Stressed beardie?

[bleav913]

Hey! I just recently got my beardie from his previous owner; he’s 9 months old. I kept him in his same tank, UVB bulb & another light heater and I purchased a ceramic heat emitter for night time + two thermometers and hydrometers on either side of the tank. I’ve given him a mix of worms, crickets, dubia roaches and some vegetables but he isn’t eating much, stays in his basking spot pretty much all day and he faces the wall and has turned a really dark colour. He closes his eyes periodically which Imve read can mean he’s scared or stressed. I haven’t tried to pick him up or take him out so he can relax a bit more before exposing him to new things, but nothing seems to be working. I’ve given him gentle head pets where he can see me coming to pet him so as to not startle him. He was very active when I first picked him up, but it’s definitely been a significant drop in activity and mood. I know relocation can be stressful I just don’t know if this is out of the ordinary.

 

[KarrieRee]

Hey! I just recently got my beardie from his previous owner; he’s 9 months old. I kept him in his same tank, UVB bulb & another light heater and I purchased a ceramic heat emitter for night time + two thermometers and hydrometers on either side of the tank. I’ve given him a mix of worms, crickets, dubia roaches and some vegetables but he isn’t eating much, stays in his basking spot pretty much all day and he faces the wall and has turned a really dark colour. He closes his eyes periodically which Imve read can mean he’s scared or stressed. I haven’t tried to pick him up or take him out so he can relax a bit more before exposing him to new things, but nothing seems to be working. I’ve given him gentle head pets where he can see me coming to pet him so as to not startle him. He was very active when I first picked him up, but it’s definitely been a significant drop in activity and mood. I know relocation can be stressful I just don’t know if this is out of the ordinary.

Yes anytime you move them they get stressed out -- please make sure you have the correct lighting this is going to help w/ the move -- surface basking temps should be 95-100 taken w/ a digital probe thermometer - UVB a long tube fixture like a Zoo Med 24" fixture for a 40 + gallon tank w/ the Reptisun 10.0 T 5 bulb or a Arcadia Pro T 5 w/ 12% bulb --- one good digital probe hygrometer placed in the back center wall of the tank - and one digital probe thermometer placed on your cool side w/ temps of 80 ish -- Is he eating at all? You do not need the ceramic heat emitter CHE if your tank is above 65 at night - the like it cool and dark - basking bulb should be a clear solid bright white bulb - no yellowish or off white bulbs or Daytime bulbs -- example of good bulbs are Flukers Exo Terra or a Zoo Med Reptibasking or Arcadia Halogen bulbs

 

[RangoRocky]

How long have you had him? Have you maybe tried to rub or touch him while in the tank?

 

[Hazel_Basil10]

You can also put a piece of clothing or a cloth that has you're smell if you think you're scaring him as well to make him comfortable with you. You can also try feeding him by hand to make him also safe with you. My beardie used to hate me until I put something that had my smell Andi hand fed her and now she does not wanna leave my side when I get home from school. I'm also trying to work on my other one as well so that way he can be a happy beardie at my house.

 

[bleav913]

How long have you had him? Have you maybe tried to rub or touch him while in the tank?

A couple days. I have pet his head either coming from the front or the side is he sees me. He doesn’t react too much to that

 

[bleav913]

You can also put a piece of clothing or a cloth that has you're smell if you think you're scaring him as well to make him comfortable with you. You can also try feeding him by hand to make him also safe with you. My beardie used to hate me until I put something that had my smell Andi hand fed her and now she does not wanna leave my side when I get home from school. I'm also trying to work on my other one as well so that way he can be a happy beardie at my house.

Oh! I’ll try that!

 

[bleav913]

Yes anytime you move them they get stressed out -- please make sure you have the correct lighting this is going to help w/ the move -- surface basking temps should be 95-100 taken w/ a digital probe thermometer - UVB a long tube fixture like a Zoo Med 24" fixture for a 40 + gallon tank w/ the Reptisun 10.0 T 5 bulb or a Arcadia Pro T 5 w/ 12% bulb --- one good digital probe hygrometer placed in the back center wall of the tank - and one digital probe thermometer placed on your cool side w/ temps of 80 ish -- Is he eating at all? You do not need the ceramic heat emitter CHE if your tank is above 65 at night - the like it cool and dark - basking bulb should be a clear solid bright white bulb - no yellowish or off white bulbs or Daytime bulbs -- example of good bulbs are Flukers Exo Terra or a Zoo Med Reptibasking or Arcadia Halogen bulbs

I have the dial for both, but from many things I’ve read I’ll definitely go get the digital ones. He is eating, yes. I have all of the proper lighting and eat set up and such, just wasn’t sure how long it approximately takes for them to adjust to a new owner and how early I should be taking him out for exercise and holding time.

 

[KarrieRee]

I have the dial for both, but from many things I’ve read I’ll definitely go get the digital ones. He is eating, yes. I have all of the proper lighting and eat set up and such, just wasn’t sure how long it approximately takes for them to adjust to a new owner and how early I should be taking him out for exercise and holding time.

let him adjust to his surroundings now - not so much the tank since hes still in the same tank --