Rescue Beardies

Hi I'm Nikole and I'm new to the forums .
I've been researching bearded dragons for quite some time and was going to buy one at the end of sept. Silly me I looked on the local ad boards and seen a couple of beardies for sale inc a viv so I went and got them.
Now technically I did buy them but they are most definitely rescue beardies and I'm looking for some advice I've lurked the forums for a bit but yeh no two beardies are the same.
So i picked them up on friday night. Yoshi (38cm and 120g) and Izzie (37cm 100g) both apparently nearly 2 yr old!!!!!!!!! They are siblings but havent mated (thankfully but probs due to major malnutrition and possible infetility/no energy) They were living in their own muck and what I think was calci-sand. They didnt even have a heat lamp as the bulb had blown over a week ago! You can see how this is looking already. She also left the viv open for them to parade around the living room where her 3 cats and dog were! I fed them crickets on saturday and they scoffed about 25 the crickets were no larger than the space between their eyes. I was a happy mama.
Then I got to work on the viv. I ditched the sand got a new uvb bulb and heat lamp. Arcardia 12% uvb tube and 60w heat lamp with 40 degree basking spot and bulb on thermostat with probe at the cold end at 28 degree. At night everything is turned off and temps are about 21 degrees as I leave the heating on in the house.
Later that day Yoshi passed about 5 undigested crickets Izzies poop was normal. Now I know this could of been the poor heat/husbandary previously so I've let it slide. But now its Tues night and neither Izzie or Yoshi have eaten since those crickets. I've offered them greens, carrots, even bought those dragon pellets, more crickets but nothing seems to interest them. They shut their eyes and turn their heads when I try to hand feed. Yoshi hadn't been moving well so I put them in the bath and WOW Izzie passed a huge poop with you guessed it ... sand! And Yoshi had human hairs coming out of him!!! Ugh I'm mad all over again.
So that's my story so far.
I'm worried as these two are so so small they really cant afford not to eat but I can't get them to. I tried syringes with pureed veg too but nothing. My plan is to let them settle a few days as maybe the new viv set up has stressed them and give them daily baths to aid in these bowel movements in case of impaction. If they don't eat by friday im going to vet.
I will get a fecal sample of each done next wk too I'll be surprised if it comes back clean!
Any ideas or anyone else experienced anything like this? I've had these guys not even a week and I'm a mum to a toddler but the love I have for these fragile little things is crazy big!
Ps O o i meant to add I will be separating them into seperate vivs asap I'm making my own so hopefully be sorted in a week max.
http://imgur.com/sJVI55L - pic of them in the bath so skinny its so sad

Oh those poor babies Keep them hydrated and go slow on the protein even though you may want to feed them so much because they are so skinny. I would get Dubia roaches if you can where you live, butterworms, any soft feeder to make it easier to digest. Hornworms would be really good too. Once they start putting on weight you can try some super worms. Give them greens and put water on them. You may want to look into getting some electrolytes for them also.

Good luck with them! and thank you for saving them!

Also, you may want to try some liquid calcium if they aren't really eating on their own much. You can also get them some critical care and syringe feed them that.

Here are the links for the electrolytes, Calcium and critical care:

http://www.beardeddragon.co/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=61

http://www.beardeddragon.co/index.php?route=product/product&path=61&product_id=57

http://www.beardeddragon.co/index.php?route=product/product&path=61&product_id=117

Oh my gosh. They are so lucky you took them home. I would wait a few weeks before a fecal exam. Relocation stress causes a spike in the parasite counts. Also, they need to be in better shape before they take the parasite meds, which are quite harsh on their systems.

As lauraj said, adequate hydration is essential to their recovery. Offer them water orally with the syringe, as wel as daily baths. You can add a touch of unsweetened juice if you'd like. Dribble it over their lips so they can lick it off. You might gently part their lips at the side a put in a few drops, just so they know what they're missing if they don't lick. It is an acquired skill, and may take a bit for them to catch on.They might also enjoy a slurry made in the blender, using greens, squash or whatever beardie veggies you have, and a bit of liquid to made it fit for syringe feeding. You may need to strain it , as well. The critical care is a great suggestion.

Please let us know what else we can do to help, and keep us posted on their progress.

Thanks for the tips guys
Its horrible i wake upevery morning wondering if they make it through the night ive taken today off work and ill go buy a syringe with a plastic tip and try putting in the side of their mouths - great tip!
Once i get something in them ill be alot happier. I heard calci worms are great are they as easily digestable? If not ill stick to the others you mentioned.
And brilliant ill get some critical care if i manage to get something into them.
Some people are so cruel 100g?! These beardies are nearly 2! Ugh still so mad.
Thanks again for the advice will let you know how i get on

Yes, calciworms are great.

Thanks guys
Went to vet who said yep pretty small - smallest 2 yr olds hes seen so they most definitely cannot go without food any longer. I managed to get 2ml into each beardie today I combined calcium with chicken and veg baby food. After the 2nd ml they struggled so i took that as my cue to stop. How much should I be giving them? They are teeny tiny would 2ml twice a day be ok?
Im waiting on critical care arriving now so hopefully I can keep feeding them until they settle and start eating on their own.
Will pop back to vets in a couple wks to get a check over and fecals.
When I fed Izzie her jaw clicked when she opened her mouth, both have signs of mdb I'm guessing this could be related? She opens her mouth no problem and she had eaten crickets on saturday.
Had another bath today and more calci sand came out!!! Hopefully they can flush it out soon poor babies.

what are you using for calcium? Did you order some liquid?

Currently I'm using exo terra's calcium and d3 and mixing it into chicken and veg babyfood I have plain calcium powder too they had a small useless uvb light up until I got them should I swap to plain calcium now seeing as they have the right set up now? Tomorrow Im going to try the calci worms. I've had a look for the liquid calcium im in the UK and finding it hard to come by. I might call the vet again tomorrow and see if they have a stock of them they have been so helpful so far Do you know where I could get it online in uk laura or is there any other name it uses? Id happily order from US its just delivery time not sure how much time these little ones have
Wait I've found something does this look like it would do? Looks more like a water soluble thing though?

http://www.vetark.co.uk/Shop/Reptiles/Supplements/Zolcal-D-liquid-calcium.aspx

Yes, that looks like it will work! Sorry I didn't realize you were in the UK

So glad you rescued these poor beardies- Keep trying to get food into them. There is definitely hope. I bought a similar "rescue" only 2 weeks ago and she is now thriving. Like yours, she is small, 36cm but was even thinner, 83 grams when I got her. The family had kept her on sand in a 10 gallon tank for 9 years. She's an old lady dragon! She had never had a bath but she must have had some nutrition in the beginning because she doesn't have major mbd.

I also fully expected to find her dead in her tank the first few mornings. It was pretty much impossible to get water/electrolytes or critical care food slurry into her. She was terrified of baths. It was the 3rd day before I got her to drink from an eyedropper. Once she figured out that I was giving her water she sucked it down until I got worried and stopped her. The day after that she seemed to understand that I was trying to feed her. I had to hand feed her romaine (cos) lettuce at first because that seemed to be the only food she understood. It was about 5 days before she passed urates and could start eating dubias and hornworms etc. She didn't seem to recognise them as food at first either. Once she understood what food was, she ate everything we put in front of her. 2 weeks later she weighs 231 grams. She eats 4 times a day. The bad news is: she poops 4 times a day too. Lol.

Anyway, my point is don't give up. Once you get them eating the progress is unbelievable.

It's ok Laura. Thanks I will get that ordered today

Thanks for sharing your story thistle and wow even smaller than my two i didn't know that was possible. Glad to hear you've had so much progress in 2 weeks! I'm feeling optimistic now and no will never give up on these two I have never had so much love as I do for these little beardies they are so special and so trusting given the state of them.

Good news - their second feed last night went well and Izzie didnt put up as much of a fight. This morning they had their bath and not alot of sand in their poos so were getting there I hope Their feed this morning was great Yoshi scoffed 4 or 5 ml!!! Izzie had 2.5 ml I even mistook Izzie for Yoshi this afternoon as she had a little double chin going on

congrats on the rescues, i myself am working with my rescue baby who was very thin as well. can't get a weight on her as i have not been able to find my scale since i moved (her story is under "wow just wow") I am glad to hear they are eating, my girl is touching superworms and reptaboost but so far that is it. i still wake up every day and wonder if she made it through the night, The beardies are the first things i look in on after my dogs go outside. Did your vet ever say anything about the clicking when eating? just curious because my girl started doing that. i am praying it's not an upper respitory infection because that could spred through all my reptiles (10 lizards and a snake). I was so worried about Xena that i took her to work with me every day where i could feed her small amounts multiple times a day, it ddefinately drove all the dogs at work crazy but now she is moving around more and when i pull the repta boost out she is going nuts in her cage trying to get out to come and get it. keeping my fingers crossed for a speedy recovery for you. Oh, you might try a couple wax worms until your calcium worms come in they are soft bodied as well. and some of my beardies like them and some don't.

So glad Yoshi and Izzy are improving. I think that these rescue beardies must be extra sweet...actually seem to be grateful. I let my Sonnet fall asleep on my shoulder one night and now she won't go to sleep until I let her do it on my shoulder every night. Even if it's late enough that her light has gone off, I hear scratch scratch on her tank until I take her out. If it's past her bedtime she falls asleep on my shoulder immediately. She's a very sound sleeper so I can just tuck her back in her tank after that. Be careful what your little sweeties train you to do. :lol: I never thought I would love a lizard so much.

Argo I get what you mean. These beardies are my main priority just now I check in on them before I even wake my daughter haha. Izzies clicky jaw has stopped vet said it could have been her chomping on the plastic syringe because on her first day here it didnt click while eating crickets and it isnt constant. I've tried to listen out for it again and see if it is the syringe but typically it's not happening -.-
Haha thistle yes I've heard some stories about these damn beardies We literally are their slaves aren't we. I put a shoe box as a temporary hide and both of them love it they scoot on off to bed when I turn the lights off. I'll be sad to separate them as the do seem to get on but I know that will change once Yoshi realises he's hit maturity/if he hits it.
Today we had ZERO SAND in their poops Yay! Theyre still not eating alone but not they are lapping up the slurry from the syringe rather than needing to put it in their mouths. I'm hoping it's still relocation stress because these poor guys have been uphauled and had their viv changed now new people etc etc. They're alot more lively though when I take them out they are much more squirmy and always up on all fours I'm going to weigh them tonight before their bath hoping for a few gs at least.
This morning Yoshi had 2.5ml but Izzie had 4ml. It doesnt seem like alot but these little tummy are tiny.