Odd Behaviors: Scratching, Running Into Walls, Hiding in Corners?

[Eben's Dragons]

Hey all,

I wanted to ask you about an odd behavior that I've noticed in my year-old female beardy. I adopted her from a previous owner about three months ago (with whom she was very neglected, poor husbandry, etc.). Fortunately, I have spent a great deal of time with her, hand-training, and handling carefully so she trusts me quite a bit now.

I try to take her out once a day at least for some exercise in my studio apt, because almost like clockwork, around two hours after she wakes up, she starts scratching at the walls of her vivarium (this usually dies down towards the afternoon). I've trained her to come to the sliding glass if she wants to come out (which she does about 50% of the time), and she'll crawl on to my hand. Usually, when I take her out and let her roam, she does one of two things:

1. Runs as fast as she can in a straight line until she bumps her head on a wall.

2. Roams for about five minutes, then finds a dark corner, stuffs her head in, and goes to sleep (even at high temps in midday).

I want her to get the exercise she needs (she's getting a little bit tubby now), but I'm perplexed by these behaviors. She seems to want to go out, but when she does, she just finds a dark place and goes to sleep. Also, is it normal for dragons to bump into walls like that? I would understand -- a white wall is hardly something they would encounter in the wild. Her vision seems fine, though she did have a coil bulb with her previous owner (I swapped for a merc vapor). Maybe she's just short-sighted? Also, in reference to the scratching -- she's still young, and I've heard they can grow out of that. I thought she might be too hot, because she usually does it on the cool side of the enclosure. But temps on the cool side are around 75 deg F, and the hot side is usually 90-95 (ambient). Also, she will do this scratching, then go right back to basking, so I don't think it's a temp issue.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Hdrydr31]

Nice set up you have there for her!
They have bad vision close up and are notorious for bumping into things or missing live prey in front of themselves. But distance vision is amazing.
Have you had her vetted to see if she has any parasites?
It is Spring (lol depending on where you are lol I'm in WI and currently in a BIG winter storm) so this is when they are looking for mates..

 

[PatsyB]

Sounds like normal behavior. Mine always want to come out and when they do they find a corner to tuck into. We used to close the doors between rooms and my boy used to run full speed into the door like it was magically supposed to open!

 

[Twinkie13]

Off topic....well kinda. How did you train her to come to the glass when she wants out?

My dude is real tame and perfectly healthy and can be handled by a 1 year old baby.....but the practice you describe I've never seen.

I mean maybe like once, bit I'm gone at work most the days....curious how this occurred for you. Good luck and hope all is well and I thank you for your response

 

[Hdrydr31]

Not sure but it depends on the dragon and what you reward your fella when he goes to the door.. I guess anything can become "trained" but its yet to really be known how their brains work..

 

[Twinkie13]

I mean, yea I could get my guy to come if I held a treat out. I mean by the way the poster describes it, it seemed tremendous.

I'm likely embellishing the act in my head a bit....perhaps the way a monitor would act