Beardie sleeping whole day for months

[Astrid.C]

Hi, I'm posting this see if anyone can help. My beardie has been hiding and sleeping for all day for few months (close to half year).

He usually wake up around 7am+. When we first got him he slept late around 6-7pm, then became earlier and earlier from 3pm to 12pm. And now basically he wake up, eat, poop, bask, but a while around 30 minutes after basking, he will suddenly act like suddenly notice something and become uneasy. Then he will start glass surfing. Once he started glass surfing I have 2 options:

1. Let him be, after surfing for a while with no choice, he will start to dig and hide. He will stay at the entrance of the hide with head lifted, eyes closed, mouth crack open seems like enjoy the UVB light outside the hide. After a while will totally go inside the hide.

2. Take him out, then he will find a cool dark place to hide, with legs wide open seems very comfy.

From there he will slowly fall asleep whole day till tomorrow morning. This has lasted for close to half year.

Before I write this post I know I need to fulfill the 3 basic requirements. So I've made changes like below and observed for 1-2 weeks but still the same.

Enclosure
135 x 55 x 45 (L x W x H) glass tank with mesh top

UVB
Reptisun 10.0 T8 span through 2/3 of the tank length

Temperature
I live in Malaysia the climate here is different from I believe most of you here. So the room temp here is 86-88F. Basking temp is around 100F (I've tried any kind of basking temp but same). There's no cool side for him but I made an "aircon room" using styrofoam box temp control between 77-83.8F, he shows no interest to it at all.

Hope able to get help here.

 

[KarrieRee]

Hi, I'm posting this see if anyone can help. My beardie has been hiding and sleeping for all day for few months (close to half year).

He usually wake up around 7am+. When we first got him he slept late around 6-7pm, then became earlier and earlier from 3pm to 12pm. And now basically he wake up, eat, poop, bask, but a while around 30 minutes after basking, he will suddenly act like suddenly notice something and become uneasy. Then he will start glass surfing. Once he started glass surfing I have 2 options:

1. Let him be, after surfing for a while with no choice, he will start to dig and hide. He will stay at the entrance of the hide with head lifted, eyes closed, mouth crack open seems like enjoy the UVB light outside the hide. After a while will totally go inside the hide.

2. Take him out, then he will find a cool dark place to hide, with legs wide open seems very comfy.

From there he will slowly fall asleep whole day till tomorrow morning. This has lasted for close to half year.

Before I write this post I know I need to fulfill the 3 basic requirements. So I've made changes like below and observed for 1-2 weeks but still the same.

Enclosure
135 x 55 x 45 (L x W x H) glass tank with mesh top

UVB
Reptisun 10.0 T8 span through 2/3 of the tank length

Temperature
I live in Malaysia the climate here is different from I believe most of you here. So the room temp here is 86-88F. Basking temp is around 100F (I've tried any kind of basking temp but same). There's no cool side for him but I made an "aircon room" using styrofoam box temp control between 77-83.8F, he shows no interest to it at all.

Hope able to get help here.

You only need one UVB please remove one of them and have it 6-8 inches directly above the basking decor piece -- please get your surface basking temps w/ a digital probe thermometer they should read 95-100 - if the UVB bulb is over 6 months old replace it - they need to be changed out every 6 months I recommend 5 --

 

[Astrid.C]

Hi I turned off the UVB at the middle of the tank and keep the right side one, it this OK?

The UVB at the right side is around 6 inches from the back of dragon.

I using the digital thermometer as in picture, is it OK?

The UVB just 1 month old.

I have observed this setup for 2 days but still the same.

 

[KarrieRee]

Hi I turned off the UVB at the middle of the tank and keep the right side one, it this OK?

The UVB at the right side is around 6 inches from the back of dragon.

I using the digital thermometer as in picture, is it OK?

The UVB just 1 month old.

I have observed this setup for 2 days but still the same.

Does the UVB hood have a reflector on it? Its a shiny piece behind the bulb - also I would get a thermometer w/ a probe on it -- I am thinking your only getting ambient temps w/ the one shown- has there been any improvement or is the dragon sleeping all the time still ?

https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Digital-Terrarium-Thermometer/dp/B000MD3MFA/ref=sxin_24_ac_d_bv?ac_md=1-0-VW5kZXIgJDEw-ac_d_bv_bv_bv&content-id=amzn1.sym.14453ffd-7768-40d0-9a7f-8d0063113f56%3Aamzn1.sym.14453ffd-7768-40d0-9a7f-8d0063113f56&crid=3E7NQQPNER1Y6&cv_ct_cx=zoo+med+digital+thermometer&keywords=zoo+med+digital+thermometer&pd_rd_i=B000MD3MFA&pd_rd_r=6289a060-7530-48b7-bb98-97fe6f57c574&pd_rd_w=ByzDr&pd_rd_wg=2xjT3&pf_rd_p=14453ffd-7768-40d0-9a7f-8d0063113f56&pf_rd_r=YR4GQQM3FJ19MVFM8RZJ&psc=1&qid=1656686657&sprefix=zoo+med+digi%2Caps%2C123&sr=1-1-270ce31b-afa8-499f-878b-3bb461a9a5a6

You need two of these -- your dragon will not eat and sleep if the temps are off in the tank - you want a surface basking temp of 95-100 for adult dragon - please get the probes I posted -- is he losing weight? you can weigh him on a kitchen food scale and weigh in grams - what about hydration ? How is he getting water? That too will cause him not to eat --

 

[Astrid.C]

Yes my UVB has reflector

Must it be the Zoomed thermometer? I happen to have a probe thermometer from the "aircon" and it reads between 95-100. Is this the correct way I place the probe?

Yes he is still going to hide before noon time, eyes closed but head lifted, not really sleeping because he is still alert and will slightly open eyes when we go near him. Then until around 7pm then only he really go into sleep.

Weight consider ok but his appetite not stable and getting not good recently.

For hydration:
1. Bath 2-3 times per week
2. Water fed with 2.5ml tube every other day
Is this OK?

 

[KarrieRee]

Yes my UVB has reflector

Must it be the Zoomed thermometer? I happen to have a probe thermometer from the "aircon" and it reads between 95-100. Is this the correct way I place the probe?

Yes he is still going to hide before noon time, eyes closed but head lifted, not really sleeping because he is still alert and will slightly open eyes when we go near him. Then until around 7pm then only he really go into sleep.

Weight consider ok but his appetite not stable and getting not good recently.

For hydration:
1. Bath 2-3 times per week
2. Water fed with 2.5ml tube every other day
Is this OK?

Too much water and too much bathing -- dragons do not need that much bathing and appetite getting worse is not good --- I really cant tell if there is a reflector on the fixture but w/ it being that close I dont think your going to need it - the probe is fine --- and yes if that is where he sits to bask for heat that is good but you dont want that basking bulb any closer than 6" -- to risky for burns -- something is still off if hes doing all sleeping and now not eating or barely eating -- that is not good - I am having some others look at your post

 

[AHBD]

You really are putting a lot of effort in to giving your dragon a good life, I've never heard of an air-con box, really inventive ! How do you cool it ? Your watering method is O.K, he will drink what he wants from the dripper and if he enjoys being soaked, that's O.K too.

I'm not sure that the heat + humidity is bothering him and I'm not really sure what advice to give. If you could actually get half of the enclosure down to about 80 -85 that might help, other than that I don't know. Some dragons go through phases and then begin to act normal. He looks good + healthy anyway so that's a plus.

 

[Astrid.C]

For the aircon box you can have a look at this video

But I bought the ready-made product so no assembly work needed like in the video

But you mean it is more likely what he needs is a cool side instead of a cool box right?

All right will continue the watering method.

For the phases may I know usually how long does it take?

According to Karrie, should I remove the reflector? Or should I lower the basking platform?

(Actually when he was small we also make the platform this high, that time he really love it, he will spend whole day basking on it, really, whole day. Then we read from a FB page saying is not good to have it this close, so we lower the platform. The moment we lower it, he immediately dislike the platform, really, immediately, because he will come down the moment we put him on it, and from then he started to keep hiding till now)

 

[AHBD]

Yes some dragons really hate change so when you adjusted his basking platform he reacted badly. You might try putting it the way it was.

 

[Astrid.C]

Hi, is about the time I need to change my UVB tube

This is my current setup with Zoomed Reptisun T8 10.0, around 6 inches from the back of my dragon, no change since last year

Now I'm going to get T5 , may I know must T5 hood be fixed above the mesh, or I can just lower the platform (the one at the right side of tank) well do?

 

[KarrieRee]

Hi, is about the time I need to change my UVB tube

This is my current setup with Zoomed Reptisun T8 10.0, around 6 inches from the back of my dragon, no change since last year

Now I'm going to get T5 , may I know must T5 hood be fixed above the mesh, or I can just lower the platform (the one at the right side of tank) well do?

View attachment 77777

View attachment 77776

Please show me the screen on the tank --- w/ your basking shelf so high up if your going w/ a T 5 it needs to be lowered or if the screen is a wide holed type it can sit on top but the distance is going to be 8-10 inches for it top of screen - if your hanging it inside it needs to be 12-15 inches

 

[Astrid.C]

Hi, this the mesh been using.

I have difficulty to buy back Reptisun T8 or T5 now because there are totally no sellers in my country.

May I know can I use Reptisun coil instead? Like any of these two?

ReptiSun® 10.0 Mini Compact Fluorescent | Zoo Med Laboratories, Inc.

zoomed.com

ReptiSun® 10.0 Compact Fluorescent | Zoo Med Laboratories, Inc.

zoomed.com

Because I don't simply rely on the bulb, I bring my dragon out to sun bath at least 10-15 minutes everyday.

 

[KarrieRee]

Hi, this the mesh been using.

I have difficulty to buy back Reptisun T8 or T5 now because there are totally no sellers in my country.

May I know can I use Reptisun coil instead? Like any of these two?

ReptiSun® 10.0 Mini Compact Fluorescent | Zoo Med Laboratories, Inc.

zoomed.com

ReptiSun® 10.0 Compact Fluorescent | Zoo Med Laboratories, Inc.

zoomed.com

Because I don't simply rely on the bulb, I bring my dragon out to sun bath at least 10-15 minutes everyday.

View attachment 77780

The mesh looks ok to use the T 5 on top of the screen just make sure your distance is 8-10 inches over the basking shelf -- its great your getting him out every day for 10 -15 minutes direct sun- thats going to help w/ his health -- NO coils they are a health hazard --- please use the sun not those coils --- are you going to get the T 5 long tube bulb --- I am confused -- and yes you want a reflector on the long tube fixture --- can you order off of Amazon for the bulb?

 

[Astrid.C]

The mesh looks ok to use the T 5 on top of the screen just make sure your distance is 8-10 inches over the basking shelf -- its great your getting him out every day for 10 -15 minutes direct sun- thats going to help w/ his health -- NO coils they are a health hazard --- please use the sun not those coils --- are you going to get the T 5 long tube bulb --- I am confused -- and yes you want a reflector on the long tube fixture --- can you order off of Amazon for the bulb?

On Amazon and eBay only 1 seller on each platform offer shipping to my country, I can't just rely on them, also it is very expensive. So I'd like to find any possible alternative since the bulb should be changed frequently.

OK no coils. If only tube, can reptizoo tube like this qualified? Because in my country most of the sellers carry this Reptizoo brand.

REPTI ZOO T5 HO 10.0 UVB Bulb Desert Reptile UVB Lamps Reptile Lights

REPTI ZOO T5 HO 10.0 UVB Bulb Desert Reptile UVB Lamps Reptile Lights free shipping to USA

reptizoo.store

 

[Astrid.C]

Hi, one more question I wish to confirm is if let's say everyday is a sunny day, which means can really see the sun without block by cloud, and I bring my dragon out for at least 10-15 mins everyday, do I still need to concern about the UVB tube in tank?