New beardie stressed?

[ReducedLunch]

We picked up a new fella yesterday and this is our first bearded dragon. He came in to rescue after his owner lost her home. Yesterday when we went to pick him up he seemed pretty chill in the foster home and he ran up his perch and on to his foster mom's hand to come out as soon as she opened the cage. Very cool guy.

So, we get him home and set up his cage. I left everything the way it was except I took out a water bowl that literally took up 1/3 of the cage. His foster mom says he soaks himself every day but the size of this thing was seriously absurd. Being that he had now moved to two new homes in less than a week, I set him up, fed him, and left him alone. Several hours later I went to make sure the tank was heating up and he was just hanging out on his perch. After I left I heard a ruckus and I peeked back in to find him frantically glass surfing. It was 11pm so I just shut the lights off and he went to bed.

This morning he was calm, he had eaten his food, everything looked normal. I gave him fresh veggies and after I left the room I could hear him glass surfing again. We left the house for the day and when we came home he was hanging out and calm. I could tell he'd been calm during the day because he hadn't touched his food and everything was clean (he always scatters his food when he's trying to get out). We fed him some dubias, watched him eat, and then again when we left he started with the glass surfing again. I covered the side of the cage to decrease visual stimuli but every time I go in there he starts up again.

So, is he stressed, or does he just want to come out and visit?

 

[Hdrydr31]

Welcome and glad you gave this fella a home.. He may just want to come out as they are super social critters, he may need to go to the bathroom (he may have used the water bowl to go...) All 3 of mine refuse to go in their tanks and wait for bath time...My male will really surf when he has to go.. He also could just be a bit stressed and getting used to his new home.. Since he's a male they tend to be more rowdy lol Mine has been a surfing fool but he also knows there is a female dragon in the house and he wants to get friendly lol..
But I would say since his previous owner handled him alot he may just want to come out and be with you all. Just be careful they are very fast and will lick everything so make sure there isn't anything he could eat..

 

[ReducedLunch]

I took him out last night after the kids went to bed. He just sat in my lap for about 30 minutes, didn't try to run around, and then I put him in the bathtub for a soak. He went to bed happily with no glass surfing so I'm going to chalk it up to me being overly cautious with his transition period

 

[PatsyB]

Sounds like a normal boy! Taking him out at night before he goes to bed is a real good bonding ritual. When they are sleepy their guard is down so they pretty much let you do anything.

One thing I want to mention is the bath. After bath you want to make sure they are really dried of and dry before the lights go out for the night and things cool down. He could get a respiratory infection from being in the water and then going to a cool tank. Just make sure his lights are on for a few hours when you put him back in