A little strange

[skeeterbug97]

Sometimes around 9:30-10 pm my beardie will go to the cold side of his tank and stand there and look out of the tank. Sometimes scratching at the glass. I don't know if this is him just exploring or if he is missing his old home.
Is this a normal behavior?

 

[PatsyB]

Maybe he want out. What time do your lights go out for the night?

 

[skeeterbug97]

Some nights it is right after 10:30. It comes on at 6 am. I just recently got a timer but the problem is that I get home around 8:30 to 9 at night and I have to have a light on for me to see but it would keep him up so I have to keep his light on.

 

[Honchess]

It sounds like your dragon is only getting about 7 or 8 hours of darkness. Every one told me that our dragons shouldn't have more than 12 or so hours of light. There light/dark hours should be just about balanced. Maybe he is stressed by the short hours of darkness!
When I first got my dragon that worried me because I keep The General in the same room I sit in every evening. I'm frequently up until eleven and I wake up between 5 and 6. Her lights come on in the morning at 8 and I turn her tank lights off at eight, but MY lights are on until I go to bed. (I refuse to go to bed at 8:00 just because it's my baby's bedtime )
I solved the problem by getting a large dark blue terry cloth bath sheet (an exceptionally long, wide bath towel) and covering the tank with it. It is very heavy and, of course, dark so no light penetrates. It is now very dark inside The General's tank, no matter where she chooses to sleep. Maybe you could do something like that and he would be calmer.
That's just a thought.....

 

[skeeterbug97]

Never thought of that. Ill try it tonight.

 

[PatsyB]

Honchess is right, they need to be on a cycle, either 12 on 12 off or 14 on 10 off. Get a timer for the lights and cover the tank. If you need to have some light on when you get home, you could also try a night light. As long as it's not shinning on your beardie he might be ok. My frogs are housed in the same room with my bearded dragons and they have a red heat light that goes on an off all night long. So far this has not bothered them.

 

[skeeterbug97]

Can they see black lights?

 

[DanielE]

Yes they have a wider visual spectrum that they can see than we can. You can use a CHE though.

 

[skeeterbug97]

I already have a che bulb for his tank. Was just wondering about the black light because I have a black light in my room.

 

[DanielE]

As long as its not shining right on him you will probably be ok

 

[PatsyB]

They have something called a "3rd eye" if you look at the very top of their head you will see a scale that looks a little different, almost like there is a pin hole. That "eye" allows them to see light even if their eyes are closed and they are sleeping. This "eye" helps during the day to warn them of over head predators. If you put a blanket over your beardies head and he closes his eyes, it's because it went completely dark to him he thinks it's time to sleep, you covered his "3rd eye". I think if you had a dimly lit light in your room that wasn't directly over him, he would be fine.

I house my bearded dragons in our computer/game/reptile room. Which means that when their lights go out at 8pm and they close their eyes there is still some sort of dim room light on. We have a table lamp across the room from them and the tv is right next to Luci's tank and the frogs are about a foot away from their tanks. Once they close their eyes, they are knocked out for the count and nothing wakes them.

 

[skeeterbug97]

Ok thanks. One more thing. I got some of the coconut fiber subsrate for him because this is what the reptile store had him on but ever since i put this in he wont eat anything that is not in a food dish. He always seems to be more interested in his reflection. Does that mean anything? The only thing he will eat is the super worm that was in his food dish for a day.

 

[diegothediggy]

Ive.neva heard of.coconut fiber so im not sure what it.is but ive.not heard of any 1 using it b4. Ao im unaure weatyer its safe or.not. Staff in store will tell u anything to sell products. Sum 1 with a bit more.no on coconut fibre will hopefull post bak

 

[PatsyB]

They sure love their reflection! My little guy will be so obsessed with dancing around his tank that he can't be bothered with food sometimes. But when he's hungry he will eat, so I usually leave a bowl of worms for him.

I use coconut fiber for my frog substrate and I keep it wet and it helps keep the humidity up. You don't keep it wet do you? It is digestible in small amounts the only other risk I could think of would be the same as sand. Dust can get in his eyes and cause irritation or he could inhale it.

 

[skeeterbug97]

What kind of worms do you feed them? No I dont keep it wet. Are reptiworms good?

 

[DanielE]

Reptiworms/calciworms/Phoenix worms are a good feeder. Supers are good as well but not the best as they are high in fat and lower in calcium. Hornworms are a good treat, and silk worms are supposed to be good too. You want to avoid millworms though.

 

[Josh]

Dubia roaches are a great feeder. Easy to breed and keep. We have several sponsors of the forum that sell dubia

 

[skeeterbug97]

He hasnt pooped in the past 2-3 days. Since i started feeding him superworms. He is also eating his crickets but hasnt pooped. Should i be concerned yet? or am i just paranoid?

 

[diegothediggy]

He hasnt pooped in the past 2-3 days. Since i started feeding him superworms. He is also eating his crickets but hasnt pooped. Should i be concerned yet? or am i just paranoid?

Give him a nice warm bath that usually does the trick

 

[PatsyB]

Don't freak out just yet. Just make sure he is hydrated. Drip water on his nose in the bath, mist his greens. When mine first starting eating supers he didn't poop for a few days and then he left me a big present.