Something is wrong with our 5 year old Bearded Dragon, Draco. We have had him since he was a baby and he has always been active and social. He has also always loved to eat. We have always fed him meal worms, crickets, and greens. He is very picky on the greens and we have never been able to get him to eat any fruit or other vegetables. He just sticks his nose up at most “healthy” foods.
For the last few months, Draco had been “glass surfing” quite a bit and acting strange (i.e. darkened beard, bobbing his head, etc…). We recently figured out that he was seeing his reflection in the glass so we covered the sides (the back was already covered with a desert scene poster). Then, about 10 days ago, we noticed that he was acting “lazy” and not eating all of his food (very unusual). After a few days of picking at his food, he just stopped eating completely. The fat pads on top of his head have gone down and he has definitely lost weight.
He poops regularly (at least every other day), and the poop is always normal (brown and white, not too much liquid, not too solid). I’ve spent the last week scouring the internet trying to figure out what it could be and what I can do to help him. I tried to force feed him by making a “slurry” and was able to get a little bit of the stuff in his mouth, but only a little. After that, I read on another page, that his symptoms are similar to that of preparing for brumation and that you should never force feed a beardie when they are getting ready to enter brumation, but Draco has never gone through brumation… he’s just never done it… So now I don’t know what to do. Force feed or not force feed.
I have been bathing him daily for the last week, and most of the time he poops within 20 minutes (yesterday, he pooped in the bath after only 5 minutes). I also put drops of water on his snout in the evening (only once did he seem to actively drink the water from his snout for a good minute or two) and I attempt to hand feed him tiny pieces of food, in addition to leaving fresh chopped fruits and veggies with 2-3 worms (mixed with calcium powder), twice per day… but he won’t eat anything.
The pictures show what he does every time I take him out, this is also how he sits in his cage. He has not been climbing on the log and basking and he will not leave the hot stone for more than a few minutes. I usually take him outside after his bath to force some sunlight/basking and it is only during this time that he finally shows some activity… After about 5 minutes, he was walk quickly towards shade, usually towards my lap. I live in Arizona, and it has been very hot outside, with the driveway being extremely hot to the touch, so I don’t like to let him walk off the large towel I sit on with him. I know… he is a lizard, but when it is 110 outside, the driveway is extremely hot, and he is not used to it.
I could really use some advice, but please don’t tell me to take him to the vet, because I can’t. I am a teacher and I have been on summer break, so I have not had a paycheck in 2 months and until I get my first paycheck in another 3 weeks, I just can’t afford it. Any other advice would be GREATLY appreciated!
For the last few months, Draco had been “glass surfing” quite a bit and acting strange (i.e. darkened beard, bobbing his head, etc…). We recently figured out that he was seeing his reflection in the glass so we covered the sides (the back was already covered with a desert scene poster). Then, about 10 days ago, we noticed that he was acting “lazy” and not eating all of his food (very unusual). After a few days of picking at his food, he just stopped eating completely. The fat pads on top of his head have gone down and he has definitely lost weight.
He poops regularly (at least every other day), and the poop is always normal (brown and white, not too much liquid, not too solid). I’ve spent the last week scouring the internet trying to figure out what it could be and what I can do to help him. I tried to force feed him by making a “slurry” and was able to get a little bit of the stuff in his mouth, but only a little. After that, I read on another page, that his symptoms are similar to that of preparing for brumation and that you should never force feed a beardie when they are getting ready to enter brumation, but Draco has never gone through brumation… he’s just never done it… So now I don’t know what to do. Force feed or not force feed.
I have been bathing him daily for the last week, and most of the time he poops within 20 minutes (yesterday, he pooped in the bath after only 5 minutes). I also put drops of water on his snout in the evening (only once did he seem to actively drink the water from his snout for a good minute or two) and I attempt to hand feed him tiny pieces of food, in addition to leaving fresh chopped fruits and veggies with 2-3 worms (mixed with calcium powder), twice per day… but he won’t eat anything.
The pictures show what he does every time I take him out, this is also how he sits in his cage. He has not been climbing on the log and basking and he will not leave the hot stone for more than a few minutes. I usually take him outside after his bath to force some sunlight/basking and it is only during this time that he finally shows some activity… After about 5 minutes, he was walk quickly towards shade, usually towards my lap. I live in Arizona, and it has been very hot outside, with the driveway being extremely hot to the touch, so I don’t like to let him walk off the large towel I sit on with him. I know… he is a lizard, but when it is 110 outside, the driveway is extremely hot, and he is not used to it.
I could really use some advice, but please don’t tell me to take him to the vet, because I can’t. I am a teacher and I have been on summer break, so I have not had a paycheck in 2 months and until I get my first paycheck in another 3 weeks, I just can’t afford it. Any other advice would be GREATLY appreciated!
