not feeling good? help please!

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Jsw

Hatchling Member
My beardie has been very active the last couple of weeks, cruising around our classroom for a few hours a day.

Today and yesterday, however, he has been a lethargic lump. Not really sleeping like when he was brumating - then he'd very deliberately go into his cave, scratch at the floor, and curl up to sleep. Now he's just kind of lying there, eyes open most of the time, not moving.

We brought him out a couple of times yesterday like normal but put him back after he showed no signs of being interested in moving around.

I have him on my desk right now after he has been in his cage resting since 1pm (pacific) yesterday, and he is not moving at all. I know he *can* move because I've looked over and seen him in a new position/location a couple of times today. But right now even when I poke at him or try to interact, he isn't moving at all. He's showing no interest in food.

He doesn't appear to be dehydrated. He pooped normally recently. His viv is a little warm right under the basking spot but he has a range from 120 (the really hot spot that's only a few inches wide) to 78 with most of the bright area in the low 90s. I know his set up is a good configuration because I posted it here and people seemed to approve, plus i use the infrared to check temps

Usually when he's "not moving," he's still in an alert mode, up on all four legs, looking around. Now he's just kind of lying there.

Someone suggested he's just exhausted because a few hours of exercise per day for two weeks after being in a 40g aquarium with less than an hour of playtime per day most of his two years is a huge change. But this seems like more than exhaustion, but what do I know?

He eats bok choy, butternut squash, and dubia roaches. He really doesn't like veggies very much, but I insist he eat some before he can have his roaches so sometimes he goes a day without eating. I mix calcium and vitamin powder in a cup and shake the roaches around in it before feeding.

He hasn't been bathed in a while. I don't mist him, but his poop seems hydrated and he always has a decent sized urate.

Thoughts? Please help!
 

destiny1998

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Hi. What kind of uvb light does he have? Howdo you take temps? 120 is too hot. I'd lower it to 105. Especially if he's older they don't lime it hot. What kind of basking light does he have?
 

Jsw

Hatchling Member
Original Poster

destiny1998

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Thanks for answering. Its the basking bulb. The neodymium bothers the eyes. I'd replace that with a bright white halogen flood bulb. :D
 

Jsw

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Why would he take such a dramatic turn if it's a bulb I've had for three months? This seems much more like a crisis thing than a chronic thing.
 

Jsw

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Update: His front left leg appears to be weak. I took him out and kind of propped him up and it's the front left that won't support weight. He won't go after a roach but I offered puréed squash on a spoon and he licked at that a few times.

Also, my husband says his school viv has Reptisun basking bulbs. It's only the home viv (that he's in for 1-2 days a week) that has the All Living Things one, which I've now switched out just in case.

Could it be a calcium/vitamin overdose? Or misdose? I've been dusting all his roaches, but I might be too liberal with the dusting? I basically mix the reptical calcium with but d3 and herptivite 1:1 like the container says and put it in a Tupperware. Then I put the roaches in the Tupperware and shake. But the container gets used for a week or two with the same mixture. The instructions say that Repcal doesn't mix vitamins and calcium together because it would damage the beadlets of beta carotene. So maybe I shouldn't use the same mix for two weeks at a time??

Vet says he can wait until Monday to be seen, but I'm worried. He looks so miserable, and I would be devastated if something happened to him permanently, especially if I caused it. He's been such a fun and funny little guy, even beyond the it's terrible to harm any creature aspect.
 
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