beardie clmbing upside down in tank

[herper62]

I got a bearded dragon from a friend this week and have followed the book and her directions on his care. his tank is next to my computer desk and he seems to watch me work and tries to get my attention. after petting him today he has started trying to hang upside down from the screen cover to the tank, but only gets his front claws into it then hangs for a few seconds then falls. I dont want to see hm get hurt and have no idea what this behavior means. any help is appreciated. as I type this he seems to be calming down.
Herper

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

Hello and Welcome

So your little one is hanging from the screen top, huh! Well some of them do like to climb. Before we disregard it as a beardie who just likes to climb and do acrobatics... we should probably go over your set up just to make sure he is not trying to get out, due to something in his enclosure that is bothering him.

If you wouldn't mind answering some questions... it will help us determine if it could be a lighting or temperature problem.

How old is your beardie?
What brand and type uvb are you using? fluorescent, coil, compact or mvb?
What type and watt basking bulb?
What are the temps in the basking and coolside?
What are you measuring temps with? dial, stick-on, digital thermometer w/ wire & probe, temp gun?
How close can your beardie get to the uvb source?

 

[beardlover]

Just to add to what Dawn was saying...

I had a collard swift who was severely burnt on her underside from hanging on a screen top too close to her lights...just a heads up on the dangers!

 

[laxgirl]

Maybe the cage isn't tall enough, because beardies love to climb If they can't climb... they will go insane

 

[MissT]

Just to add to what Dawn was saying...

I had a collard swift who was severely burnt on her underside from hanging on a screen top too close to her lights...just a heads up on the dangers!

And to add to this, I have a little guy (well, hes now a big guy) who, at 8 weeks old, discovered the joys of hanging from the screen top!! He would race around - up the back wall, across the 'roof' and then slide down the glass.... all with a rather mangled foot at the time!!! Unfortunately, in his quest to get to the ceiling, he actually had to climb over the uv light which was in his tank. He didnt sustain any serious burns but his little chest did get a little 'scorched'!! He also managed to break one of his toes (on one of his uninjured feet) and I do believe it was during his little climbing expeditions... so its important to figure out why hes doing it... and if there is no logical reason, its important to figure out a way of stopping him from doing this in future!!

 

[herper62]

to answer the questions I may show my ignorance so please bare with me, this was an emergency placement, so here goes
1. I have no idea, but he is about19 inches from tip to tip.
2. no idea using what my friend had in the fixture
3. again no idea checked bulb in fixture, its a slightly pink-purple tinged old style bulb
4. basking 90 cool 80 not what its been running, was 105 basking 85-90 cool.
5. stick on dials
6. about 7 inches
he seems calmer when some one is in his line of sight. also do to a bird food spll that went unnoticed I have mothes in the house, could he be after a tasty treat?

 

[beardlover]

to answer the questions I may show my ignorance so please bare with me, this was an emergency placement, so here goes
1. I have no idea, but he is about19 inches from tip to tip.
2. no idea using what my friend had in the fixture

If you take the bulb out of the fixture it should say somewhere on it what it is...try checking near the base.

3. again no idea checked bulb in fixture, its a slightly pink-purple tinged old style bulb
4. basking 90 cool 80 not what its been running, was 105 basking 85-90 cool.

basking should be about 100-110 and about 80 for the cool side

5. stick on dials

stick on dials can be off by up to 20*, I suggest investing in either a digital with probes or a temp gun. This could be the reason your little guy is trying to climb the walls and possibly escape. Your stick on may read 105 but it could actually be 125...

6. about 7 inches
he seems calmer when some one is in his line of sight. also do to a bird food spll that went unnoticed I have mothes in the house, could he be after a tasty treat?

depending on what type of bulb you have the lights may be too close, some bulbs, like the mercury vapor bulbs need to be at least 12'' away.