Lack of vitamin D?

[BeardieBaby]

I have posted before that my beardie has now got mostly a black beard and he has stress marks on his belly and is darker in general. This was a few weeks ago, and it still has not gone away. I heard from another bearded dragon website that this can indicate a lack of Vitamin D. If this is true, I have no idea why my beardie would be lacking it. I have a reptisun 10.0(inside the cage), I try to take him outside everyday as long as the sun is out, and I dust his crickets with Vitamin D 3-4x a week. The rest of the days I just dust the crickets with a Phosphorous free vitamin. Does anyone know anything about this? Thanks!!

 

[Germ]

I have never run into the marks, inaccurately called 'Stress Marks' being a symptom of the lack of Vit D3.

 

[BeardieBaby]

Okay, that is good to know! I just wonder what is going on with him....hmm..

 

[Germ]

Maybe double check your temps

 

[BeardieBaby]

Baby has a basking spot on his rock which gets to 100-105 degrees, but he spends most of his time on his hammock.....should I move the basking spot to the hammock where he spends most of his time or is it okay if he isn't basking all the time? I figure if I move it to the hammock, he will definitely be warmer and if he gets to hot he can always move. What is your opinion Germ? Or if anyone else has an opinion, let me know! Thanks!

 

[Germ]

You should have a basking spot set up that is in the vicinity of 110F.

 

[Chris Baez Jr.]

Don't the males get the black beard, and 'sometimes' the black runs down towards the belly?

Not trying to hijack the thread, but just trying to clear this point!

 

[Germ]

Both male & female will black beard, but you are correct in that it is generally the males in their mating ritual that will often have it extend down onto their front torso.