Dead or Something Else?

Ouros this morning seemed alright but I found him laying on his side next to his food dish a few hours later. He is black-bearded and opened his jaw to snap at me when I moved him under his basking light but has since been unresponsive to anything.

Yesterday a new basking light (30 days old) went out and he only had his ceramic bulb and an 83F tank for 7 hours. He tried basking on a cold rock that entire time before I could drive to the next city over and buy a new one. He has not eaten for 2 days prior to this but has been drinking water...last BM was 2 days ago.

I can pick him up and he is limp in the limbs and tail, droopy-eyed, but his teeth are clenched shut with a sagging lip. No response to anything at all.

He has a 60x24" terrarium, reptsun 10.0 UVB, a 75watt Ceramic element 24 hours on the hot side and a 75watt basking light for daytime hours on a timer, Hot side temp during the day is 105F cold side 78-85F
Diet is collards, Freeze Dried crickets, few mealworms every 2-3 days, and blueberries or squash sometimes and I get dubia for him when I can.
He is about a year and a half old.

How do you know when your dragon is dead? Do they get rigor mortis? Could this be brumation late set in due to the lack of a basking light for a day and winter coming? Could he be sick from laying on a cold rock for hours yesterday?

Hi there,

Oh no poor guy!
It is definitely not brumation and it wouldn't have been caused by the bulb going out for one day.

The black bearding in conjunction with that behavior indicates serious distress or sickness/pain.

What's odd is how quickly it set in. Is it possible that he ate something he shouldn't have?
How is he right now? Still not moving and unresponsive?

Do you have a reptile vet nearby you could take him to? At the least they could check to see if the heart is still beating. Make sure they check for at least a minute or two.

-Brandon

He is still not responding, I tried picking him up and listening for breathing, heart, or sounds but nothing at all. I think he has passed. It is odd, -_- there is a chance a cricket snuck into his terrarium from the cord port or a water bug...has happened before and the landlord sprays the perimeter of the building with poison. Current picture https://scontent-dfw5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/69564445_2651107588280165_1790396510777638912_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&_nc_oc=AQmh85YhDDb1901O_vneYrLWSUTjGIgFSK1L1oliv4ZEC6ykn1_u3yj1S3gjHl5FeKg&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.xx&oh=f024780a3e06c33abac93601054a5c88&oe=5DCC9220

Poor guy, he definitely looks like he's really sick!
You won't necessarily be able to hear the breathing or heartbeat, they use a doppler for that.

Typically i'd say the best thing to do if you think he ingested some poison would be administer activated charcoal. But, in his state I don't think he'd take it.

Has he really had no symptoms at all up until today?
It's hard to tell when they are completely gone, as they can really really slow down and still be alive. I'd say don't give up on him yet.. but besides getting him into a vet, i'm not sure there is much you can do besides hope that he can ride it out, if he is still with us.
I'm sorry. He is suffering if he is still alive.

-Brandon

I am going to leave him a bit offset from the basking light for an awhile, I am assuming he is passed or dying. I can hope it can ride it out if he is still alive, he has been a wonderful companion this past year and half, I tend to pace and talk out loud to him in front of his enclosure or have him sit with me for movies. Loved going on walks with him on my chest...sort helps when you have autoimmune issues and lived alone for 6 years he has definitely made it easier. Funny how he was also broken a bit....he ate his tail as a baby and would run into glass constantly until I got him the new enclosure in Feb.

Might post his photo album somewhere here, will be a while before I can afford a new emotional support animal.....and I honestly might go for a lower cost (food wise) one like a dessert iguana or some other herbivore.

ROOMA":rzdsxrm4 said:

I am going to leave him a bit offset from the basking light for an awhile, I am assuming he is passed or dying.

Click to expand...

No chance of getting him to the vet? It really seems that would be a good idea, and I don't think they would charge you if he was already gone.

Well I hope he pulls through for you, but I do agree, if at all possible a vet would be the best bet for him right now.
I understand how money can be tight. But it doesn't hurt to at least call and see if something can be worked out.

Either way, I hope things do work out. Keep us posted, we are hoping for the best.

-Brandon

Well he started having yellow liquid drain out of his open mouth and nothing responds (eyes, legs, mouth) He started getting stiff about an hour ago so I removed him and preparing a coffin and to have him buried on my parent's property since I live in town in an apartment.

The nearest vet that will see reptiles is an hour drive away, sorta sucks about living in a small town...half hour to the pet store or an hour drive to the vet.

ROOMA":29armylk said:

Well he started having yellow liquid drain out of his open mouth and nothing responds (eyes, legs, mouth) He started getting stiff about an hour ago so I removed him and preparing a coffin and to have him buried on my parent's property since I live in town in an apartment.

The nearest vet that will see reptiles is an hour drive away, sorta sucks about living in a small town...half hour to the pet store or an hour drive to the vet.

Click to expand...

Sorry to hear you lost him

Oh no, he is definitely gone. I'm really sorry to hear this, it sounds like he was your good buddy. I know you must be devastated, my heart goes out to you.

Hello,

I am very sorry for your loss, it is the worst feeling in the world.

Tracie