Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My new baby/juvenile bearded dragon about 3 inches SVL has only been with me for 2 days now. Is it unusual to have babies sleep during the day? Both eyes closed and laying flat on the substrate (in my case paper towels) with his head propped on his feeding bowl. He does this for about 1-2 hours in his 13 hour day when the lights are on. He's normally active otherwise. I worry that he is sick. He eats about 2-3 crickets a day and a bit of salad but after 2-3 crickets he ignores them. They are the apropriate size in that they are smaller than width of eyes and my temps are 105 at basking and around 78-82 on the cooler parts. His stool does not stink and it is not too loose so I think he doesn't have parasites, but I'm getting a fecal done come monday when the vet opens up. Could he be bromonating?

Thanks

P.S. I have a reptison 5.0 bulb on him for the 13 hours a day.

I'd make the basking spot higher, 110-115. Ambient 90ish on the hot side. A UVB 5 should be closer than 12" with no screen etc. in between. 2 days is too early to tell but he should eat more crickets.

Mine ate crickets as soon as I brought her home for some reason, and she ate a lot, too. I guess every bearded dragon is different, but if he doesn't eat more than two or three after a week, I'd be concern and would collect his feces to take to the vet for some fecal exam to see if he has any parasites.

So I think I know the explanation for her behavior. While she was "napping" she suddenly shot up ran to her favorite basking spot opened her mouth and thrashed her head side to side and threw up a feces shaped vomit that had the veggies i put in there yesterday, mostly digested.. brown and gooey. I also noticed a partially digested cricket head sticking out of the gooey mass. It freaked me out so much and I can't believe I can't take her to the vet until monday!!! I dont think its a digestion issue because the temperatures are right and she did poop earlier today. After she threw up she layed there for a while, i thought she was going to pass but after an hour she got up and wondered her cage. I took her out and gave her a warm bath and she drank alot of the water. She seems alot better now. I'm going to get even smaller crickets then the crickets I have been feeding her (although I have only been feeding her crickets turned horizontally that fit between her eyes). I also moved the basking lamp a little bit closer to give temps of 108 in her basking spot. Should I try feeding her or wait until the vet? I dont have a fecal sample to give the vet unless she poo's but I dont think she will without any food in her system. Any suggesstions?

That's OK! If he is eating, feed him, and you can get fecal sample that way.