Doesn't use the hide

[PandorasBox]

Hey everyone, i have had my baby pandora (and first reptile) for just over a week now, and besides the first day i moved her into my home she has never once gone into the half-log hide thing. from what i have seen on my days off work and hours watching her in my room, she spends most the day on the basking tree, or bathing/drinking in the water dish.

Everything i have read says to have on in there, so i am curious to see if this is odd or if others choose to ignore their hide as well.
It doesn't seem to be a negative impact, just odd. Then again she is my first and lives up to the name Pandora

 

[Embee]

Opinions vary on this, and I believe it's quite individual from beardie to beardie.

That said, your beardie is displaying typical, healthy beardie behavior, particularly for a young one who needs lots of UVB and hot temps during the day. Many beardies use their hides little if at all. Totally normal. Our beardie only hid during the day early on, and that was due to a poor quality UVB bulb which sadly, run rampant in the pet industry--it was making him quite ill. He hid often until we learned more and were able to properly upgrade his husbandry. Indeed, a hiding beadie (particularly a young one) is often a sign of ill health, usually due to improper husbandry.

For an older beardie, a hide can be useful particularly around the time of brumation. Our beardie is about 1 1 /2 years now and hasn't ever been in full brumation. He did go into partial brumation in the late fall during which, he awoke later, went to sleep earlier, and ate less during the winter months (he's making up for that now!). He still NEVER used his hide however, but preferred just to go stick his head in his plants at 3pm. I took out the hide in favor of more space in the tank for big beardie who seems to appreciate it very much! From what I can see, he has never once missed the hide. :shrug

Hope that helps!

The best,
Em

 

[ziggy23]

I've had 5 BD, I've only seen a hide used once. i was so shocked I took a picture. She was only under there long enough for me to take the picture. I think she was just curious. they instead choose to squeeze under or behind a rock, or crawl under their newspaper.

 

[Trogdorpheus]

My girl will only use hers when she wants to sleep and I'm still awake with my bedroom lights on... but she'll stare at me from her viv before she does as if to say "Really... gotta stay up late again? Some of us want to sleep" but since I'm staying up late finishing her new custom viv and rock structures I'm sure she can deal.

 

[kimmie]

My girl will only use hers when she wants to sleep and I'm still awake with my bedroom lights on... but she'll stare at me from her viv before she does as if to say "Really... gotta stay up late again? Some of us want to sleep" but since I'm staying up late finishing her new custom viv and rock structures I'm sure she can deal.

Gosh that sounds like something I could imagine Angus saying! He's yet to use a hide so I removed it (for now). I have an area where he could go and sort of hide, he's yet to go in there. Most times he's on his basking spot or leaf (had to reinforce the leaf as he's getting bigger, it's not supporting him like it used to :lol: ) I'm building yet another rock structure now that I know where he loves to hang out and all.

When he sleeps, he sleeps near where he basks as well - only goes to the cool side to poop!

 

[PandorasBox]

lol at taking a picture, thanks everyone!

 

[Embee]

i was so shocked I took a picture.

:laughhard: Indeed!

The best,
Em

 

[SoarHigh]

My bearded dragon, who is a year old, uses her hide when it gets to be the evening or when I don't turn her lights off in a timely fashion. This is going to sound weird, but I honestly think my beardie is uncomfortable with any color other than white. Before deciding to buy a hide I used a cardboard box. This box was green on the outside, and was pooped on numerous times though she never used it. I eventually switched out this poopy box for a white fed ex box and noticed my bearded dragon nestled into the new white house about an hour later. I've tried a few different colors, with red apparently being the most hated. She seems to tolerate brown, but not as much as the white.

I also noticed during the first time feeding my beardie fruits that she puffed and hissed (yes, hissed) at the orange peach slice before turning tail and running away from it.

 

[Freeie]

My 4(adults) use the hide every night to sleep in. They go where its dark to sleep if the lights are still on at the end of the day. I have to drag them out every morning.

The only time a hide is bad is when they are little and are always in it hiding. Normaly you dont put one in a babys viv just to make sure they dont have a place to hide so they get all the uvb and basking heat. Because when little its normal to hide when scared or ill.