karmakollector
Member
Hey everybody... this is Ash. I haven't posted about him since he was a wee baby (5-6 months old) back in September. He has grown a lot since then!
For the most part, he seems like a fairly happy and healthy guy... until recently. Over the past couple of weeks, he has started glass surfing like crazy, especially a couple hours after waking up (ie. midday.) In the past, he would only do this when something specific was bothering him: sometimes when he was shedding, sometimes he seemed to have some diarrhea (or was simply about to poop... or had already and wanted me to clean it up.) Sometimes he was hungry for something specific.
But now... I can't figure it out. Temps are good (105 in hot spot, about 78 cool side, thermostat-controlled CHE at night), food is good (live dubia roaches, collard greens, occasional peas and green beans which he totally loves, and some dried crickets, black soldier larvae, occasional mealworms, on rare occasion some treats like raspberries), I keep tank clean, he seems very healthy.
Could it be he feels pent up? (He is a young adult now and in a 40 gallon long tank)
If so... what can I do? (I would like to get a bigger tank for him... looks like I might have to custom-build one, though, as I can't seem to find anything suitable that's larger)
Since he started clawing at the glass incessantly recently (which is also a distraction -- he is a class pet in our classroom), I decided to sometimes take him out. He seemed to enjoy going for walks outside in my hands, but if I set him on the ground (with a harness/leash on), he would just kind of lay there looking a little freaked out. Also, I don't have the time/capacity to do this any time of the day, if that's what he wants.
Eventually I decided it might be a good idea to let him get some exercise by freely roaming the room and run around/explore (when it is empty and the kiddos aren't in there, for safety.) He was very hesitant at first, but quickly turned into an avid explorer scampering around the room and licking things, occasionally climbing objects, etc. Often he would run from me if I came near him, but it was hard to tell if it was avoidance of going back or just a game of tag/keep-away (because he never seemed stressed, never bearded, usually wouldn't fuss when I finally did grab him and scoop him up.)
Problem is... now he seems more stressed out than ever! Thought getting some daily chances to get a run-around might help, but it seems like it made things worse!
However, another puzzle piece in this mystery is... he is not always clawing at front of tank (where I am visible) anymore... sometimes he's turned around backwards basically standing upright surfing the BACK wall (which he never used to do)... there's nothing to see back there except a beige wall and the lamp/thermostat wires hanging down on the other side of the glass. But that's the side the UV lamp is on (T5 HO tube)... could it be he is trying to tell me he needs more UV? (It's probably due for a bulb change... got it in October, I've heard it could be weak by now. Going to order another one.)
Has anybody dealt with this situation? If he just wants out... I don't know what to do. Pure freedom all day is not an option. I was hoping I could maybe condition him to get a sense of when "recess time" for him was, in the middle of the day. (Not sure if they have that sort of internal clock or not, but my boy seems way smarter than I expected him to be. For example, he basically showed me he wanted to use a littler box, but that's a different story...)
One time he was basking, looked over and made eye contact with me, and THEN decided to run down and start clawing/surfing, which leads me to believe maybe he wants attention? But when I came up close to the tank and calmly told him it wasn't going to happen... he actually stopped surfing and walked right back up and laid down to bask!
Suggestions??
For the most part, he seems like a fairly happy and healthy guy... until recently. Over the past couple of weeks, he has started glass surfing like crazy, especially a couple hours after waking up (ie. midday.) In the past, he would only do this when something specific was bothering him: sometimes when he was shedding, sometimes he seemed to have some diarrhea (or was simply about to poop... or had already and wanted me to clean it up.) Sometimes he was hungry for something specific.
But now... I can't figure it out. Temps are good (105 in hot spot, about 78 cool side, thermostat-controlled CHE at night), food is good (live dubia roaches, collard greens, occasional peas and green beans which he totally loves, and some dried crickets, black soldier larvae, occasional mealworms, on rare occasion some treats like raspberries), I keep tank clean, he seems very healthy.
Could it be he feels pent up? (He is a young adult now and in a 40 gallon long tank)
If so... what can I do? (I would like to get a bigger tank for him... looks like I might have to custom-build one, though, as I can't seem to find anything suitable that's larger)
Since he started clawing at the glass incessantly recently (which is also a distraction -- he is a class pet in our classroom), I decided to sometimes take him out. He seemed to enjoy going for walks outside in my hands, but if I set him on the ground (with a harness/leash on), he would just kind of lay there looking a little freaked out. Also, I don't have the time/capacity to do this any time of the day, if that's what he wants.
Eventually I decided it might be a good idea to let him get some exercise by freely roaming the room and run around/explore (when it is empty and the kiddos aren't in there, for safety.) He was very hesitant at first, but quickly turned into an avid explorer scampering around the room and licking things, occasionally climbing objects, etc. Often he would run from me if I came near him, but it was hard to tell if it was avoidance of going back or just a game of tag/keep-away (because he never seemed stressed, never bearded, usually wouldn't fuss when I finally did grab him and scoop him up.)
Problem is... now he seems more stressed out than ever! Thought getting some daily chances to get a run-around might help, but it seems like it made things worse!
However, another puzzle piece in this mystery is... he is not always clawing at front of tank (where I am visible) anymore... sometimes he's turned around backwards basically standing upright surfing the BACK wall (which he never used to do)... there's nothing to see back there except a beige wall and the lamp/thermostat wires hanging down on the other side of the glass. But that's the side the UV lamp is on (T5 HO tube)... could it be he is trying to tell me he needs more UV? (It's probably due for a bulb change... got it in October, I've heard it could be weak by now. Going to order another one.)
Has anybody dealt with this situation? If he just wants out... I don't know what to do. Pure freedom all day is not an option. I was hoping I could maybe condition him to get a sense of when "recess time" for him was, in the middle of the day. (Not sure if they have that sort of internal clock or not, but my boy seems way smarter than I expected him to be. For example, he basically showed me he wanted to use a littler box, but that's a different story...)
One time he was basking, looked over and made eye contact with me, and THEN decided to run down and start clawing/surfing, which leads me to believe maybe he wants attention? But when I came up close to the tank and calmly told him it wasn't going to happen... he actually stopped surfing and walked right back up and laid down to bask!
Suggestions??
