Beardie hiding under paper towels

[cleepritch]

Hi there,
Our beardie Winston who is about 13 months old has started hiding under the paper towels on the cool side of his enclosure. This is new behavior for him-he usually always stays on the warm side under his basking lamp. He has been eating normally. Is he going into brumation? It is very warm where we live this week, in the 90s.

 

[KarrieRee]

Hi there,
Our beardie Winston who is about 13 months old has started hiding under the paper towels on the cool side of his enclosure. This is new behavior for him-he usually always stays on the warm side under his basking lamp. He has been eating normally. Is he going into brumation? It is very warm where we live this week, in the 90s.

How long has he been doing this? If its every now and then but a constant thing is he basking at all? Please go over the surface basking temps what are they and how are you taking them? Is the basking decor a hammock ? The UVB is it a coil or a long tube fixture? These all play a huge roll in the dragons behavior - usually dragons dont brumate in the summer and incorrect UVB and basking temps can simulate brumation behavior

 

[cleepritch]

How long has he been doing this? If its every now and then but a constant thing is he basking at all? Please go over the surface basking temps what are they and how are you taking them? Is the basking decor a hammock ? The UVB is it a coil or a long tube fixture? These all play a huge roll in the dragons behavior - usually dragons dont brumate in the summer and incorrect UVB and basking temps can simulate brumation behavior

No his basking area is a shelter log. He does have a UVB long tube fixture. I will check the temps.

 

[KarrieRee]

No his basking area is a shelter log. He does have a UVB long tube fixture. I will check the temps.

Ok and the UVB is a T 5 or T 8 and what brand is it? Is it in the tank or top of your screen?

 

[cleepritch]

Ok and the UVB is a T 5 or T 8 and what brand is it? Is it in the tank or top of your screen?

It is a 10.0 uvb. Zoo med. It is on top of the screen. I picked him up and moved him under the heat lamp bc he felt cold. It is 90 degrees where he is now.

 

[KarrieRee]

It is a 10.0 uvb. Zoo med. It is on top of the screen. I picked him up and moved him under the heat lamp bc he felt cold. It is 90 degrees where he is now.

So under the heat lamp its 90 and you got that w/ a digital probe thermometer? If that is the case 90 is too cool for basking temps they should be 95-100 and its on the cool side its too hot -- cool side should be 80's during the day -- your 10.0 bulb is a T 5 or a T 8? Distance and placement are different between the two bulbs --- we want these up to par so we can figure out why he is hiding under the paper towels --- it may be nothing and just a change of pace but we want to make sure that UVB and surface basking temps are good and correct

 

[cleepritch]

So under the heat lamp its 90 and you got that w/ a digital probe thermometer? If that is the case 90 is too cool for basking temps they should be 95-100 and its on the cool side its too hot -- cool side should be 80's during the day -- your 10.0 bulb is a T 5 or a T 8? Distance and placement are different between the two bulbs --- we want these up to par so we can figure out why he is hiding under the paper towels --- it may be nothing and just a change of pace but we want to make sure that UVB and surface basking temps are good and correct

I just retook the temp and it is 96 in the basking spot. 82.8 in the cool spot. The UVB is a T8

So under the heat lamp its 90 and you got that w/ a digital probe thermometer? If that is the case 90 is too cool for basking temps they should be 95-100 and its on the cool side its too hot -- cool side should be 80's during the day -- your 10.0 bulb is a T 5 or a T 8? Distance and placement are different between the two bulbs --- we want these up to par so we can figure out why he is hiding under the paper towels --- it may be nothing and just a change of pace but we want to make sure that UVB and surface basking temps are good and correct

I have been taking the temp with a digital probe thermometer. The basking spot is currently 96.5 and the cool spot is 82.5 (where the paper towel hide out was). The UVB is a T8.

 

[KarrieRee]

I just retook the temp and it is 96 in the basking spot. 82.8 in the cool spot. The UVB is a T8

I have been taking the temp with a digital probe thermometer. The basking spot is currently 96.5 and the cool spot is 82.5 (where the paper towel hide out was). The UVB is a T8.

And where is your T 8? If its on top of your screen it needs to go inside the tank --- T 8's are not strong enough to go thru screen - you can take the screen off or place it inside the tank --- it needs to be directly over the basking decor 6-8 inches -- no clear plastic cover over the bulb as well --- I would recommend you upgrade to a T 5-- this would not cause the hiding - unless it was a too strong of a bulb and if they cant get out from under it then they would hide -- but T 8's do not usually cause this --- so your temps are good -- watch his behavior get a weight on him and keep track of it please weigh in grams-- they do have their lazy days etc and just want to chill out under something -- are his poops good and formed and good urate -- if anything is off on that like real runny and stink to high heaven that could be a sign of parasites -- its hard to say -- exactly why hes doing this but its always good to go over this so you can be counter productive if something is going on

 

[cleepritch]

I will make those changes. Thank you.

 

[KarrieRee]

I will make those changes. Thank you.

Sounds good -- make sure the T 8 is not over 6 months old --- I would recommend you change it out at 5 months