My rankin dragon is always hiding!!

[Aleeeexli]

I need help with my rankin‘s dragon!!

I have three rankin’s dragons. They are all about 9 months old. The one this post is about is alone in a tank, the other two are together for now.

She was always a bit shy but still walked around in her tank and loved to hunt the insects and already ate so many vegetables. We had her together with another baby dragon wo sadly died soon after we got them, which was at the beginning of the year (we only had them for a month at this point). Since then she is very shy, basically never comes out of her hide. I have trouble getting her to eat.

We went to the vet, he tested eveeything possible and said she is fine, just shy and there is nothing he can do. We also went to get a second opinion, same answer.

It it now months later and she still just hides every day. If I take her out of the tank, I can get her to eat some insects, in the tank she won‘t eat at all. When I take her out, she walks around a bit and I place her back in under the heat lamp where she stays for a few minutes and then hides again.

I also talked with a few people that specialize in keeping reptiles and checked the temperature and everything with them. Even adjusted it so it is a bit warmer than usual which didn‘t change her behavior.

I am at a loss. She doesn‘t get much UV light and I am worried about her health. I also don‘t know if it is good to take her out to feed her, as I don‘t want to stress her out even more. But I also don‘t want to starve her. She changed so much since the other dragon died. I don‘t know if there is a connection between his death and her behavior.

Please, if you have any tips on what I should do, tell me! I don‘t know how to help her anymore and I am worried every single day about her.

 

[Jjurovaty]

I can't give you any professional advice, but as a 13+ year beardie mom, I'd give her some snuggles. If she doesn't mind being handled, and enjoys hand feeding, then that's what you need to do. Hand feeding has always seemed to be a mixed issue, I agree with those that thinks it's bonding and that your dragon trusts you if it will be hand fed. Of course there's always a chance there's more going on, but if you've tried 2 vets, all you can do is provide love, support and food. Try spending one on one time, maybe take her outside on you for some sunshine if possible! My new baby (5.5 months) is soooo much different and happier after some real sunlight! Best of luck!

 

[Aleeeexli]

I can't give you any professional advice, but as a 13+ year beardie mom, I'd give her some snuggles. If she doesn't mind being handled, and enjoys hand feeding, then that's what you need to do. Hand feeding has always seemed to be a mixed issue, I agree with those that thinks it's bonding and that your dragon trusts you if it will be hand fed. Of course there's always a chance there's more going on, but if you've tried 2 vets, all you can do is provide love, support and food. Try spending one on one time, maybe take her outside on you for some sunshine if possible! My new baby (5.5 months) is soooo much different and happier after some real sunlight! Best of luck!

Thank you for taking your time to answer me! I don‘t know why your reply brought me to tears!

I put the insects in a small bowl and hold her and the bowl while she eats. She takes such a long time to eat and the insects would just go everywhere without the bowl.

I would love to take her out for some sunshine but it is still too cold where I live! But I gave her some extra snuggled and hugs. She didn‘t want to eat much but first she just laid on me and then she started to walk around (on me haha) and mlemd me a few times. I just love my baby girl and hope she gets better soon.

My vet told me that either it is nothing or it might be something bad but they tested everything and there is nothing more they can do. This scared me so much and I just can‘t stop worrying. But no matter what it is, she gets all the love I have!!