Could my baby be bored?

[Vrana]

Hi everyone!

So a week ago I got my first bearded dragon. 'He' (I figure I can't be sure until he/she is older) is two and a half months old and about nine and a half inches long (big for his age, if I'm not mistaken - but his clutch hatched on May 15, give or take depending on the egg). He's currently in a sectioned off half of a 55 gallon tank (I believe the dimensions are 48x18x13, so his actual area is 24x18x13) as I was told by the store owner/breeder that a too-large enclosure would stress a baby out, and I'd read the same thing online. The problem is all he does is sit on his basking branch all day. I built him a beardie playground of sorts out of driftwood and cork bark and every couple hours or so he might climb around for a minute or two but then he climbs right back up onto his branch.

Basking temp is about 105, the coolest part is 85 or so (taken with an Acu-rite probe thermometer). I have a repti-sun 10.0 tube that covers the length of the tank. He eats anywhere from 25 to 40 small crickets a day, with the occasional bite of squash or collard greens I leave in the tank. Occasionally I give him a basil leaf as a snack since he seems to love the stuff (found this out when he randomly started munching on my plant while sunning on my windowsill - this after he wouldn't touch a single fruit or veggie for the first few days I had him). He poops twice a day, gets a ten minute bath every day or two, and I currently have him on paper towels.

I would just chalk it up to laziness, but when I take him out he's all over the place - he'll climb me as if I were a giant tree, he'll run across the floor, he loves to jump, and I've learned not to put him anywhere high because he seems to believe he has wings.

So... should I just give him the whole tank? I know he's young, and he's only been with us a week. I was planning to wait at least a month before gradually giving him more space, and that was only if he seemed completely okay with it. I just worry he's had so many changes in the last week and it's too much too soon, but he looks so bored in there... Or is this pretty normal behavior?

Sorry my post is so very long... Just figured I'd save everyone the trouble of asking questions by giving as much info as I could.

 

[Claudiusx]

I would give him the whole tank. A dragon will not get stressed out being in such a big tank.
Seriously, think about that. It kind of defies logic and common sense to think that a dragon, who naturally lives out in a big huge open tank out in the wild, would be stressed in a 40g tank as opposed to a 20g tank.

I promise you, a dragon (no matter the size) will do just as well in a 1000g tank as it would do in a smaller tank, as long as proper living conditions are provided.

As far as your main question, It's common for new dragons to not be very active, they are still adjusting to their new home. As long as he is eating, seemingly healthy, and under proper living conditions (which it sounds like he is) then you have nothing to worry about.

-Brandon

 

[Vrana]

Thank you - I was thing the same thing myself, but I kept reading everywhere that babies get overwhelmed, etc... The not finding crickets in a big tank thing I understand, but I feed him the live stuff in a separate container anyway.

 

[Claudiusx]

Exactly. :mrgreen:

-Brandon

 

[Vrana]

So I went ahead and opened up the tank last night, put in some more branches, rocks, cork rounds... I just spent the last twenty minutes watching him climb and jump and play... Not sure who was having more fun - him, or me, watching! And, all that extra exercise must've worked up quite an appetite because he wolfed down a whole jar lid of collard greens and squash, which he normally barely picks at. Love seeing him so happy! :mrgreen:

 

[Claudiusx]

Glad to hear!

-Brandon