Shedding slow

[LizardLad11]

I bought a bearded dragon about 2 weeks ago...i just got back from a 1 week vacation. Since i got back he has been jumpy whenever i put his greens in there he puffs out his beard. He is shedding right now...about 3/4 of the way there. Why is he so jumpy?

 

[daner923]

Because he isn't used to you yet! Was he fed while you were away? Do you want to review your set up? Also, what does this have to do with shedding? Is that something else that is also a concern?

How old is your dragon?
How long have you had your dragon?
How long is your dragon?
What is the sex of your dragon?
What size enclosure do you have your dragon in?
What type substrate do you have on the bottom of your tank?
Do you use UVB lights?
If so, Is it a coil, compact, fluorescent tube, or Mercury Vapor bulb?
What is the brand name and number of your bulb? Wattage (if MVB)?
How old is your UVB bulb?
How close can your dragon get to the UVB, and where is the UVB bulb located?
Do you use a separate basking bulb? What kind and what is the wattage? Is it a white or colored bulb?
Di you have any type of night time heat source (ceramic heat emitter, colored bulb, etc)?
How long are lights on each day?
What are the basking temps?
What is the cool side temp?
What is the night time temp?
Do you take the temps with a stick on thermometer, a digital thermometer with a wire and a probe end or a temp gun?
Where exactly are you taking your basking temps?
Do you use a heat rock or heat pad?
What do you feed your dragon? Please be specific.
How often do you feed and what time do you feed (morning, afternoon, night)?
How many live feeders do you offer at time?
Do you gutload (feed) your crickets, worms, etc?
Do you use vitamin or calcium supplements? What brand(s)? How many days a week do you use each of them?
Is your dragon having regular bowel movements (poops)?
Do you bathe your dragon? How often?
Do you mist your dragon or offer water other than in the bath?
Have you gotten a vet check and fecal done?
Does your dragon share an enclosure with another dragon?

 

[LizardLad11]

How old is your dragon?
2 years old
How long have you had your dragon?
2 weeks
How long is your dragon?
16 inches
What is the sex of your dragon?
male
What size enclosure do you have your dragon in?
70 gallon
What type substrate do you have on the bottom of your tank?
sand(he doesn't eat it)
Do you use UVB lights?
Yes
If so, Is it a coil, compact, fluorescent tube, or Mercury Vapor bulb?
Coil

What is the brand name and number of your bulb? Wattage (if MVB)?
100w
How old is your UVB bulb?
1 month
How close can your dragon get to the UVB, and where is the UVB bulb located?
3 inches from bulb
Do you use a separate basking bulb? What kind and what is the wattage? Is it a white or colored bulb?
Yes and white idk what brand.
Di you have any type of night time heat source (ceramic heat emitter, colored bulb, etc)?
Yes
How long are lights on each day?
12 hours
What are the basking temps?
90-105
What is the cool side temp?
73
What is the night time temp?
79
Do you take the temps with a stick on thermometer, a digital thermometer with a wire and a probe end or a temp gun?
temp gun
Where exactly are you taking your basking temps?
Where Phoenix(the lizard) is.
Do you use a heat rock or heat pad?
No
What do you feed your dragon? Please be specific.
Greens: Mustard Greens. A few carrots. Apple. Once a week orange.
Meat: Crickets twice a week. Superworms(with heads off) once a week

 

[LizardLad11]

Oh yes he was fed. He let me hold him before we left but not so much now

 

[daner923]

He is probably skittish because he just moved and you are still a new face. He is probably perking up in his new home, and reacting to you more. As long as he eats, is healt

Ok so you need to make a few adjustments.

1. Take out the sand. Impaction isn't the only issue - bacteria is also a big problem with sand. It tends to be a haven for bacteria, fungus, and mites. You should change it out for paper towel ASAP, and then choose between slate tile, reptile carpet, paper towel or non-adhesive shelf liner.
2. You need to change your UVB. Coils do not provide enough UVB and cause serious eye damage. You want a ReptiSun 10.0 TUBE UVB, mounted inside the tank, 6-8 inches above the basking spot.
3. What are you using for night time heat? A colored light or a CHE? Colored lights will keep them awake. It is okay to have nothing - temps can fall as low as 65F and they will be happy and healthy. In fact, a cooling off period over night is quite good for them. If it gets below 65F, you need a CHE.
4. I would be sparing with carrots and apple. Stop feeding oranges entirely - they cannot process citric acid, and it can cause them serious stomach pain. Same with dairy. There is no need to cut off supers' heads. That is a myth. The key is to make sure he gets 50-60 live bugs a week at that age, spread across 3-4 feedings.

What is your dusting schedule like? You didn't answer that.

 

[LizardLad11]

Dusting? :?:
I have a just bought a repti-sun it is 10.0, but it isn't above his basking log. It is between cold side and warm side.
For night time i use a 75w zilla night bulb(only on cold nights) but usually i just turn his bulb off.

 

[daner923]

Are you not supplementing with calcium and multivitamins? This is hugely important. At his age, he needs calcium dusted on his bugs 3x a week and a multivitamin once a week. Do not use a colored night bulb - it will keep him up. If it stays above 65F, you don't need any night light. If it is below that, you will need a ceramic heat emitter. You should move the ReptiSun 10.0 tube over the basking spot - they get the best exposure while basking.

 

[LizardLad11]

Oh that! I do dip them in calcium i just had never heard of dusting.