Do you know what a dragons basking habits should be?
Does your dragon hide a lot of the day, and bask only at certain times?.
Many do make the association of a bearded dragon and basking all day, and seem to think this is right. When in fact, a healthy dragon should only really bask in bursts.
With a longer stint happening in the morning. This would be to aid the energising process, alongside the UVB exposure for the same reason.
If you have left a nice cool enclosure overnight (NO heat at all), you should find your dragon is up early in order to soak up that needed heat and uvb as soon as it’s turned on. Very much as their wild cousins would.
They then eat, glass surf, dig. Whatever a dragons want is 
If you use overnight heat though. This can have a very negative effect on a dragon thermoregulatory process.
An already warm dragon, probably won’t get up until much later to bask.
Because, well, there is no point is there.
The poor dragon has had no chance to thermoregulate over night due to the keeper insisting the “dragon is cold”. When in fact as low as 50f/10c would not be an issue what so ever.
An already warm dragon, probably won’t get up until much later to bask.
Because, well, there is no point is there.
The poor dragon has had no chance to thermoregulate over night due to the keeper insisting the “dragon is cold”. When in fact as low as 50f/10c would not be an issue what so ever.
Remember. It’s not a constant low temp as soon as the lights go out. It’s only probably at its lowest early hours of the morning. For a few hours. And it’s absolutely zero issues to the dragon.
A warm dragon overnight in turn can mess up the digestive system. Add to laziness. Even illness.
A warm dragon overnight in turn can mess up the digestive system. Add to laziness. Even illness.
Also. In captivity, routine is how they react to such events.
So here, a plug timer is a must. On/off at the same time every single day.
You can’t be having you heat and UV coming on at different times every day. This will not help matters.
Same time, everyday = far less issues.
So here, a plug timer is a must. On/off at the same time every single day.
You can’t be having you heat and UV coming on at different times every day. This will not help matters.
Same time, everyday = far less issues.
Further more with the basking; Of course they’ll have a basking session after eating. Sometimes eating greens doesn’t warrant a ‘basking to digest‘ session. But almost certainly it will happen after livefood.
With another basking session later afternoon early evening.
With another basking session later afternoon early evening.
If you dragon is basking in that main beam all day, I’d definitely look at your enrichment options;
- Diet
- Temperature to cool
- Correct UVB and mounted correctly
- Unnecessary overnight heat
Many will say “every dragon is different”, this is not really the case at all.
It’s only the keepers that differ.
Your dragon acts the way it does because of what you provide in your husbandry. Simple as that really.
And a dragons basic evolutionary needs and actions will be present, only if the conditions provided in that setup and keepers husbandry allow such.
It’s only the keepers that differ.
Your dragon acts the way it does because of what you provide in your husbandry. Simple as that really.
And a dragons basic evolutionary needs and actions will be present, only if the conditions provided in that setup and keepers husbandry allow such.
– Pete
Award winning Published author of Herpetoculture.
Featuring articles on many species within,
Practical Reptile Keeping magazine (some linked on site as .pdf files)
Canadian Hobbyist magazine
Reptiles magazine
Also, Reptile/Amphibian blog article writer and reptile specialist for;
Exotic Direct (links on this site)
Reptile Apartment
Public talker at Reptile meetings, for various organisations.
Founder of several huge Reptile and Amphibian related Facebook groups (links on this site)
Reptile Reports – “Lizard Personality of the year” 2016 & 2017
