Excessive Hiding for my Bearded Dragon

[Sadie]

Woah woah woah okay. Please don't make me close this thread due to all the back and forth here arguing about temperature and what not.

1. The temperature at its highest is 108 on the basking spot below the rock. It is taken with an infrared heat gun. The ambient heat with a probe is 98-100 during her full daylight hours. All gradient temperatures i take with my heat gun as the digital probe will only ever record temperatures in that immediate space.

2. She does not eat Spinach. I do not know where you got spinach from. She only ever eats greens.

3. I specified in the post she is eating, and pooping, very fine. Perfectly healthy and normal. I feed her dubia roaches, dust her salad with what she needs, and she gets water offered as well as baths. She never has issues with her eating and pooping. Her weight is perfect with the diet schedule she has and my vet helped recommend it to avoid her gaining more weight as she began to get a little extra curvy.

4. She certainly is not at risk or is a candidate for MBD. She is very strong and moves easily. She just decided to hide in her cave for a while. I think she was just being lazy as she is out and normal all over again.

5. Her lights are on a timer that keeps them on from 6am to 8pm. At night they turn off. She stays warm enough without an emitter due to ambient room temperature.

6. She has the t10 tube uvb and colorless heat bulb. Both placed opposing sides with platforms near both so she can regulate as she wishes.

Ok your uvb is a T 5 or T 8? Distance plays a key role here and placement on tank as well

 

[Julee1971]

Ok your uvb is a T 5 or T 8? Distance plays a key role here and placement on tank as well

Also, worse case remove the platform and place a fluffed up blanket or something that’s lower tonsot on but even the temp on the floor at 107 is way too high. Raise the basking bulb. It should be 100watts only for a 40-60 gallon tank. You can also get a 75 watt bulb but you still need to remove the high basking platform and place something else and raise the basking bulb. Trying to help you get this right. It gets super hot in the summer so we have to make changes and mess around with it

 

[Sadie]

Ok your uvb is a T 5 or T 8? Distance plays a key role here and placement on tank as well

Ok I think you have a T 5 if your screen is a fine mesh-- it needs to go inside the tank like a screen door if it's a wide holed like a dime it can be on top - distance inside 12-15 inches from basking decor directly underneath - the top 8-10 inches directly underneath--- she may just be lazy but we needed to get uvb figured out if everything else is good which it sounds like it is it may just be her- but she does need to bask at least for 4 hrs per day-- especially if she's eating

 

[QueenPineapple]

Ok your uvb is a T 5 or T 8? Distance plays a key role here and placement on tank as well

T5 and I moved it to the underside of the mesh so that she gets full exposure. The mounting has it roughly 12-13inches up and covering about 70% of the tank in the back. The opposite side has the heat and the basking spot for her.

 

[QueenPineapple]

Also, worse case remove the platform and place a fluffed up blanket or something that’s lower tonsot on but even the temp on the floor at 107 is way too high. Raise the basking bulb. It should be 100watts only for a 40-60 gallon tank. You can also get a 75 watt bulb but you still need to remove the high basking platform and place something else and raise the basking bulb. Trying to help you get this right. It gets super hot in the summer so we have to make changes and mess around with it

The temperature on the floor around the basking is not 107. The 107-109 is a direct reading from the very top of her basking closest to the light. Aka the hottest part of her tank. Taken with the infared heat gun.

 

[Sadie]

T5 and I moved it to the underside of the mesh so that she gets full exposure. The mounting has it roughly 12-13inches up and covering about 70% of the tank in the back. The opposite side has the heat and the basking spot for her.

Sounds good now watch her behavior and keep me posted

 

[QueenPineapple]

Sounds good now watch her behavior and keep me posted

Will do. So far she seems back to normal. Maybe she just had a few lazy days or she was cranky at me for something. But now she is running around, licking things, and climbing once more before snoozing on her hammock.

 

[Sadie]

Will do. So far she seems back to normal. Maybe she just had a few lazy days or she was cranky at me for something. But now she is running around, licking things, and climbing once more before snoozing on her hammock.

Ok good-- they do have lazy days my two have been in their hides most of the day-- blaze out under his UVB this morning then I had him out for about an HR little longer put him back in his tank and he went back to bed- other one awake and sitting in his doorway of his hide

 

[Julee1971]

Ok good-- they do have lazy days my two have been in their hides most of the day-- blaze out under his UVB this morning then I had him out for about an HR little longer put him back in his tank and he went back to bed- other one awake and sitting in his doorway of his hide

Ok good-- they do have lazy days my two have been in their hides most of the day-- blaze out under his UVB this morning then I had him out for about an HR little longer put him back in his tank and he went back to bed- other one awake and sitting in his doorway of his hide

You originally said he’s not eating and hiding now u are saying he’s eating and pooping. He can’t do that without heat and uvb. Also have u adhered to the bathing, lights, temp and more protein and proper greens and veggies? At the end of the day it’s about the Beardie. U need to order stuff on amazon and get calcium going 5 days a week or in your case 7 cuz he’s been without and proper uvb

 

[Julee1971]

Ok good-- they do have lazy days my two have been in their hides most of the day-- blaze out under his UVB this morning then I had him out for about an HR little longer put him back in his tank and he went back to bed- other one awake and sitting in his doorway of his hide

Sadie; please for tgexreltikes sake read her post. We all have to wrk together and learn and educate!! I have rescued over 200 dragons and wrk with many and do u think it’s normal to give protein once to twice a week? And calcium once or twice a week and temp below basking at 107 that means on the platform it’s prolly 115?? Is this normal to you? I can’t preach forever and this is not right to do to a Beardie. If someone doesn’t wanna spend the time or money they should relinquish the animal. It’s simple and if u condone and don’t address they continue to do wrong!! Queen does not want to listen and is close minded and being cheap. She jumped at the fact that I says brumatiom rather than address the wrong lights, temp and I know she doesn’t have proper uvb and couldn’t even say thank u yo all the tips and proper husbandry I gave her. It’s sickening

 

[Earls MUM]

Thanks for the replying!


Thank you for replying. It is on a mesh top and is 13 inches or so away. I'm using the Reptisun T5 HO pretty sure the bulb I currently have in there is the 10. I know my replacement tube I have on standby is also a 10. It is not in the typical 'hood' type holder but I do think it still has the reflective lining inside it is just a low profile holder.

The reason I am skeptical thattl the light is the issue is she has used this light for nearly an entire year with no issue. Even when she climbs to her highest point on her UVB side I do not notice her to be squinting.

However, I may have been overzealous in my worrying as so far all of today she has been out and hanging out on her hammock and even ate her greens all on her own.

I do have some pictures ofthe enclosure attached.
View attachment 23217
View attachment 23218

Her light is due to be replaced now. I change mine every 6 mths. I would also take the big hide out so she cant stay in it too long.

 

[Julee1971]

Sounds good now watch her behavior and keep me posted

The basking should be on the main side of the uvb I’ll show u my pic. When they bask they need uvb and u want the tank bright and light and full of life

 

[Julee1971]

Her light is due to be replaced now. I change mine every 6 mths. I would also take the big hide out so she cant stay in it too long.

Your enclosure is confusing I don’t even see the heat bulb? Look at my photo and replicate that and his hammock shoild be on hot side and basking either in front or back of it all on the hot side and heat lamp obve the ZooMed basking and the uvb in the back. You definitely have the 5.0 because your tank is rather dark the 5.0! hardly emits any uvb that’s the issue. U Need the 10.0 and the tank will b light and bright with uvb plus the correct heat lamp. Here’s my pic. Mine covers the whole length of the tank but should cover only 70 prcnt I’m getting a bigger tank

 

[Thomas J sobczynski]

Heyo guys,

This is a doozy that has been wildly stressing me out. I have my 4.5-year-old bearded dragon female that the past week or so has been very stubbornly hiding in her large hide.
Pumpkin (my bearded dragon) has always been the lazy sorts. Even when she gets a clean bill of health from her veterinarian she is just a lazy one. So I usually don't worry. But she has been in her hide sleeping more often than she has been awake and out basking lately.

Basic Husbandry...
The basking spot is107, the cool spot is 83. With obviously a gradient between.
Humidity stays around 32-38.
Paper towel substrate that is cleaned often.
Fed a diet of greens (sprayed with water and dusted with bee pollen) 6 times a week.
Roaches 1-2 times a week (with calcium).
She has a UVB tube light and I turned it off a few days to see if maybe it somehow was bothering her eyes despite being mounted at the recommended height, but it changed nothing.

She has no darkening marks, no marks on her belly to indicate stress, she still is eating her food but I generally have to coax her to eat her greens. Wiggle them around, encourage her to come out of her hide (which she will do if I show her the tongs I feed her with), and so forth. She still has her normal bowel movements. And she does not look like she is gravid and looking to dig/lay eggs.

The frustrating thing is I cannot go to the vet. Despite my constant quarantining for MONTHS, my father decided to go on a personal trip and got sick with COVID which he brought home to me. While I am pushing through horrible fevers, exhaustion, dizziness, and goodness you do not want to know how bad I feel... I am also worried about my bearded dragon. She is my baby girl. Do any of you guys have ideas or suggestions? It is going to be weeks before I can ever get her to a vet...

She could be brumating.

 

[Kristi Allred]

Julee,
Maybe you should read her posts closer.. It seems that you like to make posts the way you want to see them to harp on people. You made a little issue into a huge one. She is obviously taking her to a vet in the vet helped her come up with a diet. Please don't tell me that you think you're more qualified than a vet?? And adult dragons do not need bugs every day! Only 20% of their diet should be bugs. I think she's doing a good job and unless you are a vet and more qualified than her but I don't think you should tell her how she should be feeding her Dragon she looks very healthy to me!

 

[Julee1971]

Julee,
Maybe you should read her posts closer.. It seems that you like to make posts the way you want to see them to harp on people. You made a little issue into a huge one. She is obviously taking her to a vet in the vet helped her come up with a diet. Please don't tell me that you think you're more qualified than a vet?? And adult dragons do not need bugs every day! Only 20% of their diet should be bugs. I think she's doing a good job and unless you are a vet and more qualified than her but I don't think you should tell her how she should be feeding her Dragon she looks very healthy to me!

Kristi; I Reacue and rehome and have ge8 vets and breeders that I deal with. U can’t feed a dragon once or twice a week only hats Insane and being cheoabat the sacrifice of an animal it’s minimum 20-25 crickets for an adult Beardie per day. An adult meaning over 1.5 years old. Juveniles 4-9 months need feeding 4-5 times a day; crickets till they stop eating and 1-1.5yrs old about 60 crickets per day. Dubia Roaches are good too alongside always the GREENS & VEGGIES; not just greens. And by that I mean dandelions, mustard/collard greens, endives, snap peas, yellow squash, green beans, butternut squash. NO spinach it binds to calcium and NO lettuce it’s only good for water and kale in minimal amounts. Some people Jair feed one item like lettuce and kale and that’s horrble for them and the need calcium powder 5 times per week and proper UVB. Yes I have seen it all & Work very closely with vets so I am very knowledgeable this is about the animal at the end of the day! Nothing else

 

[QueenPineapple]

Sadie; please for tgexreltikes sake read her post. We all have to wrk together and learn and educate!! I have rescued over 200 dragons and wrk with many and do u think it’s normal to give protein once to twice a week? And calcium once or twice a week and temp below basking at 107 that means on the platform it’s prolly 115?? Is this normal to you? I can’t preach forever and this is not right to do to a Beardie. If someone doesn’t wanna spend the time or money they should relinquish the animal. It’s simple and if u condone and don’t address they continue to do wrong!! Queen does not want to listen and is close minded and being cheap. She jumped at the fact that I says brumatiom rather than address the wrong lights, temp and I know she doesn’t have proper uvb and couldn’t even say thank u yo all the tips and proper husbandry I gave her. It’s sickening

You need to read my first post again. You ate making absurd claims and have made this entire thread toxic not to mention have made me increasingly anxious and upset because you are ruining this positive forum.

My tank IS set up properly. I told you 3 times now her heat is fine. The HOTEST part, the ROCK FOR BASKING CLOSEST TO THE LIGHT, is the highest number. The rest of her tank is not that hot.

I said... IN MY FIRST POST... She was eating and pooping fine. That never changed. She always was acting COMPLETELY FINE other than hiding out in her cave a lot.

My lighting set up is perfect. With gradient as she needs. UVB as she needs and mounted on the INSIDE of the tank with perches for both.
I have even contacted my vet to ENSURE it was okay. And I trust them implicitly. They feel her set up is perfect for her.

Do not imply I am cheap. Refuse to care fofor my animal. And that i should give her up. That is cruel and rude.

 

[Julee1971]

You need to read my first post again. You ate making absurd claims and have made this entire thread toxic not to mention have made me increasingly anxious and upset because you are ruining this positive forum.

My tank IS set up properly. I told you 3 times now her heat is fine. The HOTEST part, the ROCK FOR BASKING CLOSEST TO THE LIGHT, is the highest number. The rest of her tank is not that hot.

I said... IN MY FIRST POST... She was eating and pooping fine. That never changed. She always was acting COMPLETELY FINE other than hiding out in her cave a lot.

My lighting set up is perfect. With gradient as she needs. UVB as she needs and mounted on the INSIDE of the tank with perches for both.
I have even contacted my vet to ENSURE it was okay. And I trust them implicitly. They feel her set up is perfect for her.

Do not imply I am cheap. Refuse to care fofor my animal. And that i should give her up. That is cruel and rude.

Again the Temp on Hot side for an adult dragon should be 100-103Max. If she’s hiding out and not basking the temp is off balance and she can’t bask if she’s not warm she can’t really eat & she cannot digest the food at all or the calcium powder. As far as the uvb do u have the Reptisun long tubular bulb? Or a coil a coil is bad if that’s what u have change it and in the meantime place that on the back and the basking bulb on same side in the front so she gets both. But now u have to get her to bask also the humidity should be 30-40 do u have a digital Thrive Hydrogemwter? U are getting Spicey & I’m trying to teach u but it’s not sinking in. U are getting anxious/anxiety and what using the reptile to comfort you??? Wrong and terrible. Please fix the temp place he probe on the basking platform & the temp should be 100-103 that’s it not any higher u said Rock??? U my gosh do u have that heat rock? Remove it; it burns the dragon & they can’t feel burning on their tummy. If u do use it it needs to NOT be used as his basking place to lay while heat is also coming form up top. Please remove it most people don’t know it burns them and u wud need a small towel folded on it to cover it cuz it burns. But remove it Just use the ZooMed clear basking bulb and the Reptisun UVB that’s it. Here’s a pic

 

[QueenPineapple]

Again the Temp on Hot side for an adult dragon should be 100-103Max. If she’s hiding out and not basking the temp is off balance and she can’t bask if she’s not warm she can’t really eat & she cannot digest the food at all or the calcium powder. As far as the uvb do u have the Reptisun long tubular bulb? Or a coil a coil is bad if that’s what u have change it and in the meantime place that on the back and the basking bulb on same side in the front so she gets both. But now u have to get her to bask also the humidity should be 30-40 do u have a digital Thrive Hydrogemwter? U are getting Spicey & I’m trying to teach u but it’s not sinking in. U are getting anxious/anxiety and what using the reptile to comfort you??? Wrong and terrible. Please fix the temp place he probe on the basking platform & the temp should be 100-103 that’s it not any higher u said Rock??? U my gosh do u have that heat rock? Remove it; it burns the dragon & they can’t feel burning on their tummy. If u do use it it needs to NOT be used as his basking place to lay while heat is also coming form up top. Please remove it most people don’t know it burns them and u wud need a small towel folded on it to cover it cuz it burns. But remove it Just use the ZooMed clear basking bulb and the Reptisun UVB that’s it. Here’s a pic

I am not getting 'spicey' I am trying to tell you how you're coming off. You're telling me to get rid of my bearded dragon and that I am not being a good caretaker. I have a temperature probe, yes, and it is on the basking side, yes. I also have a humidity gauge.
I AM using the clear basking ZooMed bulb, 100W. I shared pictures earlier of my tank but I assure you they are similar to your own tank.

I am not using a heat rock, I would never use that, they are awful. Her hide/perch by the hot side is rock though so it soaks up the heat and also helps file down her nails. As well as the various slate rocks around the enclosure for enrichment.

I have the Reptisun UVB. I double-checked my heat, again. Both the probe and the infrared heat gun which is even more accurate than the probe.

Everything in her husbandry I have checked with her veterinarian too.
Your comments act as if I abuse my reptile. Yes, I use my bearded dragon to comfort me. She is my family. It is no different than going to a family member when you are upset or down. Why is that 'terrible'?

 

[Julee1971]

I am not getting 'spicey' I am trying to tell you how you're coming off. You're telling me to get rid of my bearded dragon and that I am not being a good caretaker. I have a temperature probe, yes, and it is on the basking side, yes. I also have a humidity gauge.
I AM using the clear basking ZooMed bulb, 100W. I shared pictures earlier of my tank but I assure you they are similar to your own tank.

I am not using a heat rock, I would never use that, they are awful. Her hide/perch by the hot side is rock though so it soaks up the heat and also helps file down her nails. As well as the various slate rocks around the enclosure for enrichment.

I have the Reptisun UVB. I double-checked my heat, again. Both the probe and the infrared heat gun which is even more accurate than the probe.

Everything in her husbandry I have checked with her veterinarian too.
Your comments act as if I abuse my reptile. Yes, I use my bearded dragon to comfort me. She is my family. It is no different than going to a family member when you are upset or down. Why is that 'terrible'?

Good to hear & I have not seen pics. He needs a flat high comfortable platform to bask on & the probe needs to sit on that rock as u call it and get the temp the temp is the temp of the furniture he lays on; If he’s not basking there’s an issue and I hope ubafe not keeping him out of his cage all day to comfort you. Those are not comfort pets there are natural herbs/vitamins to help with anxiety and stress; try Ashwagunda. Plus if u take him out let him sit with u in the yard on a fluffy blanket or a rock we’re his head and 2front legs can perch up onto and soak in some rays and uvb of the sun. U can’t use him as a comfort pillow that’s wrong hopefully the herb helps you.