I’m a newbie to reptiles and here with my new buddy Sushi! Any advice appreciated! ♥️

[KarrieRee]

This is the best picture I have from yesterday. I will take more pictures of her mouth today when I take her her breakfast and weigh her.

I dont see anything wrong w/ the mouth but I have sent AHBD a message wanting her to look at it -- see how she does at breakfast --

 

[KarrieRee]

I just changed out her basking bulb for a brand new one and removed the dimmer I had attached. The dome with the basking is new in Dec., it's a Tekizoo 8.5" deep light dome. It's just after 7:30 here so she hasn't eaten yet. I do usually turn off all heat and lights at night but last night her che was left on until 2am. It only got down to 69 at the lowest and only for a short time. I do live in a drafty, old house. Her room is actually one of the warmest but her lows are usually around 65. The tank is on a plastic table.

I would leave the CHE on all night and see what how fast temps rebound w/ the warmer tank in the morning --- if its getting down to 65 it will take longer for the tank to heat --- ok so it probably is not the dome then --- my guess its the colder temps in the morning trying to rebound -- I am leaving my CHE's on now at night and my tanks are not taking as long to rebound in the morning but I am also shutting the CHE's off when I turn the basking lights on

 

[AHBD]

Her mouth looks good, I see just the very tiniest bit of discoloration on a couple teeth but right now it doesn't really amount to anything. If it changes be sure to post pics of it.

 

[theslee]

Her mouth looks good, I see just the very tiniest bit of discoloration on a couple teeth but right now it doesn't really amount to anything. If it changes be sure to post pics of it.

Thank you!

 

[theslee]

I would leave the CHE on all night and see what how fast temps rebound w/ the warmer tank in the morning --- if its getting down to 65 it will take longer for the tank to heat --- ok so it probably is not the dome then --- my guess its the colder temps in the morning trying to rebound -- I am leaving my CHE's on now at night and my tanks are not taking as long to rebound in the morning but I am also shutting the CHE's off when I turn the basking lights on

ok, I will leave the che on at all times for now. According to the thermostat placed on the basking spot today, her temperatures topped out at 101. Sushi spent her first 5.5 hours on that spot. When she moved to the lower rock the thermostat read 96. She spent the rest of the day on the front of the long rock away from the uvb. She moved around a bit, scratching her face on the rock, pancaked and basked. She didn't eat. I don't think I saw her gape. She puffs up her beard and lets the air escape her lips. It looks like she is responding to a sound she heard and not a relaxed opening of her mouth but maybe I'm mistaken. The spot she chose today is not under the uvb and according to the thermostat (I moved it and waited more than 10 minutes) it is currently 88.

 

[KarrieRee]

ok, I will leave the che on at all times for now. According to the thermostat placed on the basking spot today, her temperatures topped out at 101. Sushi spent her first 5.5 hours on that spot. When she moved to the lower rock the thermostat read 96. She spent the rest of the day on the front of the long rock away from the uvb. She moved around a bit, scratching her face on the rock, pancaked and basked. She didn't eat. I don't think I saw her gape. She puffs up her beard and lets the air escape her lips. It looks like she is responding to a sound she heard and not a relaxed opening of her mouth but maybe I'm mistaken. The spot she chose today is not under the uvb and according to the thermostat (I moved it and waited more than 10 minutes) it is currently 88.

Ok 88 is too warm - you want night time temps 65-75-- puffing the beard she's stretching it my guess shed is coming on w/the rubbing of the face as well - shedding will affect the appetite and they can get crabby

 

[theslee]

Ok 88 is too warm - you want night time temps 65-75-- puffing the beard she's stretching it my guess shed is coming on w/the rubbing of the face as well - shedding will affect the appetite and they can get crabby

88 is current and daylight temp for her right now. It's not quite 7pm for us. Wonderful to hear it could just be stretching and not that she is unhappy.

 

[KarrieRee]

88 is current and daylight temp for her right now. It's not quite 7pm for us. Wonderful to hear it could just be stretching and not that she is unhappy.

Where is the 88 temp? Hot side? Cool side?

 

[theslee]

Where is the 88 temp? Hot side? Cool side?

Oh, so sorry. The hot side. 88 is the current temp (6-7pm) of the spot she has been in since noon, the front side of the large rock. I moved the probe to get the temperature of that area so I could tell you but I don’t know if it was 88 all day because the probe was at the top rock most of the day.

 

[KarrieRee]

Oh, so sorry. The hot side. 88 is the current temp (6-7pm) of the spot she has been in since noon, the front side of the large rock. I moved the probe to get the temperature of that area so I could tell you but I don’t know if it was 88 all day because the probe was at the top rock most of the day.

 

[KarrieRee]

Ok get the temp tomorrow for the front part of rock it needs to be warmer than 88- at least 95

 

[theslee]

Ok get the temp tomorrow for the front part of rock it needs to be warmer than 88- at least 95

I thought this whole time it was getting much hotter than it is. I feel terrible! Both bulbs were on full all day. I can't raise the basking spot because the uvb is already 12" away. I can cover some of the screen lid to retain heat or include an additional bulb. Maybe some sort of insulation? I can't easily move her to an interior wall in her current room. I can put her in my room for an interior wall but it is noisier. Any suggestions?

 

[KarrieRee]

I thought this whole time it was getting much hotter than it is. I feel terrible! Both bulbs were on full all day. I can't raise the basking spot because the uvb is already 12" away. I can cover some of the screen lid to retain heat or include an additional bulb. Maybe some sort of insulation? I can't easily move her to an interior wall in her current room. I can put her in my room for an interior wall but it is noisier. Any suggestions?

Try adding another dome w/ a Exo Terra intense 75 watt bulb-- start there make sure your getting temps w/ your probe

 

[theslee]

Try adding another dome w/ a Exo Terra intense 75 watt bulb-- start there make sure your getting temps w/ your probe

Ok, I will get that set up ASAP

 

[theslee]

Try adding another dome w/ a Exo Terra intense 75 watt bulb-- start there make sure your getting temps w/ your probe

I've added a 150w Exo Terra intense, 80w deep heat projector and still have the 150w ZooMed basking bulb. I removed the CHE. I tried just the 150w intense and 80w deep heat projector this morning but it didn't get hot enough. It's now too hot on her rock with all three domes and she's not on the rock but she is finally gaping!! When I saw her gaping she was on the first notch in the stick, near the rocks. Top of basking rock 114, lower rock 109 & 108, cool side 82. All those temps taken with probe thermometers on a surface. About an hour before light out I turned off the deep heat projector. It's the only bulb I have a dimmer on. The heat didn't come down very much yet but it's been only about 20 minutes. She has been more active today than I have ever seen her. She didn't eat her protein today but she did drink water and a bit of salad all on her own. I was so happy when I witnessed it I could cry! I feel her lighting is finally improving but I'm not sure it's perfect. Is it a good idea to have two heat and light bulbs going at once or should I try the 150 intense, the 80 deep heat and the 100 che so only one of the bulbs is providing light? She does seem to like it hot. Today was the first time I saw her venture to the cool side of the tank. She didn't stay long but she is bright colored, active, got some sexy leg and is finally gaping. I'm so worried that I may burn her that I had a hard time leaving all the bulbs on. When is it too much? Is she likely to burn her bottom side if I allow it to get too hot? I know heated rocks are not okay for beardies because they can burn themselves. This is why I'm hesitant to heat it up too much but maybe she needs more. What do you think?