Soooo Lazy whats wrong?

[diamc]

By looking at the pictures, I would say that he looks very unhappy. I also wanted to mention that a 100 watt light bulb seems like too much for only a 20 gallon tank. What type of thermometer are you using to check the temps? If you're not using either an infrared temperature gun or a digital with a long wire & probe end, then you're not getting accurate temperatures. Any type of stick-on can be off by as much as 20 degrees.

Can you move his vine closer to the basking & UVB light a little? It seems to me that if he was too cool, he would be staying in the basking area more so I'm not sure that increasing the temps is a good idea at this point. Please fill us in on the thermometer you're using.

You should also be feeding him greens/veggies every day. He may not eat much but it should be available at all times in case he wants to nibble on them. Here's a site that shows the best ones in green print: http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html

Since you have been changing the bulbs around, it would be a good idea to bathe him more often to make sure he is well hydrated. A bath in warm water tested by the inside of your wrist for about 15 to 20 min each time should help with proper hydration. Make sure to put a cloth down in the bottom of sink or container to help him feel more secure and to keep him from sliding around.

Getting a fecal sample checked for parasites is a good idea. Please keep us updated on him.

 

[Radioflyr]

The 100w house bulb only reach 108-110 degrees. It is also a soft white bulb. I did has the question a few posts back if that build was okay to use. No one answered though.

I am using a didgital with probe....

http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.c ... ition.html Thanks have had it bookmarked for six months and use it regularly.

Bathed him every day this week.

 

[diamc]

When you take the temp with the digital thermometer, are you laying the probe so that it is actual touching the basking spot for about 45 min before you get the final temp? If so, the 108 to 110 temp is fine, anything over 110 can cause rapid dehydration and since he isn't eating his greens, etc, it could happen even quicker. The cool side should be 78 to 82 but no higher. What is the temp of the cool side now? Have you tested the temp on the log that he prefers to lay on the most?

 

[Radioflyr]

When you take the temp with the digital thermometer, are you laying the probe so that it is actual touching the basking spot for about 45 min before you get the final temp? If so, the 108 to 110 temp is fine, anything over 110 can cause rapid dehydration and since he isn't eating his greens, etc, it could happen even quicker. The cool side should be 78 to 82 but no higher. What is the temp of the cool side now? Have you tested the temp on the log that he prefers to lay on the most?

He doesnt lay on any log he likes to sit on his vine. Should I take it out or something? I moved the vine more in line with the heat lamp and moved the heat lamp a bit more twards the center of the cage not alot but enough to cover the vine in some rays Hopefully this will help.

Cool side temp 85. Its only a 20 gal so its rally hard to regulate I have a 55gal but I think he is far too small to move into it yet.

 

[Pravius]

The cool side being 85 is not going to hurt him. I have been raising/breeding dragons on and off for about 10 years now and have never had an issue with the temps and the situations I was describing to you. I do use larger tanks then the 20 gallons, but as long as you have the temps in the low to mid 80's he will be just fine.

Diane may be correct about not increasing the basking temps but it is worth a shot for a few days just to "troubleshoot" what is going on with him. If you read any studies about p.vitticeps in the wild you will find that the temps often do exceed 110 deg in their native regions, 110 deg is just a nice moderate temp for them to be able to raise their core temps gradually. Keeping it a little hotter at the basking area will typically (like in the wild) cause them to shutter, meaning go from basking to cool side, back to basking (which is healthy for them).

Diane's point about the hydration is correct, make sure especially if he is not eating greens that he does get a bath every other day, crickets will provide some hydration but make sure he does get a bath every other day or so when increasing temps.

It's ok to experiment with things, as long as you have a good understanding of how these animals work.

 

[Radioflyr]

Well I am starting to understand thanks to all of you who have given me advice. I know alot more then when I first came to this site months ago.

-Steve

 

[diamc]

Well I am starting to understand thanks to all of you who have given me advice. I know alot more then when I first came to this site months ago.

-Steve

That's great Steve, just what we like to hear. Hopefully none of it was overwhelming to you. How did he act today? Have you noticed any change at all?

 

[Radioflyr]

Well I am starting to understand thanks to all of you who have given me advice. I know alot more then when I first came to this site months ago.

-Steve

That's great Steve, just what we like to hear. Hopefully none of it was overwhelming to you. How did he act today? Have you noticed any change at all?

Yea it’s about time for an update ill get some pictures up in a few minutes. I got a 75w heat lamp from the pet store super over priced what’s new. I didn’t like the 100w house bulb it didn’t heat up the basking area but the whole tank rather. and it made the lamp housing much hotter than it usually gets. But the nice thing about the heat lamps is it focuses the heat and light so it actually doesn’t warm the entire tank helps to get a warm and cool side easier. I got another bulb housing today and put these bulbs I got at the hardware store called reveal bulbs.... Supposedly they release more wavelengths of light; they release an additional 360 lumens of light. Only problem is they are 40w and seem to warm up the tank even being clamped a good 6 inches above the tank so I think I am going to have to find something different. Also I think if I can get a few more pieces of drift wood or other things he might be interested in climbing on I can get a definite basking spot for him to take my temps from. They didn’t have any of these reveal bulbs any wattages lower than 40. He ate live feeders twice today but no poop. So I am going to bathe him tonight and hope to see a poop.

-Steve