He's shedding right?

[luvanimals]

Drakey has been acting strange lately. He's been pacing his cage and trying to climb the walls all day, bulging his eyeballs, rubbing the sides of his face on branches and has now been submerged in the water bowl for several hours. Sounds like an impending shed right? We just brought him home a few days ago so I'm kinda worried :?

 

[diamc]

It does sound like he is getting ready to shed. But, just to be safe, can you fill us in on tank temps and what type of thermometer you're using? Also, what brand & type of UVB do you have?

 

[luvanimals]

He's approx 1 year old, 16.5 inches in a 40gallon breeder. The cool side is usually about 80F. The basking spot is 95F. The UVB is by reptilite. He has a day heat lamp by zoomed and a night heat lamp called exo terra heat glo. Temps are taken with adhesive thermometer strips. I wish he would just start shedding so I know he's okay.

 

[diamc]

Unfortunately the strip thermometers don't give accurate readings and can be off as much as 20 degrees. The only 2 ways to get good readings are with either an infrared temperature gun or a digital thermometer with a long wire & probe end. So, perhaps the tank temps are off and need some adjusting to make him more comfortable.

I'm not familiar with the Reptilite, could you tell us who makes it and if it's a coil, compact or strip fluorescent bulb?

 

[luvanimals]

The Reptilite is a strip fluorescent. It doesn't say anything but "Reptilite UVB 7%". When you say probe thermometer, do you mean like the ones you would use when cooking? Thanks for your help. He is currently sleeping in his water bowl :|

 

[diamc]

Do you mean Repti-Sun or Repti-Glo? Or is it this perhaps? http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/1222/product.web

For the probe thermometer, a cooking one will not work. Walmart has the AcuRite brand digital thermometer with probe end for about $12.00 and it also gives a humidity readout.

If the water bowl is in his tank, it's not a good idea to let him sleep in it because he could get too cold and they can also drown in a very small amount of water since they sleep so soundly.

 

[luvanimals]

I really don't know what brand the UVB strip light is. It just says "Reptilite". I didn't buy any of it, it came with the tank. I believe the day heat lamp is a combination heat/UVA/UVB lamp. I will look into purchasing another thermometer. I've just been relying on the ones that came with the tank. I tried taking him out of the water bowl last night but he just climbed right back in. He came out this morning and is basking normally