Sick Beardie with eyes closed

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KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
It would not hurt to try a regular bright white basking bulb--- it is trial and error to find out why she is keeping them closed-- I would pick up a 150 watt Intense Exo Terra solid white bulb NO coil white ones - we need to try different bulbs as to why shes keeping them closed ---
 

Travisc410

Member
Original Poster
Here is what she looks like today. Her eye problem started a couple weeks ago. Prior to a few days ago she had the CFL light that came with the old cage. She’s around 9 mos. old and has had the same lights from the beginning. She’s laid on the bottom of the platform and on the bottom under the light today. The platform is 107 and that’s why the light is so close. Ambient temp on back wall thermometer is 90. Still 78 on cool side. She’s still not eating and drinking. I’ve forced water into her and a little bit of the mixed food. She will open one or both eyes when trying to open her mouth and she will jump around. She had her eye left open and I assume she could see the mealworms, leaves and everything else, but still chose not to eat. I’m not sure what else to do or how long it may take her to come around.
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SPandS

Juvie Member
I would replace the mvb with a regular heat bulb. Since she had the eye problems before this bulb it's not what's caused it but being so close isn't helping and could be making it worse. Instead of giving water I personally would give the mixed food and if you think she needs more hydration I would add water to that. Water is great but she needs protein especially at her age.
 

Travisc410

Member
Original Poster
Me again with an update and a question. Things are looking better! She is moving around, she will open both eyes and she is eating. I am glad I am not having to force feed her anymore. The temperatures seem to be regulated well and I think that is certainly helping. We got a lot of salad stuff for her to eat and she seems to like it. I also got the fly larvae as well as the Dubia roaches mentioned. My only question is, how much of that should I be feeding her in addition to the salad? Thanks for the help!
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
That is great news- what basking light are you using? The mvb or reg bright white? She can eat as many BSFL in her salad as you want to feed her supplementing the dubias- I would put 10-12 roaches in her salad bowl and see how many she eats- go from there - feed her again in the afternoon do not dust them start w/ 5 see how many she eats go from there--
 

Travisc410

Member
Original Poster
Things are certainly starting to look up! We have what appears to be a healthy dragon! She is growing a lot, her eyes are open and is moving around everywhere. So all of that seems great. However, I did have another question. She has gotten mean! Before we could take her out, she would sit on your shirt, you could hold her and stuff like that. Now, she is just flat out mean. She does not want you to touch her and if you go to touch her, she will spin around, open her mouth and basically hissing at you. I went to go touch earlier earlier today and she bit my finger and drew blood. Is this normal? I know a lot of people have these that are almost like dogs and you can walk them and stuff. But now we are just mean and want to bite everything. Is this normal? Can it be changed?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
How old is she? Did you get her basking temps in order? Lighting has everything to do w/ behavior-- as long as that is in order then it can be she is now going thru relocation stress and is aware of her surroundings -- have you tried hand feeding her worms etc? Place a fleece blanket or piece of clothing in her hide something w/ your smell on it -- sounds like your going to to haft to start all over w/ her now that shes feeling better -- approach from the side not over her -- they have 3rd eye on top of her head for predators -- start there and just keep your hands in the tank as much as possible so she learns to trust you
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

That is terrific news she has improved so much now, please post some pictures of her
when you get a chance. We all love to see updates.
We need to figure out why she is aggressive towards you, hopefully it is something very
simple that can be fixed easily. When you put your hand in the tank, do you put your hand
over her head or do you try to pick her up from scooping her underneath on her belly?
I hope your finger is ok!

Tracie
 

Travisc410

Member
Original Poster
Her temps were pretty rock solid but have been wonky the last week and a half to 2 weeks. She was getting 12 hours a day with the heat and UV bulb. There was also a ceramic heat bulb on 24 hours a day. Her warming side was a pretty solid 110 and cooling side was 80-85. I say it went wonky because the temps have been off the chain on the warm side. Upwards of 116 at times. I had some wood that closed off part of the warm side and when I found that it was hot like that I removed those and cut the ceramic bulb off. Temps seemed to level out and then a week ago it still went up again. It was hot in that room which is unusual but I assume it’s the lights and radiant heat. I’ve been keeping the AC on in there some and temps are still up and down some. Nighttime isn’t bad and is around 70-75. We’re just fighting some fluctuating temps that have no rhyme or reason. I’m assuming East Coast humidity. She’s been Everything was good and now we’re mean like I said. She has never been mean, even before when the lighting was not right. She will eat meal worms out of my hand but that is about it. She is not interested in eating anything else out of my hand.
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Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

How is your girl doing? She certainly looks better.
Are you using a digital probe to measure her temperatures? Could she be getting a little
too warm perhaps? Her beard looks normal colored & not dark.
I think after her ordeal she just may need some time but don't give up. Continue to try &
place your hand in there & even pick her up & don't back down. She is just trying to show
you she is in charge so keep trying.
Is she eating pretty well other than the mealworms?

Let us know how she is doing.
Tracie
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Too warm of temps will make them aggressive --- once you get that in order and her UVB NO coils please is good she should start to mellow out -- it sounds like she is spoiled on the meal worms -- I would try putting some BSFL on her salads to entice her to the salad bowl -- and I would get your carpet changed out as well --- if you like you can try some textured NON adhesive shelf liner cut to the size of the tank - insects cant get underneath and its easy to clean w/ vinegar/ water 50/50 solution --
 

Travisc410

Member
Original Poster
She doesn’t have any coil bulbs. She has the light with specific bulb recommended a while ago. I’ll raise the basking bulb up some and see if that helps with temps. The ceramic bulb is off. She usually eats salads as well. We give her that with a couple meal worms or roaches. She also gets the fly larvae recommended. We have not tried picking her up where she is so mean. I know I don’t want to get bit again. Lol. I went to touch her and I touched her tail and she spun and moved. She’s not happy with people touching her now. The temp where she is laying is 108 right now. Why change the carpet out? I know my daughter needs to clean it out. We don’t need to worry about insects getting under it - they don’t stand a chance with her. Sometimes I don’t even drop them yet and she’s grabbed them.
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KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
The shelf liner is more sanitary than the carpet -- it harbors bacteria -- it was just a recommendation and it would be easier and quicker for her to clean up- :) -- it sounds like she needs to be hand tamed -- I would work w/ her and gain her trust and the hand feeding will help -- are you approaching her from the side and not from above? They have a third eye on top of their heads and think you are a predator if your approaching from above--- she looks young --- patience and earning trust is key here but I would definitely work w/ her for sure -- you dont want her getting too old for hand taming --you can also put a piece of clothing or fleece blanket in her hide something w/ your scent on it to get her used to you as well--- my Blaze was a dickens to hand tame took me months ------ he would bite hiss run you name it -- we even resorted to using a glove to get him used to the hand -- my oldest one was not like that at all but the youngest was terrible --
 

Travisc410

Member
Original Poster
I just picked her up with A glove all and she was not the biggest fan. She ran, opened her mouth to hiss and was not very receptive to it. I fed her a couple worms while holding her. She’s around 9 months old now. At one point she was really pissed. Her beard was good and black. I’m not sure how else to get her to trust. Like I said, she used to be fine.
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KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Something has traumatized her or she is going thru the phase late -- Blaze wasnt a big fan of the glove either but I guess you need to show her who's boss -- she will come around -- I put Blaze on a feeding schedule right away - fed at the same time everyday --- first hand feed the BSFL like 4 -5 of them then added the BSFL to his food bowl in front of him and the other worms -- eventually he got to where he was waiting for me on his spot in the morning - he knew the routine feed BSFL first then breakfast -- then after breakfast I would pet him he let me pet him then I would try and pick him up at first he wasnt having it -- then I went to the glove thing eventually he got to where he wasnt fighting the thing any more nor the hand --- but it was a while before all this took place -- like months --- now hes very docile but very distressed about certain things --- like out of the tank --- hes not like my older one- Blaze gets scared really easy -- so I watch him like a hawk when hes out of his tank and in my LR --- he gets scared of people walking by on our street -- :roll: --- so all I can say is keep working w/ her -- do you have other pets in the house that might be causing this behavior? Cats dogs ? another dragon?
 
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