Do my beardies hate their new viv???

[Paperdaisies]

So I just posted yesterday about how we completed our new 4 condo viv for our beardies. Got them in there nice and settled and all seemed well and our whole family was happy and excited because it was finally done and me and dh worked really hard on it.

Well now I'm just worried sick. They're still eating fine but they tear all over the place running and jumping and glass dancing on the front door and walls. Then almost ALL DAY LONG they sit at the glass and stare out. Our older dragon not so much but he stays close to the glass door too. But all the other 4 sit right up against the front pressed against the glass. Do they hate it in there and are they trying to find a way out or what???

I wondered if maybe it was too hot in there and they were trying to find a way out but I used the digital thermometer to check. Also, they didn't even wander to the cool side so I'm sure they would if they were hot right?

Another thing is that Sprocket has been sitting with her mouth gaping open over and over. I know they do that to thermoregulate but she never used to do it almost constantly. Something just feels "off". Or maybe I'm paranoid...

Yesterday when they got really active I was happy because I thought, "Oh look! They love it, they have more room to play!" since before in their small tanks they'd sit and bask all day and never move. But now this whole sitting at the front thing is making me worry they're wanting out. Are they okay? Should I remove them??? I'll post a pic of what I mean as soon as my camera is charged.

 

[ziggy23]

If your temps and uv and all that are fine, then they're probably just going through relocation stress again.

 

[Paperdaisies]

You think? I really panicked and even looked up all the materials that we used to make sure there wasn't something super toxic that would hurt them. Although there was a lot of debate on the silicone caulk.... I read many people never had an issue.

I also wonder if maybe they need more ventilation?

Geez, this is totally stressing me out!

 

[discojan]

When I first brought my girls home two weeks ago, the older/bigger one gaped quite a bit. Part of it i think was due to the temps being too high on the high side, and part of it, I think was due to her adjusting. She will still gape occasionally at night, but I think (hope?) it is normal.

Is there a way to post pics on this site? I'd be happy to share them and see what others think.

In any case, it's been a little more than 2 weeks since I brought them here, and even though they were in the same vivs as their old home, they were in a new place. The younger, littler one seemed unbothered, but the older one seems to have taken awhile to warm up to me and get her appetite back.

I hope your little ones calm down soon.

 

[Ethelia]

Honestly as long as they are eating a pooping you have little to worry about

My dragons have gone through alot of viv changes and most did this sort of hyper activity. Its basically a mix of excitement or stress. If theyre still eating well Id say its not stress.
Just think your little dragons have a whole new playhouse! They also have a different view to look at and attack.

Out of interest are they facing a new direction? Is there something that might be over exciting them? Like an empty worm tub?

Holly

 

[discojan]

Holly,
Is the gaping depicted in your signature file normal? As a relatively new beardie owner, I'm still learning the range of their behavior. i'm assuming it is--how often do your beardies demonstrate the behavior? Best wishes, J

 

[Ethelia]

Hello there,

Beardies "gape" with their mouths open like that for two reasons.

1. to cool off.
2. to be big and scary.

My beardies gape to cool off when they are sat under their basking bulbs and have gotten rather warm, but are too lazy to move their bums out the heat. Kind of like a dog lolling his tongue out his mouth. On my Signature thats Ruben under his heatlamp chillin :]
Some dragons dont gape because they prefere to move out of the heat instead. The only thing to be concerned about is if they gape most of the time. That means the tank could be too hot.

The other kind of gape you get is when they feel threatened. they will open their mouths wide and puff up their beards. this is the big old HEY IM MEAN. IM MEAN AND SCARY. MEAN AND SCARY BOYS DONT NEED BATHS RIGHT1!?!?

Hope that helped x

 

[discojan]

Thanks that did help a lot! Mine gaped a lot at night when I first got her--so much so that I was terrified after reading all the online materials/descriptions of gaping. I was afraid she might have had a respiratory infection or something,so I rushed her to the vet late at night, where she promptly refused to gape and (thankfully) was fine!

I changed the bulbs and reduced the temps at the hot end of the cage, but she still sometimes gapes--but I think it's b/c she is so lazy; she'd rather gape than move, or better yet, have me take her out and let her play. She's never puffed up and black-bearded; she's the mellowist creature I've ever met, unless of course there are crickets or superworms around!

 

[Ethelia]

As long as its not all the time when they are basking its fine :]