Normal Behavior?

[JenessaDent]

So I just moved my beardie, Odin, into his new enclosure a couple days ago. It's a pretty big change for him, his previous enclosure was 20 gal, glass, set up high. His new enclosure is a 4x2x2, melamine, on the floor (till I can find a good, sturdy table). His temps are a little higher in this enclosure, 104-106 in the basking area, 76-80 in the cool area with a humidity level of 20 percent (all measurements are taken with a couple of highly sensitive digital thermometers and hygrometers). He has been eating well, pooping regularly. But today, his second meal of the day took some convincing. He was in his hide and took some convincing. He accepted hand fed greens with gusto, but took some convincing to eat the crickets (which is NEVER a problem with him, he puts away 30, maybe forty crickets a sitting, 2-3 times a day). He has some light stress marks showing up on his belly all the sudden. I have never seen this with him, even when we first brought him home. He is still pretty active, but not as much as usual. He also REALLY needs to shed his body, he's already shed his tail but his body has been dull for about a week. Could this severe need to shed be causing him stress? Or is it more of an environmental change?
Thanks for any suggestions and tips

 

[Brezzy99]

The combination of shedding and getting a new enclosure could cause stress and loss of appetite.

 

[AHBD]

I agree with Brezzy, just normal stress from a move and possibly because of shedding. And by the way, don't worry about uneven sheds, that is completely normal and he will shed when it's time. No need to do anything extra or worry that it's not coming off when you think it needs to. Some people get unnecessarily worried. The only thing to watch for as far as shedding is that the toes or tail don't get a retained shed. It's not common and if it does occur, you can just put a tiny bit of aloe gel [ with no fragrance or alcohol ] on those areas. Sometimes if the tank is too dry it will prolong the shedding and a quick spritz from a spray bottle twice a day on the dragon will speed thing up. But Odin should be just fine.

 

[JenessaDent]

That's great to hear, thank you so much I'm a bit of a worry wort when it comes to him, as he's my first dragon, I just want him to be as healthy and happy as possible.

 

[Brezzy99]

It takes awhile for some dragons to shed. My youngest male finally started shedding today almost two weeks after I thought he would. I give him warm baths daily when he is about to shed to help him. You wouldn't be a good dragon owner of you didn't worry!

 

[JenessaDent]

Yeah I've been giving him baths every day, and the bath I gave him last night, a huuuuge strip of shed came off him, and he had this look on his face like "finally!!". He was much happier after that!

 

[JenessaDent]

But, on a slightly different note, would either of you know about how long it might take for his stress marks to dissipate? Or is it just whenever he's not stressed anymore? I don't really have anything to go off of with this guy, since his first enclosure move was into a tank he knew and recognized, so he kinda just flowed right in, no stress marks, no loss of appetite, no puffing.....nothing! But this time, its a whole new tank, with new temperatures, new lights, everything is new to him.