Hello there. Suffering a bit of new mom nervousness as I just got my first baby home today.
He was very calm and undisturbed looking when we first put him in his viv, which should be a more peaceful place. But in the few hours he's been settling in, he has turned a much darker color. Looks almost like a different lizard.
Details and tank specs- He's 6 months old and came in today safe and sound. He was offered damp greens, but has refused food and water. He's alert and watches people pass by from his basking spot.
My temps are 93 on the hot spot measured with a point and shoot thermometer. I'm using a 100 watt Zoomed basking light.
Is it possible he is too cold, or do you think it's stress? His beard is not black. It's the rest of his body that has turned much darker since he was placed in the tank.
His tail looks like hes going into shed - and yes they will turn darker colors but usually its the whole body when trying to absorb heat- I would get your basking temp up to 95-110- a good way to do that is get a piece of decor that offers different places to sit so he can pick the basking spot he wants for heat
His tail looks like hes going into shed - and yes they will turn darker colors but usually its the whole body when trying to absorb heat- I would get your basking temp up to 95-110- a good way to do that is get a piece of decor that offers different places to sit so he can pick the basking spot he wants for heat
Seeing as how he stayed at the highest place, he probably does want to be warmer. I'll switch out that 100 watt for a 150 tomorrow.
Thanks for your thoughts.
I had a hard time seeing much of a color difference between the two pics, but I know that my Figment will darken up when he wants to absorb more heat. If he's not black bearding, that's good. If he's totally new, not eating is perfectly normal... let him be for a few days before handling him, offer him food as normal (but he may or may not eat). He's a handsome boy! And try to breathe... being a new dragon parent is stressful (I bombarded this board with questions when I first got my Figment), but everyone here is great and willing to help. Just let your new guy settle in, and you'll have a better sense of what his "normal" color will be!