Resting during the day

[ChileanTaco]

Taco was up early today, spent hours of basking, did a giant poop (had to think of sea birds... not as liquid as their poop, but the size... Pelican? that poop was the largest ever), I let him out for a while. After basking a bit more, he retreated into his cave - I think he's coming out again today (it's 3:30pm here).
Quite typical for him to go in there when he seeks shade for a while. A bit more to the front of that cave, the light would still reach him (when he's sometimes gone for 1 - 3 days he pancakes in there).
He has multiple caves, but that one has become a favorite since I added the gnarly branch to make the entrance smaller and everything more hidden. 2nd place is now a cave that was his favorite before: dug down behind an aloe plant.

You can see, he is in the process of shedding (face, arms now, but - you can't see - also the belly). When he was shedding more, especially the forehead and back legs, he avoided the cave for a while and slept in a different spot where he can jam himself under something but doesn't need to enter through a small opening with stepping over something - I could guess he disliked it when something touches loose shed and then might pull on it.

 

[NickAVD]

Taco looks very harmonious in his cave.

 

[xp29]

Taco was up early today, spent hours of basking, did a giant poop (had to think of sea birds... not as liquid as their poop, but the size... Pelican? that poop was the largest ever), I let him out for a while. After basking a bit more, he retreated into his cave - I think he's coming out again today (it's 3:30pm here).
Quite typical for him to go in there when he seeks shade for a while. A bit more to the front of that cave, the light would still reach him (when he's sometimes gone for 1 - 3 days he pancakes in there).
He has multiple caves, but that one has become a favorite since I added the gnarly branch to make the entrance smaller and everything more hidden. 2nd place is now a cave that was his favorite before: dug down behind an aloe plant.

You can see, he is in the process of shedding (face, arms now, but - you can't see - also the belly). When he was shedding more, especially the forehead and back legs, he avoided the cave for a while and slept in a different spot where he can jam himself under something but doesn't need to enter through a small opening with stepping over something - I could guess he disliked it when something touches loose shed and then might pull on it.

I love the way he curls up. Ruby was they only one of mine that ever did that consistently. I've seen lucy do it a time or two, I hope she continues to do so

 

[NickAVD]

I love the way he curls up. Ruby was they only one of mine that ever did that consistently. I've seen lucy do it a time or two, I hope she continues to do so

Foxy didn't curl up when he was little. And he started doing it at the same time he learned to control his tail consciously. I thought everyone did the same.

 

[xp29]

Foxy didn't curl up when he was little. And he started doing it at the same time he learned to control his tail consciously. I thought everyone did the same.

None of my other beardies curl up at all.
Snickers however would lash her tail and whip it at the same time. The result was it moved in a corkscrew motion. For her it was a sign she was really irritated. When she was doing it, it was better to leave her alone. Be it myself or the other beardies she would usually become aggressive when she was doing it.
She is also the only one of mine that I ever saw do that.

 

[NickAVD]

None of my other beardies curl up at all.
Snickers however would lash her tail and whip it at the same time. The result was it moved in a corkscrew motion. For her it was a sign she was really irritated. When she was doing it, it was better to leave her alone. Be it myself or the other beardies she would usually become aggressive when she was doing it.
She is also the only one of mine that I ever saw do that.

Wow, that sounds cool. Foxy, when he's annoyed (which happens in the spring) and accidentally sees his reflection, he suddenly raises and lowers his tail to the floor and runs to fight. It sounds like he's cracking a whip.

 

[LarryTheLizard]

None of my other beardies curl up at all.
Snickers however would lash her tail and whip it at the same time. The result was it moved in a corkscrew motion. For her it was a sign she was really irritated. When she was doing it, it was better to leave her alone. Be it myself or the other beardies she would usually become aggressive when she was doing it.
She is also the only one of mine that I ever saw do that.

lol same, my lizard just buries herself

 

[LarryTheLizard]

Wow, that sounds cool. Foxy, when he's annoyed (which happens in the spring) and accidentally sees his reflection, he suddenly raises and lowers his tail to the floor and runs to fight. It sounds like he's cracking a whip.

Awh that’s precious

 

[ChileanTaco]

None of my other beardies curl up at all.
Snickers however would lash her tail and whip it at the same time. The result was it moved in a corkscrew motion. For her it was a sign she was really irritated. When she was doing it, it was better to leave her alone. Be it myself or the other beardies she would usually become aggressive when she was doing it.
She is also the only one of mine that I ever saw do that.

Curling up, Taco does this a lot, including generally going into caves - he likes tight spaces for resting and sleeping. He also did this when he was small. If a portion of his body can get under something like wedging in between stones or here under that piece of wood, the better. Attached is a photo showing him when he was younger, in a different cave tightly squeezing in.
Regarding Taco, I'm always surprised when I read of dragons that don't use caves - yes, I believe it, but it just seems hard do imagine. Like somebody would say "my roommate never uses furniture meant for sitting" They can be so different (Also, like some people really never use such furniture.)

Tail whipping: He never did that. Also never head bobbing - and he's male for sure, but he never simulated mating (I found sperm plugs, but excreted with poop). When he is irritated, he goes away. Only once he did the sideways tilt, and this was meant towards my husband.

 

[LarryTheLizard]

Curling up, Taco does this a lot, including generally going into caves - he likes tight spaces for resting and sleeping. He also did this when he was small. If a portion of his body can get under something like wedging in between stones or here under that piece of wood, the better. Attached is a photo showing him when he was younger, in a different cave tightly squeezing in.
Regarding Taco, I'm always surprised when I read of dragons that don't use caves - yes, I believe it, but it just seems hard do imagine. They can be so different

Tail whipping: He never did that. Also never head bobbing - and he's male for sure, but he never simulated mating (I found sperm plugs, but excreted with poop). When he is irritated, he goes away. Only once he did the sideways tilt, and this was meant towards my husband.

Awh he looks so cozy

 

[xp29]

Wow, that sounds cool. Foxy, when he's annoyed (which happens in the spring) and accidentally sees his reflection, he suddenly raises and lowers his tail to the floor and runs to fight. It sounds like he's cracking a whip.

That would be interesting to see I think.

 

[NickAVD]

That would be interesting to see I think.

It happens suddenly, but I'll try to get a video of it when he finishes brumation and spring fever starts.

 

[Chris.]

His eyes say, he did not want to be photographed

Puberty probably hits them all different. Maybe Chile is not cool enough during their brumation to really stimulate breeding behaviour?!

Mine both curl up a bit during brumation but rarely ever during summer. And I've had my fair share of tail whippes (only my boy, the girl is an angel)

 

[ChileanTaco]

His eyes say, he did not want to be photographed

For me it doesn't look like that. I think he likes the extra attention of me taking photos.

Puberty probably hits them all different. Maybe Chile is not cool enough during their brumation to really stimulate breeding behaviour?!

Maybe. (Temperature was normal room temperature, so about 20 °C. I could not bring him to a cooler place - we do not have such as a shed or basement or so, he's in the living room; but we're using neither cooling nor heating as this apartment doesn't have such, like it is the case here for almost everything (also my workplace has neither heating nor cooling) as it's never getting too cold and in summer people are fine with fans and airing out in the morning.)
But he went for brumation, about 3 months long. He was also somewhat hyperactive after brumation, but not the head bobbing, not the black beard, no scratching like crazy, not simulating mating.
I attribute it to a more shy, more laid-back personality. Like he'd never tail whip, and the only time he did the side-tiled pancake to show angryness and irritation he had already backed of some 15 minutes while my husband did work in the enclosure until it was finally "enough" for him. I could also imagine, without anthropomorphizing an animal too much, that among them, like with humans, some are more laid-back, some are easily showing off aggression when irritated, some humans going through heavy puberty, some just get older (I was of that kind: just grew up - never annoyed parents with loud music, revealing clothes, make-up and in-hindsight-not-so-good boyfriends and found it hyper strange what's going on with all the classmates for whom suddenly tops and pants couldn't be too short and arranging a date or sneaking out to a concert was the coolest thing ever ).
Could also be a benefit for survival: A dragon rarely going into a fight, rather backing off, and maybe showing off typical male behavior when really a female is around but not otherwise could have a good survival rate in its own way. Such a dragon might not be "the king" in his territory, but still has benefits such as preserving more energy and staying healthier until really needed.

 

[Chris.]

For me it doesn't look like that. I think he likes the extra attention of me taking photos.


Maybe. (Temperature was normal room temperature, so about 20 °C. I could not bring him to a cooler place - we do not have such as a shed or basement or so, he's in the living room; but we're using neither cooling nor heating as this apartment doesn't have such, like it is the case here for almost everything (also my workplace has neither heating nor cooling) as it's never getting too cold and in summer people are fine with fans and airing out in the morning.)
But he went for brumation, about 3 months long. He was also somewhat hyperactive after brumation, but not the head bobbing, not the black beard, no scratching like crazy, not simulating mating.
I attribute it to a more shy, more laid-back personality. Like he'd never tail whip, and the only time he did the side-tiled pancake to show angryness and irritation he had already backed of some 15 minutes while my husband did work in the enclosure until it was finally "enough" for him. I could also imagine, without anthropomorphizing an animal too much, that among them, like with humans, some are more laid-back, some are easily showing off aggression when irritated, some humans going through heavy puberty, some just get older (I was of that kind: just grew up - never annoyed parents with loud music, revealing clothes, make-up and in-hindsight-not-so-good boyfriends and found it hyper strange what's going on with all the classmates for whom suddenly tops and pants couldn't be too short and arranging a date or sneaking out to a concert was the coolest thing ever ).
Could also be a benefit for survival: A dragon rarely going into a fight, rather backing off, and maybe showing off typical male behavior when really a female is around but not otherwise could have a good survival rate in its own way. Such a dragon might not be "the king" in his territory, but still has benefits such as preserving more energy and staying healthier until really needed.

Agreed. In the wild it would be different as they have to show of to win the best basking spots and mates and so on. Probably much of which is lost through captive breeding or experience while growing up in captivity.

Talking to vets and breeders, it seems to really get them into the breeding mood, you would want to get them to brumate quite a bit cooler. I've heard suggestions below 15°C/60°F. I do not plan on breeding but I was aiming for 17°C/62°F since my office is seperate and I personally feel quite comfy at 17-18°C.

"ReptilTV" (german with english subtitles) or "Dav Kaufman's reptile adventures" on Youtube are great sources as well. Interesting AND entertaining.