Why is my MALE digging? Now with pics of his "downstairs"

[NightmareDisco]

Ok, so I have a 4 x 2 x 2 enclosure and a 15 month old male dragon. For some reason, he has started trying to burrow through wood. He crouches down and scratches like mad at the wood. Its not just in his viv though, he went to the wooden part of my floor and started doing it. He was quite literally digging at the wood for 3 hours this morning...oh fantastic, as I type he is digging at the slate tile. I have covered his favourite wooden dig spot with a soft blanket because I am seriously concerned that I will come home from work tonight to find his fingers bleeding :shock:
He is currently shedding and very grumpy and refusing to eat (he's literally had 1 grasshopper, 1 super and maybe a small handful of bok choy in a week)

In short, his antics are driving me mad. Does anyone know what is going on?? :study:

 

[MALIBUSMOM]

How sure are you that he is in fact a he....sounds like a female getting ready to lay...you will know when you find an egg! :lol:

 

[NightmareDisco]

He was confirmed male by a vet and has very obvious femoral pores. I felt for eggs and feel nothing

 

[Gail]

You might want to post pics just to double check, a vet can always make a mistake and pores are not a reliable way to sex a dragon.

 

[AHBD]

Although males DO dig, his extreme obsession with it and fact that he has not eaten sound suspiciously like he may be a she. Can you post a pic of his vent with his tail arched over his back just to be sure ? As for femoral pores, females have them as well, but they are just smaller. I'm not saying your'e wrong, but you want to help her out just in case it IS a female ready to lay.

 

[AHBD]

I was typing at the same time as Gail, she's much faster.Lol

 

[NightmareDisco]

Ok, I will do that, but I'm not off work for another 7 hours. Should I be worried? If my supposed little boy is a girl and gonna lay eggs, what do I need to put in the viv? I'm all new to this so please throw in the advice

 

[Gail]

Get a large plastic litter box and fill it with damp sand/soil mix. Even if he is a male, nice soft dirt to dig in will save his feet.

 

[NightmareDisco]

Ok, here we are. He ate 2 grasshoppers and possibly some veggies while I was at work. Mom said he was not digging while she was home. His belly feels extremely soft (like normal because he's fat)

Pores (shedding)

belly/legs shot (if it matters :?: )

 

[NightmareDisco]

Ok, I put this box of damp sand in there and he dug around for a while and made a mess, then decided that it was still more awesome to dig at wood :shock:

 

[TASTIGER]

uh oh :shock: sex change?

 

[NightmareDisco]

I have no idea! I wish I knew!!!

 

[Ellathebountyhunter]

Im rather new to the dragon world but I have had a hell of a time with my adult female & adult male, and thus have spent literally hours staring at their flaps, tails & femorals.
My female is 100% all lady dragon and her tail & "bits" looks a lot like your males does. That may not mean anything, I just thought I would mention it *shrug*

I hope everything is ok!

 

[NightmareDisco]

I really don't know. I'm taking the little beast to the vet tomorrow, so I hope I'll learn something then!

 

[Jess]

I'm not very good at judging their lumps and bumps by their tails LOL, but compared to my male his femoral pores are pretty non-obvious. :|