Bearded Dragon worries.

[dragon lady]

ditto.....nice dragon!!!!:lol:

 

[JKretzs613]

Hello,

Just a suggestion for when your dragon comes out of brumation. The inrared heat lamp is not good to be used with a UVB source. It is not bright enough to protect the eyes against the UVB emission or stimulate good active behavior. I would recommend a halogen spot or flood light for a brighter basking light.
As Chris said, it would be good to weigh him, & record the date so you can keep track & make sure he doesn't start losing weight.
He looks quite comfy on his branch though.


Tracie

 

[TheBoga]

So if I use a halogen flood or spot light this will be fine for light and heat in conjuntion with the UV tube and get rid of the reptile infra red lamp?

When we say a flood light just a normal "white" globe like the once used to light up your driveway on those sensor spot lights etc?

I did have a flood/spot light in there originally, it was a normal flood light but had a red lens. Party flood light possibly? It was an 80w but I found it got really hot compared to an 80w reptile infra red lamp.

 

[JasonL]

You just need it really bright so the dragons retina contracts and the eye isn't damaged by the UV leaving your dragon like this. Flouros just arn't bright enough.

 

[TheBoga]

So I'm better off getting rid of the infra red reptile globe and replacing it with a general white spotlight for brightness as well as to give heat?

My fluoro is a Reptapet 10.0 36W, and you're saying I then need a spotlight to be brighter than this?

Sorry for all the questions.

 

[JasonL]

just get rid of the red light, and use a bright spot bulb. If your enclosure is set up correctly, it will ned no night heating.

 

[TheBoga]

Thanks once again for the help.

 

[reptalica]

He may not feed untill September, though he may bask during his brumation and may eat alittle during basking periods, then go into brumation again. It is very important he isn't disturbed during the brumation period, as he will lower his heart / metabolic rate as to not use up excess energy, handling him during this time will "wake him up" so to speak, though he still won't eat, and will cause weight loss.

Good point Jason. This is the exact situation I am in with my beardie at the moment. So basically provide food everyday like we do and just ride out the bad weather so to speak.

Thank u.

 

[TheBoga]

Yeah I'll ride it out. As much as I'd love a bit more interaction with him I understand I'll have to wait. (Only had him home for three days then he goes off to sleep):lol:

He still hasn't moved off his branch though, but he has been watching me a bit more when I get home from work then dozes off again.

No eating, no basking, just sitting on his branch up the cooler end.

 

[TheBoga]

Well today I was cleaning out my beardies tank, he did the usual open one eye to take a look at me as he's been doing the past 14 or so days (brumating), but then today he opened both eyes lifted his head up climbed down and pranced around like he was the king of his tank, (which he is as he lives alone:lol, I left him for a while then I noticed him looking under a branch/log pretty intensely as there was a cricket under there. He ate this then jumped up onto another branch full of energy.

I dusted about 10 crickets which he ate quickly then he ate another ten and climbed back up onto a branch but this time under his basking lamp. So he's gone from the cool end to the warm end. Last night the cool end got to about 16.5*.

I noticed he ate some reptile bark in his feeding frenzy, he chewed on it a bit but I didn't have time to get it from him, should I get rid of this stuff from his enclosure or is it safe to say he'll just poop it out?

Surely in the wild bits of the "environment" end up in their stomachs and not just food.

 

[TheBoga]

5 hours later after a big feed and a long bask under the basking lamp he's back asleep up the cool end.:lol:

I think it will get down to at least 16* at the spot he's at tonight it's going to be a cold night here.

 

[venus]

Good to hear your fella had a feed.

Its only 2 degrees where I am, 16 inside and thats with the heater on.......no insulation in this house lol

 

[TheBoga]

It got to 5* overnight outside, my Beardy is in the garage in his tank, I think it gets as cold in the garage sometimes.

He's back in the colder area still but not in a deep sleep as he was for the 14 days.

 

[TheBoga]

Four hours later he's back up the warm end tunder his basking lamp.

I've got some water and vegies/mealworms in a container plus two crickets wandering around but I'm not putting any more crickets in until he's walking around the enclosure, he doesn't eat if he's perched on a branch.

Not sure if I should get him out to handle him or whether I should leave him alone in case he's still in a semi-brumation state. Will he lose his tameness? I don't know.

 

[Gecko_ProCs]

mine will go and stay at the cool end when theres something new in the tank and he doesnt like it
he sulks haha the other one doesnt mind a bit of change.

 

[Chris1]

regarding the substrate i'd get it out of there.

play sand from bunnings is alot safer (only $5 fir a 20kg bag) and fun to dig in.

 

[TheBoga]

OK. So, ditch the bark substrate and get some play sand from Bunnings? So sand is safe? Much cheaper indeed!

I've noticed that whilst he's brumating his colour changes to become a lot lighter/yellow. When he got up and started stomping around the warm end and feeding he was a much darker brown and black in spots.

Is the colour change natural?

 

[Aussietoby]

The colour change also happens to my beardie. I'm just guessing darker colours absorb the heat better.

Mine has recently come out of her sleep (started around 2 and a half weeks ago). She seems to be up the hot end and moving about, not sure if she just wants a feed.

 

[TheBoga]

Mine did that for a day, had a good feed and back up the cool end into a deep sleep.

 

[dragon lady]

My biggest slept solid for the last 16 days....got up yesterday!....
least handling as possible....offer feed...they will eat if hungry