Odd Tail Wriggling

[ryang521]

Hello,
my male beardie has been displaying some unusual behavior lately and I'm not sure if it's anything I should be concerned about. His tail recently shed (the last 2 inches have yet to peel off) and I've noticed that the latter half of his tail will occasionally wriggle, sort of like a worm. It happens infrequently and briefly but it isn't something I've ever observed until the past week or two. It isn't aggressive tail swinging, it doesn't happen when he's hunting (he sort of arcs his tail upward when he's stalking prey), and it doesn't seem like the sort of twitching that would be associated with MBD. It's just more like a wriggle.

Any ideas on why he's doing this or if I should be worried? He's a little over one year old, 19" long, doesn't much seem interested in food anymore so it's difficult to be certain that he's getting enough calcium. I offer him crickets which he doesn't want anymore (used to love them) and he only nibbles on his salad of mustard, turnip, collared greens and yellow squash that I offer to him daily (I also put some Rep Cal pellets on top that have been soaked in water first). I sprinkle calcium on his salad six days a week since he hardly eats any of it, and the other day I sprinkle herptivite on it. His husbandry is all correct and he poops regularly. Thanks for your advice!

 

[zebraflavencs]

It sounds like your boy is in the mood for Amore' ! He is close enough to adulthood that this could be a display of sexual maturity. Nothing to worry about, he will most likely be like this again when he comes out of brumation next year.
Janie.

 

[Ethelia]

Janie could be right. You're little boys all grown up ^_^

Another couple of explanations could be its:
1. A "snuggle wiggle"
2. An itch

All my dragons when they are soooo comfy wiggle their bottoms and tips of their tails to "rut" themselves into whatever they are snuggling.

If your dragon still has a portion of shed to go its likely to be driving him crazy too. A tail isnt as easy to rub as a head is for a dragon. It may just be grumpy discomfort.

Holly

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

I tend to agree with Holly on that it sounds like the rest of the shed on his tail might be bothering him. Try giving him a good soak when he wiggles his tail, that might give him a bit of relief(if that indeed is what it is).

Dawn