Night-Time Sleeping Spots & Human Behaviour

[Romicron]

A couple of questions regarding night-time...

1) Where does your beardie usually like to sleep at night - is he more comfortable in a hide, on the ground, on a basking site, or up high? Is it dependent on cage temperature, comfort, or other factors? I've noticed that Pascal doesn't even bother moving to sleep - if he's basking when the lights go out, he'll just put his head down and that's it until morning. Is this normal? I thought that bearded dragons prefer to hide at night.

2) How easily disturbed are bearded dragons by external human night-time behaviour? We live in a 1.5 bedroom apartment, and the only adequate place for the cage is the combo kitchen/living room which, needless to say, is a high-traffic area. I've found myself whispering in the room, working without lights on, avoiding cooking late night snacks (maybe that is a side benefit, however annoying), etc., because I don't want to disturb his sleep. How much of this is truly necessary?

In the interests of this, I've also considered creating a drapery for the front of the tank - attachable and detachable by velcro. How have people's experiences been with covering their tank at night? I want to prevent light penetration but also keep the material as airy as possible for proper heat maintenance, although if I used a heavier material, perhaps I would need less night-time tank heat.

I'm not sure how I would cover the top of the tank... but it's a start.

 

[destiny1998]

Hi. My 3 each have fleece blankets that I fold over them when they are ready for lights out. They each get night snuggles then when they are ready they get put on the blanket and covered. They are a adults so idk if yours is a baby. If so I'd keep in his tank until he gets older. I do have one that likes to sleep under our TV stand and the heat vent is right by that. So she's under there all-night then she comes out when I get up and we put her in the tank, but that's only once in a while. They sure know how to train us :lol:

 

[SHBailey]

You can probably take it as a complement if your beardie just goes to sleep right where he's been during the day and doesn't bother going in his hide. It probably means he feels safe with you.

They're all different, but ours usually goes to sleep and stays asleep almost as soon as we turn off his heat and light. Sometimes we wrap him up in a little towel and make a "beardie burrito" for cuddles when he's still awake at bedtime, but if he's already asleep (or if we're too tired), we just cover him up without disturbing him too much. We cover the terrarium with a large dishtowel that doesn't cut out all the light, but it does put something of a buffer between him and the human activity in the room if we're still up. He seems to sleep through the night just fine weather we do all this or not. I usually also do a good morning cuddle, especially if he doesn't come out of his "burrito" after I turn the lights on. I don't know what the SPF factor is on the towel, but I suppose he'd be missing out on a little too much UV if I let him stay under it all day like he seems to want to do once in a while.

Your beardie can probably tell you how much peace and quiet and darkness he needs at night if you keep an eye on his reaction. If he stands up and gives you "The Look", then he's probably being disturbed by your activities, but if he doesn't do any more than open one eye and close it again and go back to sleep, you're probably ok. :sleepy2:

 

[TakuaNuva]

You can probably take it as a complement if your beardie just goes to sleep right where he's been during the day and doesn't bother going in his hide. It probably means he feels safe with you.

They're all different, but ours usually goes to sleep and stays asleep almost as soon as we turn off his heat and light. Sometimes we wrap him up in a little towel and make a "beardie burrito" for cuddles when he's still awake at bedtime, but if he's already asleep (or if we're too tired), we just cover him up without disturbing him too much. We cover the terrarium with a large dishtowel that doesn't cut out all the light, but it does put something of a buffer between him and the human activity in the room if we're still up. He seems to sleep through the night just fine weather we do all this or not. I usually also do a good morning cuddle, especially if he doesn't come out of his "burrito" after I turn the lights on. I don't know what the SPF factor is on the towel, but I suppose he'd be missing out on a little too much UV if I let him stay under it all day like he seems to want to do once in a while.

Your beardie can probably tell you how much peace and quiet and darkness he needs at night if you keep an eye on his reaction. If he stands up and gives you "The Look", then he's probably being disturbed by your activities, but if he doesn't do any more than open one eye and close it again and go back to sleep, you're probably ok. :sleepy2:

Ya mine does the "open one eye and close again" thing if I turn the light in the room on for something, he's in my bedroom. The look of "shut the $!#/^ up and let me sleep" in that half closed eye is adorable lol

 

[Gormagon]

Ha ha, I have seen Peaches in mid climb when her lights go out and, just drop her head and boom....asleep!!! I left her there for about an hour and, she never moved so I put her on her mattress a covered her for the night"tucked her in"!

 

[Volt]

My Noot usually likes to sleep on top of this little Buddha thing I have in there, or on the fake plant. Every now and then he'll sleep under one of the plant's leaves, too. Pretty soon he'll be too big for either of those things!

Only every now and then will he fall asleep right where he is.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Puff and Rex usually fought sleep and stayed on top of their hides while watching TV and waiting for mommy or daddy snuggles .
Snuggles done, they were then ready to be put to bed under their jumbo hubbahut and were relaxed enough to stay put pretty until next morning.
I was a long established routine ritual with Rex and Puff as it was with Lucky, Wriggles and still is with George and Mildred.

Peppa has always loved a nice bed time (or anytime really) snuggle and is now becoming very insistant on waiting for her mommy or daddy snuggle and will be found most evenings at the cool end of her monster tub watching TV and waiting for her nightly snuggle before going to bed under her jumbo hubbahut.

Toothless on the other hand has his own agenda and while he enjoys a snuggle I greet him after my lunch (lizard feeding time is usually about 1pm - 2pm now we only have BIG lizards) , come 6pm he's down for the count already under his jumbo hubbahut most nights, but if he is awake (watching TV as he often does from the warmth of his warmed bed, he'll come out for a snuggle and he is very assertive when he wants to go back to bed.

All ours are quite accustomed to our human activities and routines and don't really seem to be bothered by mom and dad's routines (daddy is a nightowl from way back and is often up well into the wee hours with his hobbies and studies (even though i'm retired)).

 

[nathb1]

A couple of questions regarding night-time...

1) Where does your beardie usually like to sleep at night - is he more comfortable in a hide, on the ground, on a basking site, or up high? Is it dependent on cage temperature, comfort, or other factors? I've noticed that Pascal doesn't even bother moving to sleep - if he's basking when the lights go out, he'll just put his head down and that's it until morning. Is this normal? I thought that bearded dragons prefer to hide at night. Dixie mostly falls asleep where she basks or gets ready for bed either on floor before lights off. I have hides and she rarely uses them

2) How easily disturbed are bearded dragons by external human night-time behaviour? We live in a 1.5 bedroom apartment, and the only adequate place for the cage is the combo kitchen/living room which, needless to say, is a high-traffic area. I've found myself whispering in the room, working without lights on, avoiding cooking late night snacks (maybe that is a side benefit, however annoying), etc., because I don't want to disturb his sleep. How much of this is truly necessary? Dixie's sleeps in high traffic area I put towels over her tank when we in living room watching tv or its still light out to make it dark. I remove the towel when we head for bed.I kept towel on the tank too as long as you have some air going in.. no problem. Does she sleep without the towels? Yes she does lol But I like to make it dark for her .No adjustment to sounds at all < 3 teens, 1 dog, two cats, ... and cooking and fire alarm going off sometimes and she sleeps like a baby lol I can take her out of tank and position her to another spot in tank and she wont even open an eye lol. Good idea on velcro im thinking of doing that as well when I get the chance

In the interests of this, I've also considered creating a drapery for the front of the tank - attachable and detachable by velcro. How have people's experiences been with covering their tank at night? I want to prevent light penetration but also keep the material as airy as possible for proper heat maintenance, although if I used a heavier material, perhaps I would need less night-time tank heat.

I'm not sure how I would cover the top of the tank... but it's a start.

I put two towel over the tank one vertical one horizental .. make sure you take off towel before lights on lol if u have background one both sides your good to go.

 

[YoursTruly]

Like many of the other posters, my girl Thane passes out where she's at when the lights go out. Usually she's up on her hammock/basking spot. We have her in our bedroom, so our nighttime TV-watching and such don't bother her. However, if I have to go into the bedroom and turn on the light to get something, I get a death glare!

 

[nathb1]

Like many of the other posters, my girl Thane passes out where she's at when the lights go out. Usually she's up on her hammock/basking spot. We have her in our bedroom, so our nighttime TV-watching and such don't bother her. However, if I have to go into the bedroom and turn on the light to get something, I get a death glare!

lol I get that in the morning when I turn on lights and her lights are still off.. get the stink eye like hey its not 7 am yet! I think its what they are used to especially if u got them as babies, mine was in living room we watch tv in there etc... so now she doesnt care , when her lights are off she sleeping no matter what.

My spouse once heard noises and she said Dixie's up, it was one hour after lights off and my heart skipped a beat because that never happens, light out she sleeps no more moving. Then I went to see and saw her she was sleeping .! I said no its not her and dont do that again!