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Paker

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
5
My bearded dragon is around 1 year old and has been doing great recently with zero issues until today. Me and my girlfriend have been planning a 3 week trip for a while and are leaving tommorow so we brought vezom(the bearded dragon) over to her moms house so she could watch him while we're gone. I brought him over a day early just for him to get settled here but my girlfriend brought to my attention that he keeps turning his beard a really dark black, darker than it has ever been before as well as darkening his shoulder pads and bottom of his tail but other than that all his colors are super vibrant and hes been behaving completely fine. My guess is that maybe he's just stressed due to the new environment because as soon as we take him out and hang out with him for a while he goes completely back to normal. I'm hoping it's nothing serious but would just like some clarification or some ideas.
Snapchat-1563159507.jpg
 

Sadie

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
10,835
My bearded dragon is around 1 year old and has been doing great recently with zero issues until today. Me and my girlfriend have been planning a 3 week trip for a while and are leaving tommorow so we brought vezom(the bearded dragon) over to her moms house so she could watch him while we're gone. I brought him over a day early just for him to get settled here but my girlfriend brought to my attention that he keeps turning his beard a really dark black, darker than it has ever been before as well as darkening his shoulder pads and bottom of his tail but other than that all his colors are super vibrant and hes been behaving completely fine. My guess is that maybe he's just stressed due to the new environment because as soon as we take him out and hang out with him for a while he goes completely back to normal. I'm hoping it's nothing serious but would just like some clarification or some ideas.
View attachment 32416
He's in distress- could be the moving to the other house- but usually not so - let's go over the uvb brand and bulb where in the tank is it and surface basking temps-- how are you taking them? Digital probe thermometer is best- these things I have asked are critical especially if your leaving for 3 weeks- you want those spot on before you leave- how old is the uvb bulb-- there have been so many that have gone on vacation only to come back to find their dragon half dead
 

Paker

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
5
he uses a 100w exo terra heat bulb and we are keeping his hot side and basking area at around 31 to 33 and his cool side is at 21 the brand of uvb we use is a zoo med reptisun t5 which we installed 2 months ago and is situated across the mesh lining on the top of his tank, I also wouldn't leave if I didn't trust my gfs mom who has had lots of reptile experience before, caring for leopard geckos and a blue tongue skink.
 

Sadie

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
10,835
he uses a 100w exo terra heat bulb and we are keeping his hot side and basking area at around 31 to 33 and his cool side is at 21 the brand of uvb we use is a zoo med reptisun t5 which we installed 2 months ago and is situated across the mesh lining on the top of his tank, I also wouldn't leave if I didn't trust my gfs mom who has had lots of reptile experience before, caring for leopard geckos and a blue tongue skink.
Please increase the surface basking temps to 95 F - 100 F -- his basking temps are not hot enough to start digestion - your cool side of the tank is too cold - you want that 80 F during the day the 69 F is good for night time temps -- please get the T 5 in side the tank the screen is blocking 30% of the UVB rays -- this could be a good reason for the black bearding -- its good to get all this up to par before you go --- dragons can take a nose dive real quick leaving the owner wondering what happened -- please make sure your getting surface basking temps w/ a digital probe thermometer -- stick ons are inaccurate and give ambient temps - if your using a IR gun they are good to have but certain materials they cant read off of especially hammocks -- I am glad you trust your gfs mom
 

Paker

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
5
Please increase the surface basking temps to 95 F - 100 F -- his basking temps are not hot enough to start digestion - your cool side of the tank is too cold - you want that 80 F during the day the 69 F is good for night time temps -- please get the T 5 in side the tank the screen is blocking 30% of the UVB rays -- this could be a good reason for the black bearding -- its good to get all this up to par before you go --- dragons can take a nose dive real quick leaving the owner wondering what happened -- please make sure your getting surface basking temps w/ a digital probe thermometer -- stick ons are inaccurate and give ambient temps - if your using a IR gun they are good to have but certain materials they cant read off of especially hammocks -- I am glad you trust your gfs mom
Thanks for the insight I messed up and didn't clarify I meant 31 to 33 °C oops. I'm just still confused because he's been acting completely fine before and now is just reacting as soon as we moved him. I'm wondering maybe if it has to do with dogs at the house because he is situated in the living room right now which I intend to change so he gets a more secluded area, but maybe other animals scents such as the dogs could've stressed him out? Idk thank you for your help anyways.
 

Sadie

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
10,835
Thanks for the insight I messed up and didn't clarify I meant 31 to 33 °C oops. I'm just still confused because he's been acting completely fine before and now is just reacting as soon as we moved him. I'm wondering maybe if it has to do with dogs at the house because he is situated in the living room right now which I intend to change so he gets a more secluded area, but maybe other animals scents such as the dogs could've stressed him out? Idk thank you for your help anyways.
31c is not hot enough for digestion to start- also adjust your uvb as well- the dogs are they barking all the time? Dragons like social and will adjust to them-- you don't want to isolate him- he will go thru relocation stress so all this is coming down at one time-
 

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