Need experienced answers

[Jane333]

Hi, I got my little 2 year old Liam-Nacho a couple of months ago and I'm new to learning all the Bearded Dragon behaviours. Is it normal, that she is constantly at the glass sections of her enclosure trying to find a way out and will this behaviour stop or reduce over time once she settles in more? It's not glass surfing just tapping her nose along the glass trying to get through it, because she can't comprehend it. She does the same thing when I let her out of the enclosure, she goes straight to her window climb and repeats the behaviour.

Her temperatures are perfectly fine. She has no health issues, I took her for vet check 4 weeks ago, and she is healthy. I have had to change her into 2 different enclosures and change her setup of the current enclosure in a short space of time to ensure her setup is best for her health. But the window climb and setup up as been the same for months, yet she still tries to get through the glass.

 

[KarrieRee]

Hi, I got my little 2 year old Liam-Nacho a couple of months ago and I'm new to learning all the Bearded Dragon behaviours. Is it normal, that she is constantly at the glass sections of her enclosure trying to find a way out and will this behaviour stop or reduce over time once she settles in more? It's not glass surfing just tapping her nose along the glass trying to get through it, because she can't comprehend it. She does the same thing when I let her out of the enclosure, she goes straight to her window climb and repeats the behaviour.

Her temperatures are perfectly fine. She has no health issues, I took her for vet check 4 weeks ago, and she is healthy. I have had to change her into 2 different enclosures and change her setup of the current enclosure in a short space of time to ensure her setup is best for her health. But the window climb and setup up as been the same for months, yet she still tries to get through the glass.

Let's go over your husbandry- uvb? Coil or long tube fixture-- surface basking temps-- what are they how are you taking them? Any colored bulbs being used? These will contribute to the glass surfing- what size tank?

 

[Jane333]

Let's go over your husbandry- uvb? Coil or long tube fixture-- surface basking temps-- what are they how are you taking them? Any colored bulbs being used? These will contribute to the glass surfing- what size tank?

I have her in a 120x60x100 Enclosure. She has D3+14% UVB T5 with Eco Tec T5 reflector. I ran through it all with the Reptile specialist vet when I took her for full check up with bloods to ensure she had no health issues from living in ****ty conditions for 2 years with previous owner. The vet was happy with the set up just asked me to lower her UVB slightly to make it closer to her, which I did. She is in perfect health.
I have a temp gun, thermostat controlled heating and plus Reptile Zoo digital thermometers as back ups. According to the temp gun, has multiple temperatures throughout the enclosure as result of levels, 31-28 upper level (not basking spot), 26-27 in lower and a section that sits between 23-24. Her basking temps range between 36-40 (based on where she sits). No to coloured blubs.

She doesn't have stressed frenzied behavior nor physical of showing stress lines like she did in early days when she was glass surfing. But it's just that she seems to be tapping her nose along the glass a lot. I have a pet cam so I can watch her when I am at work, so I know she's doing it a lot.

 

[KarrieRee]

I have her in a 120x60x100 Enclosure. She has D3+14% UVB T5 with Eco Tec T5 reflector. I ran through it all with the Reptile specialist vet when I took her for full check up with bloods to ensure she had no health issues from living in ****ty conditions for 2 years with previous owner. The vet was happy with the set up just asked me to lower her UVB slightly to make it closer to her, which I did. She is in perfect health.
I have a temp gun, thermostat controlled heating and plus Reptile Zoo digital thermometers as back ups. According to the temp gun, has multiple temperatures throughout the enclosure as result of levels, 31-28 upper level (not basking spot), 26-27 in lower and a section that sits between 23-24. Her basking temps range between 36-40 (based on where she sits). No to coloured blubs.

She doesn't have stressed frenzied behavior nor physical of showing stress lines like she did in early days when she was glass surfing. But it's just that she seems to be tapping her nose along the glass a lot. I have a pet cam so I can watch her when I am at work, so I know she's doing it a lot.

Has she laid eggs before? Is she doing digging w/ the glass surfing-? Or surfing only? When did she start w/ the glass surfing-? Before or after you lowered the uvb?

 

[Jane333]

She's been doing it on and off ever since I've had her. Please note when i got her the enclosure she came with, was horribly wrong and far too small. So, it was understandable she frenzied glass surfed with her original one. Then I put her in 100x50x50 temporary enclosure until this large 120x60x60 could be up and running. So, the poor little girl has had so much change in just a few months. That's why I wondered if it's a behaviour she will stop over time once she settles. The vet didn't think there was any issues with the setup. I have a dig box in the enclosure for her, encase she needs to lay eggs. She was digging when preparing to sleep last night but that is occasional habit, she does from when she lived in lose substrate. She does it less and less now.

Is it possible I am getting an incorrect read with the Temp Gun? I'm noticing she is sitting in the basking spot, not with mouth open (I can't tell 100% with the pet cam, but I don't think she is), then gets all colourful and then goes and does the glass bumping? The gun tells me the temps in that area are 36-40 (dependent on position) but could it be too high or not high enough?

 

[KarrieRee]

She's been doing it on and off ever since I've had her. Please note when i got her the enclosure she came with, was horribly wrong and far too small. So, it was understandable she frenzied glass surfed with her original one. Then I put her in 100x50x50 temporary enclosure until this large 120x60x60 could be up and running. So, the poor little girl has had so much change in just a few months. That's why I wondered if it's a behaviour she will stop over time once she settles. The vet didn't think there was any issues with the setup. I have a dig box in the enclosure for her, encase she needs to lay eggs. She was digging when preparing to sleep last night but that is occasional habit, she does from when she lived in lose substrate. She does it less and less now.

Is it possible I am getting an incorrect read with the Temp Gun? I'm noticing she is sitting in the basking spot, not with mouth open (I can't tell 100% with the pet cam, but I don't think she is), then gets all colourful and then goes and does the glass bumping? The gun tells me the temps in that area are 36-40 (dependent on position) but could it be too high or not high enough?

You want temps taken w/ a digital probe thermometer- they are the most accurate - depending on the material basking decors are made out of ir guns can be off-

 

[Jane333]

Thank you. I think it might be the basking spot not being quite right, the more I think about. I’ve got a few days off work to watch her rather than pet cam which isn’t clear enough.
Can you or anyone else advise when using the temp gun, is it often hotter on surface but higher in air space above or opposite? I don’t have a probe outside of the thermostat controlled one.

Her basking platform is made of insulation sheeting, santized grout, painted & waterproofed with non toxic pond sealer. She seems to love lazing on it but I don’t think she’s fully basking. Not like she does in my window sill, but that doesn’t give her UVB sadly.

 

[KarrieRee]

Thank you. I think it might be the basking spot not being quite right, the more I think about. I’ve got a few days off work to watch her rather than pet cam which isn’t clear enough.
Can you or anyone else advise when using the temp gun, is it often hotter on surface but higher in air space above or opposite? I don’t have a probe outside of the thermostat controlled one.

Her basking platform is made of insulation sheeting, santized grout, painted & waterproofed with non toxic pond sealer. She seems to love lazing on it but I don’t think she’s fully basking. Not like she does in my window sill, but that doesn’t give her UVB sadly.

It will give surface temps of the decor sometimes it could be hotter than what its showing --- that is why you want the probe to get the actual surface temps and some of that material may be throwing the IR gun off -- the best way is to compare them and see what readings your getting I would go w/ the probe for accuracy-

 

[RangoRocky]

Thank you. I think it might be the basking spot not being quite right, the more I think about. I’ve got a few days off work to watch her rather than pet cam which isn’t clear enough.
Can you or anyone else advise when using the temp gun, is it often hotter on surface but higher in air space above or opposite? I don’t have a probe outside of the thermostat controlled one.

Her basking platform is made of insulation sheeting, santized grout, painted & waterproofed with non toxic pond sealer. She seems to love lazing on it but I don’t think she’s fully basking. Not like she does in my window sill, but that doesn’t give her UVB sadly.

What pet cam do you use? I brought mines from Amazon for under $20 and the pic is very clear. Matta fact here is a pic taken from it in both day and night mode. I can provide the link if you’d like. Also, mines nose tap the sliding glass door when he’s out because he wants to go outside.

 

[Jane333]

I think it’s an issue with the basking spot, she sits there a lot but I don’t think she’s getting proper bask because she doesn’t open her mouth. She just moves out from it, down to bottom of enclosure. Then does the glass bumping for about a minute and returns to it. She’s just repeating that over and over this morning.

 

[KarrieRee]

I think it’s an issue with the basking spot, she sits there a lot but I don’t think she’s getting proper bask because she doesn’t open her mouth. She just moves out from it, down to bottom of enclosure. Then does the glass bumping for about a minute and returns to it. She’s just repeating that over and over this morning.

This pic w/ the CHE is this the tank we are talking about? If it is I do not see a bright white basking bulb --- the UVB is on the back wall it should be in a fixture w/ a hood directly over her---

 

[Jane333]

T

This pic w/ the CHE is this the tank we are talking about? If it is I do not see a bright white basking bulb --- the UVB is on the back wall it should be in a fixture w/ a hood directly over her---

The UVB is in the centre not on the back wall. It’s not clear from the pet cam.
The Vet told me to set the CHE to be 24hrs per day for continued hot spot. I’m in Australia the natural temp at night drops so there for so does the enclosure but the Hot Spot stays the same so she can sleep near it if she wants.
Are you suggesting non heat admitting spot lamp?

 

[Jane333]

T

The UVB is in the centre not on the back wall. It’s not clear from the pet cam.
The Vet told me to set the CHE to be 24hrs per day for continued hot spot. I’m in Australia the natural temp at night drops so there for so does the enclosure but the Hot Spot stays the same so she can sleep near it if she wants.
Are you suggesting non heat admitting spot lamp?

T

The UVB is in the centre not on the back wall. It’s not clear from the pet cam.
The Vet told me to set the CHE to be 24hrs per day for continued hot spot. I’m in Australia the natural temp at night drops so there for so does the enclosure but the Hot Spot stays the same so she can sleep near it if she wants.
Are you suggesting non heat admitting spot lamp?

Sorry I didn’t add I asked the vet about non heat admitting spot lamp she said it wasn’t necessary, just ensuring the CHE is 24hrs per day.

 

[KarrieRee]

T

The UVB is in the centre not on the back wall. It’s not clear from the pet cam.
The Vet told me to set the CHE to be 24hrs per day for continued hot spot. I’m in Australia the natural temp at night drops so there for so does the enclosure but the Hot Spot stays the same so she can sleep near it if she wants.
Are you suggesting non heat admitting spot lamp?

No ceramic heat emitter s are for keeping temps at night 65-75--- she is getting no uva w/ out a solid clear bright white basking bulb--- this a must for her survival - please get one- distance for uvb 12-15 inches directly above the basking decor

 

[Jane333]

No ceramic heat emitter s are for keeping temps at night 65-75--- she is getting no uva w/ out a solid clear bright white basking bulb--- this a must for her survival - please get one- distance for uvb 12-15 inches directly above the basking decor

I’m extremely confused now, because the Australian Reptile specialist vet didn’t agree with the Basking Heat lamp and said to use the CHE for heating 24hrs per day in the one spot. But then I keep reading everyone suggesting Heat light lamps…
I have another Australian Reptile wildlife vet/carer contact, so I will see if they can come over and help. I appreciate your help