Help! Very Aggressive Beardie!

[protiemama]

Hi there- I was just reading your posts and noticed something. Dianne is so right about all the big stuff, but a small thing might also be contributing. You said you clean his viv once a week? I pick up Bogie's poop and flush it as soon as I find it. If I don't he gets a bit miffed. I just can't imagine how he would behave if I left it in there for a week! :shock: Just a thought. The lights and temps are the most important, but small things can make a difference.
Bogie is such a mellow loving little guy. We would all be heartbroken if he suddenly started behaving that way. Hope Nomad calms down soon and gives you all the joy a happy beardie can share.

Sandy H

 

[hollowed454]

yes it is the long flourescent. To answer your question the digital thermometer does have the in and out. If you don't mind can you please tell me how to accuratly use it?

I think your right though his acting out is just due to the changes. Like when I put in the flourescent he started changing to a darker color then but leveled back out to his usual bright green color after a bit.

 

[hollowed454]

Hi there- I was just reading your posts and noticed something. Dianne is so right about all the big stuff, but a small thing might also be contributing. You said you clean his viv once a week? I pick up Bogie's poop and flush it as soon as I find it. If I don't he gets a bit miffed. I just can't imagine how he would behave if I left it in there for a week! :shock: Just a thought. The lights and temps are the most important, but small things can make a difference.
Bogie is such a mellow loving little guy. We would all be heartbroken if he suddenly started behaving that way. Hope Nomad calms down soon and gives you all the joy a happy beardie can share.

Sandy H

so would it be more recommended to clean it more than that? Not a problem do so. I use the rug carpeting so just a matter of picking it up and washing it off. I'm willing to try anything at this point to get him back to the point he was when I first got him. He was very docile then but like I said in a previous post he started getting this way after we moved. He seems to be doing a little better already. Not sure if i'm working the digital thermometer right but it's reading at 83 degrees in his cage now. I'm thinking about adding another low light bulb. Not sure if I should. The way I have the thermometer set up right now is I have the probe end in the basking area and the handheld portion is outside the cage. I left it that way overnight. I was thinking that maybe perhaps I should just set the whole thing down inside and have the probe in the basking area and the handheld at the other end. It has the "in" and "out" readings

One other thing that I noticed when I got up today. He's just been laying in various corners pressed against the glass with his mouth open. That's all he's doing. he did run around though when he was eating his crickets though but after that just went back to lying around with his mouth open.

 

[PuffPuff11]

diamc said: What you do is lay the probe end so that it is resting on the basking area and place the thermometer part on the cool side, wait about 45 min for the temp to stop rising, the "out" reading is for the basking site and the "in" reading for the cool side. With a 20 gallon tank, it's very hard to get the temp so that the basking side is about 100 to 108 and the cool side 75 to 85, with 80 being ideal.

It sounds like you are using it right, but I would go ahead and put the temp reading part in the coolside of the cage... I wish I had that kind of thermometer it sounds good, I got mine online and it only has one reading.
Anyway let us know how nomad is acting... I hope he starts feeling better. By the way what are your temps now? Remember the basking spot should be about 100-108 and the cool side between 75 and 85.

 

[diamc]

Thanks for repeating the instructions Puffpuff11, I was just about to do that.

The probe end has to be touching, laying right on the basking surface in order to get a correct reading. If he is acting that way and pressed up against the glass, I'll bet he's too hot. I suggest you give him a bath, do you ever put him in a transparent container with warm water up to the top of his front legs? You test the water temp by the inside of your wrist, make sure it's warm but not hot. His vent area (where he poos) should be right down in the water for about 15 min for proper hydration. If they get dehydrated, it makes them lethargic and very uneasy, just like you just explained. What wattage bulb are you using now in the 20 gallon?

That's great that you have the strip fluorescent UVB, that bulb should be about 6 to 8" from him and it should be right alongside the basking bulb. You aren't using any type of heat on the cool side, right?
How is he doing now?

I agree that the daily or semi-daily poops should be removed as soon as you see them. Most beardies try very hard to get away from their poops, so yes, that could make him uncomfortable too.

 

[beardie osk]

Hello there,

I've just read your posts, and wanted to ask if your able to hold your beardie? If you are, how does he react? I have some suggestions to be able to do this, if you'd like. If you have an old t-shirt, cut it up and put a good size piece under your clothes next to your skin, the more your sweat the better so mow the lawn or work-out (most wear a regular T and put the whole thing in the viv, but you may not have enough room) so as to pick up your scent. Wrap him up in that for bedtime, so he can get used to your smell.(leave your piece of T in the viv all day as well) Do this for about 2 weeks, then before bed, instead of that, put him on your chest, between 2 t-shirts, let him fall asleep on you, and he'll get the idea that this is you and your a calming factor, and not a threat. Sounds kind of goofy, but really works. With all the other suggestions in heating and lighting, good food, etc, and quiet bedtime holding, you should hopefully have success.

Even though your other animals are not beardie, he may view them as a threat when he see's them (I really don't know,though) and he continues to guard his space by acting up, even your hand is an invasion.

Best wishes, keep us posted, please.

 

[hollowed454]

I got his temperature now to 88 degrees in the basking area and 105 in the hot area. I am using a 100 Watt bulb and of course the UVB strip. He has quit just laying around in corners with his mouth open and has been running around. He's currently sitting in what seems to be his second favorite spot which is in his water bowl with his butt and tail actually what's sitting in it. His first choice is usually on his rock. He's looking pretty content just sitting there relaxing. Once again I was able to stick my hand in there and clean the poop out without him rushing me so I'm pretty happy about that.

 

[hollowed454]

Hello there,

I've just read your posts, and wanted to ask if your able to hold your beardie? If you are, how does he react? I have some suggestions to be able to do this, if you'd like. If you have an old t-shirt, cut it up and put a good size piece under your clothes next to your skin, the more your sweat the better so mow the lawn or work-out (most wear a regular T and put the whole thing in the viv, but you may not have enough room) so as to pick up your scent. Wrap him up in that for bedtime, so he can get used to your smell.(leave your piece of T in the viv all day as well) Do this for about 2 weeks, then before bed, instead of that, put him on your chest, between 2 t-shirts, let him fall asleep on you, and he'll get the idea that this is you and your a calming factor, and not a threat. Sounds kind of goofy, but really works. With all the other suggestions in heating and lighting, good food, etc, and quiet bedtime holding, you should hopefully have success.

Even though your other animals are not beardie, he may view them as a threat when he see's them (I really don't know,though) and he continues to guard his space by acting up, even your hand is an invasion.

Best wishes, keep us posted, please.

I've been consistently holding him since I first got him. I still hold him and just do the best I can to deal with his biting and such. Usually when I plan to have him out for a little while I have been using a cloth glove so he doesn't bite and scratch me. I find that after a little while of holding him he calms down some and just stays consistently puffed up. Just about anytime I go by his cage though I make sure to reach down and pet him. Since I've been posting on this forum and you all have given me advice on what to do I have been able to pet him without him rushing me. Which that has been quite exciting for me given his attitude the past few months. Your advice may seem a little odd but it's defintly worth a try!!! I'm going to do that. Luckily me and my wife usually go for walks in the afternoon and being as that it's hot here we do work up a bit of a sweat so that would be a perfect time to try the technique out! thanks!

 

[beardie osk]

The fact that he remains puffed up on you tells me he is still on quard, try using the T-shirt senario just before the time he's going to sleep or just before the lights go out. Sandwich him in between the 2 shirts, on your chest, he may wiggle a bit, but should go to sleep, then wrap or cover him up in your scented shirt for the night, put him in his cave or hide-out, he'll get the message. Boy's during adolescents can get very feisty, but your boy's behavior has lasted a while, many factors are in play, but you both seem like great parents wanting to do the best...... Don't give up, they really are cuddly.

 

[diamc]

I got his temperature now to 88 degrees in the basking area and 105 in the hot area. I am using a 100 Watt bulb and of course the UVB strip. He has quit just laying around in corners with his mouth open and has been running around. He's currently sitting in what seems to be his second favorite spot which is in his water bowl with his butt and tail actually what's sitting in it. His first choice is usually on his rock. He's looking pretty content just sitting there relaxing. Once again I was able to stick my hand in there and clean the poop out without him rushing me so I'm pretty happy about that.

Did you mean that the basking area is 105 and the cool side is 88 degrees? A 100 watt bulb is an awful lot for a 20 gallon, so that concerns me. Please make sure that the temp probe is actually touching the basking rock, it should actually be stuck to it. Make sure also that you wait until the temp stops rising before you decide the actual basking temp. That's good that you were able to put your hand in his tank with no problems. Would you be up for giving him a full bath? I have a feeling he would really like that and it may be just what he needs because it is very relaxing. Since he is sitting in the water bowl in his tank a lot, that tells me that he is at least somewhat dehydrated. You have had to change the bulbs around quite a bit, so that can really affect their hydration. After you give him a full bath, that would be the perfect time to wrap him up in the t-shirts.

 

[hollowed454]

yes I had the probe actually touching the rock and actually I just took it out. maybe the air in the apartment affects it also? No problem though I'll give it another round in there just to make double sure of it. I can try to give him a bath. is there anything in particular you have to do or just basically set him down in the water and stroke it around on him?

 

[hollowed454]

and also currently the way my set up is I have the rock in one area for basking and a bamboo tree and his rock are in the heated area. Would it be better if I moved his water rock to the middle of the area or into the basking side altogether?

 

[hollowed454]

well I put him in the sink to bathe him. All I did was get some warm water in there and just held him in there at first just waist down was in it at first and just dipped my hand in the water and let it roll down on him. After doing that for a couple of minutes I drained the majority of the water out and just let him sit in it. He did not like that whatsoever. he completely flattened out and couldn't even tell he was breathing. I actually got worried for a moment that he had a heart attack or something! So I stroked his head a few times and he opened them for a couple of seconds and went back to staying flat. I was actually hoping to be able to leave him in there while I test the temperature again because he finally decided to check it out and keeps attacking the cord. For sure he's being territorial about that being in his tank

 

[diamc]

Yes, the room temp would affect the temp in the tank. Do you have an air conditioner in that room? Just to give you an example, I have a 55 gallon tank next to an air conditioner, I'm using a mercury vapor bulb in that tank that is 100 watts and the basking temp is 106, so that's why I was concerned. So, the "out" reading was 105 and what was the cool side, the "in" reading?

Make sure you put a washcloth or small towel down in the sink or container you are using. If you use a plastic container, make sure it is transparent because they can freak out if they can't see through it, I have experienced that. I prefer to use the kitchen sink because then you can let a little water trickle in if it starts to cool off or put just some hot water in a cup to pour alongside of him to help warm it up. Make sure the water is warm but not hot, test the temp by the inside of your wrist. If he allows it, I would put him in the palm of your hand, then slowly lower your hand down in the water. As long as he is comfortable with that, I would let him sit like that with his vent area (where he poos) right down in the water. If he really seems to be enjoying the soaking, you can then try setting him down in the sink. He may put his head down to get a drink, if he does, when he is done drinking, he will lift his head up pretty high and puff out his beard, that is completely normal. You may also notice that he breathes a little heavier after getting a drink and while bathing, his whole body may look fuller, that is also completely normal. Let him stay in as long as he wants. If he tries to climb right back out in the beginning, the temp may be a little too hot or too cold and may need a little adjustment. If he doesn't want to stay in long, a short bath the 1st time is fine. When he's done, blot him dry with a towel and try wrapping him up in the t-shirt as suggested or another fluffy towel. Let us know how it goes.

 

[diamc]

Oh gee, I guess I wasn't quick enough with the bath info, SORRY. Anyway, they do sometimes flatten out like that, that's ok. They can also close their eyes & even slow their breathing, that means they are trying to relax. Let me ask you though, did you have anything down in the bottom of the sink? If not, then he would feel insecure because he had nothing to hold onto to keep him from sliding around. There should really be enough water to at least cover their chest or even up to the top of their front legs.

He probably has no idea what the cord to the probe thermometer is all about. If you think about it, it is strange looking. :mrgreen: It probably would be better to test the temp when he is out of his tank, so it doesn't stress him. You could try another bath tomorrow then wrap him up, he may even fall asleep all wrapped up in a t-shirt or fuzzy towel, then you can check the temps again.