Everyone:

So, I have a new juvie beardie (Nurupa) in my classroom's reptile sanctuary. She recently developed the belly stress marks. I thought that it was directly related to husbandry issues (basking is 95%, cool is ambient temp around 80). Since she was a juvie, I increased feeding to twice a day (she loves THAT) with plenty of deep green veggies and squash. The UV is on a timer, its on 10 hours a day. She is in a zoomed tall roughly 18 X 12 X 12 enclosure.

BUT, my students and I noticed that her stress marks would IMMEDIATELY go away (within MINUTES) when she is picked up and held. She would stay quietly on top of someone's head, all day. When she returns to her enclosure, the stress marks are back. They are convinced that Nurupa just wants attention. But I think its still husbandry related.

Perhaps she needs a larger enclosure now??

Annie