Scratching in Hide

[JimmysMom]

So Jimmy has recently started using his hide at night/sleep time, he goes in there and scratches the sides and shifts himself to the point where I can hear him slightly hitting the hide. Now today I noticed he would go in there during the day and just scratch away (more than at night) and then eventually he pokes his head out and watches the world again. Me being a concerned mommy, I went straight out and bought him a dig box. I found a ceramic dish that fit perfectly and put some flax seed in it and some dry gourmet beardie food (he never ate it before, but I thought the color would drawl him in). He went in, looked around, licked, and came right back out. LOL Then a few minutes later went his hide and started scratching again. We've only had him for a few weeks now so his personalities are starting to blossom. His previous owner told me he was about 2 yrs old and was male. I did check his tummy just in case he is a female, honestly I am having issues sexing him since he is only 11.5 inches long, and I felt nothing except a soft stomach.

This morning I changed up his tank and put tile down throughout, added some rocks, a new food dish, and an additional hammock. He was barely using the whole tank, so I figured he needed a reason to. I wonder if that was the reason, but like I said that was rather early this morning, and he was scratching in the afternoon.

Then I thought he may have wanted out and have some free time, he was kinda giving me a weird look, like uhhhhhhh, do I get out today or what? LOL So now he is out in the living room with me on his new window perch, gazing into the darkness of outside.

I don't know....what do ya'll think?????

 

[neilkd21]

Nothing to worry about its normal behaviour. My male does that if he sleeps in the hide or anywhere. Has a scratch for a bit while he gets comfortable. I assume it's just a natural instinct

 

[JimmysMom]

Oh thank god I worry so much about him as it is!!!

 

[CooperDragon]

I think that in the wild they tend to burrow in their hides a bit. One of the advantages of a bioactive substrate is that it allows them to do this. With a tile substrate you need to be a bit creative with a workaround. Perhaps try adding some strips of fleece or similar soft material inside his hide so he can dig at them and burrow a little bit.

 

[JimmysMom]

Oh that would be great!!!! Thanks so much! We have so many fleece blankets too.

I put this in yesterday in hopes he would come out and dig instead...

But he jumped in then jumped out...but at least he knows its there for him and he may play a little.

I put a big marble too in there...can you see it.

Hoping he would roll it around while we were gone, I thought that maybe he was bored. But he really has no interest.