Beardie just stares, help :(

I'm sorry for being so wordy, just concerned and trying to throw all the details out there.


Please help. I got my bearded dragon, Puff, July 2014 at 2-3 months old, so now, he is about 1. So active in the beginning, great eating habits, loved chasing crickets, loved meal worms, almost never really turned down veggies, even as a baby, (sometimes I wonder if the pet store thought he was younger than they told me)... he is HUGE. But seems to be healthy, huge, 17 inches long and some muscular arms lol. I only have one beardie so not much to compare to but I definitely do a lot of research. He has always been completely terrified of baths. I've attempted only a total of 4 times in 10 months, it freaks him out, he won't eat for a week, hides for a week... just totally hates it and it's hard, as you all know, to play tough love and make him do something he is afraid of. So I started misting him, I read that could cause upper respiratory infections, I tried not to spray his head... we now have a pretty good routine going with the spray bottle if I drip water on the tip of his snout a bit... he will open his mouth, and I continue to pretty much spray/pour water into his mouth, he loves it.. he drinks for a good 5 minutes. Question #1, is this okay? I've only actually witnessed him drink water from his water dish 1 time. I know they don't do this regularly. He is not an aggressive beardie I don't think, he has only puffed his beard about 4 times, and it was at nothing, once in the bath, and once I think he was stretching his skin when irritated trying to shed. NOW, everything has changed... won't eat on his own at all. About 3 months ago it came down to hand feeding and I thought maybe I spoiled him. He wouldn't chase crickets anymore, and wasn't seeming to like meal worms, I tried super worms but those suckers crawl right out of the bowl and I didn't want them roaming around the enclosure so I simply fed with my hand. Veggies hand fed sometimes in the morning, or if he was up before me he did eat those on his own, and then worms early afternoon and some around dinner time. If he ate a lot at noon, I tried to cut back on the worms because I read there is such thing as feeding too much. When you research you read so much of everything, then I found where they say you should feed him for a 10 minute period as much as he'll eat, then I read feed him until he won't eat anymore, then I read he will eat until he pukes pretty much. It's not as much the eating I'm concerned with now but I wanted to emphasize that he used to do all these things. Now, over the last month, continuing to hand feed, and drip the water in his mouth, calcium powder about every other day on his veggies is how he loves it.... He only poops about once a week. I read this is normal when transitioning into an adult, but what really is considered an adult in bearded dragon ages?? I've moved him from a 40 gallon tank where he had 150w round basking bulb, and 26w 150UVB coil compact light. WELL, I read these coil ReptiGlo UVB lights are TERRIBLE for them and can cause eye damage. If that's the case why do they sell them.... Is this why he doesn't chase food? Because he can no longer see? Did I blind my beardie? I feel like I've completely failed him. He just stares into space, all day... eyes wide open, more than normal, just stuck staring, bored out of his mind... Hardly ever yellow like he used to be, he isn't happy. I'm nervous he is going blind or has already. Never has looked like an infection in the eyes and never really seems irritated in or around the eithers, but I am able to see the red veins around his pupil easily, I wasn't sure if that's normal and all their eyes could be different... when I walk up to him... it's like he can't see me until I get all the way up to the tank and it startles him because he jumps.. but he can definitely hear me,....he is afraid of me, and he is afraid of my 2 cats that meow at him. But he never used to be, he used to interact with them, then he got older and became more shy unless he can't see... He's been in his new 75 gallon tank for 4 months or so... seems to love it on ceramic tile floors and heating pads underneath the tank is where he loves to lay when not basking. When I hand feed him I have to swirl around his head 2-3 times for him to notice my hand is even there,.. is he being stubborn? Or spoiled and I taught him to be lazy? could he be blind from the wrong UVB light in 9 months? That's my biggest concern. if so, can any eye damage come back?? I know I'm not talking to a vet here, but the workers at Petsmart didn't have a clue, and looked at me crazy when I asked about brumation, they didn't even know what that meant. Then they suggested I get a day light blue bulb because UVB wasn't needed. They did not know at all what they were talking about. I overnighted a ReptiSun 10.0 UVB Florescent tube with a hood.... but they only came in a lesser watt. I can't seem to find out what the wattage should be. I currently use 26w, and the tube was I think only 16w. I'm hoping that is just for the amount of heat or light, and not going to affect the actual UVB output for him. I don't want to lose him... I'm constantly trying new things. I'll pay anything... Any suggestions or opinions please!! Thanks!

Hi there....I'm sorry to hear that Puff has you worried. I'll try to answer your Q's. First off, the water on the snout method is the way most of my dragons have always been hydrated [ although they do get baths at times, especially if they get a bit dirty ] So your method is fine. He should be bathed once in a great while at least to help clean him, but right now I know you're concerned about other things. I don't think he's blind......what distance was the compact coil bulb from him ? Usually the eye problem is noticeable because the dragon keeps their eye closed, then they may swell up a bit. To check his eyesight , get a mirror that you can hold in his cage in front of him, but as far across the tank from him as you can. See how he reacts....if he sees the " other dragon" in the mirror he'll probably get excited or turn a black beard, then you know he's not blind . Oh, but are you positive Puff is a male ? Either way, there should be a reaction when he sees the mirror. If he HAS lost some eyesight, it would be sad but he could still live a long life.

When he stopped eating 3 months ago, that would be because it was the time that beardies go in to brumation....so he still may not have much of an appetite. Plus he's at the age where his consumption of insects can lessen drastically. Keep offering greens on a flat, shallow plate and let him find them himself. Try that for a start.....he does look well-fed + healthy.

BDs can become a bit spoilt. So as he is a good weight, a bit of tough love on the veggies front and finding them himself would be a good idea.

The water method sounds great, if he doesn't like baths and hasn't crawled through faeces then I wouldn't put him though it. If he's too busy struggling he won't drink from them.

It sounds like you care for him very much, could you just run over the set-up anyway?

I'd keep the cats away from him as well.

Thank you guys for the replies...get some comfort when others possibly don't think he could be blind. So, I am going to try the tough love, and leave veggies available all day everyday, and how long should I do this? If 3 days goes by and he hasn't gone to eat on his own, what should I do? Should I give him any superworms in this time frame of "tough love"? He absolutely loves hornworms, but they don't sell anywhere around here so I had to order them on amazon. How do you guys feel about hornworms? I was looking at his gut last night, he could afford to lose some weight for sure

No I am not positive it is a male, but I thought I saw the bumps on the back of his legs. Any good ways to tell? I live alone so without someone here to help sometimes I struggle with lifting his tail and trying to give baths because I'm afraid he will bite me?....never has.

When you give them a bath are you just letting them do their own thing? Or are you actually scrubbing then clean? Without soap....

The set up is........
75 gallon tank
150w basking dome
26w 150 uvb florescent dome ...for now, does the watt matter on the uvb bulbs? I can't find that answer anywhere....

Screen lid
ceramic tile flooring
2 heat pads underneath tank...he loves them because he's a hider so they really warm up the tiles...
never saw him in brumation..
2 thermometer, one on left one on right. They are on the glass so when I check the temps I have to move them to the center of each side.
Hiding rock, big log, and greenery ..he likes to sleep in it.

What did I forget to mention?

reneemarie4":2vxltelp said:

Thank you guys for the replies...get some comfort when others possibly don't think he could be blind. So, I am going to try the tough love, and leave veggies available all day everyday, and how long should I do this? If 3 days goes by and he hasn't gone to eat on his own, what should I do? Should I give him any superworms in this time frame of "tough love"? He absolutely loves hornworms, but they don't sell anywhere around here so I had to order them on amazon. How do you guys feel about hornworms? I was looking at his gut last night, he could afford to lose some weight for sure

No I am not positive it is a male, but I thought I saw the bumps on the back of his legs. Any good ways to tell? I live alone so without someone here to help sometimes I struggle with lifting his tail and trying to give baths because I'm afraid he will bite me?....never has.

If he hasn't shown aggression I doubt be will, the tail area isn't expecially sensitive. It really isn't a two man job, but you do need to be confident around him.

When you give them a bath are you just letting them do their own thing? Or are you actually scrubbing then clean? Without soap....
if he hates baths don't bother, unless he has to be cleaned if he is actually dirty you might need to gently rubbing it off, they won't clean themselves if that is what you are asking?

The set up is........
75 gallon tank
150w basking dome
26w 150 uvb florescent dome ...for now, does the watt matter on the uvb bulbs? I can't find that answer anywhere....

Screen lid
ceramic tile flooring
2 heat pads underneath tank...he loves them because he's a hider so they really warm up the tiles...
never saw him in brumation..
2 thermometer, one on left one on right. They are on the glass so when I check the temps I have to move them to the center of each side.
Hiding rock, big log, and greenery ..he likes to sleep in it.



How big is that dimension wise? are you just using a tube now for uvb which one exactly? What are his temps and what type of thermometers are you using? They need to measure exact spots not be moved around.

Where are the heat pads placed? Are they on thermostats?

What is your climate like?

Which supplements are you using?

Are you keeping the cats away from him?



What did I forget to mention?

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Comments above inline

Thanks. No, I know they don't clean themselves, I don't want him to dehydrate, so I was asking if the method I've been using is okay, dripping water in his mouth. Does that need to be done everyday. Sometimes he won't.

The dimensions of his tank at 48 long, 20 tall, 18 wide. ReptiSun 10.0 florescent UVB tube, 30watt that is in a hood on top of the screen lid. Is that too far away? I'm not sure what you mean but the thermometers not being moved around but his basking side is 105-110 always. I was saying that I keep the thermometer on the wall because it is a suction National Geographic digital that reads temp and humidity%. Clearly, when it is on the side of the tank it doesn't read the exact temp as under the basking light. It reads 88-90, always. When it reads that, is when it is 108 directly under the heat bulb. What kind of thermometer do I use that reads under the basking bulb at all times?? I haven't seen any of those. On the cooler side, its 85-90.

The heat pads are placed underneath the tank that are sticky. One on the cool side, and one in a hiding area on the warm side. I did this because I was worried about there being a draft by my door against the wall his tank is on, winter just ended here, I'm in northeast Ohio. The pads do not have thermostats.

How do you lower humidity? This is the highest it's ever been, reads 32%.

I only use calcium powder. Zoo Med Repti Calcium with Vitamin D3.

I've kept cats away as much as possible for the last couple days... he is up high on a stand that came with his tank so they could never jump on it or anything like that. Sometimes it seems the cats bother him, and sometimes it seems he could careless. Don't know.

Thanks for your support.

No prob

Firstly you have to stat those heat mats, they can be extremely dangerous without, that said, your cool side is warmer than ideal so I would scrap that, the warm side is plenty hot enough so I'd lose that as well. For next winter a ceramic heater on a stat is probably the best bet.

Do the digital thermometers have probes? How are you measuring the basking spot? Could you set it up to offer a basking gradient?

If he will willingly drink normally from his snout but doesn't every day, then I wouldn't worry that sounds more like his choice. A feeding syringe is easiest for this, if you place a shallow dish or lid under him, he might then lap up the falling drops.

Do you know if it is a reptisun t5 or t8?

I'd add some variety to his diet pheonix worms would be good, he might also like roaches, as AHBD says, he won't need the same quantity of insects he used to. Some time outside when it is warm enough woudl be great, if he hides a lot he probably wouldn't have been exposed to much uvb from the coil. If you are taking him outside be careful about too much d3. A multivitamin twice a week would also help.

What veg are you using?