Fear and Aggression Help

[SylvainJoly]

Hey everyone I’m new here so thanks for having me!

I am open to any suggestions on how to help my beardie be less scared and nervous. For reference Evo is almost a year old and ever since I bought him he has been super skiddish and it was a lot of work to get him to where he is but I feel like I’ve hit a roadblock.

Recently he has been exceptionally good and relaxed but randomly out of nowhere he will be absolutely terrified of me or anything that moves and will fully puff at me if I go near him. Most of the time in the house he will be super dark and head down whenever he sees someone else in the house but after taking him out he is usually good because he recognizes it’s me probably from sent. Any suggestions with this? For reference here are the things I have already tried;
-changing UV bulb
-more time to run around the house
-moving enclosure to or away from windows
-spending more time with him/exposing him to more
-taking him to places
-changing diet around
-giving him baths (he doesn’t like to swim but he is happy after)
-changing temperature and basking spots
-giving him lots of space

I do notice that he only acts that way the morning after he fell asleep on the floor in a particular part of the house, in addition he’s been refusing to eat his greens lately so he’s been on a bit of a hunger strike but this doesn’t seems to be correlated, please help thanks!

 

[Sadie]

Hey everyone I’m new here so thanks for having me!

I am open to any suggestions on how to help my beardie be less scared and nervous. For reference Evo is almost a year old and ever since I bought him he has been super skiddish and it was a lot of work to get him to where he is but I feel like I’ve hit a roadblock.

Recently he has been exceptionally good and relaxed but randomly out of nowhere he will be absolutely terrified of me or anything that moves and will fully puff at me if I go near him. Most of the time in the house he will be super dark and head down whenever he sees someone else in the house but after taking him out he is usually good because he recognizes it’s me probably from sent. Any suggestions with this? For reference here are the things I have already tried;
-changing UV bulb
-more time to run around the house
-moving enclosure to or away from windows
-spending more time with him/exposing him to more
-taking him to places
-changing diet around
-giving him baths (he doesn’t like to swim but he is happy after)
-changing temperature and basking spots
-giving him lots of space

I do notice that he only acts that way the morning after he fell asleep on the floor in a particular part of the house, in addition he’s been refusing to eat his greens lately so he’s been on a bit of a hunger strike but this doesn’t seems to be correlated, please help thanks!

Please go over brand and bulb of uvb-- coil or long tube fixture? Basking bulb is a solid clear bright white bulb? How are you getting surface basking temps? Stick ons are inaccurate - these are extremely important - we need to start there - is he sporting any stress marks?

 

[SylvainJoly]

Please go over brand and bulb of uvb-- coil or long tube fixture? Basking bulb is a solid clear bright white bulb? How are you getting surface basking temps? Stick ons are inaccurate - these are extremely important - we need to start there - is he sporting any stress marks?

Hey Sadie thanks for the response,

I don’t know the brand of bulb but it’s the same one my girlfriend has with her beardie and he is just fine, I’ve tried different bulbs and that doesn’t seem to have any effect
the colour is like a white but probably on the bluer side, the regular lamp is straight white, I use a stick on thermometer but it’s at the same elevation and distance where he would be basking on his stick. Usually reads anywhere from 89 - 95
Stress marks are absolutely there (he’s puffing at me when out of the tank)

 

[Sadie]

Hey Sadie thanks for the response,

I don’t know the brand of bulb but it’s the same one my girlfriend has with her beardie and he is just fine, I’ve tried different bulbs and that doesn’t seem to have any effect
the colour is like a white but probably on the bluer side, the regular lamp is straight white, I use a stick on thermometer but it’s at the same elevation and distance where he would be basking on his stick. Usually reads anywhere from 89 - 95
Stress marks are absolutely there (he’s puffing at me when out of the tank)

Please look on the bulb it self or take a picture of it and the writing- No coils please-- surface basking temps should be 105-110-- stick ons are inaccurate please get 2 digital probe thermometers the stick on is giving you ambient temps- any bulbs that have color or off white yellowish are not good- no daytime bulbs they have a coating on them not good for the eyes-

 

[SylvainJoly]

Please look on the bulb it self or take a picture of it and the writing- No coils please-- surface basking temps should be 105-110-- stick ons are inaccurate please get 2 digital probe thermometers the stick on is giving you ambient temps- any bulbs that have color or off white yellowish are not good- no daytime bulbs they have a coating on them not good for the eyes-

Okay I will get back to you on the bulb when I get home thanks for the help

 

[SylvainJoly]

Okay I will get back to you on the bulb when I get home thanks for the help

 

[Sadie]

Please get rid of the coil- they are inadequate and will cause all kinds of health problems- I am going to post 3 uvb's please lick one- for a 40+ gallon tank a 24" fixture is good-
Zoo med comes w/ a 5.0 bulb you want a 10.0 22" reptisun T 5
https://petmountain.com/products/zoo-med-reptisun-t5-ho-high-output-terrarium-hood
22" https://petmountain.com/products/zoo-med-reptisun-10-0-uvb-t5-ho-high-output-fluorescent-bulb
Or this one can be found at PetSmart you want a 12% 24 watt bulb
https://www.pangeareptile.com/products/arcadia-prot5-12-uvb-bulb-with-hood
Or this one you want the 2 ft 24" fixture you need to change the bulb out to the one posted above https://hydrobuilder.com/sunblaster-nanotech-t5-ho-fixture-with-6400k-lamp.html- please get one as soon as you can post back on here when you get it I will help you get it placed and distanced for the screen on the tank-- what are you using for a basking bulb?

 

[SylvainJoly]

Please get rid of the coil- they are inadequate and will cause all kinds of health problems- I am going to post 3 uvb's please lick one- for a 40+ gallon tank a 24" fixture is good-
Zoo med comes w/ a 5.0 bulb you want a 10.0 22" reptisun T 5
https://petmountain.com/products/zoo-med-reptisun-t5-ho-high-output-terrarium-hood
22" https://petmountain.com/products/zoo-med-reptisun-10-0-uvb-t5-ho-high-output-fluorescent-bulb
Or this one can be found at PetSmart you want a 12% 24 watt bulb
https://www.pangeareptile.com/products/arcadia-prot5-12-uvb-bulb-with-hood
Or this one you want the 2 ft 24" fixture you need to change the bulb out to the one posted above https://hydrobuilder.com/sunblaster-nanotech-t5-ho-fixture-with-6400k-lamp.html- please get one as soon as you can post back on here when you get it I will help you get it placed and distanced for the screen on the tank-- what are you using for a basking bulb?

Awesome thank you I will get back to you once I have one.

 

[Josh]

Welcome to the forum!