Sick Beardie- Need Advice

Hello all,
My friend has a sick bearded dragon and I am trying to do some research to narrow down the causes.

Age: 3 or so years
Symptoms:
Lethargic
Not eating
Partially/not digested mealworms in poop
Poop not formed/diarrhea
Drinking a lot in the bath
Losing weight

Temperatures are 91F basking (I recommended to increase it a bit and they will) with a lower temp of 80F

Eats vegetables, crickets, and mealworms.

I appreciate any help or advice. They plan to go to the local herp vet as soon as possible but I’m not sure when. I would like to do as much research as possible just to have an idea on what’s going on.

Thank you!

We need pics of tank and lighting --- need to rule that out first - could be brumation but need to know more about the husbandry and how are you taking those temps? Infrared heat gun stick ons or a digital probe? The lighting and basking temps are the most crucial to a dragons health and behavior
Karrie

Temp is taken with digital probes and I will post a picture in a couple of hours when she sends it to me.
Thank you!

Hi there,

Basking surface temp is a bit low. Did you increase it at all?

What did her daily diet look like before she started showing these symptoms?

Could you post a picture of her so we can see how she's looking?
And a picture of your tank setup too would help.

Oops, just saw that you will post them when you can. Great

How much does she weigh now? And how much weight has she lost?

-Brandon

I met with my friend today so I just barely got this information. Also I’m sorry I forgot to mention that her beardie is a male. Unfortunately they do not have a gram scale but I did ask them to take him to the vet or to get one. I also told them to increase the temp and they said they were getting a warmer bulb today.

I will post the tank and official diet in an hour or so when she responds but from what I know it included crickets or mealworms depending on the day, butternut squash, lettuce, collard greens, green pepper but I am not positive

Ok till we see tank and what she has for lighting we can only then give better advice--- for now please no more lettuce-- it has no nutritional value -- the other stuff sounds good--
Karrie

“It's been about a month. His diet consists of crickets and Dubai's every couple of days, and his veg mix is every day and has collards turnip mustard and cilantro, there's also peppers mixed in. Occasional fruits like strawberries and blue berries, and squash is also a treat“

Ok so what is in the domes? If there is a coil UVB that is an issue-- he needs a tube-- Reptisun 10.0 T 5 or a T 8 -- difference is the distance of bulbs--- T 5 is a stronger bulb--- he looks very thin- what does his poops look like? Runny? They should be formed and moist dark w/ white urate- formed and moist---
Karrie

No coiled bulbs we don’t want any blindness

She has a mercury vapor bulb (solar glo for uvb I think)
And ceramic heat one in the other

The long uvb 10.0 burnt out a while ago and they haven’t replaced it yet but the mercury vapor provides uvb
The distance is a ft or so from light to head on hammock

Urates are not solid and are loose and watery

I would get rid of the solar glo and get a bright white basking bulb and get the 10.0 tube fixture back on the tank--- I believe solar glos are bad bulbs -- these need to be replaced ASAP-- the CHE only needs to be used if the tank is getting below 65 at nite--- one you get that lighting fixed you should see a difference in him all together
Karrie

Could you inform me on the negatives on solar glo I thought mercury vapor bulbs were great as long as they are used at the correct distance. I know if they are used at the wrong distance they are dangerous but other than that I would love any more information.

And yes I will let her know about what you said

It gets really cold where we are at so that is why we have the CHE (below 30F right now outside so it’s kind of cold inside too)0

Ok sorry maybe its not the Solar Glo I am thinking of the Repti Glo thats bad -- what size bulb do you have in the tank and when did the dragons health start to go down hill? Was it before the tube UVB went out or before? And when was the Solar Glo started being used? After the tube UVB or same time ? I am thinking its that lighting --- the only way to actually find out is to either replace the Solar Glo w/ a higher wattage from whats in there or replace and go w/ what I recommended -- I only know from what works and I know Solar Glo's are used I am not an expert on the all in ones and use separate bulbs cuz I know they work and are easier to maintain the heat and UVB rays --- others on here have more experience w/ the all in ones and you can wait and see what they say ---- but its up to your friend to see what she wants to do --- but something needs to be done soon as he is not looking so great
Karrie

He started going downhill about a month ago but that uvb tube had burnt out way before that and they were always using some sort of replacement UVB like the solar glo and he had been healthy. I think they are using the 100w. It may be the lighting and heat that’s the problem especially since it’s getting colder “

His basking temps need to be 95-105-- and I am thinking it is the lighting-- his poops do they smell so bad they make you leave the room? If so it could be he has parasites and needs a fecal test-- but we need to see if it is the lighting-- I need some of the others on the forum to weigh in on that lighting and see what they recommend
Karrie