Afraid my baby is dying...

[EXOTIXSA]

Just a tip when bathing really small dragons, the bath might freak them out completely, I try and make them feel safer by putting a towel down in the water so they have some grip most of the time I use a few bricks in the tub so they don't feel like they're slipping around all over the show, and they have a place to relax and soak.

 

[Roja]

Just a tip when bathing really small dragons, the bath might freak them out completely, I try and make them feel safer by putting a towel down in the water so they have some grip most of the time I use a few bricks in the tub so they don't feel like they're slipping around all over the show, and they have a place to relax and soak.

Great idea. Makes perfect sense. Thank you.

 

[Roja]

Hello!

GREAT great news I see!
Thanks Diane for joining.
That is incredible, what a huge turnaround for your little one. You will most definitely need to upgrade his tank to at least a 30 gallon for better temperature control.
So, he is eating now!
Well, to answer your question as to why it affected him in that manner, is as Diane had explained his eyes felt like they had sand in them & it was basically like a sunburn on the cornea. Also, emitting UVC will cause nausea & sometimes vomiting when exposed even to low levels of it. That type of wavelength will kill living cells & damage DNA. I do not know why Zilla/ESU continues to put out such terrible quality of lights, it is bothersome & very frustrating.
Definitely try to get the temp gun or digital probe as suggested because the temperatures are very important for his overall health & well being. At least he is eating now, that is wonderful.

Tracie

Thanks, Traci. She's not eating yet. (I keep calling Roja a "she" because when we were originally told it was a desert swift we though she must be a girl since she didnt' have any green, which is the male color).

The crickets perked her up, but she still hasn't eaten anything.

Hopefully today.

 

[Roja]

Its good she was soo interested, but make sure not to leave feeders in the tank either overnight or for long periods. Beardies are very heavy sleepers and crix like to nibble on them, the last thing you want atm is an infected bite wound ontop of everything!

The stick on strip is on taking the tamp of the glass its stuck to, ill bet my bottom dollar the basking spot is actually too high. Please get a digital thermometer today, they are only about $12 from wallmart but the overall health of your new baby really depends on having acurite temps.

Im also unsure about the neodymium bulb, i think i remember some issues when using that as a basking bulb, but it was a converstaion a few years ago, something about the element and light refraction. Stick to the normal household bulbs (not the engery saving kind)

And no, the basking and UVB needs to be on 12-14 hours during the day and nothing at night. 70c is perfect for a nighttime temp, but again this could be inaccurite, the glass of the tank is 70 at night.

Oops! I left the crickets in there and didn't get this reply until now. I'll make sure to not do that again. She either ate them or they are inside the rock hideaway.

What wattage of bulb do you suggest for basking? The Neodymium bulb is sold as a basking bulb: "Sun Glo Neodymium Basking Bulbs - These bulbs are broad spectrum daylight basking lamps. The UVA rays stimulate breeding behavior and contribute to reptiles’ physiological well-being. Great for use in addition to the Night Glo or Heat Glo Exo Terra bulbs for a 24 hour cycle."

Do you guys think I need to get rid of that one too!? :shock: I haven't read any adverse reports about it yet -- does anyone know anything? Boy I've wasted a lot of money this week! :?

Do you think I should just get a bigger tank than a 30 gallon? I don't have a budget where I can do things the most expensive way. If a 30 gallon won't last long before I have to upgrade again... can I just one that she can be in for the next year or so? What do you think?

Thanks again so much everyone!!

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

Sounds like your little one is coming around. That is great! She is a cutie! :wink:
As far as I know there is nothing wrong with that basking bulb that you are currently using. I believe you said it was a 50W.. you don't want any more wattage than that in a 10 gallon tank. Without a proper thermometer it is hard to say what your actual basking temps are right now. I think Buggsy mentioned the AcuRite digital thermometer w/long wire and probe... these can be picked up at Walmart or Lowes for about $12. If you are going to upgrade and you are on a budget, I would recommend going with the minimum size tank(or larger) for an adult beardie so that you do not have to upgrade again. This would be the 40 gallon breeder tank(36"L x 18"D x 16"H). You can always check your local craigslist to see if you can pick up a used one.
So you don't know if she actually ate the crickets or not? That's wonderful that she is showing interest in them. That's a good sign.
As Buggsy suggested... try not to leave any crickets in the tank. They do like to bite beardies which can result in some pretty nasty little sores.
Do try and pick up some of the babyfood as suggested, in case she is not eating the crickets. She really needs some nutrients to get her strength back up. If she is not taking the babyfood when dropped on her nose, maybe try rubbing some on the sides of her mouth to try and get her to lick it. You can also try and gently slip the tip of the syringe in the crack on the side of her mouth. Once they get a taste they will usually start licking.
Good Luck!

 

[Buggsy]

Righty -o i think i was getting confused with another bulb avaliable! The sun glos are good basking bulbs, but put out ALOT of heat (and are terribly expensive for what they are!

I would just measure the temps accuritly as you may need a lower wattage, or different type of bulb, each shape etc will emmitt differnt heat, i have a selection of wattages and styles to suit the season.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

How is your baby doing? I hope that she is having a good day today, & hopefully has eaten!
The Sun Glo will be ok. As far the Neodymium bulb, it isn't the best just simply because of the coating which is put on it, lowers the Color Rendering Index reading which means it is actually "not as bright as it seems" but the coating "makes it seem brighter than it actually is"... Does that make sense? Most of the time, reptiles do not mind it & no, it is not harmful. So, it will be fine.
Since you will be using the Reptisun 10 along with that, it will be perfectly fine right now.
How are the temperatures in the tank?

Tracie

 

[diamc]

Glad to hear that you're seeing some improvements and she is showing an interest in crickets. Have you tried hand feeding them? If not, you might want to try that. If that doesn't work, then I also recommend that you get some baby food into her.

The Sun Glo's throw out a lot of heat, so that is concerning in a 10 gallon tank since you don't have an accurate thermometer. Once you get the digital with probe, then you'll know if you need to drop down a wattage and can even use a standard household light bulb as the basking bulb.

Please be sure to keep us updated.

 

[Roja]

NOT Sunglo.. It's "All Living Things" 50 watt neodymium Basking Bulb with UVA. They may be basically the same thing.

SO... Little Roja seems to have made a COMPLETE recovery. She's eating (just finished 5 little powdered crickets). Still doesn't want her veggies -- typical child. :lol:

She's been getting her bath daily.. seems less freaked about it the last 2 days. Seems to be a little bigger, too.

One thing is she seems to have gotten darker over the last few days. She's always darker in color after a bath, but she was light tan with some light brick red on the sides. Now she seems really dark and has almost a cheetah pattern on her underside. I didnt' notice it so much before.
Before:
(4 days ago)

<-- notice not much of a pattern on her underside.. very light markings.


Now: (4 mins ago)

<--see how distinct the pattern is?

Hope that's nothing bad..

Haven't gotten the other bulb yet.. ordering it today. Do I need a ballast too or does it come in one?

Thanks for everything, guys.. loving it here!

 

[diamc]

Wow, she looks much better. I do see the markings on her belly, sometimes called "stress marks." They could be from different things but I'm thinking that it may be from her temps not being balanced out. Were you able to get the thermometer with probe yet? If not, I would definitely recommend going to Walmart and picking up their AcuRite digital with probe. If you want a picture of it, let me know and I will post one.

She has a very beautiful pattern on her back.

You will need to get a hood for the Repti-Sun fluorescent bulb, you could get a standard fluorescent light at Walmart, Home Depot or Lowe's, the same size bulb that you ordered, then pop the plastic cover off and take out the bulb that comes with it, put in the UVB and leave the plastic cover off.

 

[Roja]

Wow, she looks much better. I do see the markings on her belly, sometimes called "stress marks." They could be from different things but I'm thinking that it may be from her temps not being balanced out. Were you able to get the thermometer with probe yet? If not, I would definitely recommend going to Walmart and picking up their AcuRite digital with probe. If you want a picture of it, let me know and I will post one.

She has a very beautiful pattern on her back.

You will need to get a hood for the Repti-Sun fluorescent bulb, you could get a standard fluorescent light at Walmart, Home Depot or Lowe's, the same size bulb that you ordered, then pop the plastic cover off and take out the bulb that comes with it, put in the UVB and leave the plastic cover off.

Yes if you could post a photo of the probe that would be helpful.

She didn't start getting dark till right after the bath yesterday. She was dark when I got her out and has been that way since. Should I hold off on the baths for awhile?

 

[diamc]

Here's a picture of it. It should be in the area where the outdoor plastic thermometers are sold, probably in the garden center. Once you get it, I'll explain how to use it, it's very easy.

I would certainly not stop the baths, if the temps in the tank are not allowing her to thermo-regulate properly, she needs to be kept well hydrated. Make sure you use a cloth in the bottom of the bath though to help her feel more secure. With a 10 gallon tank, it's just about impossible to get a good basking and good cool side temp. I'm thinking that the 50 watt bulb is actually too hot, they react to temperatures so that could very well be the reason for the stress marks. Or the cool side could be too warm making it not comfortable for her to want to be on that side.

Bet you are glad that you turned off the UVB bulb, isn't it amazing how quickly she improved?

 

[Drache613]

Hello,


Just checking in to see how your baby is doing now? I hope that she has made a full recovery by now & is eating again.
Did you find the digital probe at Walmart yet? As Diane suggested, the temperatures are very important to their overall health & basking behavior..

Keep us posted on her. I am happy that you acted so quickly when it came to that light, also.

Tracie

 

[articwolfgirl]

seems like the baby made a full recovery congrats