1 1/2 year old beardie, lethargic, not eating/going to bathr

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ryansspike

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This is our first bearded dragon so we are very concerned. When he was a baby we had to have him treated for worms and took him to a vet that said they were a reptile expert! She did deworm him but I found that she was getting most of her info from the internet and charging us tons of money. We love our beardie Spike, and don't want to watch him get sicker but I don't know if this is normal behaviour:
He is barely eating and hasn't gone to the bathroom in a least 2 weeks (pee or poop) he also has been lethargic. Seems depressed. His cage is kept very clean, use only reptile friendly cleaners and haven't introduced anything new! We are very worried and wish we knew a good vet to take him to. We are in Lynn Massachusetts. How can they test him if we can't get a poop sample? Is there something I can buy to make him go to the bathroom?
Thanks, would be grateful for any help!
Deanna and Ryan
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
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Hello,

Sorry your baby is not doing well. Could you tell me what medication the vet used when deworming your dragon? Do you know the dosage used?
Normally a basic deworming with Panacur does not leave them lethargic such as that. How long ago did this happen?
Can you go over your tank setup with us too, like what your temps are & how you measure them? What type of UVB light do you have, is it a flourescent tube bulb or a compact or coil light?
What types of foods are you using? Do you supplement calcium?

Tracie
 

ryansspike

New member
Original Poster
Hi Tracie,
We got spike at about a month old and he was treated with panacur and has been fine. I also bought a whole new set up for him once we started treating him. He is in a 55 gal glass tank, mesh top, 2 spotlights one basking 150 and one 100 watt. purple 75 watt nite light all on timers. He has wooden branches and logs to climb on and calcium sand on bottom. heater under one half of the tank, same side as basking light. Generally that side of the tank is approx 90 - 105. middle is 85 and right side is 75-80deg.
He ate small (gut loaded) crickets as a baby and we offered greens. He has always had a great appetite and is a huge beardie! We graduated to big crickets (still gut loaded) and he would woof down 10-15 at times and we still tried the different greens, all kinds of lettuce, veggies. Didn't eat too many of those. Then he stopped really eating the crickets approx 3 or 4 months ago. We gave him superworms and he loved them. I would dip them in calcium powder and he could eat quite a bit at times (15 or more). We still offered the greens, sprayed them with water and he never really ate them. Oh I almost forgot, for a while when he was smaller he used to love raspberries but then he stopped eating those too. Just the worms. We are so worried about him and I feel so bad for him. We just want him to be his old funfilled self! He has an awesome personality. Lights on top of cage are not flourescent tubes, they are zoo med bulbs, provide uva rays. One for basking (150) the other is same brand (100) watt.

Thanks for trying to help us...hope you can make some progress with this info.
Deanna
 

peera

Sub-Adult Member
Toss the calcisand and get him onto a solid substrate (tile, shelf liner, etc). He could be impacted, try feeding him some organic sugar free applesauce. Try tempting him with softer worms like Silkworms and Phoenix's. They're more expensive, but much easier to digest.
So if I understand you correctly, he does not have any source of UVB? He needs UVB to absorb calcium. Buy a ReptiSun flouresent TUBE ($50 at Petco, $20 off of petmountain.com) for him.
Oh, and ditch the under-tank heater, too. Beardies can't feel heat through their stomach, so not only is it not doing him any good, it can burn him if it gets to warm because he won't be able to feel it.
How often are you bathing him? He might be dehydrated.
 

Elora

Sub-Adult Member
"Lights on top of cage are not flourescent tubes, they are zoo med bulbs, provide uva rays"

perhaps you could be a bit more specific about the UV lights you use? UV lights dont give off much heat unless you have a mercury vapor bulb, so im a bit confused when you say they are not tubes. All of the uv lights i have ever seen are tubes. besides the repti glo which i have been told are HORRIBLE for beardies.

my thoughts:

Does anyone know if Spike is old enough for brumation? This could be his first brumation?
or
Perhaps he is impacted if he hasnt pooped in weeks. Try giving him a luke warm bath and feel under his tummy kindof near his vent. perhaps he ingested some of the calcisand and its causing some blockage. If you feel any lumps that could be it. let him soak in the warm water for 15 mins or so to help losen it up. Its a big job to remove the calci sand but he will be way better off with out it. it says that its edible on the package but if enough is ingested it can cuase alot of problems with impaction. You can use some paper towels at first until you buy the reptile carpet or tiles. The reptile carpet is a easy buy but its kindof hard to clean compared to tiles.
 
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