Freaked out in bath

[Smid]

Hey,

Last night as I was giving Smid his soak (about 5 min in) he started to arm wave - first time he's done this - and then he started to swim around in the tub underwater - also first time for doing this - and then he started to scratch at his head with his hind legs. When I tried to take him out he would climb off my hand and back into the water. But he had developed light stress marks (these went away by bed time). I'm just wondering what set this all off - the water wasn't too hot and he is about a year old.

Another thing I've noticed is when he is eating his crickets he does a weird breathing thing - like a big gasp you can actually hear, just wondering if this is normal??

Liz

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

Hi Liz,

Your beardie is acting perfectly normal. The arm wave is a sign of submission in "beardie lingo". He may have seen his reflection in the water and thought it was another beardie. Some beardies love to swim underwater. As for the head scratching mine usually does that when she gets water in her ears. He was obviously enjoying his bath and did not want to get out. I wouldn't worry about the stress marks...it's also normal.

Dawn

 

[Smid]

Thanks Dawn

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

You're welcome, Liz

Our little bearded friends sure know how to make us worry sometimes !!

Dawn

 

[TheDragonKeepers]

Like gulf says, the back leg headscratching is really easy to explain. Tsammy is an avid swimmer, including underwater. When he comes up, he's got water in his ears! So like we'd gently poke our ear to get the water out, he flicks his jawspikes with his foot to get the water out. A quick tumble in the towel helps. If he's swimming, he's clearly enjoying it. Believe me, I've got one waterlover, and one waterphobic...

 

[MALIBUSMOM]

Malibu does that too.She also makes the breathing sound when she eats crickets & only crickets,i dunno if shes trying to keep them still by breathing on the or what.she doesn't do it to her supers or salad.

 

[TheDragonKeepers]

Perhaps she's "psyching up"? Like a sportsplayer does just before he/she goes for the big push. Neither of mine do the breathing thing, Ky lobs herself head first at food (and often misses salad by a mile) and Tsam waits for the food to come to him. A fly literally flew into his open mouth once...

 

[fresnowitte]

Perhaps she's "psyching up"? Like a sportsplayer does just before he/she goes for the big push.

:laughhard: :laughing6:
All of my beardies love to swim under water. They're also picky about how much water is in the bath an if the water is moving or not. If there isn't enough water for them to swim under the water they will just sit and stare at me until I put more in. An if I don't leave the water trickling then I'd better be doing the beardies jacuzzi by swishing my finger around in the water to keep it moving. I love to watch them in the bath they are so cute when they swim around like little gators. :lol: And scratch like puppies. :laughing6: