Hey, I'm a long time reptile owner but a first time beardie owner.
JubJub is about 15 weeks old. He was about 12 weeks when I bought him from a reptile specialist around my area. I've owned a variety of reptiles over the years, the most recent being a savannah monitor, so I thought I'd give beardies a try. The guy I bought him from was very knowledgeable and kept an exceptionally clean and healthy environment. Jub was an alert, healthy looking lizard when I picked him up.
For now he's in a 10 gallon tank, with a 75 gallon replacement on the way.
Substrate: Zilla Brown Terrarium Liner
Basking Lamp: Had an Exo Terra 100W Sun Glo bulb, but due to an unfortunate accident involving my floor burning, currently using an Exo terra 75W Sun Glo bulb.
Other Light Source: Using a Zilla 25W UVA bulb on the cool side.
I mist the cage twice a day to provide a good humidity factor as well.
He has a water bowl on the far end of the cool side, and a 24 hour supply of meal worms on the hot side with a calcium dusting (per recommendation of the herp specialist). Temp for basking spot has only been dropping to around 90 in the last few days due to temp changes in my area, but I'll have that fixed soon.
In the last few weeks, Jub has been extremely lethargic for days on end, keeping his eyes closed even when handled. Every few nights, however, he'll be wide awake and alert and healthy, and will take that time to eat/poop/run amok throughout the tank.
He has no visible sores, his poop looks normal/solid and healthy, and he's at a good, healthy weight (i.e. he's not wasting away).
The eye closing and lethargy worries me, though.
In addition, I'm thinking about switching the substrate over to the Calci-Sand, with a designated feeding area to make sure he doesn't ingest too much of it, as the sand retains heat better, and being from Australia, I figure they enjoy the burrowing aspect better than the rug, which he doesn't seem to enjoy too much.
If anyone could give me some advice on what to do about his habitat, but more importantly his behavior, I would greatly appreciate it, as I don't want the little guy to die.
Thanks!
***Update*** - He just exhibited what I thought was some odd behavior to add to this. I walked into the room right before switching him over to his nighttime lights, and he, for lack of a better term, "inflated" his eyelids and started bobbing his head, after which he "deflated" both lids and opened his eyes and looked at me. If someone could explain that one to me, that'd be great as well.
JubJub is about 15 weeks old. He was about 12 weeks when I bought him from a reptile specialist around my area. I've owned a variety of reptiles over the years, the most recent being a savannah monitor, so I thought I'd give beardies a try. The guy I bought him from was very knowledgeable and kept an exceptionally clean and healthy environment. Jub was an alert, healthy looking lizard when I picked him up.
For now he's in a 10 gallon tank, with a 75 gallon replacement on the way.
Substrate: Zilla Brown Terrarium Liner
Basking Lamp: Had an Exo Terra 100W Sun Glo bulb, but due to an unfortunate accident involving my floor burning, currently using an Exo terra 75W Sun Glo bulb.
Other Light Source: Using a Zilla 25W UVA bulb on the cool side.
I mist the cage twice a day to provide a good humidity factor as well.
He has a water bowl on the far end of the cool side, and a 24 hour supply of meal worms on the hot side with a calcium dusting (per recommendation of the herp specialist). Temp for basking spot has only been dropping to around 90 in the last few days due to temp changes in my area, but I'll have that fixed soon.
In the last few weeks, Jub has been extremely lethargic for days on end, keeping his eyes closed even when handled. Every few nights, however, he'll be wide awake and alert and healthy, and will take that time to eat/poop/run amok throughout the tank.
He has no visible sores, his poop looks normal/solid and healthy, and he's at a good, healthy weight (i.e. he's not wasting away).
The eye closing and lethargy worries me, though.
In addition, I'm thinking about switching the substrate over to the Calci-Sand, with a designated feeding area to make sure he doesn't ingest too much of it, as the sand retains heat better, and being from Australia, I figure they enjoy the burrowing aspect better than the rug, which he doesn't seem to enjoy too much.
If anyone could give me some advice on what to do about his habitat, but more importantly his behavior, I would greatly appreciate it, as I don't want the little guy to die.
Thanks!
***Update*** - He just exhibited what I thought was some odd behavior to add to this. I walked into the room right before switching him over to his nighttime lights, and he, for lack of a better term, "inflated" his eyelids and started bobbing his head, after which he "deflated" both lids and opened his eyes and looked at me. If someone could explain that one to me, that'd be great as well.
