Is this normal?

[kellyash81]

Hi All,

We got our new bearded Dragon, Steve 2 weeks ago. I did lots of research before we bought him and thought we were prepared. Well Steve is definitely putting my knowledge to the test. I've already posted about his feeding as I changed his crickets from large black to small silent which I think he is having trouble catching as he wouldn't eat until I helped him by blocking their exit as they ran from him. He's started shedding and lost his appetite all together now, which I understand is normal.

I noticed yesterday that he had a lump protruding from his vent. After looking on here I know it is a Seminal plug and the best way to help this and the shedding is to bathe him regularly.

When I brought him home from the specialist pet shop the guy told me to take him home and bathe him straight away. He loved it. He swam round the bath and drank from the water. I bathed him last week and again he loved it. I've bathed him yesterday and today using the same bath, exactly the same temp water and amount of water and he's been frantic. He's been trying to escape out of the bath. Then puffing up and his chin and underside turning jet black (I beleive this is blackbearding). When I take him out of the bath and put him on his towel he's still blackbearding and fighting to get away from me. He will then sit in his viv blackbearding for around an hour.

My questions are:

Is this normal?
Should I continue to bath him even if he obviously does not like it?
Is it best to leave him be for a few days until he has stopped shedding or continue to try and hold him?

 

[FishboneNC]

I don't know about Seminal plug so I can't comment.

Beardies do change fast, mine didn't like water!
Now, he tolerates it!

Bathing, he's going to need it whether he likes t or not!
Have some interaction time before putting him water....when he's in there, put your hand in there to give him some security, speak softly, and touch him, he should calm down a little, and it might take a few baths.
Leave him in there, if you pull out as soon as he gets nervous, he'll learn how to control the situation!

Do you have sand in the habitat?
Digital probe?
Whats the temp?
Whats the water temp?

My resent experience is, if their vent area turns dark colors (not just stress marks) get him to a vet, he may be compacted.
Don't turn him upsidedown, just look under him

 

[FishboneNC]

They do get irritable when shedding, bath him and leave him alone

 

[kellyash81]

The bath temp is 96 Fahrenheit.
The viv is 88f in the cool and 106f in the basking side.
Yes sand is in the viv. He's 14 months old and that's what he's always had. It's proper reptile sand from the pet store.

He's definitely not compacted. His bowel runs like clockwork each day between 2pm and 4pm. His vent is not dark just his beard and chest when he's angry.

I'll preserver with baths and put up with his hissy fit.

Thanks for advice

 

[FishboneNC]

Everything sounds right, it must be shedding irritability and possibly his natural fear of water.
It should be up to the arm pits, he should be touching/walking on the bottom, not floating.

It's hard, but hold off until he's more friendly during the shedding

They'll get lazy, let him catch his meal! Breaking a cricket leg will slow them down!
Mine gets so lazy, sometimes he waits for a hand feeding!

Mine likes a routine, once a week, around the same time on the same day of the week, a couple of his favorite snacks, he'll see the blue tote and knows it's bath time, then some real sun bathing!

Clockwork poop is good! Don't fret if he misses a meal (which I doubt) or misses a poop during shedding.
Good luck!

 

[kellyash81]

Thanks for the advice. I've just given him another Bath and he's gone frantic. I took him out and put him in his towel which he loved and he went mental. He was puffing up at me trying to get away. Think I'll give him a couple of days to chill out before I try again.

He's only known us 2 weeks and he's bad tempered. Don't want to set back our bonding back by passing his patience too much

 

[FishboneNC]

He's adapting, hang in there, he should come around!

 

[kellyash81]

He was great. Really friendly with all the family until he started shedding then he became Mr grumpy. Here's going is over soon.