Usual behaviour??

[Mark6571]

My son's BD is apx 4months old, we bought him for Christmas and as yet haven't had a good nights sleep, worrying over the little guy. He has been sleeping really odd hours. eating lots then eat very little(live bait and veggies). He has been hidding himself away in his viv under his basking rock, is this natural behaviour? Should we get him out and pet him. We have all been ensuring that we give him attention every day & pet him in his viv regularly. Also we have just added some more climbing points and he has not even been to explore them.

 

[WarsawRiddler]

When my Beardie was young, he did many odd things like falling asleep in weird positions or sprinting back and fourth across his viv. Even though Christmas was a few weeks ago, he(using "he" in reference to your dragon) may still be going through relocation stress especially if he was not given time to settle into his new environment.

As for new climbing points. I did this recently for my dragon. I had only one stick before and made two homemade rocks. One of them is his regular basking spot, but he regularly goes to his old stick that he had when he was a baby and prefers it over the homemade rocks. He will explore them eventually, just give him time. Until then he will probably stick to what he is familiar with.

 

[Mark6571]

Thank you for replying. We will give him time to become accustomed to his environment as you say, he may still be stressed. Thanks again.

 

[WarsawRiddler]

No problem! Hope everything settles down soon. Just remember that every dragon has a unique personality, or so I have been told. That may be part of his personality.

 

[CaptainVimes]

Hi

Sorry to butt in, but perhaps you could answer a few questions for us, this will help to get a more informative answer to your "is this normal" query...

What bugs are you feeding beardie and how often, are you dusting them with supplements?
What veg is beardie on?
What substrate do you have in your enclosure (stuff on floor)?
How big is your enclosure?
When did beardie last poop? What did this look like?
What state is the urate? (it should be a big clump of white soft chalky substance)
Is there any water when beardie poops?
Do you have a water bowl?
What are your basking temp, and cold end temp?
Are you using a digital thermometer to measure temperatures?
What are you using as a basking bulb?
What UV set up have you got?
Have you tried seeing what happens if you remove the hide?
Does beardie have stress lines on his/her tummy/underside?
(any kind of pattern on the underside, no matter how pale, or how dark and obvious is called stress marks - they can have these for a number of reasons, from moving to a new house, gut ache, upset because something in their enclosure or in the room their enclosure is in has changed and they don't like it, to just having a "bad day")
You say that you are all petting him/her in the viv.... How are you petting him/her?

Some people say to completely leave a beardie alone whilst they adjust to their new surroundings, everything being new, so they'll take up to a month to settle down. Obviously you put their food in during this time, and make sure they are getting water etc...

The entire small animal/reptiles/any pet community say to "leave a critter to settle".

Personally I have NEVER done this, no matter what animal I have, I have made sure they are welcomed, loved, cuddled regularly and all sorts.

Either I'm just lucky with my pets, or my way just works for me, but by doing what I do, every animal I've ever had, settles down much quicker than other people's pets that I've witnessed them just "leaving them to get on with it."

That doesn't mean I'm saying my way is right, and all these experts are wrong, it just so happens that every pet I have EVER had has happened to settle quicker and thrive better, with my way of loving and caring for my pets.

Obviously how you introduce your pet to your way of doing things, is completely up to YOU.

If you could answer the questions that I have bombarded you with, (sorry for that!) Then It will help us all help you make sure everything is "A1", with your beardie.

Thank you for your time.

CV x

 

[Mark6571]

Hi Thanks for answering that's great.

Well we are feeding him some crickets and locust(sml-med in size) he eats without prompting. Also leafy veg Cress, rocket, small slices of peach and strawberries most of this is untouch by him, although he will eat small amounts by hand on occassion. There is a water bowl which is changed daily.

His poop is fairly firm but with a wet coating.

We have just changed to a calcium substract previously it was a sawdust(like material)

Enclosure is 36x18x24

Temperature is monitored daily by guage it is between 95 and 98 at its hottest under direct heat lamp.

We have just changed anput in place a 2" uvb tube as opposed to the orginal bulb .

What state is the urate? (it should be a big clump of white soft chalky substance) Not sure what this is?

We have not removed the hide but since we have changed the lighting in the viv he seems to be acting/ behaving slightly better or different in a good way.

He eating has changed he is eating 1/2 crickets locust a day.

He has no lines or stripes on the underside of his belly, he also appears to be shedding quite alot.

We have petted him from day 3 of his arrival and spoken to him he seems to be quite ok with this, he will sit up and look around while you are holding him, and closes his eyes in response to this petting.

Since my earlier message he appears to have settled we would like for him to eat a bit more, but we are patient with him providing fresh fruit and leafy veg. he has settled into sleeping on UK time now as previously he was sleeping in time with OZ. He is sleeping outside of his Hide now and he even is having mad runs in his viv after bathime.

Thank you for spending the time to help us if you have any suggestions they would be welcome.

Regards Mark6571

 

[CaptainVimes]

Hi Thanks for answering that's great.

Well we are feeding him some crickets and locust(sml-med in size) he eats without prompting. Also leafy veg Cress, rocket, small slices of peach and strawberries most of this is untouch by him, although he will eat small amounts by hand on occassion. There is a water bowl which is changed daily.

His poop is fairly firm but with a wet coating.

We have just changed to a calcium substract previously it was a sawdust(like material)

Enclosure is 36x18x24

Temperature is monitored daily by guage it is between 95 and 98 at its hottest under direct heat lamp.

We have just changed anput in place a 2" uvb tube as opposed to the orginal bulb .

What state is the urate? (it should be a big clump of white soft chalky substance) Not sure what this is?

We have not removed the hide but since we have changed the lighting in the viv he seems to be acting/ behaving slightly better or different in a good way.

He eating has changed he is eating 1/2 crickets locust a day.

He has no lines or stripes on the underside of his belly, he also appears to be shedding quite alot.

We have petted him from day 3 of his arrival and spoken to him he seems to be quite ok with this, he will sit up and look around while you are holding him, and closes his eyes in response to this petting.

Since my earlier message he appears to have settled we would like for him to eat a bit more, but we are patient with him providing fresh fruit and leafy veg. he has settled into sleeping on UK time now as previously he was sleeping in time with OZ. He is sleeping outside of his Hide now and he even is having mad runs in his viv after bathime.

Thank you for spending the time to help us if you have any suggestions they would be welcome.

Regards Mark6571

I know this is going to annoy you as you have only just forked out on the calci-sand but you really need to take it out and give your beardie slate or ceramic tiles, shelf liner, repti-carpet, or anything that's not in small particles of loose substrate.

Calci-sand turns like concrete when wet, this is what it would do in your Beardie's tummy. ANY loose substrate can end up in your beardie's tummy and cause impaction. (a lethal blockage in the intestinal tract) Beardies constantly lick their surroundings, loose substrate would build up inside their gut, until it either costs a fortune to remove by a vet, or kills the beardie.

The urate is a Beardie's pee. It is usually a ball, about the same width of the poop, it should be chalky white and soft and squishy, if it is anything other, them beardie is likely to be dehydrated. Someone, (I can't remember who) told me that if they have parasites it's not white, but I've learned that it's not white if they are heavily dehydrated, never EVER heard the parasites thing before. Anyway, that's the bit that should be squishy, chalky white. It's the end of the poop. Some water usually comes out too, if they are adequately hydrated.

 

[Mark6571]

Hi thanks for all the advice with the bearded dragon.
I will take all your advice on board and make changes to his viv as reccomended.
Cheers mark5671.