Possible life threatening- Impaction????

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SunDragon

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Hello everyone, I am super concerned about my dragon. I left out of town and had a person taking care of him. She did a great job previously, however this time, she decided to feed him only big dubias because that’s all he wanted to eat. So instead of using the dubias I had prepared she took adult male dubias and some adult females and fed him them. I do feed adult males sometimes but I cut off their wings first and she did not know this and fed with the wings! My dragon is 10-11 months old and was very healthy til this. I was very upset hearing this but remembered she was trying to help. He pooped normally initially and then had one very dry and ‘wing/crunchy parts’ dry poop and then nothing else the last part of the week. The last couple days I think he has been staying in the same spot laying there. He hasn’t eaten much and this morning I offered him dubias/supers but he wasn’t interested. It was early and his cage may not have warmed up enough but it isn’t normal. He usually moves around and goes to different places in the cage and will always take a super and he is doing neither. I don’t think he even touched his lettuce all day and I hadn’t been able to offer any more dubias because I just got home. This weekend has been super stressful and I feel terrible that he isn’t doing well!!!!Even worse is that I was gone all day Saturday for my father in laws funeral so I could not watch how he was doing and today I had to drive a relative home and was gone from 9 am to 10pm. Tomorrow I run a camp and won’t be home til 3pm. This morning I left him lettuce and some supers in it which he usually loves but won’t even eat them right now( or yesterday). I can’t take him to the vet because we are nearly broke from all the expenses from the funeral. I plan to put him in a bath tomorrow at 3:30-4 when I get home and do this each day til he poops. I run the camp all week but only for this week. This is just horrible that I have to leave so early and be away from him. This is day 2.5-3.5. Though it’s been only yesterday and today that I know he hadn’t moved much if at all. What can I do?????

And he hates baths and I’m afraid he will hiss at me. I should make him do it anyway right??

I might be able to ask if I can arrive a little later tomorrow morning but if I can’t will 4 pm be too late, will he die????
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

So sorry that happened.
For now, I would try getting him on soft foods if possible. Try using some canned, sugar
free applesauce, mixed with a few drops of coconut oil or olive oil to give to him a couple
of times daily. It can help move things along. If he really gets upset with having a bath, then
you don't have to give him one right now. The soft foods should hopefully help him out.
Has his beard been normal color or darker than usual?
Have you tried getting him out to see if he will possibly run around to exercise any?
Give him a bit more time but definitely watch him to be sure he doesn't become darker in color
indicating pain or distress.

Let us know how he is doing.
Tracie
 

SunDragon

Member
Original Poster
Hi Tracie,
Thank you so much for your help! Saturday was the first time I EVER saw his beard go black. We had the reception after the funeral at my house. His cage is upstairs and all the people were on the main floor. So I wasn’t sure if he was sick or if he heard/felt all the unusual activity and vibrations from all the people. He looks a bit more pale as well. I’ve never seen him not eat like this and not move to go to his food if I hold one with tweezers further away. A couple days ago I picked him up, his cage was probably still warming up and he felt cool and he hissed at me. I don’t have him out much and he is not handled a whole lot ( long story) but he is usually so tolerant and mild mannered when I do. I put him down after that because he needed to warm up ( I forgot the actual time the lights kick on with DST) and since he hissed.

How do I feed him the applesauce? I have been holding bugs in front of him and he won’t open his mouth and then he will close his eyes if I keep holding it there. Do I need a syringe? Can I get one from Walgreens? Do I force him?? I don’t even know how to make him eat from a syringe. He is a bit picky usually and now I don’t know what to do. I have unsweetened applesauce in the fridge and do I let it warm up and add the warmed up drops of coconut oil? How can I entice him to try it?

The good news is that I can take off from working camp today to be home with him and I hope I can do something to help. But tomorrow I will be going and can be back at 4pm.

The other thing I thought of is that his tube light is 11 months old. I plan to go buy a néw one today to rule that out. I have a T5 10.0.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Make sure your T 5 is in the tank approx 12-15 inches directly above the basking decor piece- try letting him lick the spoon see if he will do that if not you may haft to get a syringe from the vet - you can call and ask for one --- please NO more lettuce it has no nutritional value --- you can also feed some canned pumpkin water it down so its kinda soupy that will push things thru as well --- keep feeding that till he goes poop -
 

SunDragon

Member
Original Poster
Hi Karrie,
I actually feed escarole and endive. At home I use the generic term ‘lettuce.’ So I am sorry I misspoke.

Ok once he warms up this morning I will try it from a spoon. If he doesn’t seem interested and closes his eyes what do I do? He has been closing his eyes for his favorite bugs so I am trying to prep myself for the worst case.

The space on the top of the tank, the mesh, has big holes and I’ve kept the T5 10.0 on top since so had him at 4 weeks old. I keep it just next to the basking bulb but not below it or it will melt. I’m afraid if I put it in the tank he would be able to reach it. He’s such a big fella now.

I hope that he tries eating something!!

I’m sorry I am just a mess about this. I plan to replace the bulb this morning then try the feeding and send an update and see what you all think.

I can’t thank you all enough for all the help and guidance!! I added photos from this morning. He beard is not the almost full black I saw Saturday but it’s way darker than usual. This is the corner he has been in for past few days. He hasn’t moved much at all and hasn’t climbed a thing.
109342-6434630421.jpg
109342-9457127116.jpg
109342-3156878948.jpg
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Beard doesn't look bad- as long as the distance is between 12-15 inches for the UVB your good-- replace that bulb and then watch his behavior
 

SunDragon

Member
Original Poster
Update: he pooped and messed it all over the place. It was not the dry wings and things kind of poop. And he was on the branch holding his head up. So that’s awesome. He flicked his tongue out which he does when he wants something but he didn’t take any kind of bug. But he runs to the other side of the tank and flicks his tongue at the wall. I have no idea why. He was turning his head a lot as if trying to hear and then flicking his tongue at random places. I know he can see so this is very puzzling. Maybe he can’t focus? I had food in front of him and he turns to the side and flicks his tongue in a different direction. So either he can’t quite see it or maybe he wants something but not that???

I held him a bit and he was calm until he walked to the floor in hunt mode and I had to pick him up when he got to close to the back of the dresser. He struggled when I picked him up and I noticed he was gaping but he was facing away from me. He went in his cage and then started to climb the wall under his hammock. Then stopped eventually. Nothing in his room or tank has changed in months.

I put in fresh greens with a little fruit in case he wanted that while I went to the store for the bulb.

I’m glad he is moving around but he is being a little odd. Maybe he is old enough to not want that many bugs anymore??? Also at 11 months what is ideal basking temp?

109342-2373411050.jpg
 

Gail

BD.org Addict
Great that he pooped and is starting to behave like his old self.
Licking isn't a sign of them wanting something, its them exploring and being curious. Much like a toddler, they use their mouth to explore.

At 11 months, his bug intake can be lowered to 5 -10 supers/dubia a day. His main diet should consist of greens.
Can you get hornworms? They are a good treat and are gentle on the tummy since they are soft plus they help with hydration.
Adults like a bit lower temps 90-100 is a good range.

For the future, you use a syringe for feeding baby food. Sometimes you do have to force it in their mouth but some are cooperative and lick it willingly
 

SunDragon

Member
Original Poster
Thank you Gail! What size dubia is best? ( inch wise)? So it would be more like 60-65% greens.

Thank you so much and I’m so glad he is doing better!
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

That is terrific news he passed such a big amount through his system....even though it was a
big mess. Poor guy!
The pictures are super cute. He does look really nice! The dubias should be smaller than the
space between the eyes. Yes, usually I err on the side of caution & give smaller insects instead
of larger ones most of the time. This avoids problems. So sorry this happened!
I do think that he is going to be ok though. I'm sure that he feels a lot better now.
As they become young adults, they tend to like the basking temperatures a little lower. I would
recommend around 95-100 & no higher than 105 for "most adults" but you can experiment with
a few temperature ranges & he will go where he prefers.

Let us know how he is doing!
Tracie
 

SunDragon

Member
Original Poster
Hi Everyone, thank you all so much!

Update: I changed the light bulb and that really seemed to help on top of all the other advice. I do think the previous bulb was more than ready to be changed. He is eating food I give him and eating all his greens (well every other day or so it completely disappears). He has been eating ‘lighter’ since the incident and so that may account for him not pooping yet. Today I will offer more dubias in the feeding container and see how he does. Lately, I was just using the feeding tweezers. He is getting lazy though :), the dubia falls at his feet sometimes and he does nothing. He just waits for another one to be brought to him. Anyways I am hoping for a good poop from him soon it’s been over 5-6 days.
 
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