Stress Marks all the time?

[LilahFaye]

I don't think my beardie is stressed. He has normal temperature of 100-110 at his basking site, and a cool side of 75-85 degrees (though it rarely drops to 75.) I measure his temps with a probe & wire thermometer. His humidity ranges from 30-50%. He has paper-towel substrate, and eats a daily meal of collard greens and butternut squash. I also occasionally give him bok choy, carrots, strawberries, radish, mango, or papaya. He eats a lot of crickets, too. I handle him a lot, at least once a day for about an hour or so at a time. He has a ReptiSun 10.0 UVB tube, and a 60w basking bulb. He's extremely active and friendly, and he really seems to like me, and my family. He's 6-7 months old, and is about 10 inches.I've had him for three months. At the moment he lives in a 20g long tank (I'm soon getting him a 50-55g.) He has these stress marks on his belly, that never seem to go away. Could these stress marks simply be a pattern in his body? Or do they show that I'm doing something that keeps him constantly stressed?

Thanks,
:mrgreen:

 

[fresnowitte]

No it's not just markings...an being you have had him 3 months it's not relocation stress either. Your temps sound good....what is the distance of your UVB from the basking spot?

When you take him out do they go away?
If so maybe it's just he's not happy with his enclosure.
If not you might want to take a fecal sample in to be tested for parasites. :wink:

 

[LilahFaye]

My UVB bulb is about 7-8 inches from the log that he basks on. When I take him out, they appear to be the same. Here's a picture. The thing is, they look a little different than the marks that he has in the morning when he wakes up. The morning one's are black, and these are a very light gray color.

Any thoughts?

 

[reddragon1]

im having the same problem with my dragon. took him to the vet a few months ago to get tested for parasites, turns out he had them but im not totally sure if they're gone. mines pretty active and likes to be held...used to eat like a pig but now not so much.. doesnt eat too many crickets but will still eat up the veggies...im not sure he still has parasites or whats going on...

 

[LilahFaye]

Oh, wow :/
I'm getting him a fecal done on Friday next week (I couldn't schedule anything sooner.)

 

[LilahFaye]

Turns out I'm not going to be able to get the fecal done for a pretty long time :x (Not next Friday, Maybe even next month !!!) My vet is all booked up, unless I file an emergency appointment (That's like $140 :shock: !!!) I don't have to spend that much unless I really have to. My beardie still poops regularly, eats all his food (crickets & veggies) and is very active. What are some symptoms of having parasites? He doesn't seem to feel ill, other than the "stress marks." My only issue is that these don't look like the marks that he has in the morning, or when he gets mad at me. Those marks are almost black, while these are barely visible, and are a very light gray color... I'm not sure what to do as I don't want anything bad happening to my little guy. (But $140 for an emergency visit is quite a lot, and I don't want to have to go unless I know I really have to.)

Is there any way I could possibly treat any kinds of parasites that he may have without having to go to the vet first, Or would he be able to hold on for awhile until I can get him checked out?
Thanks,

 

[KyleG]

When you take him out do they go away?

I have the same problem. My beardie is much younger though. he hatched December 1st. I am pretty much sure everything is perfect. His basking spot is good it's about 8 inches from his reptisun 10.0. His temps are like 75-cool side, 95- hot side, 110 basking. He eats good on dubia nymphs, crickets, silkworms, & Phoenix worms. Won't touch his greens but they are always offered. He is in a 75 gallon and has tile for a subsrate. I have had him for like 3 weeks so I guess it could be stress.

One parent was citrus and one was regular. In his viv he has stress marks and looks like a darker brown. After he's been out for a little bit his belly goes white and his head and arms turn from brown to bright orange. I just can't figure it out. I have read a lot but no answers yet.

 

[brownie1]

I'm not an expert, I'm only 17, and have only had bearded dragons for just over 12 months... but I am an Aussie and I do live with wild bearded dragons occasionally around my house.

I'm currently in my last year of school and plan to study herpetology next year at University, so I have done a lot of research on lizards (especially beardies).
Stephen Swanson's Field Guide to Australian Reptiles has the following description for central bearded dragons:

"Dorsal colour is grey, yellowish, reddish brown or orange, usually with a series of pale, elongated blotches either side of the vertebral line. A pale-edged dark streak extends from eye through ear to base of head. Throat sometimes blackish. Undersurface is grey, with dark longitudinally elongate rings."

I have 2 baby beardies who both have these markings. They do become darker and more prominent when they are stressed or agitated, but they are also obvious when they are just cold or trying to get warm, as dark colours absorb heat more efficiently.

It is possible for these markings to be faintly observed on some beardies all the time as some beardies just naturally contain more melanin in their skin and are therefore darker than others.

I hope I haven't stepped on any toes saying this but I don't think there is much to worry about if you can see the faint markings like on Lilah Faye's picture.

Jes

 

[LilahFaye]

Wow, thanks for the responses everyone. Jes, I noticed that a lot of beardies also have those same light gray lines, but I just wanted to make sure that it's nothing wrong with my beardie. I'm still going to make sure his temps are normal and eventually get him a fecal done But, it does make me feel a little better to know that it may be normal for him to have these markings.

 

[javier]

I made the mistake of putting a heat rock in the cage with him,he really liked it,but soon he had marks all over his stomache did you have a heat rock in there at first,and now they are just healing?

 

[LilahFaye]

No, I never had a heat rock :/ And neither did the pet shop that I had purchased him from.

 

[techdave]

You need to remove the heat rock. Beardies can't sense temps on their underside like they can from basking. So by the time they realize that it's too hot, they might have already burned their insides.

 

[HolliePocket]

How long is he in the light for?? My beardie was stressin until the vet told me I needed to cut back on the lighted hours and she needs more time in the dark. The extra sleep seems to help mine heal from things that stress her out as well.

 

[javier]

I found that if you chase your beardie when they are running from you,their stress marks get dark until you take them out,and put them down somewhere.

 

[LilahFaye]

My UVB light is on for 12-13 hours a day, while my basking bulb is on until he goes to sleep.