My beardie is acting weird!

[Kai303]

Hi,

So I have a male bearded dragon who is about a year and a half. And for the past week he has been acting super weird. I got him some new substrate and decor and something to bask on. I know beardies aren't huge with change but even a couple days after he was fine and happy. Lately he has just been digging in his sand in the corner of the enclosure just by the basking area. He basks on his hammock or his little tree. But now he's just been laying in the sand just under the hammock. All hes been doing for the past week is sleep or just kind of laying there.. when I give him his salad and roaches he perks up and eats then goes back to his corner. He looks tired but his eyes aren't droopy. Hes still active and alert when he is out of the cage. But earlier today he was out for less than 10 minutes and walked to an empty cubical in my room which is dark and cool and just fell asleep. He's never acted like this before and hes eating well and fine and hes active but he just wants to sleep? I'm not sure if its brumatoon. But when I was talking to people at scales n tails asking about brumatoon in captivity, they said he shouldn't brumate and if he does that usually indicates that he's just cold in a specific area and his body is making him think it's time. His basking spot hits about 90-110 degrees farienhiet. I dust his bugs regularly and I give him baths 1-2 times a week. Overall he seems healthy but hes still acting weird. His urate has been looking fine and his poop is a tiny bit watery but only a little. I have also noticed that on one of his front feet one of his toes has a missing scale where i can see his nail. And a scale on his tail looks like it's coming off. I can't tell though. His beard hasn't been turning black either it's been pretty orange and warm colored lately usually meaning he is content and warm, right? Its not a concerning hue of orange but I am a little worried since he hasn't acted like this.

 

[KarrieRee]

Hi,

So I have a male bearded dragon who is about a year and a half. And for the past week he has been acting super weird. I got him some new substrate and decor and something to bask on. I know beardies aren't huge with change but even a couple days after he was fine and happy. Lately he has just been digging in his sand in the corner of the enclosure just by the basking area. He basks on his hammock or his little tree. But now he's just been laying in the sand just under the hammock. All hes been doing for the past week is sleep or just kind of laying there.. when I give him his salad and roaches he perks up and eats then goes back to his corner. He looks tired but his eyes aren't droopy. Hes still active and alert when he is out of the cage. But earlier today he was out for less than 10 minutes and walked to an empty cubical in my room which is dark and cool and just fell asleep. He's never acted like this before and hes eating well and fine and hes active but he just wants to sleep? I'm not sure if its brumatoon. But when I was talking to people at scales n tails asking about brumatoon in captivity, they said he shouldn't brumate and if he does that usually indicates that he's just cold in a specific area and his body is making him think it's time. His basking spot hits about 90-110 degrees farienhiet. I dust his bugs regularly and I give him baths 1-2 times a week. Overall he seems healthy but hes still acting weird. His urate has been looking fine and his poop is a tiny bit watery but only a little. I have also noticed that on one of his front feet one of his toes has a missing scale where i can see his nail. And a scale on his tail looks like it's coming off. I can't tell though. His beard hasn't been turning black either it's been pretty orange and warm colored lately usually meaning he is content and warm, right? Its not a concerning hue of orange but I am a little worried since he hasn't acted like this.

Sounds like he could be going into brumation - does he have a hide? Are you sure it's a male? What kind of uvb are you using? Coil or a long tube fixture?

 

[xp29]

Hi,

So I have a male bearded dragon who is about a year and a half. And for the past week he has been acting super weird. I got him some new substrate and decor and something to bask on. I know beardies aren't huge with change but even a couple days after he was fine and happy. Lately he has just been digging in his sand in the corner of the enclosure just by the basking area. He basks on his hammock or his little tree. But now he's just been laying in the sand just under the hammock. All hes been doing for the past week is sleep or just kind of laying there.. when I give him his salad and roaches he perks up and eats then goes back to his corner. He looks tired but his eyes aren't droopy. Hes still active and alert when he is out of the cage. But earlier today he was out for less than 10 minutes and walked to an empty cubical in my room which is dark and cool and just fell asleep. He's never acted like this before and hes eating well and fine and hes active but he just wants to sleep? I'm not sure if its brumatoon. But when I was talking to people at scales n tails asking about brumatoon in captivity, they said he shouldn't brumate and if he does that usually indicates that he's just cold in a specific area and his body is making him think it's time. His basking spot hits about 90-110 degrees farienhiet. I dust his bugs regularly and I give him baths 1-2 times a week. Overall he seems healthy but hes still acting weird. His urate has been looking fine and his poop is a tiny bit watery but only a little. I have also noticed that on one of his front feet one of his toes has a missing scale where i can see his nail. And a scale on his tail looks like it's coming off. I can't tell though. His beard hasn't been turning black either it's been pretty orange and warm colored lately usually meaning he is content and warm, right? Its not a concerning hue of orange but I am a little worried since he hasn't acted like this.

It sounds like he wants to brumate. Who ever told you captive beardies don't brumate does not know beardies. Please don't take advice from that person. Brumation is a natural thing for beardies. It's a survival mechanism. During the cold months when food is scarce and basking is impossible they brumate. Otherwise they would starve or freeze to death. Brumation is triggered by temperature and light cycles. Even if you keep your temps up your beardie is probably responding to ambient light from outside. He knows the day light hours are getting shorter.
As long as he is healthy give him a cozy hide and let him do his thing
If you can, it's always a good idea to drop a fecal sample at the vet just to make sure he isn't carrying a load of parasites into brumation.

 

[Kai303]

It sounds like he wants to brumate. Who ever told you captive beardies don't brumate does not know beardies. Please don't take advice from that person. Brumation is a natural thing for beardies. It's a survival mechanism. During the cold months when food is scarce and basking is impossible they brumate. Otherwise they would starve or freeze to death. Brumation is triggered by temperature and light cycles. Even if you keep your temps up your beardie is probably responding to ambient light from outside. He knows the day light hours are getting shorter.
As long as he is healthy give him a cozy hide and let him do his thing
If you can, it's always a good idea to drop a fecal sample at the vet just to make sure he isn't carrying a load of parasites into brumation.

Okay! And yeah I was told by a reptile store associate I was told if it gets cold where his tank is it might trigger it. It's currently October in Colorado but still hitting about 80-90 degrees, and my room is in a basement I'm not sure if he can see the light and stuff from the small window but thank you! Hes never done this before so its a little scary. But thank you! I'll contact the vet. And I moved his hammock and replaced his tree by the basking and he seemed a bit more okay. But since it might be brumation I'll have to figure a hide out.

 

[Kai303]

Sounds like he could be going into brumation - does he have a hide? Are you sure it's a male? What kind of uvb are you using? Coil or a long tube fixture?

I am using a tube fixture and I am forgot what kind I'm specifically using all I know is, is that it's zoomed. I think he's a male. But I'll have to do the flashlight method. He does not have a hide. At least that he can fit in.

 

[KarrieRee]

I am using a tube fixture and I am forgot what kind I'm specifically using all I know is, is that it's zoomed. I think he's a male. But I'll have to do the flashlight method. He does not have a hide. At least that he can fit in.

Please get him a hide -- Pet Smart sells nice hides -- wood ones are hard to keep clean - how old is the UVB and where is it? top of screen or inside the tank ?