Hiding, not really eating, digging, high humidity issues

[Kelseyensley]

My girl Ramses has been hiding a lot lately. Mostly on the hot side and now has started digging. She’s only eating every other day. She has also been leaving her mouth cracked open, she does close it occasionally. She won’t eat today. I have offered her greens and worms. This has been a pattern the last week. She has just finished shedding as well. I gave her a bath yesterday (she hated it) since she doesn’t care to drink from a water bowl and I let her sit on the window seal for an hour or so before putting her back in the cage. She was back to normal for the most part after that. She pooped on Monday or Tuesday. One issue is that her humidity has been horrible to maintain lately due to the high humidity where I live. I’m just starting to get it down to 45% on the hot side, but the cool side is still staying at 48%/47%. I do have my air unit going with the door open to help with ventilation. Could the humidity be the issue or my loud window air unit stressing her out? But I just wanted to make sure she isn’t getting sick and was hoping someone experienced this.

Some background: She is almost 18 months old and lives in a 120gal PVC tank. Her basking temp is 95-105 degrees (I have three lamps all 75W bulbs), middle temp (under the UV light) is 81, cool side is 78. I use a Arcadia T5 14% UV-B dragon light for the UV (it sits on the mesh) and she is about 17inches from it (recommended by Arcadia company).

 

[KarrieRee]

My girl Ramses has been hiding a lot lately. Mostly on the hot side and now has started digging. She’s only eating every other day. She has also been leaving her mouth cracked open, she does close it occasionally. She won’t eat today. I have offered her greens and worms. This has been a pattern the last week. She has just finished shedding as well. I gave her a bath yesterday (she hated it) since she doesn’t care to drink from a water bowl and I let her sit on the window seal for an hour or so before putting her back in the cage. She was back to normal for the most part after that. She pooped on Monday or Tuesday. One issue is that her humidity has been horrible to maintain lately due to the high humidity where I live. I’m just starting to get it down to 45% on the hot side, but the cool side is still staying at 48%/47%. I do have my air unit going with the door open to help with ventilation. Could the humidity be the issue or my loud window air unit stressing her out? But I just wanted to make sure she isn’t getting sick and was hoping someone experienced this.

Some background: She is almost 18 months old and lives in a 120gal PVC tank. Her basking temp is 95-105 degrees (I have three lamps all 75W bulbs), middle temp (under the UV light) is 81, cool side is 78. I use a Arcadia T5 14% UV-B dragon light for the UV (it sits on the mesh) and she is about 17inches from it (recommended by Arcadia company).

How are you getting the humidity level? W/ a analog or a digital probe hygrometer? Those are the most accurate- the level at 47% is optimal - your fine --- the not eating seems to be going on w/ a lot of the dragons lately including mine - the 17 inches from the UVB on the screen is to far - I would get the distance up to at least 14 on the screen - when I had mine it was inside the tank w/ it strapped to the top of the screen and distance was 17 inches -- screens block 30% of the rays -- I would get it in the tank so you know shes getting adequate UVB---

 

[Kelseyensley]

How are you getting the humidity level? W/ a analog or a digital probe hygrometer? Those are the most accurate- the level at 47% is optimal - your fine --- the not eating seems to be going on w/ a lot of the dragons lately including mine - the 17 inches from the UVB on the screen is to far - I would get the distance up to at least 14 on the screen - when I had mine it was inside the tank w/ it strapped to the top of the screen and distance was 17 inches -- screens block 30% of the rays -- I would get it in the tank so you know shes getting adequate UVB---

I was going by what the Arcadia website recommended due to the type of UV light I bought from them. I have no way of mounting a UV light inside the tank. The zip ties would not fit in the little holes on the mesh lid. I have a couple of bars inside the cage next under the mesh, but I could only use one (UV light holder isn’t long enough) and it would be wonky to get it to hold there (see videos/pictures). I did have her 12 inches from it, but her behavior and everything started changing since she never climbed the rock. I use two basic digital hygrometers that are taped inside the cage (it’s what the previous owner used).

 

[KarrieRee]

I was going by what the Arcadia website recommended due to the type of UV light I bought from them. I have no way of mounting a UV light inside the tank. The zip ties would not fit in the little holes on the mesh lid. I have a couple of bars inside the cage next under the mesh, but I could only use one (UV light holder isn’t long enough) and it would be wonky to get it to hold there (see videos/pictures). I did have her 12 inches from it, but her behavior and everything started changing since she never climbed the rock. I use two basic digital hygrometers that are taped inside the cage (it’s what the previous owner used).

What was she doing at 12 inches?

 

[Kelseyensley]

What was she doing at 12 inches?

She was her normal self, but to be honest she hardly climbed the rock on the cool side to get to the UV. Maybe that’s why she’s acting like this? She’s walking very slow and seems to be a little weak. I had to help her up to her basking spot since she couldn’t climb up there. I have ordered some UV heat resistant zip ties to mount the UV inside her cage. But it won’t be here until tomorrow. Maybe that will help, but if not the only other thing I can think of is that I let her humidity levels stay on the high side for too long. I get so panicky when her behavior changes, sorry if I’m a little everywhere in the message.

 

[KarrieRee]

She was her normal self, but to be honest she hardly climbed the rock on the cool side to get to the UV. Maybe that’s why she’s acting like this? She’s walking very slow and seems to be a little weak. I had to help her up to her basking spot since she couldn’t climb up there. I have ordered some UV heat resistant zip ties to mount the UV inside her cage. But it won’t be here until tomorrow. Maybe that will help, but if not the only other thing I can think of is that I let her humidity levels stay on the high side for too long. I get so panicky when her behavior changes, sorry if I’m a little everywhere in the message.

The humidity has nothing to do w/ mobility - that's your uvb- please get it unobstructed and in the tank and distance about 15 inches- if she's not able to climb on the rock remove it - have her sit on the floor of the tank- watch her movements after you get it situated

 

[Kelseyensley]

The humidity has nothing to do w/ mobility - that's your uvb- please get it unobstructed and in the tank and distance about 15 inches- if she's not able to climb on the rock remove it - have her sit on the floor of the tank- watch her movements after you get it situated

Update: I got it mounted in there today and moved her there to sit under it. She sat there for maybe 30-60mins before going right back in the cave. Basking temp is 106 (trying to get it go down some), warm side is 84, and cool side is 79. Humidity on the basking side is 44% and on the cool side it’s 51% (but that’s where her food and water is). Still not really caring for food or water. She ate some greens yesterday. She also still leaves her mouth slightly cracked. I’m not sure if she’s sick, if she’s trying to start brumation early, or what her issue is. We’ve been having a really high heat index lately, could that be reason like could she sense that? Got any other recommendations?

 

[KarrieRee]

Update: I got it mounted in there today and moved her there to sit under it. She sat there for maybe 30-60mins before going right back in the cave. Basking temp is 106 (trying to get it go down some), warm side is 84, and cool side is 79. Humidity on the basking side is 44% and on the cool side it’s 51% (but that’s where her food and water is). Still not really caring for food or water. She ate some greens yesterday. She also still leaves her mouth slightly cracked. I’m not sure if she’s sick, if she’s trying to start brumation early, or what her issue is. We’ve been having a really high heat index lately, could that be reason like could she sense that? Got any other recommendations?

What piece did she sit on an hr is good + she knows what she needs -

 

[Kelseyensley]

What piece did she sit on an hr is good + she knows what she needs -

The wood log in the center! It’s directly under the UV light!

 

[KarrieRee]

It could be the heat- seems the dragons are off their food - mine are

 

[Kelseyensley]

It could be the heat- seems the dragons are off their food - mine are

She finally came out to bask! I think we are making some progress!

I was also wondering if you have any advice on how to get her to drink water from her bowl? I have tried using a water fountain, she just kinda looks at it. I was able to get her to drink from her bowl before by splashing it, but now she just looks at it and me then looks/walks away. I have given water to her by syringe or dropper and she hates it. She’s also not a fan of soaking in water, she runs away immediately. Is it the bowl maybe? I have a attached a photo of it

 

[KarrieRee]

She finally came out to bask! I think we are making some progress!

I was also wondering if you have any advice on how to get her to drink water from her bowl? I have tried using a water fountain, she just kinda looks at it. I was able to get her to drink from her bowl before by splashing it, but now she just looks at it and me then looks/walks away. I have given water to her by syringe or dropper and she hates it. She’s also not a fan of soaking in water, she runs away immediately. Is it the bowl maybe? I have a attached a photo of it

Nope most dragons do not drink from a bowl- I will spray my dragons heads w/ a bottle and one let's the water run off his nose onto a salad plate and he licks the water off if that - the other licks it

 

[Kelseyensley]

Nope most dragons do not drink from a bowl- I will spray my dragons heads w/ a bottle and one let's the water run off his nose onto a salad plate and he licks the water off if that - the other licks it

I just used a dropper and she seems to be getting somewhat use to it! Yesterday, she was acting pretty normal until the afternoon. She basked and laid under her UV light (mostly basked), but then by noon, she went into her cave on the hot side. She has been there since and just sleeping. She won’t eat and hasn’t eaten in two days (as of today). Is this a normal behavior in a beardie that’s almost 18 months old?