New baby beardie won't bask and roams cage

[lonesoul1428]

I just got my beardie 2 days ago, it's 3 months old and 5 inches long. My Temps are 108 for basking side, idk the cool side, and will eat a little but not a lot and is lazy with bug eating. It won't bask especially after eating and waking up in the morning and today tried to take a nap. What do I do? It also wants to get out alot.

 

[RarestDragon]

Sounds like relocation stress. Every beardie pretty much does this. They tend to lose their appetite when they move to a new home. It's good that your beardie is at least eating a little. Is he/she also pooping? If your beardie is eating(even if it is a little), pooping and staying hydrated then you're good. Give him/her time to settle in. Don't handle them any more than necessary and give them maybe a week to adjust.

My beardie, Lyrica, only ate five or six small dubia roaches a day during the first few days. Now she eats thirty or forty a day.

Now, if he/she goes three days without eating at all, then you might have a problem.

 

[lonesoul1428]

He/she is pooping, once a day so far. And how much should I offer crickets at this point so that it's not too much? He/she ate at least 12 no problem and actually went a good distance to get the crickets rather than only if it was in the face.

 

[RarestDragon]

Normally people suggest you offer as many as they want within a certain time frame, usually 10 to 15 minutes. If your dragon is eating and pooping normally, then you don't have to worry.

 

[lonesoul1428]

What if he loses interest under 10-15 minutes? After a good couple of them after 12 he lost interest. Also he hates calcium on his greens, what do I do?

 

[destiny1998]

Hi. Can you give a rundown of the set up? Lights used? Brands? Size of the tank? How do you take the temps? He probably does have relocation stress. That can last a week or 2. Also babies need more protein than greens. Just offer salad every day and dust his feeders instead.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Check your temperatures ….

 

[lonesoul1428]

125 watt heat bulb, 10.0 reptisun small bulb, 20 gal long, I use the Walmart digital thermometer and hygrometer. I have a couple ornaments in his tank including a vine branch

 

[lonesoul1428]

Temps are 100-108 for basking spot, probably 80 for cool side

 

[destiny1998]

The problem is your uvb. Those coil/compact uvb lights cause eye problems, lethargy and appetite problems. You want a reptisun 10.0 t5 long tube. What kind of basking light? Brand?

 

[lonesoul1428]

I'm not sure what brand but it's 125 watts. What can i get for a fixture for 20gal?

 

[destiny1998]

Thanks for answering. 125 watts is a lot for a 20 gallon. I use 75 watts for my dragons 40gallon breeder. You definitely need to know the temps on the basking spot. Also an 18 inch t5 10.0 is a good size.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Temps are 100-108 for basking spot, probably 80 for cool side

Too hot …. she's trying to find a cool place , and inaccurate thermometer - it is anyone's guess what the actual temperature is. See this for an explanation of the behavior : viewtopic.php?f=5&t=233516 , I'll spell it out for you and others who have guessed wrongly , the behavior is "frantic escape or temperature avoidance" ==> temperatures in tank are too high everywhere … over 41 degC to 44 degC.