jessimarie
Member
So I am a junior in highschool and since my freshman year I have been taking care of all the reptiles in the science department. Mainly Bozo and Sancho, two adult male bearded dragons. They have always been healthy and happy because I usually keep them on a strict eating and exercise schedule because they mean the world to me. About two months ago my anxiety got really bad and was pulled from school and put into independent study. I wasnt able to feed or take care of them during this time but I did type up a schedule and provided the money for food for them, however the teacher hasnt been feeding them as he said he would. When I went to pick them up for the summer today I was horrified. Sancho is practically skin and bones , his spine all the way to his tail is very very pronounced, and couldnt move to his food dish when I went to feed him. Bozo isnt as bad but he is starting to get there. I need to know what to do for them. I looked up bearded dragon diets and I have been doing it wrong this whole time. I am determined to get them back to health. I have measured and weighed each of them to determine how much they should weigh,(which I need help with calculating), and how much they should eat. I intend to weigh them weekly to make sure they are gaining weight. I was also wondering if i could still give them a bath now, separately of course, but their cages were full of feces and they are covered and I want to get them clean, but if I need to wait for their health I will. I really would like some help with the proper lighting feeding schedule and diet and exercise, and I know it's a lot to do but these guys honestly mean the world to me and I am so crushed by what they have got to. Please help me. Thank you so much.
UPDATE
They are not housed together, they are both males so I don't want any fights. I can get some pictures of their setups for you guys. I know that for Sancho (the worst one) his heating lamp bulb died while I was gone and they just replaced it with a regular bulb so I know I need to get a new one. I'm going on a huge shopping trip tomorrow for everything they are going to need. I will also post pictures of them. I am not sure of their age as I have only been caring for them for 3 years, so older than that. Their setups have been changed since I was gone, Bozo went from paper towel base to sand which I am not happy about, but I think that the cages are too small for them, I am looking into getting lager ones now but it is quite pricey.
If you go to this link it has pictures of their cages and themselves. https://www.flickr.com/photos/119353513@N07/with/14301216492
Bozo is 16 1/2 inches and weighs 5.9 oz.
Sancho is 17.2 inches and weighs 4.6 oz.
UPDATE
I have updates the pictures if the new thing I have gotten them and set them up with.
Today I was able to take out both of their cages and rinse and spray them with a 10% bleach solution to kill anything that could have been in them, it took me at least 30 minutes to do each and since I was outside I took one at a time and pit them in a shallow crate to get direct sunlight. They also had a spot to go if them got hot but they seemed to love it! I got Sancho a new light, a Reptisun UVB 10.0 I think? It was the only one at my pet store that have off UVB rays, however it doesn't give off much heat, so I was wondering if he needs another light for heat too? I have an extra one from my leopard gecko, but it is colored, I have a picture of both bulbs and their packaging on the previous link. I do have heating pads underneath the terry cloth bedding inside of their cages, I took out the heating rocks because they seemed to be burning the stomachs and I was worried. I couldn't find any of the reptiboost recommended so I bought another supplement that I have a picture posted of, is that one alright to use? I got Sancho to eat a syringe of chicken and sweet potato baby food mixed with just a super small amount of the supplement and have him a bath where he drank a ton of water. Should I feed him more than that? I have a picture of the syringe also. I also bought crickets, and waxworms. The crickets I am gutloading currently with lettuce squash and a small pice of carrot. I got bozo kale and yellow squash and he ate some but not too much, how to I properly prepare the squash for him? I had it cut smaller that the space between his eyes but to I need to cook it first? And bozo has a rock to club on it was just drying still in the picture.
I HAVE POSTED HERE FOR EXTRA ADIVE AND HELP. ORIGINALLY POSTED IN BEARDIE ER.
UPDATE
They are not housed together, they are both males so I don't want any fights. I can get some pictures of their setups for you guys. I know that for Sancho (the worst one) his heating lamp bulb died while I was gone and they just replaced it with a regular bulb so I know I need to get a new one. I'm going on a huge shopping trip tomorrow for everything they are going to need. I will also post pictures of them. I am not sure of their age as I have only been caring for them for 3 years, so older than that. Their setups have been changed since I was gone, Bozo went from paper towel base to sand which I am not happy about, but I think that the cages are too small for them, I am looking into getting lager ones now but it is quite pricey.
If you go to this link it has pictures of their cages and themselves. https://www.flickr.com/photos/119353513@N07/with/14301216492
Bozo is 16 1/2 inches and weighs 5.9 oz.
Sancho is 17.2 inches and weighs 4.6 oz.
UPDATE
I have updates the pictures if the new thing I have gotten them and set them up with.
Today I was able to take out both of their cages and rinse and spray them with a 10% bleach solution to kill anything that could have been in them, it took me at least 30 minutes to do each and since I was outside I took one at a time and pit them in a shallow crate to get direct sunlight. They also had a spot to go if them got hot but they seemed to love it! I got Sancho a new light, a Reptisun UVB 10.0 I think? It was the only one at my pet store that have off UVB rays, however it doesn't give off much heat, so I was wondering if he needs another light for heat too? I have an extra one from my leopard gecko, but it is colored, I have a picture of both bulbs and their packaging on the previous link. I do have heating pads underneath the terry cloth bedding inside of their cages, I took out the heating rocks because they seemed to be burning the stomachs and I was worried. I couldn't find any of the reptiboost recommended so I bought another supplement that I have a picture posted of, is that one alright to use? I got Sancho to eat a syringe of chicken and sweet potato baby food mixed with just a super small amount of the supplement and have him a bath where he drank a ton of water. Should I feed him more than that? I have a picture of the syringe also. I also bought crickets, and waxworms. The crickets I am gutloading currently with lettuce squash and a small pice of carrot. I got bozo kale and yellow squash and he ate some but not too much, how to I properly prepare the squash for him? I had it cut smaller that the space between his eyes but to I need to cook it first? And bozo has a rock to club on it was just drying still in the picture.
I HAVE POSTED HERE FOR EXTRA ADIVE AND HELP. ORIGINALLY POSTED IN BEARDIE ER.
