Can Shedding Make a Bearded Dragon Sleep a Lot?

[Asher3105]

Hey! I got my bearded dragon on 11 days ago, and he has been shedding since I got him. I'm pretty sure the breeder at the convention said he has already shed his head and body, and his tail has shed since I've had him. how his back legs and upper tail area seem to be ready they have been looking really ready for about 3 or so days, but he has gotten really lazy/sleepy. He's not sleeping deeply, just resting, as every time I walk by or take a close look at him, he perks up and is aware and normal looking, but otherwise he his just sitting in a corner on the hot side, seemly dozing.

I'm not too worried because he is eating and pooping normally, and when I do interact he seems fine, but his this behavior normal? It does kind of make sense since it is his back legs, which I could see how that would make him want to move less, but I want to know what you guys think. I will also put some pictures below so you can see what I mean about sleeping but not really.

Thank you for your time!

^here he is sleeping/resting

^And here he is after I talk/get his attention

 

[KarrieRee]

Hey! I got my bearded dragon on 11 days ago, and he has been shedding since I got him. I'm pretty sure the breeder at the convention said he has already shed his head and body, and his tail has shed since I've had him. how his back legs and upper tail area seem to be ready they have been looking really ready for about 3 or so days, but he has gotten really lazy/sleepy. He's not sleeping deeply, just resting, as every time I walk by or take a close look at him, he perks up and is aware and normal looking, but otherwise he his just sitting in a corner on the hot side, seemly dozing.

I'm not too worried because he is eating and pooping normally, and when I do interact he seems fine, but his this behavior normal? It does kind of make sense since it is his back legs, which I could see how that would make him want to move less, but I want to know what you guys think. I will also put some pictures below so you can see what I mean about sleeping but not really.

Thank you for your time!

View attachment 66969

^here he is sleeping/resting


View attachment 66970

^And here he is after I talk/get his attention

He has some nice coloring going -- how old is he? he looks to be a juvenile 5-6 months old? I have not heard of them being sleepy during shedding crabby and not a big appetite yes --- so w/ that being said lets go over the UVB your using and his basking temps and how your taking them--- details please UVB coil or tube fixture where in the tank is it? Stickons for temp gauge or digital probe thermometer?

 

[Asher3105]

He has some nice coloring going -- how old is he? he looks to be a juvenile 5-6 months old? I have not heard of them being sleepy during shedding crabby and not a big appetite yes --- so w/ that being said lets go over the UVB your using and his basking temps and how your taking them--- details please UVB coil or tube fixture where in the tank is it? Stickons for temp gauge or digital probe thermometer?

Hi! he is 6 months old, hatched in July. He has a repti sun 10.0 tube bulb, as well as a 50 watt heat bulb, which seems to get like 109-110 at the highest possible point on his basking stick, but the stick I have has a lot do different places he can sit to get the temperature he wants. the thermometer is a digital probe thermometer.

a few other things I should mention is his diet hasn't been completely ideal, as my Dubia roach shipment just came in today (finally) so he has been living off crickets and not as much as he probably should be, but he has seemed perfectly fine until about two days ago where his energy levels just completely dropped. the day prior to that, I had him out of the enclosure on my desk, and he did get a fair bit of running in, but it really doesn't seem like it would tire him out this much... also, I made sure to place his salad way out of the way to see if he would go eat it while I was at school, and he did, as well as pooped in a different spot in the tank from where he has been staying. so he has been moving around still, just way way less

I will include some pictures of the tanks lights as well.

thank you so much for your reply!

 

[KarrieRee]

Hi! he is 6 months old, hatched in July. He has a repti sun 10.0 tube bulb, as well as a 50 watt heat bulb, which seems to get like 109-110 at the highest possible point on his basking stick, but the stick I have has a lot do different places he can sit to get the temperature he wants. the thermometer is a digital probe thermometer.

a few other things I should mention is his diet hasn't been completely ideal, as my Dubia roach shipment just came in today (finally) so he has been living off crickets and not as much as he probably should be, but he has seemed perfectly fine until about two days ago where his energy levels just completely dropped. the day prior to that, I had him out of the enclosure on my desk, and he did get a fair bit of running in, but it really doesn't seem like it would tire him out this much... also, I made sure to place his salad way out of the way to see if he would go eat it while I was at school, and he did, as well as pooped in a different spot in the tank from where he has been staying. so he has been moving around still, just way way less

I will include some pictures of the tanks lights as well.

thank you so much for your reply!

View attachment 66971

Ok the UVB is a T 8? If so it needs to be moved into the tank ? T 8's cannot go thru screen --- and it needs to be placed directly above the basking decor piece 6-8 inches -- from the way it sits now hes getting very little to NO UVB --
here is some stuff to use to hang inside w/ you may haft to snip some of the screen to get it inside --- what size is the tank ? If its bigger than a 40 gallon I would recommend you upgrading the UVB to a 24" fixture w/ a 10.0 T 5 bulb - that bulb has options depending on the screen --

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[Asher3105]

Ok the UVB is a T 8? If so it needs to be moved into the tank ? T 8's cannot go thru screen --- and it needs to be placed directly above the basking decor piece 6-8 inches -- from the way it sits now hes getting very little to NO UVB --
here is some stuff to use to hang inside w/ you may haft to snip some of the screen to get it inside --- what size is the tank ? If its bigger than a 40 gallon I would recommend you upgrading the UVB to a 24" fixture w/ a 10.0 T 5 bulb - that bulb has options depending on the screen --

https://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-15-ft-Cable-Ties-Hook-and-Loop-Spool-Black-10375/304220195[/UR

Okay, so it is actually a T8...I had no idea they couldn't go through screen...he is in a 40 gallon. i will make the adjustment right now. i have an idea how to get it to stick temporarily, until I can find something better to hold it up. my only thing thought is how does it go over the basking spot with the heat lamp as well?

Also, he should be okay once I get it fixed right? is there anything else I should do?

Thank you so much again for your help!!

 

[KarrieRee]

Okay, so it is actually a T8...I had no idea they couldn't go through screen...he is in a 40 gallon. i will make the adjustment right now. i have an idea how to get it to stick temporarily, until I can find something better to hold it up. my only thing thought is how does it go over the basking spot with the heat lamp as well?

Also, he should be okay once I get it fixed right? is there anything else I should do?

Thank you so much again for your help!!

Once you get the fixture in the tank w/ correct distance make sure there is No plastic cover over the bulb- take it off- the link I posted for the strap is like a Velcro strap cut into strips and wrap around your fixture - if you can't get it next to the basking bulb that's ok+ just get it set up in the tank w/ your distance I posted and a piece of decor directly under it- watch his behavior it shouldn't take long

 

[Jupitertheking]

Omg

Hey! I got my bearded dragon on 11 days ago, and he has been shedding since I got him. I'm pretty sure the breeder at the convention said he has already shed his head and body, and his tail has shed since I've had him. how his back legs and upper tail area seem to be ready they have been looking really ready for about 3 or so days, but he has gotten really lazy/sleepy. He's not sleeping deeply, just resting, as every time I walk by or take a close look at him, he perks up and is aware and normal looking, but otherwise he his just sitting in a corner on the hot side, seemly dozing.

I'm not too worried because he is eating and pooping normally, and when I do interact he seems fine, but his this behavior normal? It does kind of make sense since it is his back legs, which I could see how that would make him want to move less, but I want to know what you guys think. I will also put some pictures below so you can see what I mean about sleeping but not really.

Thank you for your time!

View attachment 66969

^here he is sleeping/resting


View attachment 66970

^And here he is after I talk/get his attention

Omg my bearded dragon looks exactly like urs and he has been shedding and SLEEPING A LOT until I talk or go near him he was eating less ass well

 

[KarrieRee]

Omg

Omg my bearded dragon looks exactly like urs and he has been shedding and SLEEPING A LOT until I talk or go near him he was eating less ass well

@Jupitertheking that would be your uvb lack of uvb- he will continue to get worse-

 

[Asher3105]

@Jupitertheking that would be your uvb lack of uvb- he will continue to get worse-

Once you get the fixture in the tank w/ correct distance make sure there is No plastic cover over the bulb- take it off- the link I posted for the strap is like a Velcro strap cut into strips and wrap around your fixture - if you can't get it next to the basking bulb that's ok+ just get it set up in the tank w/ your distance I posted and a piece of decor directly under it- watch his behavior it shouldn't take long

Okay, my mom and I threw this together as fast as we could, his it okay that when he sits at the spot he is less than 6-8 inches away? also I don't know how much more I can put it under the heat lamp before it begins to block it, so is that placement okay as well?

Thank you so much again

 

[KarrieRee]

Okay, my mom and I threw this together as fast as we could, his it okay that when he sits at the spot he is less than 6-8 inches away? also I don't know how much more I can put it under the heat lamp before it begins to block it, so is that placement okay as well?

Thank you so much again

View attachment 66972

Take the rock / hide and put under the uvb-- see what the distance it is - his stick he's sitting on is not going to do much good he's not directly under it

 

[Asher3105]

Take the rock / hide and put under the uvb-- see what the distance it is - his stick he's sitting on is not going to do much good he's not directly under it

The distance between the hide and the lights is to much I think, for the heat, and most likely the UVB, because its like 10 or 11 inches away. I will try to move the stick a bit more to the right in the morning.

Thank you again so much for all your help.

 

[KarrieRee]

The distance between the hide and the lights is to much I think, for the heat, and most likely the UVB, because its like 10 or 11 inches away. I will try to move the stick a bit more to the right in the morning.

Thank you again so much for all your help.

Ok then I recommend you either lower the uvb or go get another piece of decor to put under the uvb-- you need her to be able to bask under her basking bulb w/ temps 105-110 I recommend another piece of decor it's easier to move decor pieces than the uvb-- but it's up to you- she just needs the correct distance for the uvb and correct temps for basking

 

[hdochow]

@KarrieRee Would it work to put the hide under the basking bulb, and then adjust the stick to the right height under the UVB? That would be similar to my set up and my guy just moves around to where he needs to be, whether it is heat or UVB he wants.

 

[Badwolfe]

Ideally you want the Heat (IR) and UVB to overlap but getting the UVB at the correct height is the most important. A lot of dragons wont actually sit right under a basking bulb for long periods and will instead move slightly to the side of it and thermo-regulate.

Moving the hide right under the UVB at the correct height would help but even better would be something that runs the entire length of the tube to give the dragon much more choice on its spot to thermo-regulate whilst being right under the UVB at the same time.

 

[KarrieRee]

@KarrieRee Would it work to put the hide under the basking bulb, and then adjust the stick to the right height under the UVB? That would be similar to my set up and my guy just moves around to where he needs to be, whether it is heat or UVB he wants.

What ever works for the dragon and her I have given her the distances for what she needs along w/ the temps for surface sometimes the basking and uvb can't overlap the dragon will go to the light he needs