I don't know if this is normal?

[potter4]

I got my bearded dragon Nova, a week ago. She is 5 months old. The first few days everything was great. She was eating about 80 to 90 repti worms a day, and eating some of her greens. One day she only ate about 15, but the next she was back to eating like normal. She is fixing to shed. Her tail, and arms, and sides are white.

She only ate 3 worms yesterday. I picked her up some crickets but she had no interest. I think they were too small for her though. I'm going to pick up some bigger ones today. She has been pooping twice a day. It looks normal. Well formed and the urate is white. It also has some liquid in it which makes me think she is not dehydrated. I give her daily baths, but she hasn't took a drink of water since I've had her. Her veggies are sprinkled with water, though.

Another thing is the past few days when her lights go on she doesn't get out of her cave. I have to bring her out and put her on her basking rock. She will sit there then for a few hours. Her colors seem darker this morning. She is also pretty lazy through the day. She will get up and run around a few times a day. Then she is either on her basking rock or her log that sits in the middle of her cage. When I get her out she is really active wanting to run around.

She is my first beardie, so I am a worry wart.

 

[destiny1998]

Hi. Can you give a rundown of the set up? Temps and how you take them? Lights and brands? Size of the enclosure?

 

[potter4]

Hi. Can you give a rundown of the set up? Temps and how you take them? Lights and brands? Size of the enclosure?

The enclosure is a 48x20x16.

Her basking light is a zoo med 100 watt. Her uvb light is a Repti Sun T5 HO. It has a hood with a reflector.

Temps on her basking rock stay between 100 to 106. I've noticed she doesn't like it any higher than that. Temps around the basking spot are 90 to 95. Temps on cool side are 78 to 84. I take her temps with a temp gun.

She ate 30 worms her first feeding today. Her color is back to normal too. I noticed it brightened up after she started basking.

 

[potter4]

This is a picture I just took of her on her log.

 

[potter4]

Fed her crickets for the first time a few minutes ago. I got her 3/4 in size crickets. She went nuts. I was feeding one at a time with tongs because I was afraid if I just set it in her viv it would get out. One jumped down, and it didn't have time to run far, lol. She ate around 20 to 25.

I can't wait to get some dubia roaches, though. These crickets smell horrible. There are a lot of adult ones mixed in there too, so they are chirping. Blah.

 

[CooperDragon]

Your setup sounds very good. Her mood may be due to shedding. That's fairly common. I'm glad to hear she's hungry and has lots of energy now. I think you'll love the change to dubia. I've found them MUCH easier to care for and much heartier than crickets.

 

[destiny1998]

What a pretty girl

 

[potter4]

Thank you