Why does my beardie eat then sleep?

[dina332]

my beardie is around 7 months old and recently the second she finishes eating, she’ll hide under a branch near her basking area and scratch at the grass below her until she closes her eyes. i’m afraid something is wrong as she isn’t getting enough heat to absorb her food because she sleeps in an area that is slightly colder! also the basking area of her enclosure is 27 degrees and she is healthy as well as happy feeding on 4-5 meal worms and 3-4 crickets twice a day. she usually sleeps at 9:00.

BUT there is an issue, she never will eat her veggies no matter how hard i try and have been told this is okay as she is young. should i take her to the vet or is this normal beardie behaviour during the winter?

 

[KarrieRee]

Please post pics of the tank and lighting --- you mentioned NO UVB---
https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ click on XIMG at the top of the message box then click on pic it should post -- your basking temps are 80 F? That is not high enough for basking she needs temps 105-110 F and taken w/ a digital probe thermometer --- it is normal for them not to eat veggies but you want her eating them now -- take your crickets disable them and put them in w/ the salad after you have fed her salad in the morning -- get some BSFL also known as calci worms phoenix worms nutri grubs or silk worms or super worms 1-3 add them to the salad in front of her to lure to that bowl you will need a glass or ceramic bowl so they cant get out - I recommend getting dubia roaches they are a better staple than crickets --- she is getting too old not to be eating salads and you may have a really hard time getting her to eat them now --- she should of been started on them right when you got her -- you can use as many BSFL as you want they are a good staple feeder do not dust them -- if you are not using a UVB you need to get one ASAP -- no coils -- it needs to be in a fixture / hood w/ a reflector --- they are useless w/ no reflector -- do not get one the same length of the tank ---- only 2/3rds of the tank - I personally use a 24 inch fixture in a 120 gallon tank
Karrie

 

[dina332]

Please post pics of the tank and lighting --- you mentioned NO UVB---
https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ click on XIMG at the top of the message box then click on pic it should post -- your basking temps are 80 F? That is not high enough for basking she needs temps 105-110 F and taken w/ a digital probe thermometer --- it is normal for them not to eat veggies but you want her eating them now -- take your crickets disable them and put them in w/ the salad after you have fed her salad in the morning -- get some BSFL also known as calci worms phoenix worms nutri grubs or silk worms or super worms 1-3 add them to the salad in front of her to lure to that bowl you will need a glass or ceramic bowl so they cant get out - I recommend getting dubia roaches they are a better staple than crickets --- she is getting too old not to be eating salads and you may have a really hard time getting her to eat them now --- she should of been started on them right when you got her -- you can use as many BSFL as you want they are a good staple feeder do not dust them -- if you are not using a UVB you need to get one ASAP -- no coils -- it needs to be in a fixture / hood w/ a reflector --- they are useless w/ no reflector -- do not get one the same length of the tank ---- only 2/3rds of the tank - I personally use a 24 inch fixture in a 120 gallon tank
Karrie

thank you, her enclosure is usually warmer and she has uvb. i also have a digital thermometer and attempted the salad trick this morning which did not work so i’ll try that again.

 

[KarrieRee]

Ok please get rid of the red bulbs --- they are causing eye damage along w/ having no way of digesting her food -- she needs a bright white basking bulb --I would start w/ a 100 watt and go from there - this is what that bulb look like https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/heat-bulbs.html make sure you have a digital probe thermometer to get a actual basking temp- that temp needs to be 95-110 for a adult /juvie dragon --to be honest I am surprised your dragon is eating but soon that will stop too
next she basically is getting NO UVB w/ the way its set up - I see no reflector on the UVB bulb and being on the back wall she is getting little to none -- please do this ASAP-- are you in the states or in the UK?
Karrie

 

[dina332]

wrong message

 

[dina332]

Ok please get rid of the red bulbs --- they are causing eye damage along w/ having no way of digesting her food -- she needs a bright white basking bulb --I would start w/ a 100 watt and go from there - this is what that bulb look like https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/heat-bulbs.html make sure you have a digital probe thermometer to get a actual basking temp- that temp needs to be 95-110 for a adult /juvie dragon --to be honest I am surprised your dragon is eating but soon that will stop too
next she basically is getting NO UVB w/ the way its set up - I see no reflector on the UVB bulb and being on the back wall she is getting little to none -- please do this ASAP-- are you in the states or in the UK?
Karrie

i took your advice and bought 100w basking bulbs and i’m changing the positioning of the branches for a closer spot near the uvb today.
she’s still sleeping during the day which causes her to miss her first feeding, also i’m located in australia.

 

[KarrieRee]

ok so I would get a reflector on that UVB here is a website for the UK www.https://www.reptiles.swelluk.com/arcadia-t8-fluorescent-reflectors/
I dont know if you can get this from here or not but you can try --- I would get the reflector and move the UVB directly over her --- in the mean time I would get her outside for some UVB - place her in a plastic tote NO glass direct sunlight / partial shade for 15 minutes NO longer you dont want to burn her up - you can do this several times per day till you get the UVB situated - what is the bulb your using is it a T 5 or a T 8 -- and how high is your tank? You dont want the strength of the bulb too strong for her that is why I am asking about height-- those bulbs need a certain distance to be from her --
Karrie