sleeps too much and doesn't eat

idk wasn't sure where to put this but when i got my beardie she was about 2 months and she's about 4 months now. she was eating great the first month i got her but she hasn't ate on her own for the last 3 weeks. i asked multiple other owners and even took her to the vet who couldn't help. i have the correct lighting and temperature. i do everything that i should be doing but she isn't interested in food at all. before she stopped eating she ate like a champ but now she barely looks at food. she sleeps a lot more than she should be too. im just worried that all i'm doing is going to waste and she's gonna die anyway. her eyes are also sunken in. she still runs around and stuff when she isn't sleeping and poos normally.

Hi Blug, sorry to hear that your beardie is not well. Can you post a few pics of her + her set up ? Here's how :

https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ Then use the XIMG to attach pics
What exact type + brand of lights do you have, and how do you hydrate her.? Did the vet do a fecal test ?

Hello, can you give us a total rundown of your care and husbandry? This will help us hopefully narrow down the problem.

UV? What brand? Coil/compact?
Heat? How are you getting it?
Temperatures?
Thermometers? Stick on, probe, or IR temp gun?
Food? How often per day?
Greens? How often?

AHBD":r1lnm4pb said:

Hi Blug, sorry to hear that your beardie is not well. Can you post a few pics of her + her set up ? Here's how :

https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ Then use the XIMG to attach pics
What exact type + brand of lights do you have, and how do you hydrate her.? Did the vet do a fecal test ?

Click to expand...

I'm actually having the same issue with an older beardie. I'm unsure if its gender but I know that I got him as a juvi about 7 years ago. This isn't the first time I've had this issue, something similar happened a few years and was back to normal after a visit to the vet and some steroids coupled with de-worming meds, I believe. Then he did the same thing last year, another fecal test and another round of steroids and de-worming meds.

This time he didn't fully recover. He became somewhat lethargic and didn't eat all of the crickets I left him with. For the following year I hand-fed him the crickets he didn't eat. Now it's sprung up again and this time he feebly attempts to catch a cricket then gives up. It became rare for him to eat on his own accord so I began hand-feeding everything. He is no longer the energetic beardie that tries to climb on the mesh on the lid of his enclosure. I don't see him drink water. No attempts to climb the glass of his enclosure. He just sleeps for the most part. Since he doesn't exercise or drink water I've been giving him baths three times a week. Last time I visited the vet he said he didn't know what was wrong so now I'm hesitant to go back.

So, to answer your questions:

UV light is Zoo Med Repti Sun. It's one of the longer ones. 10.0 UVB 18 Inch T8 Bulb (15 Watt)

Heat comes from a lamp with a 60 W GE pinksoft light bulb (120 V) light bulb in a flukers mini sun dome (5.5 inch dome).

Temp stays mid 80's, mid-high 90's Fahrenheit

I'm using a probe thermometer.

Crickets once a day

Spinach once a day (I give him less spinach than crickets)

If you happen to know any reputible vets I can take him to in the Plano/Plano area in the Dallas metroplex please let me know.

This is what he's like all day unless I intervene (Feed, bathe, spend time with him)

Him after being dried after todays bath.

Him hanging out after putting him back in the enclosure.

The enclosure itself. 40 Gallons.

Hi Tarantula, sorry to see that your beardie is having trouble. Can you start a thread of your own so the replies don't get mixed up with the ones for original poster's dragon ? I think right off though, that your dragon needs a bit of a higher temp. , put a 100 watt in there. He also may need oral hydration....make a slurry [ smoothie ] out of turnip, mustard, collard greens with butternut squash or get some baby food squash + green beans. Add extra water to any of the slurries.

And many people don't realize it but spinach actually inhibits the absorption of calcium and is not good for beardies. Use the other greens I mentioned. One more thing, he won't get much uvb unless he basks up high on his log, you might consider a mercury vapor bulb like Powersun 100 or Megaray 100.

AHBD":3chvw34p said:

Hi Tarantula, sorry to see that your beardie is having trouble. Can you start a thread of your own so the replies don't get mixed up with the ones for original poster's dragon ? I think right off though, that your dragon needs a bit of a higher temp. , put a 100 watt in there. He also may need oral hydration....make a slurry [ smoothie ] out of turnip, mustard, collard greens with butternut squash or get some baby food squash + green beans. Add extra water to any of the slurries.

And many people don't realize it but spinach actually inhibits the absorption of calcium and is not good for beardies. Use the other greens I mentioned. One more thing, he won't get much uvb unless he basks up high on his log, you might consider a mercury vapor bulb like Powersun 100 or Megaray 100.

Click to expand...

Here is the link for the thread I put up. I wasn't sure which thread to ask you this so I suppose I'll just get it out of the way. How should I give him the slurry? Thank you for informing me that spinach isn't the best option for my Beardie..I had no idea and I feel guilty for having fed it to him for so long. I'll be going out tomorrow to buy some of the things you suggested. Do pet stores carry those bulbs or are those more easily sought online?? Assuming it's not as lengthy as the one I currently own, what would be the best spot on top of the enclosure??