Bearded Dragon is Always Dark

[momtothreeboys]

Update: So right after I posted this - for the first time in days he is a normal color now. The stress marks have disappeared as fast as they came. I am still confused but am thinking he is not ill. He is acting normally again. I just put a few new things in his tank today and he is exploring. He also just ate six crickets, 7 phoenix worms and is eyeing his salad.

Update 1/2 hour later: He is dark again, but not as dark as before.

I guess my main question is , Is this normal behavior?


Hi,

I have posted on here for help before and have gotten great responses. I am at a dead end again. My bearded dragon has a pattern of sleeping and eating that seems strange to me. This has been going on for two weeks. He will be awake for a day, will eat his crickets and his greens and at the end of the night he will go to sleep and won't wake up again until I wake him up. He will sleep for days if I let him. After one whole day of sleep I wake him the next morning and bathe him and feed him. He his a nice light orange color with a white belly . After getting out of the bath there are lines are all over his belly and he is so dark. He still eats, and basks but then goes to bed again for another full 36 hours until I wake him up again. He eats about six crickets and a green salad every other day since he sleeps one day the whole day through. Does anyone know what this means?

Thanks!

Jennifer

 

[Ethelia]

Hello there,

It could be something nice and simple like a late attempt at brumation, but we just want to do a quick run through your set up to make sure there are no enviromental factors?

How old is your dragon?
What size enclosure do you have your dragon in?
What type substrate do you have on the bottom of your tank?
Do you use UVB lights?
If so, Is it a coil, compact, fluorescent tube, or Mercury Vapor bulb?
What is the brand name and number of your bulb? Wattage (if MVB)?
How old is your UVB bulb?
How close can your dragon get to the UVB?
Do you use a separate basking bulb? What kind and what is the wattage?
What are the basking temps?
What is the cool side temp?
Do you take the temps with a stick on thermometer, a digital thermometer with a wire and a probe end or a temp gun?
What do you feed your dragon? Please be specific.
Do you use vitamin or calcium supplements? What brand(s)? How many days a week do you use each of them?
Is your dragon having regular bowel movements (poops)?
Do you bath your dragon? How often?
Have you gotten a vet check and fecal done?


Holly

 

[momtothreeboys]

Hi,

Thanks for your help. Here is my information:


How old is your dragon? 1 1/2 -2 years
How long have you had your dragon? 6 weeks
How long is your dragon? 16-17 inches
What is the sex of your dragon? Male
What size enclosure do you have your dragon in? 40 gallon breeder
What type substrate do you have on the bottom of your tank? slate tiles
Do you use UVB lights? yes
If so, Is it a coil, compact, fluorescent tube, or Mercury Vapor bulb? flourescent tube
What is the brand name and number of your bulb? Reptisun 5.0 wattage
How old is your UVB bulb? 6 weeks
How close can your dragon get to the UVB? 10 inches
Do you use a separate basking bulb? What kind and what is the wattage? Zoo Med 100 watt clear bulb
What are the basking temps? 109 degrees
What is the cool side temp? 76-82 degrees
Do you take the temps with a stick on thermometer, a digital thermometer with a wire and a probe end or a temp gun?digital probe
Where exactly are you taking your basking temps?on top of his basking rock and on floor of cool side
Do you use a heat rock or heat pad? no
What do you feed your dragon? Please be specific. We feed him 6 crickets a day, plus collard greens, and endive dusted with vitamin/mineral supplement 2 x a week and calcium everyday and phoenix worms every three days (about 7-8)
How often do you feed and what time do you feed (morning, afternoon, night)? in the morning after he has been basking for an hour or so, salad is available all day
Do you gutload (feed) your crickets, worms, etc?yes with flukers feeding cubes
Do you use vitamin or calcium supplements? What brand(s)? How many days a week do you use each of them? yes vitamin 2 x a week from vet- Vionate brand and calcium 6 x week- Calci-Max brand
Is your dragon having regular bowel movements (poops)? usually every four days or so, urate is not chalk hard anymore
Do you bath your dragon? How often? every other day
Do you mist your dragon or offer water other than in the bath? No, but I put water in the bottom of his salad bowl everyday
Does your dragon share an enclosure with another dragon? No
Have you gotten a vet check and fecal done?Yes, the vet said he looked very healthy and then called later to say he had coccidia 4+ and pinworms 4+.....so I don't know

Thanks!

Jennifer

He also just tried to go to sleep again after eating but I woke him up and put him on his basking rock. He is watching the last two crickets running around his cage so he seems alert.

 

[Ethelia]

Well your set up seems spot on, so high five for that!
It really does sound like your little monster is going through a semi-brumation phase.
Are you familiar with brumation or would you like me to elaborate a little? (bed time for me now!)

Holly

 

[momtothreeboys]

I have read articles on it. Thanks for answering. I won't worry for now then, I'll just keep doing what I am doing. Hopefully he will realize its almost spring!

Thanks!

Jennifer

 

[Lennifer]

Actually, I noticed that u have the ReptiSun 5 for UVB? It is best to replace this with the ReptiSun 10 as this gives off way more UVB & is better for your beardie. Just a suggestion.

~Sandy

 

[LJean]

Yes, the 10 is better than the 5 for uvb, but that one will do until it needs changing again in a few months.

He does sound like he wants to brumate, silly boy. I hope that is what it is and very soon he wakes up and drives you crazy in other ways.