Glass Surfing and Digging - What's happening?

[CateAndMax]

I've had Max since he was a tiny baby. I got him in November of 2015 and only just within the past two days has he been acting strange. He's started glass surfing, running back and forth and all around his terrarium, lunging at the glass with his nose, and trying to dig underneath his carpet. There have been no recent changes to his room, he's eating regularly, his temps are normal and regulated, his last bowel movement was two days ago, he lives in a 50 gallon tank, is bathed regularly, and is EXTREMELY loved. ?

Can anyone shed some light on why he's doing this and what to do? I take him out when ever he starts doing in and for the most part, he'll just chill out on my bed and watch TV with me. Today, he wanted to run around and leap off my bed. I didn't let him because there are tons of small crevices for him to get lost or stuck in. I also have a fear of him ingesting something he shouldn't.

 

[AHBD]

Hi Cate, all young adult dragons may go through a phase of restlessness. In the wild they would be checking out territory and possibly looking for a mate. But are you 100% sure that Max is a male ? Females may act that way when they are looking to lay eggs. Here's how to check for sure:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=209431

 

[CateAndMax]

Hi Cate, all young adult dragons may go through a phase of restlessness. In the wild they would be checking out territory and possibly looking for a mate. But are you 100% sure that Max is a male ? Females may act that way when they are looking to lay eggs. Here's how to check for sure:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=209431

When I first got him, I honestly just guessed. But I took him in for a regular check-up in JAN if this year and again in MAY, and the vet never told me otherwise? I assume that's something she'd let me know considering we discussed and I've asked her about EVERYTHING. Max is my first and only bearded dragon, so I obviously have a lot of information and advice to absorb. Truthfully, I can say I don't care much for the Vet office I'm taking him to. I googled for a bearded dragon reptile vet and this office came up. If I found another office specializing in reptiles, I would certainly go. Anyway, I just emailed Max's doctor to verify his sex, so in hoping I get a response. I tried the flashlight thing, but couldn't tell. They took an x-ray the last time he was in, though.

 

[AHBD]

Did you do it like in the pics, in a dark room with the light against the front of the tail ? If you didn't see any dark shapes then it may be that your dragon is a she. If you arch her tail up high + take pics to post here I can probably tell you.

Some vets really don't know how to sex lizards, they may not tell you that but it's often true.

 

[kcoats306]

It sounds very much the way my dragon acts when she is about to lay eggs...is your dragon eating ok? My Dragon quits eating and then will glass surf and dig under her carpet and then lay eggs.

 

[CateAndMax]

Did you do it like in the pics, in a dark room with the light against the front of the tail ? If you didn't see any dark shapes then it may be that your dragon is a she. If you arch her tail up high + take pics to post here I can probably tell you.

Some vets really don't know how to sex lizards, they may not tell you that but it's often true.

Maybe I just need a bigger flashlight? I'll try to find one. Can you tell me how to post pictures on here?

 

[CateAndMax]

It sounds very much the way my dragon acts when she is about to lay eggs...is your dragon eating ok? My Dragon quits eating and then will glass surf and dig under her carpet and then lay eggs.

He's eating just fine! No changes in diet. If he is a she, and she's trying to lay eggs, do you have any info on what I do?

 

[SpacialCoogs]

To post pictures https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/

How to sex a bd
https://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/sexing/

If he is a she then you'd want to make a laybox. A separate tub full of playsand mixed with soil, add some water so you can make firm shapes in the sand but not really wet. You can start her out by digging a little cave and putting her in there to see if she starts digging.

If you take her out of her tank does she try to find a corner and dig? mine used to try digging in the couch or on me when she was getting ready.

 

[CateAndMax]

To post pictures https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/

How to sex a bd
https://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/sexing/

If he is a she then you'd want to make a laybox. A separate tub full of playsand mixed with soil, add some water so you can make firm shapes in the sand but not really wet. You can start her out by digging a little cave and putting her in there to see if she starts digging.

If you take her out of her tank does she try to find a corner and dig? mine used to try digging in the couch or on me when she was getting ready.

I don't really give him a chance to run off and try to dig somewhere. I've just been picking him up and holding him or putting him on my bed. I guess he's tried to get in the blankets a little bit, but not really anymore than nuzzling in. And he doesn't try to dig on me. I'm at work and have my niece babysitting him, so when I get off work, I'll check to see how he's doing. This will be the third day he's been behaving like this if he's been doing it at all today.

 

[SpacialCoogs]

He looks like a she to me. Have you used the flashlight trick to make sure?

 

[AHBD]

I'm leaning toward female as well, but you're not holding her right. First, sit her on a table. Take her tail in your hand and arch it up in the air ....think of a dog with a happy tail straight up in the air. That will cause any bulges in the tail to show, it can't really be done the way you're holding Max there.

 

[CateAndMax]

I'm leaning toward female as well, but you're not holding her right. First, sit her on a table. Take her tail in your hand and arch it up in the air ....think of a dog with a happy tail straight up in the air. That will cause any bulges in the tail to show, it can't really be done the way you're holding Max there.

 

[CateAndMax]

To post pictures https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/

How to sex a bd
https://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/sexing/

If he is a she then you'd want to make a laybox. A separate tub full of playsand mixed with soil, add some water so you can make firm shapes in the sand but not really wet. You can start her out by digging a little cave and putting her in there to see if she starts digging.

If you take her out of her tank does she try to find a corner and dig? mine used to try digging in the couch or on me when she was getting ready.

Are there instructions on how to make a lay box? What type of sand/soil? How big of a tub?

 

[AHBD]

Excellent pics, and yes, Max is a girl. It would be good to make laybox like the other poster described, do that right away. Just a plastic tote from Dollar store/Walmart....about 2 feet high, 2 feet long. Get children's playsand and plain topsoil also from Walmart.

 

[CateAndMax]

Excellent pics, and yes, Max is a girl. It would be good to make laybox like the other poster described, do that right away. Just a plastic tote from Dollar store/Walmart....about 2 feet high, 2 feet long. Get children's playsand and plain topsoil also from Walmart.

Oh my goodness! Wow, thank you so much guys. Do I mix the sand and soil together? How long does laying eggs take and what do I do with them/her once she's laid them? She's hasn't been near another dragon since November, so they're not babies, right?