Do Bearded Dragons nap?

[Elijahsmom]

Just a question actually, Elijah just seemed a little sleepy this evening, about 2 hours before lights out he was already asleep under his basking lamp, I had accidentally left his hammock in his tank all day today and when thats in there all he does is lay in it and thats not under his basking lamp so he won't warm up when he lays in it, I had removed it earlier and then I found him asleep on his basking log today. I have to take it out every morning, he usually sleeps in it so he does get is back a couple of hours before bedtime unless I'm holding him to go to sleep then I'll re-hang it and put him in it. He was perky when I looked in on him, woke up right away and eyed me. He ate his crickets today but seemed slow about it, not wanting as many as usual.
Set up:
40 gal breeder
Reptisun 10.0 tube light
50watt halogen basking bulb, 60 watt house light on the cool side
Temps taken with a thermometer with a probe, basking temp today was reading 99.4 and the cool side was 84.3
Repti carpet for substrate
Diet of crickets Ca dusted Mon-Fri, vitamins on the weekends, Phoenix worms, dubia roaches, frozen squash offered daily (thawed and warm of course)
Poop today looked normal, solid, white soft urate which can be runny at times (just the white part)
Bathed 4 days a week (when I'm off from work)
He is shedding but it's going really slow!
Thanks!

 

[ziggy23]

I think people are the only animal on the planet that doesn't nap daily. Sometimes mine fall asleep early too.

and a few less crickets one day when everything else seems fine is ok too. everyone has off days.

Just out of curiosity, why do you care if he sits in the hammock all day? If they need to bask, they will. Mine have never sat under the basking light all day. they have a few places they like to hang out that aren't under the basking light.

 

[Elijahsmom]

I don't mind him spending SOME time in the hammock but that his all he will do when it's in there. He won't bask, even after he eats, thats why I have to take it out. I've read on here about some other people that have had the same problem with their hammocks and beardies. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Elijahsmom]

Alright so Elijah has been tucking himself in a couple of hours before lights out still these last 3 days... I'm a little worried, he is usually pretty active or at least basking until the lights go out or I hold him and he falls asleep. Comments?

 

[Elijahsmom]

*bump* Elijah is still tucking in early.

 

[cyberdrone]

go get a fecal done.

lethargic or changes in behavior for extended periods of time is a good sign to get one done. Its better to be safe anyways.

 

[Elijahsmom]

I just got one a month ago...ug, I'll take a sample into the vets....

 

[cyberdrone]

"extended" periods of time. If you just had it tested a month ago, I would probably wait more than 5 days before getting concerned.

 

[Elijahsmom]

Alright, I'll give him through the weekend. He is concerning me because this is totally new for him and I came home from shopping today and he was sound asleep in a corner, it's still 5 hours before lights out... My house is kinda cold, could this be anything? His temps are normal but I dunno if he can sense the air conditioning...

 

[kariann]

How old is Elijah? I'm asking because your avatar, his diet, and supplements all suggest he is still very young. If so, then his basking temps should be more than the 99.4 F that you noted: most will say babies need to having basking temps at around 105 F available some say up to 110 F. Anyway, low temps could absolutely be a reason for lethargy hence napping and loose stools that you mentioned happen sometimes. Even for an adult I'd have basking avail at least around 102 F. Just a thought.

Keep us posted!

 

[Elijahsmom]

I would put Elijah in at 10-11 mos old. He is 15" long and weighed in @ 258g at the vet's office. He will avoid his basking spot if it hits high then 102. He is really picky.

 

[diamc]

Actually those temps are reading kinda low for a 50 watt halogen as those are supposed to throw off more heat than a regular light bulb. What is the brand of the probe thermometer? Are you waiting at least 45 min before checking the temps?

 

[Elijahsmom]

It's a ZooMed halogen bulb and I can't remember the brand name of my thermometer probes, I bought them at petsmart, may be Zilla? I do wait for 45 min the probes stay in the same spot all day. The reason the readings are a little lower is because I position the basking light a little off from his basking spot, he doesn't like being so hot. Directly under the bulb it reads about 110.

 

[Elijahsmom]

I hope that I'm not sounding too harsh to any one. If I am, I'm sorry... I'm worried about my boy and I want whats best for him. I can try positioning the basking light right over his basking spot, I just always assumed that he didn't like is so hot as he always leans toward the cooler side of his basking log but he always stays a dark color in his cage with stress marks. I had posted under my shedding problem thread that I don't know if I'm having a problem with his UVB light. It's a reptisun 10.0 but even this morning, I turned on his lights and he ran away and hid under his log...thats very unusual for him. I don't know if I should take him back to the vet, it's been a little over a month since a check up and a fecal. I'm just getting frustrated, I want my boy to be healthy and it'll seem like things will go great for a while and then he'll do something funny again and I'm hitting everyone up for advice...may be I'm turning into a beardie hypochondriac...

 

[kariann]

You don't sound harsh at all. I have a 5 month old beardie and I am probably even more paranoid than you. I have to make myself stop, step back, and reevaluate whatever it is I am freaking out over (he ate a little less greens, he opened his mouth a little for no obvious reason, he is laying in a different spot). I am really only happy when he is basking, running around, or eating but he can't do those things 100% of the time. He does nap sometimes around 5pm and he "hangs out" in cooler spots at times.

I don't know why Elijah hid when you turned the lights on: maybe it just startled him. Is he able to get within 6-8 inches of your Reptisun 10 tube? I understand what you mean about avoiding basking if it is "too hot" although that is a little unusual for a guy his age. Maybe you could try bumping it up a little to just over 100 F. I would only change one thing at a time so you can figure out what helps and what doesn't.

If you aren't already doing so, you could try taking Elijah outside for natural UV once a day or several times a week. Just don't leave him unattended and make sure he has a little shaded area to escape the heat if he needs it. Thirty minutes or so of that really perks Oscar up. I use a clear plastic storage bin with a towel to take him out in because he is pretty small for any leash and I am too paranoid about him eating something he shouldn't.

Let us know how Elijah's doing: he is probably just doing things to make sure you become a very obedient beardie slave to him. LOL