Very Dark, Loss of Appetite

[Israel]

2 days ago, Israel was a beautiful light tan color. I took his Reptisun 10.0 bulb that was in a fixture on the screen lid of his tank, and mounted it to a new fixture inside his tank, for better UVB exposure. Yesterday he began turning dark. Today he is almost solid black, and refused dinner (VERY unlike him). The change in the light placement was the only change done in that time, and the problem started shortly after.

However, he hangs out near the light, he doesn't try to hide from it nor is he trying to hide at all, and is not keeping his eyes closed. So, he isn't exactly ACTING like the light is bothering him. I'm very concerned on what is going on. Bowel movements are fine, he had a large one last night during his soak in the tub.

This was him 2 days ago before turning dark...


Israel by Dog Gone Awesome, on Flickr

He's now so dark, he's almost black. I'd take a photo, but I broke my wrist in half yesterday and I'm in a cast (and in pain), so I can't really operate a camera right now.

This is his new light setup currently:


Israel by Dog Gone Awesome, on Flickr

Other info:

He's in a 40 gallon breeder, he's 2 years old (3 in August), UVB is a Reptisun 10.0 and the bulb is about 4 months old. Basking spot is a steady 102F, cool side is 80F. This is how it's been, no temp changes whatsoever.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

The tank looks great, by the way!
The only thing that I can think of is the light may be a little close. It should only be 6-8 inches from your dragon. How close is it to him right now?
The basking light needs to be directly beside it to protect his eyes. How far is your basking light from the tube bulb?
You could readjust the basking log to make the light a little further from him.

Tracie

 

[Israel]

Hi Tracie, thanks for the reply! Here is a front view, so I can better illustrate his lighting setup:


Israel by Dog Gone Awesome, on Flickr

His UVB light is over the first log going up at an angle. He can sit anywhere from about 10-12 inches from light if he sits towards the bottom, or about 3-4 inches if he sits towards the top. In this photo, which is the most common spot he sits on this log, he's about 6-7 inches from the light.

He has another 'basking' log that sits behind that log, it's the one that is laying flat. Here is another photo to help show:


Israel by Dog Gone Awesome, on Flickr

The tube on the right in the tank is his UVB, the light on the left over the screen is a flourescent tube for added lighting. You can't see his heat lamp in this photo, but it sits at the end of the flourescent light, directly above that digital thermometer. That's his basking area. I'm using a 150watt Exo Terra basking spot light and it keeps the spot right at 102F, humidity is at 20% in the basking area, 30% in the rest on the enclosure.

I could move the UVB fixture to the area where the flourescent tube is, so that it'll be over that back log. But it'll be about 10-12 inches away from him. I also worry about damaging it as it'll be near the heat lamp. It's a 24 inch light, so it's a long tube.

Do you believe it's the light causing the stress issues? Even though he's showing no outward signs that the light is bothering him?

 

[Drache613]

Hello!

Overall, everything looks very good.
The UVB tube, does the fixture have a shield on it, to direct the light straight downward, or is the fixture open? It looks like it is open. Maybe the light is just too glaring without a shield around it a bit. The light can splatter everywhere & glare off of the glass if it doesn't have a direction of some type from the fixture.
Is his beard dark, or, is it just his body has darkened?
The temperatures look pretty good, also. How is he doing today?

Tracie

 

[Israel]

Thanks, today he is doing about the same except he did eat a bit, which was a relief. All day he sat on his log close to the UVB light, and at times even looked right at the light.

Earlier, I took the UVB light out of the new fixture and put it back in the old fixture on top of the screen lid. The old fixture does have a hood on it, the new one does not.

Now he is extremely irritable, pacing back and forth in front of his tank, clawing the corners and acting overall extremely aggitated. He's also hopping from one log or spot to another and can't seem to get comfortable, as if he's very irritated.

The rest of his body is still dark, but he does not have a black beard.

 

[Israel]

Here's a video I just took with my phone to show how irritable he is acting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_O_84vWv4k

 

[Israel]

I was also able to get a new photo of him using my phone. This was just taken.


Israel Dark by Dog Gone Awesome, on Flickr

 

[Jess]

Hi there! I don't think it is the UVB light, I have mine set up like that and it's never bothered Dudley.

It is spring time... Do you think it could be hormones? I watched your video, and Dudley did that every single day for a couple weeks after he woke up from brumation. He also hardly touched his food (Because head bobbing at inatimate objects was MUCH more important than eating, apparently), and acted really grumpy. Now he has calmed down again and he is eating better, but he seriously drove me insane for a while there.

It sounds like you're doing everything right. Try letting Isreal explore out of his cage for an hour or so to burn off his energy. That always helped calm Dud down.

(BTW, are you on Petlovers forum? I joined there a long time ago but I haven't been posting, and I'm pretty sure I remember seeing you there!)

 

[Israel]

Hi Jess, thanks for the reply! (I am on PL, though I used to be more active there than I am now).

I'd think spring time and all but this came on so suddenly. Israel started coming out of brumation around late February. This just all came on so suddenly.

He gets a ton of out of cage time, he goes with me to the pet store, he rides on my shoulder outside in the sun while I am messing with the garden, and he runs around and hangs out with me on my bed for 2-3 hours at night when I am on my laptop. He's very social and outgoing and gets tons of interaction, so the sudden drastic change in color and attitude is concerning.

 

[Jess]

Hmm, maybe the spring-ness just kind of hit him now? I can't think of anything else that could be bothering him, he sounds like a pretty spoiled little guy!

Did you re-arrange his cage at all when you fixed the light?

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

I agree, I am not convinced it is the UVB after you reviewing the distances, etc with me. He has enough range to get in & out of the UVB light. His tank is bright as well.
He looks like he just would like to get out of his tank more! How often do you get him out of his tank?
At 2 years of age, he might be hitting puberty now, or starting to now. They can all of the sudden start becoming more aggressive when their hormonal levels increase.
When they have a hormonal increase, a lot of times they lose their appetite & don't eat as much.
Do you have any other dragons in the house?


Tracie

 

[athenacp]

Maybe its me, but did he hurt his right front leg? It looks like he was raising it weird (at least to me)but he also looks ansy, maybe some time out of the tank, Digger would get like that then when he came out he ran off his energy. Maybe a nice bath so he can swim around?

 

[Israel]

Hi all, so sorry for the late reply, but I did want to post an update. He shed a few days after the darkness started, and afterwards went back to being normal. He typically never darkens during a shed, so this previous one apparently was extra-aggrivating for him. It was a quick full-body shed, and afterwards he was happy as could be again.

As far as his age (I think someone mentioned his age?) he's almost 3 years old. He'll be 3 in two months, the first week of August.

As far as getting out of his tank, he's out of it more than he's in it. He goes many places with me, including being on my shoulder as I am out gardening, feeding the outdoor box turtles I own, sitting outside watching my dogs play, doing yardwork, ect. He's constantly the center of attention, and with me quite a bit during the day. At night, he's out with me while I'm on my laptop, stretched out on my computer, or on my bed, wherever he feels comfy.

As far as baths, he gets one every evening, as he loves his baths and enjoys them quite a bit,

 

[Jess]

Yay, glad to hear he is feeling better!