Continuing problem :(

[NathanNatalie3002]

The rock is only about 8cm off the ground, I have fitted lights in the enclosure so this is difficult, I will place lots of high up t-shirts and blankets around the rock incase this happens again... She does not appear to breath at all, I only know that she is alive by opening her mouth and she moves her tongue. Or if she gasps, but she isn't really doing this a lot. I am going to fill her hot water bottle now, it's 1am here. I Just hope that the treatment works, and soon. I was doing a bit of research and apparently you can suck mucous from their mouths with an open ended tube, I saw it on here fro a while back. Something to do with the Glottis? I would give it a try if recommended, but I am relucant to as she is so tiny, it may be easier on an adult dragon. If someone can shed any light on doing things like this that would be good, but I am not going to do it without advise.

Thanks again for all the thoughts I will tell her you are all thinking of her

 

[NightFury]

hmm cant say I have ever heard of that so I couldnt tell you whether or not its safe.. Might be worth looking into.

Yeah we all love beardies here and cant help but think about them

 

[NathanNatalie3002]

If she is okay I am sure it won't be long before she starts causing trouble again Can't wait She will make me pay for all those syringe feeds!

 

[NightFury]

aww im sure she probably will too. I am glad she is in good hands

 

[NathanNatalie3002]

Thanks will update tomorrow keep thinking of her

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

I would not try that on her, you could injure her. Maybe the vet could look into that but removing mucous from that area on such a small dragon would be intricate.
How is she doing tonight?

Tracie

 

[NathanNatalie3002]

Yes I won't try that then, I did think it sounded a strange thing to do as she was tiny, maybe the other one was a larger dragon, just wanted thoughts, I am just about to give her her meds! Poor girl

 

[NathanNatalie3002]

Can anyone tell me how I would go about fixing a Reptisun 10.00 tube into a wooden viv? Also place towards the basking spot at the back? Do I need a hood? Also do people use bright clear bulbs for basking as the ones I got seem to be dull.

 

[Mirthy]

If you are using a wooden viv, why not just use screws to fasten it in? Make sure that the head of the screw is on the inside of the viv so that the bolt is on the outside? this is the back of the viv my husband and I made for our dragon. We made it with hinges so it would be easier to open and get at the lighting fixtures. The heat and basking lamps are above the uvb so not in this picture but are angled so that they shine in the same direction...so that the heat and uvbs come from the same area...if that makes sense? Though, as you can see, the uvb runs almost the whole length of the viv.
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/Mirthling/Vivback1.jpg I just put a link so you don't have outside photos cluttering your ER thread. Hope that helps. We did use a drill to start the holes but it really isn't needed...it just makes it easier.


of course if it is a small uvb, my husband mentions you could try the sticky back velcro technique as demonstrated here http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/Mirthling/112sleepykato.jpg and modeled by my cat who took over my dragon's old viv. Or just use hooks hanging over the top. (don't have a picture of that one, sorry)

 

[NathanNatalie3002]

Thankyou very much, I don't have a lid on mine I am afraid. I will have to use Velcro, are they supposed to have a hood? Heard so many different things saying it should not be obstructed etc.

 

[Mirthy]

you don't want to have anything obstructing the uvb light. You do want something over the top when your dragon is feeling better to make sure she doesn't do a Houdini on you and escape. You also want to think about ventilation though. Mesh or wire top works okay. I put in side vents that are just vent covers from the hardware store. You can see a white one in the bottom of the picture with the light. The smaller glass viv had a mesh top.

 

[NathanNatalie3002]

I have 2 dragons, when the littleone got poorly I separated them into their original tank which is like this

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=beech+vivarium&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1280&bih=702&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=n4HGhK-FbF2b3M:&imgrefurl=http://www.ndaquatics.co.uk/%3Fpg%3D18&docid=CUzJWATA8vk3LM&imgurl=http://www.ndaquatics.co.uk/pics/image/Vivariums/Vivariums%252520gallery/ND_Aquatics_36x18x18_Vivarium_Beech.gif&w=285&h=215&ei=nGclT47wBMzZ8QOx5NyyBw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=313&sig=110737082646333416104&page=1&tbnh=155&tbnw=207&start=0&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0&tx=142&ty=54

I have 2 one 3ft and one 4ft. Mine have smal round vents in the top right corner and bottom left corner. Because of this style I have to fit things to the inside and drill through the back to pull the wires through. I wish I had built a custom one, but I didn't know about a lot of things until I actually got them. I want to do the best I can with these tanks, I was thinking of getting a MegaRay bulb, or would I get a reptisun 10.00 instead. I need ideas of how to lay the tank out, I amnot very creative I am in the UK and have no idea where to get the fixtures etc from or what ones I would need, I don't mind ordering from US I am sure they ship I eed pointing in the right direction.

Currently each has a stupid coil light UBV in the centre, and a basking light to the right, temps are fine but I want everything to be perfect lighting wise.

 

[NathanNatalie3002]

Update on Chacoby... Still in the same condition, except I noticed her breathing today not much, but it's a start I hope

 

[Mirthy]

the mountings for the tube lights are really not expensive if you get them from either a wal mart type store or a hard ware store. When they are designed with pets in mind, they get a lot more expensive for some reason. Both of the light fixtures in my pictures are regular fixtures for in the garage (larger one) or under the counter(smaller one) and just took off the plastic covers so there is nothing covering the actual bulb. The small one cost about 10 US dollars and the larger one is about 20 US dollars. It can be a little difficult at first just because you are moving outside of your usual comfort zone to get things done but all of this can wait until you have your girl healthy again!! No need to stress over a special mount or changing your set up drastically. When you get your tube bulb, get a fixture that fits it and plug it in and perhaps you can hang it from the fixture that's already in there? It will all be okay. You can improvise and work out a temporary solution to get her by for now. No need adding extra stress to you and her by trying to figure out how to recraft your viv. Just get her those good uvbs. I've only used reptisun tubes, myself, so I can't give you any info on the others. Sorry man.

Nice looking viv, btw We would have opted for something like that if our local pet stores had offered them.
Wishing you and your dragon the very best,
Carrie

 

[NathanNatalie3002]

Thankyou, they are really nice looking viv's, ,the only trouble is that they don't have a lid! I am thinking of converting my healthy dragons viv first, somehow improvising wih the little ones, and then revamping when she is better. If they have a UVB, do the Reptisuns give off UVA aswell? I will just get the clear bulb lights for basking then. I got a really good slate rock and I have given it to the poorly one it's really heavy and stays very warm, I want another for my healthy one now, but I can't get hold of one She currently has a branch and I don't want her getting ill if it doesn't stay as warm as the rock...

http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj553/natalietowell/?action=view&current=419381_3136124480472_1185646845_3354919_1198275976_n.jpg

These are my actual Viv's, the poorly one Chacoby is in the top one.

http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj553/natalietowell/?action=view&current=431253_3136130560624_1185646845_3354921_1078143246_n.jpg

These are my fixtures, they are the click and clip in ones (bulbs) I really am confused about what to do with the setups That's Xena under the basking!

On another note, Chacoby was breathing a bit better earlier, not much gasping, and Xena swam for the first time!