Is This Normal???????

[Jonbi910]

Hi,
I just got a 3 year old Bearded Dragon, i have had him for a week and for the past few nights he has been sleeping on the glass straight up like he's standing. Is this normal or is he having trouble digesting his crickets and lettuce?

Thanks

 

[GeorgesHuman]

Yep, I believe that's pretty normal . My juvenile beardie George will often sleep like that. I know babies tend to do it most often, but adults will do it sometimes too. You have nothing to worry about, and congratulations on your new friend!

P.S. how are his basking temps, and what kind of lettuce are you feeding him? I believe those are the two factors that will determine most whether he is able to digest well or not.

 

[Jonbi910]

His basking temps are normally 90-95, romain lettuce and carrots. My dad said he thinks it could be the smell of the tanks bottom because he said it smelled. I don't know when the last owner last cleaned it but I will try to clean it as soon as possible, I just have to find the substrate he has in his tank

 

[GeorgesHuman]

Try to keep his basking temps closer to 95-100, if you can. Also, romaine lettuce and carrots really aren't good staples for a bearded dragon. Mustard and collard greens are always a good choice, as are dandelion greens, escarole, and some varieties of squash. There is a website called beautifuldragons.com that has a very good list of what's okay and what's not okay to feed them. As far as the substrate goes, you can just use paper towels for now. Try to stay away from loose substrate, such as sand or bark, because that CAN cause digestive problems, as well as other health problems. A lot of people on here (myself included) like to use tile at the bottom of the cage because it keeps their nails trimmed and is really easy to clean

Hope this helped!

 

[diamc]

What type of thermometer are you using to ck the temps, a digital strip, temperature gun, round gauge (dial) or digital thermometer with long wire & probe end?

 

[Jonbi910]

I use a round gauge that sticks inside the tank

 

[diamc]

Unfortunately, the round gauge thermometers can be off 20 degrees and in fact, even more. The only 2 ways to get accurate readings are with either an infrared temperature gun or a digital thermometer with a long wire and probe end. What you need to know is the basking SURFACE temp and only those 2 things will let you know what that is.

If the temps are too hot, it can cause heat stroke and rapid dehydration. If they are too cold, it won't allow for proper digestion which can make a beardie very ill.

Some things to think about.

 

[ZiggysMommy]

What you need to know is the basking SURFACE temp and only those 2 things will let you know what that is.

If the warm side of the tank reads about 90, would the actual basking spot generally be hotter or would it be about the same temperature? And is the surface temp what you want to be monitoring or the overall temp of that side of the tank? (I'm new to this so I'm confused) :study:

 

[diamc]

I'm glad you asked these questions as the answers are very important.

If you're getting a reading of 90 with the round gauge thermometer stuck to the glass, the basking surface temp would be hotter which could mean that it could be 110 degrees or hotter which is too hot for a 3 yr old beardie.

Yes, the surface temp is the most important temp that you would need to monitor as well as the temp over on the bottom of the cool side.

A lot of us here use the AcuRite digital probe thermometer. Here's a picture of one:

And here's the direct link:
http://www.amazon.com/Chaney-Instruments-Acu-Rite-Thermometer-Humidity/dp/B001BO8CUE/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1382901432&sr=8-8&keywords=accurite+digital+probe+thermometer

What you do is place the probe end right on the basking log or rock, make sure it is actually touching it and that the probe is flat. Then you place the thermometer part way over on the bottom of the cool side. You wait 45 min to an hr for the temps to stop rising, then the "out" reading will be the basking surface temp and the "in" reading will be for the cool side. This thermometer also has a humidity readout. In the picture, it shows the clock time at the top but by pressing the temp/clock button on the right hand side near the bottom, you'll get the 2nd temp reading rather than the clock time.

For the price, this thermometer is great. And, if you have a Walmart near you, they have them as well as some Lowes and Home Depots.

So, sleeping upright against the glass could mean that he is too hot and trying to cool side. Are you using any type of night heating in the tank?

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[ZiggysMommy]

Thanks, I'll have to look into getting one of those.

 

[diamc]

Thanks, I'll have to look into getting one of those.