Beardie Purchase Turned into Rescue

Hey - new to the forum and really just posting to see if I've missed anything.

Purchased two beardies off of Craig's List (probably not the best way to do things, as was later revealed) and they were housed together.

Seller was in a rush to turn the over to me (I had asked if he could keep them until after Xmas for a variety of reasons, but no go) and, after a missed appointment and some extended phone contact he delivered both, along with their habitat to me at work.

I was in a bit of a rush and just did a cursory inspection - both were moving and seemed healthy, so I paid the cash and took them home.

Of course, when I got home, I saw a problem with one - tail was about 1/2 gone and necrotic/black at the lower 1/4 inch, both back feet were necrotic/black, and the ankle joint on the most necrotic foot had some sort of impact injury (Could be from transport - all accessories were still in cage).

The previous owner had been housing the two together and it quickly became obvious that the uninjured one (Tastic) had been biting the rear feet and tail of what I now considered the rescue (my kids named him Pirate - they've got pretty dark senses of humor), so we separated them and started care.

From what I've been able to determine, the best course of action at this point is a regimen of bathing and polysporin on the affected areas.

Also syringe feeding a bit of calorie-dense stuff.

Appetite seems to be okay, if a bit less than Tastic - mainly seems to enjoy live prey.

Activity is okay, but a bit lower than Tastic - climbing is a bit hindered, but Pirate manages stoically.

Left rear foot is improving - can now distinguish two claws/toes that look like they will survive and the entire foot is less black.

Right rear foot also improving - obviously going to lose the foot at the ankle, but impact injury is not as angry as it was and there doesn't seem to be any spread to the rot/necrosis/infection.

Long post, but, is there any in-home care I'm missing at this point?

Oh btw - setup is one of the standard prepackaged bearded dragon setups in the 29/30 gal size. UV and basking lights. Plenty of limbs to climb and one hidy hole - they switch sides of the cage every other day.

Kids are giving plenty of handling time and both seem super tame, so Dad's a hero right now - just want to make sure we're giving Pirate appropriate in-home care.

Almost forgot - they're about 8-10 inches (estimating for Pirate, since the tail is so short), so I'm guessing 8-9 mo (total guess) old.

Poor dragons. Those craigslist ads can often lead to obtaining some pretty neglected animals which turn into challenging rescues. I'm glad you're able to give them a better home now. I would keep them in separate housing as you've seen that they attack eachother which can cause serious harm. They will need more room than they have in short order so I'd build or buy a double tank (or two tanks) that are at least 4'x2'x2'. That will give them sufficient space even as adults, especially if they get time outside of the tank. You'll want a bright white basking light for each, getting the basking area temps to 100-105 or so and the cool side of the tank to 75-80. They should each have a T5 UVB tube above the basking area at about 12'' up. If you go with the lower power T8 UVB tube then it should be mounted 6-8'' above the basking area.

For now, I would keep everything low to make it easier on the dragon with the injuries. It can be difficult to climb while injured. Can you post some photos of them and their current habitat? You can upload them here https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ and post the photos using the XIMG button.

As far as injury treatment, you want to keep everything as clean as possible. You can use some Neosporin on the injuries to help fight off infection but be sure to use the plain kind, without pain killers. I also suggest getting some Manuka honey which will help protect and heal the injuries. If they can be seen by an experienced reptile vet, that would be a good idea as well. You can have fecal exams done to test for parasites and the wounds can get some close professional attention.

It's a good sign that they're eating. What are you offering them for food? I would try to get them well hydrated. Go a little easy on food but offer what they're willing to eat. To help hydrate them further, try dropping some warm water on their noses and see if you can get them to lick it up. Being well hydrated will help them overall.

Thanks for the quick response!

We've been offering:

Fruit and Veg - broccoli leaves and florets, strawberries, spinach (before I read about calcium-binding), and sweet potatoes (no interest). Going to expand at bit on the greens - turnip, collard, etc. and try a few other things from the "everyday" list.

Live - tried mealworms, but seemed to either irritate their digestive system or to pass through mostly undigested. Switched to crickets and they seem to love them, so I'll likely stick with them for a while.

Prepared - just for vitamins and healthy stuff, been offering juvenile beardie food. Not a big hit, but seems to disappear when I'm not looking. Also the syringe stuff that promises increased appetite and extra calories for Pirate, the injured one.

Hydration-wise, they're both drinking from water in the habitat and they're getting additional water when they bathe - drinking from bathwater may not be polite for humans, but they seem to think it's ok.

Habitat wise, we've got both heat and UV lamps, so should be good there.

Hadn't thought about parasites, but that seems like a smart thing to check.

I'll post pics and progress.

Hello,

It sounds like you have a handle on things, as well as have your hands full now too!
I am glad they are both doing pretty well & active also. Hopefully the syringed foods will help out, it usually does. The variety sounds great also!
Which UVB are you using for them?
Pictures would be great when you can get them up.
The mealies do have a harder shell & can cause impaction or digestive issues in some. Crickets or roaches are a better choice right now.
I am happy they have found a better home now! Let us know how they are adjusting.

Tracie

We seem to be fairly stable, so I re-started this thread in the Rescue discussion:

https://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=221153

I'll post updates and pics there.

Thanks for your help!