why is ducky hiding?

[ducky617]

My girlfriend bought me ducky, my beardie, around thanksgiving as a christmas present. (Not good at keeping secrets.)
I brought ducky home the day after christmas, mom not to happy about lizards. Once I got his tank set up in my room i added a floor heater, but stuck it to the side of my 55 gallon tank (the pamphlet recommends that). I also set the lights up to a timer so they turn on 8 am and off at 10 pm. my girlfriend noticed that he looked tired so i gave him another hour of dark so he might sleep allittle more. Another thing i changed was a new 75 watt basking bulb because my room is not as warm as my girlfriends room. after that he started spending most of his time under his rock. after two days of his hiding i switched back to the 60 watt bulb to see if that would help, it did not.

I was just wondering what i should do!!

 

[Codeman]

He is probably just settling in to his new home and feels a little apprehensive. How old is ducky? If he's just a little guy you should divide the tank (You said 55, right?), because they can feel insecure in such a large environment.

 

[ducky617]

he is a youngin, he was either 1 or 2 months old when my girlfriend got him, so i guess he is around 3 or 4 months old now. blocked a third of it off with a large book but i guess i put his tree to close to the divider because while i was at work he jumped it and my sister found him under the paper.

 

[Codeman]

he is a youngin, he was either 1 or 2 months old when my girlfriend got him, so i guess he is around 3 or 4 months old now. blocked a third of it off with a large book but i guess i put his tree to close to the divider because while i was at work he jumped it and my sister found him under the paper.

I'd get a piece of cardboard and cut it to fit, then slip it in and tape it in place and move it as he grows, make sure it's the entire height of the tank!

Also, if you put on a background it will make him feel more secure. Right now he is probably worrying that a predator could come from any side since he can see out of every direction, you follow me?

 

[ducky617]

yeah yeah. thats a good idea. what sort of background would you suggest? light colored, dark colored, some kind of scenery?

 

[Codeman]

yeah yeah. thats a good idea. what sort of background would you suggest? light colored, dark colored, some kind of scenery?

As far as I'm aware it makes no real difference. I'd just say paint it because the desert backgrounds are usually a pain to find, around here at least.

Good luck!

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Are you using any UVB lighting at all for him? If not, Ducky does need UVB light to help his bones stay strong while he is growing. That way he can absorb calcium better as well.
Is your basking light a bright white one then, or a colored one?
What are the temps in the tank? What do you use to measure them, a stick on thermometer, a digital probe or a temp gun?

Tracie

 

[ducky617]

Hello,

Are you using any UVB lighting at all for him? If not, Ducky does need UVB light to help his bones stay strong while he is growing. That way he can absorb calcium better as well.
Is your basking light a bright white one then, or a colored one?
What are the temps in the tank? What do you use to measure them, a stick on thermometer, a digital probe or a temp gun?

Tracie

Using Repti-Glo 10.0 tube for the UVB. Originally me and my girlfriend used a white one for day and red one for night but later learned that the red one interupts his sleep so we stoped the red bulb and put a space heater on top of his tank to keep it warm at night.

i do not recall the temp when i used the 75 W but with the 60 W it is around 83 degrees during the day on the warm side (airtemp) using a round stick on therm.