Brumation or sick?

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dragonkin

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So my bearded dragon, Opie, has been acting strange. He lays on the blanket I put in his tank for him and hardly moves from it. He eats somewhat, but just lays in a semi-sleep state. He opens his eyes when he hears things but then closes them after seeing what it was. I thought it was brumation but he never actually sleeps much. He will have times where he will be laying on me and just stay asleep even with me breathing (which makes him rise up and down) and talking. He wakes up when I pick him up but then pretty much goes back to "sleep." He also will have one eye open and the other closed. He does this with both eyes a lot. I don't know how old he is as I got him from a teacher, who got him from another teachers family member. He has finally started eating greens like he should as he had been impacted so much when the teacher had him. I got him back to health. His eyes seem to possibly be drooping a little. Should I take him to a vet or something?
 

destiny1998

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Hi. Can you give a rundown of the set up? Temps? How you take them? Lights? How big is the enclosure?
 

dragonkin

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destiny1998":ylx847da said:
Hi. Can you give a rundown of the set up? Temps? How you take them? Lights? How big is the enclosure?
His temps normally are at 80 during the day and 68 at night. I take the temps with a temperature gauge that stuck on in the side without the heat lamp. The light I've learned is a bad light already so I'm gonna just get a new one hopefully this weekend. I can't remember the name of it, but I remember the packaging for it and looked up what it was at petco where I got it. I think it's a reptiglo. The tanks size is 36"L x 18"W x 18"H. He doesn't go over into the heat lamp side like he used to. All he does is stay on the blanket away from the heat lamp, even after he eats. If he isn't on the blanket he's sleeping in his rock cave under the heat lamp side.
 

CooperDragon

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It's important to get more accurate readings across the tank. Using an IR temp gun or a digital thermometer with a probe for the basking area and for the cool side is a good way to go. They don't cost much and go a long way in helping to fine tune the lighting. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017N8W90/
https://www.amazon.com/Nubee-Temperature-Non-contact-Infrared-Thermometer/dp/B00CVHIJDK

You want the basking area to be between 100-110 and the cool side should be between about 75-80 with a gradient between.

With a 36x18x18'' tank you'll want a high power UVB light. I have the same tank and use this http://www.lightyourreptiles.com/22-t-5-ho-fixture-high-output-with-arcadia-d3-12-ho-bulb/ If you mount it over the basking area it will provide daylight levels of UVB and serve you well for over a year without need for replacement. I think if you adjust the lighting and heat you will see a noticeable difference.
 

dragonkin

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CooperDragon":2kpvgube said:
It's important to get more accurate readings across the tank. Using an IR temp gun or a digital thermometer with a probe for the basking area and for the cool side is a good way to go. They don't cost much and go a long way in helping to fine tune the lighting. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017N8W90/
https://www.amazon.com/Nubee-Temperature-Non-contact-Infrared-Thermometer/dp/B00CVHIJDK

You want the basking area to be between 100-110 and the cool side should be between about 75-80 with a gradient between.

With a 36x18x18'' tank you'll want a high power UVB light. I have the same tank and use this http://www.lightyourreptiles.com/22-t-5-ho-fixture-high-output-with-arcadia-d3-12-ho-bulb/ If you mount it over the basking area it will provide daylight levels of UVB and serve you well for over a year without need for replacement. I think if you adjust the lighting and heat you will see a noticeable difference.
Thank you so much! I knew about the basking temp and the cool side temp, I just don't have a way of telling them. My room is normally kept at 80 degrees during the day to help keep him warm and at night like I said I keep the temp at 68 degrees. I should be able to get a temp gun easily because my father's a mechanic and normally has a few. I really hope when I get the new light that you suggested it helps him. I had asked my dad to keep an eye on him today because I fed him the last of his superworms (which he hardly gets because I make sure he eats his veggies). I was told he didn't move other than to eat sweet peas I had left him and when taken out of the tank for a bit then put back he just goes right back to the blanket. Should I take the blanket out and see if his behaviour improves?
 

CooperDragon

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For now I'd leave the blanket if it gives him some security. Once all the right lighting is in place and temps are correct then I'd bring him out for some basking time if he doesn't come out on his own.
 

dragonkin

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CooperDragon":3o3j3558 said:
For now I'd leave the blanket if it gives him some security. Once all the right lighting is in place and temps are correct then I'd bring him out for some basking time if he doesn't come out on his own.
Okay I'll put it back in. I took it out for a moment to see if he'd go to the basking place but he's just upset now. Thank you for the help Cooper, I really appreciate it! I'm going to set up and appointment for him to see a vet not for just the issue of not basking or moving, I'm gonna see if they can check him over for anything and to possibly get an age on him. Again thank you so much for the help I appreciate it all so much!
 

CooperDragon

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Regular vet visits are a good idea not only for checkups but to also build a relationship with a vet so they are familiar with him and his history if something goes wrong. They may be able to detect an underlying issue and treat as needed. Please let me know how he fares after updating his lighting. I think that will help quite a bit.
 

dragonkin

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CooperDragon":2uq8y9xr said:
Regular vet visits are a good idea not only for checkups but to also build a relationship with a vet so they are familiar with him and his history if something goes wrong. They may be able to detect an underlying issue and treat as needed. Please let me know how he fares after updating his lighting. I think that will help quite a bit.
I definitely will update you on both the lighting change and the vet visit! You've been a major help. Thank you very much Cooper!
 

dragonkin

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CooperDragon":1mdarzsc said:
Regular vet visits are a good idea not only for checkups but to also build a relationship with a vet so they are familiar with him and his history if something goes wrong. They may be able to detect an underlying issue and treat as needed. Please let me know how he fares after updating his lighting. I think that will help quite a bit.
So I took him to the vet yesterday and they found nothing wrong with him, said I do a great job at keeping him healthy. They said to give him 10 minute baths once a day for the next 3. I gave him a bath yesterday like the guy said but he hadn't pooped. When I woke up to him running in his tank he had pooped but it was diarrhea and some inpaction. Should I be concerned. The vet said to call back if something goes wrong. I'm not sure anymore. He's never had slushie green poop before. His behaviour hasn't improved either.
 

CooperDragon

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OK it's good that he passed something. His stomach may be upset so mushy poops isn't really a big concern for now. Did the vet get to do a test on a poop sample? If not, you may want to bring one in just to check for parasites. Since they've examined him, you can probably just drop off a fresh sample and they'll test it for you without having to pay for another exam. Aside from that, give proper temps and proper UVB exposure a few weeks to take effect. I still think that will help a lot.
 

dragonkin

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CooperDragon":2fxow9no said:
OK it's good that he passed something. His stomach may be upset so mushy poops isn't really a big concern for now. Did the vet get to do a test on a poop sample? If not, you may want to bring one in just to check for parasites. Since they've examined him, you can probably just drop off a fresh sample and they'll test it for you without having to pay for another exam. Aside from that, give proper temps and proper UVB exposure a few weeks to take effect. I still think that will help a lot.
No they didn't do a excrement test. I had told myself I'd ask but my annoying Mother kept saying things and wouldn't let me tell them things even though I take care of him and she doesn't. I will call and ask them if they can do a test if I bring them a sample. I've got my dad searching for the light you told me to get so hopefully I get it soon. I changed his tank adding terra desert mat carpet thing from petsmart and coconut fiber substrate. I was trying to give him something to dig in, and have more of a natural environment. I stopped giving him the baths the vet said when he had diarrhea, should I still give them to him?
 

CooperDragon

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The baths aren't bad if he doesn't act stressed out by them. If he does act stressed I wouldn't force them. They can help stimulate poop and give him a chance to drink if he's thirsty and help keep him a bit cleaner, that's all.
 

dragonkin

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CooperDragon":2sag2mli said:
The baths aren't bad if he doesn't act stressed out by them. If he does act stressed I wouldn't force them. They can help stimulate poop and give him a chance to drink if he's thirsty and help keep him a bit cleaner, that's all.
Okay, He just kinda sits in the tub, he doesn't seem to like them to much and I've seen him drinking from his water bowl every other week. I guess I'm gonna just leave him be on the baths thing. Oh would you recommend smashed fruits and veggies for him?
 

CooperDragon

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Does he eat the veges on his own? If so, I'd just cut them up into bite sized pieces for him. I've had good luck chopping up green beans and cutting yellow and green squash into small worm shapes and putting that in with greens for salads.
 
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