Update, and a few more questions!

[Tassadar]

'ello everyone! I posted a few days ago about my new little baby beardie, my first as well!


This is a picture of her habitat, it's about 105-108 under that lamp and about 85-90ish on the other side. The only thing behind my shirt is the little food bowl for her greens and a hiding log (that she never uses):

http://postimage.org/image/cxqv26q8r/


She's about 6 inches and is shedding/VERY aggressive. She doesn't bite but she looks like she wants to. The UVB is a reptisun 10.0yvb wit ha zilla hood. The basking lamp is a 150w zilla incandescent that I swap with a zilla CHE at night since it tends to get really cold in my room at night.

She is starting to eat a little more, but never her greens, ever, even when I feed by hand.


Edit: Also, I had a coil for the first week and i swear either she is winking at me or one eye stays closed a lot more than the other one, someone please tell me she is not going blind. What other signs do I look for?


When do they start getting all cuddly? I try not to handle her for more than 5-10 minutes a day and sometimes she goes a good while without eating ANYTHING, but then will eat in mass.

Am I doing something wrong? I bought her from Blood Bank Dragons about a week ago so that's how long she has been here. She still gets the black marks on her underside sometimes.

 

[dragonlover3]

Hi,
What size tank is this,10 gallon maybe? The smaller the tank the harder it is to get the temperature gradient she needs to thermoregulate. The basking temp is good at 105* to 108* but the cooler side is to hot. It needs to be 80* to 84* so that she can cool down. May I make a suggestion. Slide your UVB bulb down to the basking end near the branch. Slide it as far as it will go so that when your beardie is basking she's getting full unobstructed rays of UVB. It should hang directly by the basking area. What thermometer do you use to measure temps. I don't see one. It's best to use a digital thermometer with a probe or a temp gun for accurate temps. The digital probe thermometers have a cord or wire with the probe on the end. You lay that probe on the basking spot where she actually basks and leave it. Read in 45 minutes, that is your basking platform temp. With a temp gun it's point the laser at the surface out to you want read and push the button. What is your night temp with the CHE on?

I'd keep an eye on her eyes. It could have been the coil bulb, they are notorious for causing eye problems. Hopefully not having it on her now will allow her eyes to recover if that's what is causing it.

As to handling her, since you've only had her about a week she can still be having some relocation stress. That means they are scared of the new surrounding and confused as to where they are. It's understandable to be a bit aggressive if you are scared and don't recognize where you are and some big giant { you} comes at you making sounds you don't recognize at all AND tries to get you...right?

I'd let her settle for a few more day. During that time when you approach her tank, talk softly to her all the time while approaching so she know you are coming. I see you have your shirt in with her, that's great. Make sure you wore it for the day but didn't wash it so your scent is on it. Slowly, no sudden moves, put your hand into her tank on the opposite end from where she is and rest it there. Then just talk to her for a couple of minutes then remove your hand and just walk away. Return a while later and do it again. Several times a day will help. It teaches her you will come and go not hurt her. Her main fear is that big giant {still you } might eat her so she tries to scare you away with her wide open mouth and may even hiss at you. That is fear, not aggression. After she's settled in for a few days more I'd start holding her for a few minutes several times daily, slowing approaching her tank, talking calmly and gently so she doesn't feel threatened. Never reach in over the top of her. Birds are their main predator. Bearded Dragons have a parietal eye, or third eye on top of their head that "sees" light and dark, she will interpret your shadow passing over her head as a threat of a bird and she will get frightened and probably open wide, may hiss and back up or run. She's scared not aggressive. Always reach in the opposite end from where she is, talking gently all the time. When you pick her up, support her everywhere, arms, legd, tummy, hold her firmly but gently. In no time she will be your cuddle bug. I have 9 adult bearded dragons and 2 juvenile bearded dragons, 11 all together, most will step into my hand to be picked up. They are my cuddle bugs

As for the stress marks, bearded dragons can get those thru out their life for several different reasons. For now her's is stress. She just needs to learn to trust you, she's scared.

 

[Tassadar]

Thank you so much! That was exactly the type of response I needed. Gah, relief!



Thank you thank you thank you, I will do what is needed.

 

[dragonlover3]