see my post in Health) which seem to be dwindling little by little. I am still so new to all this that I don't know what is right and what is dangerous. Both my adoptees seem pretty content.

 

[Majora]

Blue11 - Thanks so much, your post really did make me feel much better. He's acting great, very friendly, eating like a pig, pooping well, so I'm not too worried. When I take him out to play or have a bath his tummy goes much lighter. He just gets very dark when he's basking, I guess. I've been having very good luck with the temp gradient in the 20 long, but in a month or two he'll be in a 40 breeder or bigger. I'm also hoping that the Reptisun tube will make a difference in him. I've heard that the change in beardies under a good UVB light is noticable. But so far we are doing very well, I think. I don't have a camera but I'll borrow my boyfriend's phone tomorrow and take some pictures. Majora is going through a little shed on his nose today so he's a little cranky, lol. He LOVED his bath today though. He's also stopped glass dancing and freaking out at outside movement in the past few days, so he seems extra content now.

DLohrman - yes, those honeycomb-like marks are called stress marks. It's normal for them to change color. I guess it could be that they're darkening to absorb heat, since that seems to be the case with my guy. I'm just paranoid about anything involving my animals, so I tend to overreact. I know ideally you want them to have a nice white belly, but I guess some beardies have their own ways of basking. Lol

 

[DLohrman]

Thanks Majora, you made me feel better! From all the posted pictures too, mine seem to look like all the others.