Need advice!

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Ohnowis

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My little Drogon has been acting very off.. he seems to be sleeping almost all day and night, no real interest in feeding. Last feed was 3 days ago when he seemed almost too tired to chase his crickets, although he did end up eating around 15.

He's been getting misted directly usually twice a day, and eating his greens prior to that, so I didn't think it would dehydration, but I'm not sure how to tell. Last night I gave him a bath, he drank some water then, but otherwise doesn't drink his water in his tank, he never really has.

He spends his time fairly split between his hammock which is about 6" below his Exo Terra Solar Glo sun simulating bulb, temperature taken with a lazer thermometer comes in around 95-97 in his basking spot, low 90s on the ground, gradienting to mid 80s on the ground near his food dish and low 80s at the coolest end.

He's been living on a diet of assorted salads with all the correct foods based on the chart on this page (collard greens, dandelion greens, endive, radachio, occasional carrots and the odd strawberry as a treat (although the berry rarely gets eaten). Proteins are on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and are a mix of crickets and supers, occasion hornworms as a treat cos he loves them. All food gets dusted with either Zoo Meds repticalcium or Reptivite (without vitD)

I've checked his stomach to feel for impaction but everything feels ok. I'm at a loss and don't know if I should be concerned or not... So thought I'd check here before making a costly vet visit.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
That Exo Terro Solo Gun is that a UVB? Can you post pics of your tank and lighting please-- we can better help from there
thanks Karrie
 

Ohnowis

Member
Original Poster
The bulb does provide UVA B, yes. It's a 3 in 1 UVA, UVB and heat

Here are a couple pictures of Drogon himself, I'd have to take a few of his tank:

IMG_20190321_194220_zpsudla3gqe.jpg


IMG_20190321_194034_zps2ucmoqe2.jpg
 

Ohnowis

Member
Original Poster
Should also add he's about a year old. And disregard the stick on thermometer in the picture, it came with the tank but I never really look at it, I use the lazer thermometer instead


IMG_20190322_102822_zpsfcn5ntsq.jpg
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Here is some info for you on the UVB-- Which UVB light should I use?
The best UVB light is a ReptiSun 10.0 fluorescent tube (Or Arcardia 12% in the UK). Compact or coil bulbs do not emit the proper amount of UVB light for a bearded dragon, and should not be used. Other brands, such as the Zilla Desert Series and ReptiGlo have been known to cause eye problems and other health issues with bearded dragons, and should be avoided. The reason that some UVB lights (Zilla, ReptiGlo, coils/compacts, ect.) are considered dangerous is because the wavelength of UVB that they emit is shorter and more intense than the wavelength of the "safe" lights (ReptiSun, Arcadia).
UVB lights should be replaced every 6 months. The T 5's need to be changed out once per year--
The lighting plays a crucial role in their behavior and their digestion--- I would look at changing out your UVB-- depending on the screen on the tank you could put the UVB on the top - if its fine mesh it would need to go inside the tank approx 10-11 inches for the T 5 and the T 8 6-8 inches from basking area -- the T 5 takes a different fixture than the T 8--
This is my theory as the behavior change-- most on the forum recommend the UVB that I have recommended --
Karrie
 

Ohnowis

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Original Poster
I feel a bit foolish and wondering if this was some form of Brumation now... Can that happen even if temps are in spec?

As I finished posting the last post he "woke up", ate a whole (small) dish of greens, since he missed his protein day I have him 5 supers (didn't want to over do his food and let him over eat), pooped (a healthy poop) and is now re-exploring his whole tank wide awake.

I will however look into the lighting though, just not sure how I'd mount one of those tube lights in his tank. Thanks for your quick response though!!
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
As long as his basking light is keeping temps 90-105- that should be ok -- but you want a really good UVB for him -- and hes a year old they usually slow down in the fall under a year and not go into full brumation -- mine turned a year old at the end of Jan and did a semi brumation thru winter never fully going to sleep for months but did do a lot of sleeping and his eating still has not picked up -- I have been keeping an eye on his weight to make sure hes not losing -- is Drogon gaining weight? Have you been keeping an eye on his weight? I would get his UVB changed out and then watch his behavior-- you will notice a difference --- you can use picture wire -- fishing line-- 3 M makes some sort of hooks - or plastic zip ties work too for hanging the fixture---
Karrie
 

Ohnowis

Member
Original Poster
I'm perhaps embarrassed to say... I'm not sure how to weight him. He looks like a healthy weight, but that's purely observation. What's the recommended method of weighing these guys?

He didn't seem to really slow down at all since I got him 4 months ago... However I've now discovered the hollowed rock he has slept in just prior to this has an internal temp of around 74f. Could this be what caused it?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Nope that is a good temp for sleeping -- they like it cool to sleep just not below 65--- do you have a kitchen scale for weighing food ? I got one from Walmart for like $10 or so -- it has grams and ounces on it--- you can get one from there zero it out and put him on it -- there is a chart on this forum that you can get what approx weight they should be --- at what age etc............... if he looks good like his fat pads are looking good hes probably of good weight -- have you had him into a reptile vet for a check up--? I have taken Hiccup into the vet 2 times since I got him -- just for a check up-- they did a fecal on him and said he had parasites -- I was leary cuz I had heard that certain meds they give can do more harm than good and since he was not acting like he was sick and had parasites I came back to the forum and asked Tracie the vet moderator on here about giving the med they had prescribed him-- since his parasite count was low and not affecting him I chose not to give the med-- they have a natural amount of parasites in their intestine so why upset the apple cart so to speak - I just kept an eye on him and hes been fine every since- this was last fall -- I didnt want to make him sick by giving the medication if the count was low-- I have fed dubia roaches since he was 3 months old and the vet recommend me feed him roaches instead of crickets since they are usually the cause of the high parasites/ worms -- Hiccup goes back to the vet at the end of this month for another check up-- this time I am going to find out what the actual count is for the parasites hes got-- I know he seems to be fine now not showing signs of parasites etc...............
Karrie
 

Ohnowis

Member
Original Poster
Because we haven't had him long I hadn't felt the need to get a check up... In hindsight this may be the perfect time since I suspect there's a few things the previous owner did poorly (feeding him romaine lettuce as a primary green, using sticky thermometer, etc)

...maybe I'll look into a good reptile vet in my area.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
It wont hurt --- at some point you may haft to take him in and then if you have had him in for a check up they wont be completely out of the loop and will be familiar w/ him-- but the UVB light is very crucial for him -- I forgot to tell you the hood for the UVB -- the cover should be off - dont put the cover over the bulb back on -- you want just the bulb showing -- thanks
Karrie
 

Ohnowis

Member
Original Poster
For anyone that's been following this, I wanted to give a quick update on Drogon. He's doing very well this morning, awake, eating, walking around his tank.... And shedding.

After a few Google searches all his symptoms could be explained by his upcoming shed (decreased movement, lack of eating, increased sleep)

He shed a good amount last night, today he seems much happier!
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Shedding will definitely slow them down some, making them lazier than normal & decreasing
their appetites, too.
The UVB light you are using right now is the Solar Glo MVB bulb then. What wattage is it & how
close is it to him?
His body condition looks good to me, & he doesn't look overly thin, etc.
Drogon is doing better today & has eaten too?

Tracie
 

Ohnowis

Member
Original Poster
Drogon has been MUCH more active, definitely back normal in that sense. His appetite is odd in the sense that he has eaten his salad so fast now the last couple days, usually he doesn't even want to look at it.

His lamp is (I think) 160w but he has multiple tiers in his home ranging from about 10" (sometimes he goes into full yoga stance and shoves his nose within 4" so I have to be careful not to have it too close)... And then a 2nd hammock at about 16-18", and his rock-bed around 20". He does really well with bouncing between spots if he gets too warm/cold I think
 
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Clapton is acclimating okay I think. He's quick as lightning so I'm not sure how much I should bring him out of his house yet. He's not at all interested in his salad though. I wonder if I should change what I'm giving him. Least he's eating his crickets.

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