Bearded dragon swelling does not eat shedding.

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MarkZ

Member
Hello everyone, couple of weeks a go i purchased my first beardie. Like i understood previous owner didnt take care of it so im upgraded lights and other stuff. Started to feed with proper food.
At this moment im using
4ft x2 x2
Main light arcadia 12% 30"
Basking bulb 75w arcadia
Now i have a question.
When i took her i found black spot on her joint after i started to see that she started to swell in others parts except knee..
She does not eat properly and does not move when she tries it looks like shes shaking her ends..
Im worry that something is wrong with her..
Today I've done bath to her shee pooed but still does not move :/ any advice please thank you
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/lp4blpab0ywq63l/AACBzY5xuwHtDyShyEQ_2edwa
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
The lack of movement is a little concerning. She looks like she's tired or stressed. Good that she isn't showing a black beard though. Her arms and legs are about to shed and the swelling is likely related. They will swell up to help loosen the skin and then reduce back to normal when the shed is done. Hopefully once the shed is done she will start to feel better and start eating a bit, especially when combined with improved lighting and environment.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Hi there, among other things she's probably dehydrated. Get an eyedropper or spray bottle and drip some water on her snout. Drip, stop, repeat. She may not respond at first but be patient.
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

That is a nice looking dragon! I hope the swelling is just related to shedding. I would keep
your eyes open for continued swelling in the case it turns out to be gout.
Your lighting looks good, so that should help her out a lot. I agree, that is great she hasn't
exhibited a black beard.
She could have some hind end weakness from lack of proper UVB possibly.
What foods are you offering her thus far?

Tracie
 

MarkZ

Member
Original Poster
Usually im buying mix of vegies carrots brocoli blackberries, sometomes ccrickefs and superworms. Giving komodo vits and earth pro supplements
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Great, I hope she is eating her greens & veggies, too. Which greens does she like?
As an adult, she can get by with 40-50 insects weekly. For calcium, 3 or so times per week,
unless she is having some metabolic bone issues. Vitamins are usually only needed 1, maybe
2 times per week as long as they are eating pretty well.

Tracie
 

MarkZ

Member
Original Poster
Previous food she was receiving is lettuce and dried mealworms. So at this moment she does not like veggies and even barely eats at all if i give her super worms she eats couple of them but does not taking any veg.. Those vits with calci and d3 on packaging says i can give it daily.. I will make photo later. Hope she will get better cuz in the morning i found her in same place where i left her after bath.
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
She is malnourished , and likely has some health issues ....

Is there a reptile vet nearby ?
... i think it's worth having a wellness assessment done including fetal floats, xrays and bloodwork (to check liver , kidney and uric acid , vitD3 and calcium levels. This way you'll have a better picture of what you are dealing with and a targeted treatment plan can be put together.

I think she's in need of some TLC and IC from you , a mix of Repashi Veggieburger & GrubPie are in order , given by hand as a paste or orally by syringe is going to be easier for her to handle if she's not strong / well enough to move about much and eat solids.

Some VetaFarm Reptile Critta Care or VetaFarm HerpaBoost wont hurt either to help her get over this hump.
 

MarkZ

Member
Original Poster
Thank you for information. Will try to order it today. If she will not die during weekend i wil take her to vet :/,
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
MarkZ":1qs3qp85 said:
Thank you for information. Will try to order it today. If she will not die during weekend i wil take her to vet :/,

Local pet shop should have Repashi Food Products in stock, and may have HerpaBoost (or equivalent) available too.

Try to keep her warm overnight ( about 28 degC ) will help boost her metabolism and immune system.
 

EllenD

Gray-bearded Member
I agree, she's very dehydrated and malnourished, and she needs to be given water dripped on her snout for her to lick off several times throughout every day, and allow her to have as much water as she wants, as long as she keeps licking it off then keep dripping it, and I'd be doing this 2-3 times a day. Her kidneys are likely very stressed, she may be dealing with a high Uric Acid level and Gout, which would explain the swelling, pain, lethargy, etc. So giving her water several times a day to keep her kidneys flushed out is going to be crucial, because if it is Gout then the fluids are going to be absolutely imperative to try to keep the UA levels from putting her into kidney failure.

If she's not eating any fresh greens/veggies, and only a superworm here and there and that's it, then this is not only another reason that she's severely dehydrated (they get most all of their hydration from their fresh greens/veggies and live insects), but it's also part of the reason she's so tired and lethargic, she needs you to get nutrition into her.

Please don't wait to order anything or wait until Monday to see if she's still alive, as she may not live that long if you don't get lots of water and some nutrition into her. Knobby's suggestions of going to your local Petco or PetSmart and buying some Repashy Grubpie or Burger is the best thing you can do right now for her, all Petco/Petsmart stores carry the Repashy supplements, they come in black bottles and are powders that you mix with water. I'd go out and buy one or the other now, and also mix a pinch of calcium powder and a pinch of multivitamin in with the Repashy, and also you'll need an oral syringe to give it to her. She should be willing to lick it off her snout/lips, and you need to offer her the Repashy several times a day too.

Buying one of the Repashy food supplements is going to be much better for her than using just Baby Food mixed with some calcium and a multivitamin, as the Repashy food replacements offer protein, fat, carbs, etc. where the Baby Food does not, it's basically just water. The Grubpie and the Burger both are great and they usually really like them. I'd start feeding her and giving her water several times a day starting now, and then on Monday she needs to find an experienced Reptile vet to do a normal blood draw, so that you can get a full picture of what's going on. A routine blood panel will show whether she has Gout by checking her Uric Acid Level, it will show whether she has an infection or whether she's anemic, and it will also show both her kidney and liver function so the vet will know how to proceed with treating her.

Also, the Reptile Vet should give you a food-replacement, either Oxbow Critical Care or Emerald, both are great for them when they stop eating....
 

MarkZ

Member
Original Poster
Okey, gonna do it asap. Yesterday and today ive done baths to her. Now she moves much more and not so shaky anymore. Will continue giving baths and will go tomorrow to the shop. Now i see that some skind get lose around tail end and on the legs. I think baths rraly help. Will try buy romanie lettuce today spray with watet and add some calcium with vits hooe she will eat it.
 

EllenD

Gray-bearded Member
Well the baths will help loosen shed, but they will not at all provide her any hydration at all, that's an old myth, they must take in all hydration through their mouths, just like we do. So unless she's actually drinking the bath water through her mouth, they aren't hydrating her. This is why you need to actually drip water on her snout for her to lick off several times a day, as much as she'll lick. The hydration must go in through her mouth, soaking her skin or vent in water does nothing.

Also, all types of lettuce are useless as far as nutrition go, they are all basically crunchy water. So while the lettuce will help to hydrate her, which is good for right now, she also must get some protein, fat, carbs, vitamins, minerals, etc. in her, and lettuce is worthless as far as that goes.

If she's willing to eat fresh greens/veggies, then they need to be Collard Greens, Mustard Greens, Turnip Greens, Dandelion Greens, Arugula/Rocket, Endive, Escarole, Bok Choy, Pak Choy, or Chard. These contain some nutrition. But your best bet is getting a nutritional supplement, like one of the Repashy supplements, or some Oxbow or Emerald Critical Care with some nourishment.
 

MarkZ

Member
Original Poster
Thank you i understood. But she was doing pee with poo in the bath.. Strange animal she has massive bolw of water and stil does not try to drink..
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Great to hear she is moving around a little more now. I hope she is feeling better.
Were her urates (white portion of stool) hard, soft, or discolored? If she is excreting a decent
amount of urates then hopefully her kidneys are functioning pretty well.
Are you going to try & get her to the vets this next week?
They usually don't drink from standing water, unless it is moving. You can swirl it around to see
if that will draw attention to it & that sometimes works. If you can train her to drink from a
dropper that is always helpful, too.
How is the shedding coming along? Let us know how she is doing.

Tracie
 
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