# Depressed bearded dragon??



## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

My bearded dragon is healthy with no problems as far as the vets see. She's always staying in one position for days on end only moves when I feed her. Is that normal? If i didn't move her around and make her go under the spot bulb she would literally just stay in one place for a week or so. Any advice? Should I give her to someone who can dedicate their time to get her out and stay with her? I have a small baby so it's a bit difficult at the moment but even when i do let her out she stays in one place and doesn't move... Can she be depressed?? Is there anything i can do to make her happy? She used to oash on the window to be let out when she was younger and i used to let her out every time she did thsy and still would if she did but she doesn't any more.


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## London Geko lover (Nov 16, 2011)

*hi*

Hi sounds like your bearded dragons going thro the seasons, mine r the same at the moment, they call the brumation a form of hibernation, 
i would google brumation so u no whats going on with your bearded dragon
good luck


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

The problem is she's been like that even through summer. She's not been right since she became ill a few years ago due to her eggs not being able to come out so she had to have an operation to get spayed and since then she's not really been herself.


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## London Geko lover (Nov 16, 2011)

*hi*

whats your temps? how many hours are the uvb light on 4?


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

Both spot bulb and UVB light turn on at 8am and turn off at 8pm the vet told me to keep it between 35c-40c under the spot bulb and its about 19c in the cool end. I've had her for 3 years.


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## XtremeReptiles (Aug 10, 2011)

Have you though of trying to stimulate her as if you are just giving the food to her, why would she need to move?? I would hide the food at feeding time to give her something to do also try giving her a bath or if you have a iphone or ipod then buy an app called ant crusher i believe this keeps then very stimulated hope this helps : victory:


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## nickcradd067 (Jan 27, 2010)

This is slightly off topic perhaps but could be something similar.

I have just recently bought a new leopard gecko from a really experienced and well respected breeder however she is remaining very reclusive and I have only seen her once or twice in almost 3 weeks now!

I wonder if the change of environment, smell, RUB etc could have stressed her out and made her act this way? I think it is very likely and I am sure in your example the operation and illness has had a long term affect on your beardie.


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## XtremeReptiles (Aug 10, 2011)

nickcradd067 said:


> This is slightly off topic perhaps but could be something similar.
> 
> I have just recently bought a new leopard gecko from a really experienced and well respected breeder however she is remaining very reclusive and I have only seen her once or twice in almost 3 weeks now!
> 
> I wonder if the change of environment, smell, RUB etc could have stressed her out and made her act this way? I think it is very likely and I am sure in your example the operation and illness has had a long term affect on your beardie.


Tbh mate leos do hide alot anyway, let alone the first 3 weeks try putting an old top inside the viv to try and get it used to your scent.


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

Isn't the I phone app teasing her? How do I go about hiding her food? She only eats locust and the hop around the cage anyway so she moves about to get them. I'll see if I can get a pic of her set up on here.


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hpho...0562304936_505694935_8615115_1748174174_n.jpg

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hpho...30567774936_505694935_8615127_551722494_n.jpg


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## dickvansheepcake (Jul 8, 2009)

Does she go up on to that highest bit of bamboo root and just stay there? If yes then I'd strongly suggest taking it out. Beardies often instinctively go to the highest point in the viv as they assume it'll be the warmest. Try rearranging the decor so the highest point is the basking spot and you may see some improvement 


Jenny


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

Hi I re arranged it like this a few days ago as she was sitting under the wood tunnel for 4 days without moving.


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## Debbie1962 (Dec 5, 2008)

Try upping your temps another 5 degrees.


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

It doesn't make a difference she was on 45c before the vet told to lower it.


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## 123dragon (Jan 15, 2011)

beardies dont really do much anyway lol, 
mine will spend 2 or 3 days on his basking rock at a time, he basks, sleeps, displays and as i hand feed he eats up there


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## xxx-dztini-xxx (May 12, 2009)

i have a female who is much the same, she barely moves and is getting too fat now, i get conflicting evidence as she is still young to feed her as much as she likes but shes so fat and does no excersise! 
ive tried lots of things such as making her hunt her locust which she doesnt bother, she does come out and will go and find a corner to sleep under :bash: hmmm not sure what to do...
my male is completely the opposite, maybe its a female thing...:whistling2:


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## 123dragon (Jan 15, 2011)

xxx-dztini-xxx said:


> i have a female who is much the same, she barely moves and is getting too fat now, i get conflicting evidence as she is still young to feed her as much as she likes but shes so fat and does no excersise!
> ive tried lots of things such as making her hunt her locust which she doesnt bother, she does come out and will go and find a corner to sleep under :bash: hmmm not sure what to do...
> my male is completely the opposite, maybe its a female thing...:whistling2:


if she doesnt bother to hunt then just stop hand feeding, she wont want to miss more than a couple meals before she drags herself up to go hunting .....
i think i will have to do the same with mine to be honest


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

123dragon said:


> if she doesnt bother to hunt then just stop hand feeding, she wont want to miss more than a couple meals before she drags herself up to go hunting .....
> i think i will have to do the same with mine to be honest



I doubt that would work. Mine starved her self for 5 month ( we went to the vets regularly to make sure she wasn't loosing too much weight in this experiment, but after 5 months we decided it was best to just feed her what she likes) no word of a lie with *nothing* to eat at all because I tried to feed her on salad and crickets which she hates both. As soon as i gave her one locust she nearly took my finger off but tried a cricket again and nothing just closed her eyes. So she's only fed on locusts


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## SUPER HANS (Jun 18, 2011)

123dragon said:


> beardies dont really do much anyway lol,
> mine will spend 2 or 3 days on his basking rock at a time, he basks, sleeps, displays and as i hand feed he eats up there


This.

My beard just sits on his log for most of the day looking grumpy. Not sure what you expect it to be doing but aslong as its eating, basking, pooping etc. she should be fine.


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## scoob78 (Jun 25, 2010)

robstaine said:


> My bearded dragon is healthy with no problems as far as the vets see. She's always staying in one position for days on end only moves when I feed her. Is that normal? If i didn't move her around and make her go under the spot bulb she would literally just stay in one place for a week or so. Any advice? Should I give her to someone who can dedicate their time to get her out and stay with her? I have a small baby so it's a bit difficult at the moment but even when i do let her out she stays in one place and doesn't move... Can she be depressed?? Is there anything i can do to make her happy? She used to oash on the window to be let out when she was younger and i used to let her out every time she did thsy and still would if she did but she doesn't any more.


 sounds like my beardie. mine had to be spayed nearly a year ago after only having her for a couple of months from the previous owner. she sits there all day, wont move unless i move her. mine also wont eat and has to be force fed due to the vet noticing her liver was fatty when he spayed her. the most exercise mine will do is a couple of steps on the sofa, she wont do anything if i put her on the floor. i dont really know what mine was like before she got spayed as i hadnt had her long,and was only getting to know her. its a nightmare.


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

scoob78 said:


> sounds like my beardie. mine had to be spayed nearly a year ago after only having her for a couple of months from the previous owner. she sits there all day, wont move unless i move her. mine also wont eat and has to be force fed due to the vet noticing her liver was fatty when he spayed her. the most exercise mine will do is a couple of steps on the sofa, she wont do anything if i put her on the floor. i dont really know what mine was like before she got spayed as i hadnt had her long,and was only getting to know her. its a nightmare.


Tell me about it, I sometimes think she would be happy with someone else but yours is doing the same so it makes me feel a bit better cos it's not something we are doing.


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## 123dragon (Jan 15, 2011)

robstaine said:


> I doubt that would work. Mine starved her self for 5 month ( we went to the vets regularly to make sure she wasn't loosing too much weight in this experiment, but after 5 months we decided it was best to just feed her what she likes) no word of a lie with *nothing* to eat at all because I tried to feed her on salad and crickets which she hates both. As soon as i gave her one locust she nearly took my finger off but tried a cricket again and nothing just closed her eyes. So she's only fed on locusts


if you read who i qouted you would see i was talking to "xxx-dztini-xxx"
she beardie is eating fine but is relying on being hand fed. 
i just told her if she stops hand feeding after 2 or 3 days she will hunt 
i dont agree with starving a beardie to make it eat somthing it doesnt want i think it is cruel but she will be providing the foods it likes every day and it will choose to hunt


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## Bradley (Aug 26, 2009)

What uv light are yo using and when was it last changed? sometimes this can hapen when the uv light is near the end of its life span!


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

It's the one I was recommended can't remember the name but it's what everyone uses. It was bought about 6months ago. Even if I change it it makes no difference as i don't leave it longer than 7/8months before changing it and even when new one is put in she still acts the same.


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## Joshdunn082901 (Mar 6, 2021)

Hi there! I saw your having a little problem with your beardie? Well kahlieese my bearded has the exactly the same problem! She'll get right up to the edge of the bowl and just sit there for days on end... it got so bad that she wouldn't even eat and now I have to syringe feed her baby food😅. Turns out she was just being stubborn because I wasn't paying enough attention to her she stopped eating out of stubbornness just so I would hold her! I was starting a new job and going to college at the time so it was really stressful. I didn't make a lot of time to really dedicate an hour or two just for her but once I got my schedule steady finally I started to pay attention to her more and now she's so happy! I'm a new bearded dragon owner and there were a few mistakes I made when I first got here one of them being tank humidity it's really hard to keep the humidity right especially since I live in Colorado!


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

Joshdunn082901 said:


> Hi there! I saw your having a little problem with your beardie? Well kahlieese my bearded has the exactly the same problem! She'll get right up to the edge of the bowl and just sit there for days on end... it got so bad that she wouldn't even eat and now I have to syringe feed her baby food😅. Turns out she was just being stubborn because I wasn't paying enough attention to her she stopped eating out of stubbornness just so I would hold her! I was starting a new job and going to college at the time so it was really stressful. I didn't make a lot of time to really dedicate an hour or two just for her but once I got my schedule steady finally I started to pay attention to her more and now she's so happy! I'm a new bearded dragon owner and there were a few mistakes I made when I first got here one of them being tank humidity it's really hard to keep the humidity right especially since I live in Colorado!


You realise this is an ancient thread from 2012?


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