Anxious Beardie?

[kaege]

Hey there, I've been having some concerns with my bearded dragon and was wondering if anyone might have any suggestions.

My beardie is approaching 12 months old now and I haven't had any issues like this before. In the last two days she's begun running around her tank like a lunatic, glass surfing and scratching at the walls of the tank. She's also been gaping every few minutes and licking her nose repeatedly. I've tried bringing her out and letting her wander around the room but she's dead set on trying to climb walls or scratch to escape through a closed door. She has no issue running right over me or out of my hand to continue her attempts.

Her tank is a consistent temperature and she's been eating fruits and vegetables the past few days. I've given her baths consistently every two days for a week but this behaviour is unusual and concerning for her.

 

[Claudiusx]

Hi there,

Sounds like hormones are in full effect

Are you 100% sure that she is female? We can verify if you post an arched tail pic.

If female, she might be gravid. They can have infertile eggs even if never around a male. It wouldnt hurt to give her a lay box to dig in and see what happens.

How has her appetite been?

-Brandon

 

[kaege]

Hi there,

Sounds like hormones are in full effect

Are you 100% sure that she is female? We can verify if you post an arched tail pic.

If female, she might be gravid. They can have infertile eggs even if never around a male. It wouldnt hurt to give her a lay box to dig in and see what happens.

How has her appetite been?

-Brandon

Hey, thanks for the quick reply. I'm quite sure she's female and have had it confirmed with another experienced reptile owner. I had initially thought she might have been preparing to lay eggs as she's gone through a lethargic period in the last week. I visited the same reptile owner who confirmed her gender just two days ago and she didn't seem to mention noticing eggs, but then again I'm not 100% sure how to know whether she carrying eggs or not.

She has been refusing food for two weeks and at the moment is too panicked to acknowledge insects. She has been picking out of her fruit and vegetable bowl, eating bok choy, peach, pear and grapes.

 

[Claudiusx]

It's hard to feel the eggs sometimes. And a lot of times you wont even be able to.

Her eating less or none is another sign she might be gravid. It cant hurt to give her a lay box
She will either lay eggs or she wont.

Was she brumating or just was a bit sleepy?

Do you have a picture of your tank and of her we could see perhaps.

-Brandon

 

[kaege]

It's hard to feel the eggs sometimes. And a lot of times you wont even be able to.

Her eating less or none is another sign she might be gravid. It cant hurt to give her a lay box
She will either lay eggs or she wont.

Was she brumating or just was a bit sleepy?

Do you have a picture of your tank and of her we could see perhaps.

-Brandon

Here is her tank, please excuse all the sand and dirt she's kicked up. Her tank is filled with a hardened red sand but in her corner below her hammock she's progressively dug away and made a hole.

This is her:

I have been told she is on the overweight side. She is currently scratching the life out of her digging corner so I'm beginning to think it might be eggs.

She went through an incredibly long brumation period earlier this year but this episode was more of a lethargic episode. She was awake and would glance at anyone who passed but otherwise wouldn't move unless she was taken outside for a bath. She also refused food and hasn't eaten since this episode about a week and a half ago.

I suppose I'll try out the lay box.

 

[KarrieRee]

I would suggest a bigger tank and a hide -- she has no hide --- here is a idea of what to get for a laybox
Dig Box-- playsand, a mix of playsand and vermiculite, or potting soil that doesn't have any fertilizers or other junk in it. What are you using for a UVB? The constant glass surfing is she is wanting out ---
Karrie

 

[Claudiusx]

Hi there,

The fact that she dug a hole into her substrate is another good indicator that she is wanting to dig. Which is a good indicator that she is gravid

-Brandon

 

[kaege]

Hi there,

The fact that she dug a hole into her substrate is another good indicator that she is wanting to dig. Which is a good indicator that she is gravid

-Brandon

Hey Brandon, so sorry for the late reply. Thank you so much for taking the time to help me out.

Unfortunely the glass surfing hasn't stopped. She has refused to dig in her sand box and has continued trying to scratch her way out of her tank.
She has since began eating and had quite a strong appetite for about a week. I began thinking it may be her reflection that was setting her off as she would sit up and crane her neck to look outside her tank, so I taped some paper to the glass walls to stop this but it seems to have made her attempts to scratch her way out worse. When taking her out of the tank she will be tolerant and sit in my hand, but will still run into walls.
I honestly have no clue why she's acting this way and there are no clear causes for stress. The temperatures in her tank are being controlled and she is fed as often as she requires.

At the moment I'm just trying to sit with her outside her tank but she's still completely out of sorts.
I'm sorry to bother you again after the last incident but if you might happen to have any more suggestions they would be appreciated immensely.
Thanks.

 

[KarrieRee]

What do her poops look like? Are they firm moist and formed? Or are they runny?
Karrie

 

[kaege]

What do her poops look like? Are they firm moist and formed? Or are they runny?
Karrie

Hi Karrie,
Last time she passed food (maybe four-five days ago) it was more on the runny side but still appeared healthy.

 

[KarrieRee]

I haft to ask about the lighting in the tank -- what are you using for a UVB ? brand and bulb? Alot of times it has to do w/ basking temps and UVB --- and since all other avenues have been addressed but the lighting we need to address it --
Karrie

 

[kaege]

I haft to ask about the lighting in the tank -- what are you using for a UVB ? brand and bulb? Alot of times it has to do w/ basking temps and UVB --- and since all other avenues have been addressed but the lighting we need to address it --
Karrie

We use a 'Reptile One 100W Heat lamp', and an 'Exo Terra 150W UVB lamp' for a 3ft tank.

 

[KarrieRee]

So one is it the full length of tank? Next I would recommend getting a Reptisun 10.0 either a T 5 or T 8 bulb - next I would recommend not the full length of tank--- is your tank a 40 gallon?
Karrie

 

[kaege]

So one is it the full length of tank? Next I would recommend getting a Reptisun 10.0 either a T 5 or T 8 bulb - next I would recommend not the full length of tank--- is your tank a 40 gallon?
Karrie

It's about a 55 gallon tank. Can having too much space have a negative effect on a reptile..?

 

[KarrieRee]

No the bigger the better- I am thinking it's that UVB-- so you have a 36" fixture-- change the bulb to a Reptisun 10.0 T 5- if there is a cover over the bulb remove it and leave off-- the fixture should be 12-15 inches from basking spot inside the tank--- this us the best bulb on the market as of now--
Karrie