Akeath
Gray-bearded Member
Hope has been having some muscle twitches since he woke up form brumation about a month ago. Small ones all over his body. They have been getting much better as time has gone on, but he still has them occasionally. I took him to the vet for a full blood panel and exam, and his calcium levels are excellent, as are all the other levels except electrolytes. The vet says she thinks he is just dehydrated, and to give him soaks. His urates have been a bit small and off color. He hasn't had a fecal, I automatically clean them up so I didn't have one yet, but he'll get one next time he goes to the bathroom, although the vet said she doubted it was parasites. Has anyone heard of muscle twitches from dehydration before? I think its really weird. I don't trust him to drink standing water either, I specifically water him from a coffee cup, letting him drink as much as he will take. However, he's only been drinking in small amounts. He won't even drink 2 days in a row, so I've been watering him with the saucer every other day and putting water on his salad the other day - but he's been turning his nose up at his salad lately. Why is he not drinking more if he's dehydrated? Now I'm giving him daily baths, where he won't drink much either. I was thinking of giving him some Pedialyte to replenish electrolytes and hopefully he'll like the flavor better? Should I mix it in water or just give it to him pure? What else can I do to help him become more hydrated? How do I get him to drink more?
I didn't wake him up for baths when he was brumating, and only watered him every month or so when he stirred for a few minutes. Is that why he got so dehydrated?
Here's the health questionnaire:
How old is your dragon? He'll be 6 in less than a month
How long have you had your dragon? His entire life, I hatched him from an egg
How long is your dragon? 18 1/2 inches
What is the sex of your dragon? male
What size enclosure do you have your dragon in? 3 feet long, 3 feet wide, 17 inches high
What type substrate do you have on the bottom of your tank? non-adhesive shelf liner
Do you use UVB lights? yes
If so, Is it a coil, compact, fluorescent tube, or Mercury Vapor bulb? fluorescent
What is the brand name and number of your bulb? Wattage (if MVB)? Reptisun 10.0
How old is your UVB bulb? 1 month, I replace them every 5-6 months
How close can your dragon get to the UVB? 6 inches
Do you use a separate basking bulb? What kind and what is the wattage? Is it a white or colored bulb? yes, household bulb 100 watt with dimmer
What are the basking temps? 102 degrees
What is the cool side temp? 70-85 degrees
Do you take the temps with a stick on thermometer, a digital thermometer with a wire and a probe end or a temp gun? digital thermometer with a wire probe
Where exactly are you taking your basking temps? on the actual basking log, highest point
Do you use a heat rock or heat pad? no
What do you feed your dragon? Please be specific. 2 dozen crickets twice a week. He also has a salad: Collard Green, Mustard Greens, Turnip Greens, Cucumber, Celery, Asparagus, Arugula, Grapes, and Apple are the typical ingredients
How often do you feed and what time do you feed (morning, afternoon, night)? every day, time varies but rarely after afternoon
Do you gutload (feed) your crickets, worms, etc? No
Do you use vitamin or calcium supplements? What brand(s)? How many days a week do you use each of them? Yes. Repcal and Herptivite, he eats them twice a week
Is your dragon having regular bowel movements (poops)? Yes
Do you bath your dragon? How often? Not usually. Am right now
Do you mist your dragon or offer water other than in the bath? Yes, he gets water from his cup every other day, and water on his salad the other days
Have you gotten a vet check and fecal done? yes
Does your dragon share an enclosure with another dragon? no
I didn't wake him up for baths when he was brumating, and only watered him every month or so when he stirred for a few minutes. Is that why he got so dehydrated?
Here's the health questionnaire:
How old is your dragon? He'll be 6 in less than a month
How long have you had your dragon? His entire life, I hatched him from an egg
How long is your dragon? 18 1/2 inches
What is the sex of your dragon? male
What size enclosure do you have your dragon in? 3 feet long, 3 feet wide, 17 inches high
What type substrate do you have on the bottom of your tank? non-adhesive shelf liner
Do you use UVB lights? yes
If so, Is it a coil, compact, fluorescent tube, or Mercury Vapor bulb? fluorescent
What is the brand name and number of your bulb? Wattage (if MVB)? Reptisun 10.0
How old is your UVB bulb? 1 month, I replace them every 5-6 months
How close can your dragon get to the UVB? 6 inches
Do you use a separate basking bulb? What kind and what is the wattage? Is it a white or colored bulb? yes, household bulb 100 watt with dimmer
What are the basking temps? 102 degrees
What is the cool side temp? 70-85 degrees
Do you take the temps with a stick on thermometer, a digital thermometer with a wire and a probe end or a temp gun? digital thermometer with a wire probe
Where exactly are you taking your basking temps? on the actual basking log, highest point
Do you use a heat rock or heat pad? no
What do you feed your dragon? Please be specific. 2 dozen crickets twice a week. He also has a salad: Collard Green, Mustard Greens, Turnip Greens, Cucumber, Celery, Asparagus, Arugula, Grapes, and Apple are the typical ingredients
How often do you feed and what time do you feed (morning, afternoon, night)? every day, time varies but rarely after afternoon
Do you gutload (feed) your crickets, worms, etc? No
Do you use vitamin or calcium supplements? What brand(s)? How many days a week do you use each of them? Yes. Repcal and Herptivite, he eats them twice a week
Is your dragon having regular bowel movements (poops)? Yes
Do you bath your dragon? How often? Not usually. Am right now
Do you mist your dragon or offer water other than in the bath? Yes, he gets water from his cup every other day, and water on his salad the other days
Have you gotten a vet check and fecal done? yes
Does your dragon share an enclosure with another dragon? no