Need input about rescuing beardie

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jgolden4958

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I thought I posted this yesterday but it must not have went through. Anyway. My fiancé and I were going through Craigslist pets for fun like we always do and we came across a guy selling a male beardie with full setup. The first sign that maybe he wasn't as healthy as he should be was the main picture. It must have been at night time and he had a red night light in his tank. So I read on about the horrible things he does, feeding him lettuce and stink bugs are just a few. I looked at his pictures and he has NO UVB. My fiancé emailed him and asked if he had a UVB for him and that if he didn't he could get MBD and get really sick. The guy told him to f*** off. I've been text messaging him and it just keeps getting worse with every text. I need to get him away from this guy but I want input about trying to get him to eat healthy and some ways to try to get him healthier in the UVB area. We have an extra one here that were gonna get on him right away but any sort of help with a rescue would be appreciated. He's supposedly a year old. I don't know how to put pictures on here but he's smaller than my 7 month old.
 

Esther19

BD.org Addict
You already have a healthy beardie, so you know a lot about caring for them. Liquid calcium and good UVB will help if he has MBD.
 

jgolden4958

Member
Original Poster
We just got him. His front right arm barely moves. The liquid calcium is better than the powder? Also it seems like the guy never cleaned his cage so all his legs have this green coat on them. I gave him a good 15 minute bath but it was just plain water and didn't really do much. Any suggestions?
 

Taterbug

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If you are unsure how to go about it, i'd consider taking him to a good reptile vet and getting a work up done on him. This will be the most assured way of knowing his health status. A good vet should also be able to help you set up a plan for nutrition and any other rehabs he may need. Blood work can help determine his calcium status as well as organ and immune function.

Liquid calcium is more readily absorbed than powdered calcium, yes. If he hasn't had access to UVB, good nutrition or supplements though it is possible that he may get sick from "proper care" if changes are made too drastically.

Maybe if you share some photos of him (good views from the top, side and of his head) some more experienced folks on here can help you as well. Good luck with him.
 

CooperDragon

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Long soaks in warm water will help too. Keep that up frequently (at least once a day). My rescue gets 40-60 min baths every morning. I used Dr Bronner's baby mild soap in the bath and that helped loosen a lot of the crust. Syringes full of water can help apply a little bit of force to help as well.
 

Esther19

BD.org Addict
You can also rub him gently with a soft toothbrush for babies. So glad you brought him home. Thank you, and I know the little guy thanks you, too.
 

jgolden4958

Member
Original Poster
We are planning on taking him to the vet. The "calcium" the guy was feeding him was just a cheap multivitamin so I threw it away. He's already looking happier. I don't know how to upload pictures or I would have already. :| Under all the crud he looks like a citrus.
 

Taterbug

BD.org Addict
I just saw you other post so I thought I'd answer the questions you asked there.

Dragons can be surprisingly tough, so you may have great luck rehabilitating him. Malnutrition and lack of UVB can cause some serious unseen problems in addition the the normal ones like deformity. Organ damage, weakened immune system, digestive problems and blood imbalances maybe present, and it would also be a good idea to get him screened for parasites. Getting some probiotics and even bee pollen may be a good idea to help get his immune system get stronger and unless the vet insists/counts are very high (and again is a good reptile vet) it may be best to wait until he is settled to start any antibiotics - they are very stressful on the body.

You'll want to ensure he is hydrated before feeding much food, especially protein - it can be dangerous for a dehydrated and malnourished animal.

Also, keep him in a separate room from your other dragon(s), work with him last and wash thoroughly before and after for 30-90days. You want to minimize the risk of spreading any diseases.

I wish you the best with him and that recovers with you!
 

jgolden4958

Member
Original Poster
Just wanted to give all of you who answered a quick update of what's been going on. We took 'him' to the vet and for one, found out 'he' was a she. I felt stupid not even looking and assuming that the guy who had her before knew. It's been a little over a month since we've had her and she is the SWEETEST animal I have ever owned. The vet put her on 3 different medicines and we finish the last of it tomorrow (yay!). He estimated her around 4 years old, which made me sad because she's smaller than our not even one year old. She is so much more active now. Before she would hide under her little table thing the guy gave us (we made her a fake rock that she basks on but she doesn't like laying under it yet) and not move much. Every day is getting a little better. The hardest part right now is getting her to eat the greens. Honestly, I think she can't see well and that's part of the problem. When she's walking around she occasionally stops and just licks at the air like she thinks there's something there but there's not. When I catch her doing it and ask her what she's doing she nonchalantly licks the ground like, "I'm just seeing what's on the ground, mom". She's really taken a liking to me and it makes my fiancé jealous but all the other reptiles we have seem to like him more so that's ok. She's my baby and I couldn't have asked for anything better. She cuddles and not once have we seen her beard. She has been a champ through all the medicines, baths, pokes and prods by the vet, and still is the sweetest thing. Thanks everyone for all your input. I love this site and all the help I get from it.
 
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