Beardie goes bonkers and goes for a run...

[Renenet]

Hi,

I'm curious about an aspect of my young beardie's behaviour that has been going on for a couple of months. She has been adult-sized for about the same amount of time. She or he (not officially sexed yet) is roughly 11 months old, though I sometimes wonder if this is an underestimate.

Occasionally, very often after basking outside or doing a poo, she goes mental and wants to go for a run. If she's in her enclosure, she'll scrabble against the glass and butt it with her nose until I let her out. I now know better than to put her in her enclosure after I've brought her in from outside and will put her straight down on the floor.

When she's out, she'll run around, skittering on the tiles, going back and forth and stopping here and there, on some mysterious lizard expedition of her own. She butts her head against skirting boards, the base of the kitchen cabinetry and on the fridge, and scratches at a particular section of wall. All these things are white, if that helps.

Sometimes she finds her own way back to her enclosure. Other times she fetches up in a corner or under the bed and doesn't seem to know what to do next.

Does anyone else's beardie do this? Any theories on why?

Thanks,
Ren

 

[SarahScales]

Haha I was petrified the first time my Bruce did this too! He's an older boy, perhaps two or three and after having a good bask out in the sun he goes absolutely off his rocker. He goes skittering around the back lawn licking everything! With Bruce, it's usually after he's had a decent 'recharge' of his batteries out in the sun. It seems like the sun gives him the equivalent of what a child gets on a sugar high. I think you're probably finding that she is just feeling a bit frisky and frivolous with all this new energy to spend and just wants to run it out. Personally, I'm not worried.

 

[Renenet]

Thanks. I'm not worried about the behaviour - my beardie is usually such a lazy lizard the exercise is probably good for her! I'm just curious about what it is she's doing.

I forgot to mention that like your lizard, she licks everything. That I think I understand: it's just their way of exploring things and deciding if they're good to eat.

 

[Sissy]

It's easy enough to check and see if it's a boy or girl at this age. lift the tail it's either one lump or two... my big boy about the same age exhibits all of these same behaviours more so than ever at the moment as it's breeding season.. .Sure it's nothing to worry about. I thought the licks were kisses...lol...

Thanks. I'm not worried about the behaviour - my beardie is usually such a lazy lizard the exercise is probably good for her! I'm just curious about what it is she's doing.

I forgot to mention that like your lizard, she licks everything. That I think I understand: it's just their way of exploring things and deciding if they're good to eat.

 

[Renenet]

She was scratching at the glass this morning, again after doing a poo, so I let her out. She ran under the bed and stopped for quite some time, so I put her back. She wasn't satisfied with that outing and renewed her attack on the glass. When I let her out, she once again ended up in a dark corner, so once again I put her back... seconds later she started scratching again! Unfortunately I was due at uni and to leave her in her enclosure. She obviously continued scrabbling vigorously at the glass after I left because her salad was everywhere when I returned.

I'll check what's under his/her skirts when uni is over for the year.

 

[Jeannine]

beardies learn, make sure your not making a rod for your back in teaching them a habit which might become a nuisance later on