First night with baby, too cold?

[ProphesizeWithYourPen]

I came downstairs this morning to turn on Stitch's (6-month-old) lights, and he seemed very cold. Almost lethargic. I don't know if this is normal, since this was my first night owning him. The temperature in the vivarium was around 70 F. When I picked him up, he just seemed really lethargic. He started to perk up once I held him for a bit, I think he liked my body heat.

I just wanted to know if this is normal for Beardies in the morning? Are they really slow at first when they just wake up? I'm just afraid he was too cold or something.

 

[PatsyB]

It's okay for the temperature to drop at night, that's what happens in nature. As long as it's no lower than 65 degrees they will be okay. They do tend to be a little lazy in the morning. Remember, they are cold blooded animals, they are going to feel cold. Mine will lay in their sleepy spot for hours sometimes before they get started with stretches and basking and eating.

To answer your other thread, do not get a heated rock. They get too hot and bearded dragons can't really sense that it's too hot and they can burn themselves. As far as under the tank heaters go, those aren't really practical either. Heaters heat the spot that they are on and not the area around them, so again there is potential for your beardie to get burned. If you really need to heat the tank at night a CHE is the best bet. It's a ceramic heat emitter that gives off heat but no light so it does not disturb their sleep cycle.

70 degrees at night is a good temp. You could also put him to sleep on a soft blanket.

 

[sayy_robbayy]

I came downstairs this morning to turn on Stitch's (6-month-old) lights, and he seemed very cold. Almost lethargic. I don't know if this is normal, since this was my first night owning him. The temperature in the vivarium was around 70 F. When I picked him up, he just seemed really lethargic. He started to perk up once I held him for a bit, I think he liked my body heat.

I just wanted to know if this is normal for Beardies in the morning? Are they really slow at first when they just wake up? I'm just afraid he was too cold or something.

Yes this is definitely normal ! (As long as temps in your home/babies tank doesn't get below 60°-65°F & if temps do drop below this, you should get either a moonlight heat bulb or a reptile heat pad for under the tank) while Stitch was sleeping his body temp dropped as his tank temp did since he is cold blooded and this mimics what he would experience in the wild. This is also why you dont want to feed your baby as soon as he wakes up. Allow him to sit in his basking spot for at least an hour before you try to feed him so his body has time to warm up. When you held him when he woke up, your body heat DID make him warm, that's why he perked up so you were right about this ! Make sure he gets at least 12 hours of no light so he can rest. Beardies know how much heat they need but can't turn off the lights so you have to do this for them. It's great that you are doing your research on how exactly to take care.of baby Stitch !!! So many beginner reptile owners don't look this much into their new baby and they both end of suffering, so I'm so glad you are taking awesome care of your baby !!! Hope this rambling made since lol

 

[rob.kolm]

If your temps get below 65 I have been told a ceramic bulb is the way to go. I have a ceramic on a dimmer that is turned way down to keep my enclosure at a nice 70 when the house gets down to 63 at night. Ceramics let off no visible light and last way longer that filament bulbs