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My tegu started jumping up and attacking his megaray bulb. He is 4 years old and has never done this before. Ive turned it off and he's been sleeping so I thought, OK I guess he just wanted them off to brumate, but he will wake up randomly and scratch around. Then I'll turn the lights back on and he will be fine for a couple of hours then start jumping directly at it head butting it until I turn it off.
I asked about this in a Facebook group and was advised to buy a new bulb as he might see something about it that I can't and it bothers him.
The new megaray was installed on 11-4 at 8am when his lights normally come on. I fed him mice and quail chicks, then he was just chillin all day after that. Lights went off at normal time of 8pm.
The next day was uneventful. I didn't feed him and he was quiet all day. Lights on from 8am-8pm
Today, on the other hand, lights on at 8am, offered a duck egg (his absolute favorite) this morning and he won't touch it. I got him out for a bit but he won't sit still he is very hyper. I put him back in his enclosure after an hour or so to warm back up and hopefully eat his egg, and an hour later he starts attacking the new bulb.
I am now officially at a loss. I have no idea how to proceed.
Just some more info just in case. He was hatched late September so his brumation schedule has normally been to sleep through the summer and be awake during winter, at least this has been his norm so far. This is why I'm not sure if he is actually trying to brumate or if something is wrong. He has been a slow grower due to brumating 6 months a year, including his first year of life, which I understand is not uncommon but doesn't always happen. Normally during this time he will burrow down and his lights being on or off seemed to have no effect until now. He has been a bit small for his age and growing more slowly, but has always looked incredibly healthy. I feed him mostly whole prey, he is a healthy weight, he sheds perfectly, and his jowels are nice and big now.
Should I just leave it off even when he starts scratching around? Is he just trying to get comfortable perhaps, or is this a sign or something else? I can't have him doing this while I'm not home. What happens when he actually busts the bulb? I can't risk putting one of those cages around the light fixture because he will then be able to grab onto something and cause even more damage, possibly ripping the fixture off and starting a fire. I can't move the bulb farther away as it is already 18" up from his basking spot. Thanks in advance for any advice.
I'm really stressed out over here so any advice at all would be appreciated.
I asked about this in a Facebook group and was advised to buy a new bulb as he might see something about it that I can't and it bothers him.
The new megaray was installed on 11-4 at 8am when his lights normally come on. I fed him mice and quail chicks, then he was just chillin all day after that. Lights went off at normal time of 8pm.
The next day was uneventful. I didn't feed him and he was quiet all day. Lights on from 8am-8pm
Today, on the other hand, lights on at 8am, offered a duck egg (his absolute favorite) this morning and he won't touch it. I got him out for a bit but he won't sit still he is very hyper. I put him back in his enclosure after an hour or so to warm back up and hopefully eat his egg, and an hour later he starts attacking the new bulb.
I am now officially at a loss. I have no idea how to proceed.
Just some more info just in case. He was hatched late September so his brumation schedule has normally been to sleep through the summer and be awake during winter, at least this has been his norm so far. This is why I'm not sure if he is actually trying to brumate or if something is wrong. He has been a slow grower due to brumating 6 months a year, including his first year of life, which I understand is not uncommon but doesn't always happen. Normally during this time he will burrow down and his lights being on or off seemed to have no effect until now. He has been a bit small for his age and growing more slowly, but has always looked incredibly healthy. I feed him mostly whole prey, he is a healthy weight, he sheds perfectly, and his jowels are nice and big now.
Should I just leave it off even when he starts scratching around? Is he just trying to get comfortable perhaps, or is this a sign or something else? I can't have him doing this while I'm not home. What happens when he actually busts the bulb? I can't risk putting one of those cages around the light fixture because he will then be able to grab onto something and cause even more damage, possibly ripping the fixture off and starting a fire. I can't move the bulb farther away as it is already 18" up from his basking spot. Thanks in advance for any advice.
I'm really stressed out over here so any advice at all would be appreciated.
