Beardie has black beard and acting odd

[rhaegaldrogo]

Hi there. Sorry for.the long post ?.My 6 month old beardie has been acting a little weird the last 2 or 3 days.

He has a small dig box made of cardboard, and he likes to bury his face in the corner sometimes. But lately he'sbeen going to the one corner, scratching and scratching the cardboard. In the one corner, underneath the tissue. He has an almost full black beard (not puffed) , and when I talk to him, he perks up and looks out at me for a while.

He also has a rock on his basking side, part of it is off the ground. He's been nudging himself between the floor and the raised part of the rock far more often than usual, lying almost flat out on the ground. He looks like he can't use his back legs lol. His black beard isn't as full when he does this, I think it might actually go away, or almost

Another thing is when I take him out, his beard goes almost completely black again. Although he seems curious, and doesn't hiss, run or squirm when I go to pick him up, so I don't think he's scared but could possibly be

 

[KarrieRee]

You did not mention anything about your lighting - what are you using for a UVB brand and bulb--- what are your basking temps and how are you taking them ? NO STICK ONS-- they are inaccurate-- is he eating? What is his diet?
Karrie

 

[rhaegaldrogo]

You did not mention anything about your lighting - what are you using for a UVB brand and bulb--- what are your basking temps and how are you taking them ? NO STICK ONS-- they are inaccurate-- is he eating? What is his diet?
Karrie

Arcadia D3. They're like 110°F for basking temps, there's adequate space around the basking area he can adjust . Infra red thermometer. He's eating Turkestan roaches and lobster roaches atm, with occasional mealworms. He's also eating a mix of veggies once a day

 

[KarrieRee]

Arcadia D3 is a T 8 or a T 5? And where in the tank is it ? On top of screen or inside the tank? Lighting has a lot to do w/ their behavior that is why I am asking? Is he basking? The one corner of the tank hes going to is it the cool side of the tank? What are the temps on the cool side? Mine has been basking in the morning and hes eating but hes also taking naps and going to bed early so I am thinking it might be the weather but I am not sure - hes 8.5 months old -- as long as they are eating pooping and basking they are good - mine has been scratching as well under one of his hides - its what they do to get comfortable to go to sleep --
Karrie

 

[rhaegaldrogo]

Arcadia D3 is a T 8 or a T 5? And where in the tank is it ? On top of screen or inside the tank? Lighting has a lot to do w/ their behavior that is why I am asking? Is he basking? The one corner of the tank hes going to is it the cool side of the tank? What are the temps on the cool side? Mine has been basking in the morning and hes eating but hes also taking naps and going to bed early so I am thinking it might be the weather but I am not sure - hes 8.5 months old -- as long as they are eating pooping and basking they are good - mine has been scratching as well under one of his hides - its what they do to get comfortable to go to sleep --
Karrie

It's a t5, back of the vivarium, inside the tank. Yeah it's the cool side, about 23°C there. He basks in the morning and after I take him out. Ah yeh mine does that before sleeping too, but he does this early on during the day now and I've never seen him try to sleep with a black beard. Think he could just be trying to sleep though?

 

[KarrieRee]

Is the T 5 pointing downward or on the back wall and does it have a reflector on it? UVB lights are most effective if they are directly over head and in the T 5 ''s case should be 12-15 inches from his basking decor
Karrie

 

[rhaegaldrogo]

Is the T 5 pointing downward or on the back wall and does it have a reflector on it? UVB lights are most effective if they are directly over head and in the T 5 ''s case should be 12-15 inches from his basking decor
Karrie

It has a reflector . I took him out today and i think he got very stressed. He went dark all over, belly, body, beard. Although no puffing or hissing He's never acted like this before.

 

[KarrieRee]

Usually that is them absorbing heat --if he was stressed just the beard would of been black -- and is the T 5 on the top of him or on the back wall ?
Karrie