Still not eating and loosing weight.

So Mordecai still is not eating. Maybe a hornworm a week. No veggies. He was dehydrated and he is still loosing weight. I know he needs to see a vet and that will be in a few weeks (I work weird hrs) but what can I do in the mean time? I tried a slurry today but he didn't want that. I have tried baby food and he does like that but is that enough. He's still as active as he always is. Any help is appriciated. Thank you. Just for info he was 535g a month and a half ago and now he is 489

That's quite a bit of weight loss. It sounds like you've already posted about this on here? Have you answered the usual enclosure/set-up/diet questions already? If there is a history of posts here I'm not familiar, and I don't know the history of his illness...If you have already posted about this, can you link that post or posts?

One thing that I can say, regardless of the illness history, is that if your beardie has not had an appetite for a long period of time to the point that he's losing enough weight to make a difference in appearance, you certainly should not be waiting "A FEW WEEKS" to take him to a Certified Reptile/Herp Veterinarian who has experience with Beardies and can run proper tests to accurately diagnose what's wrong and and provide the appropriate treatment! A few weeks? I'm sorry, not trying to be harsh or rude, but if you're really that concerned (and you should be) then you need to rearrange your schedule, take a sick day or a personal day or just call in sick on the day of his appointment (or even just take a few hours off to take him if you have a Certified Reptile vet close). He cannot wait "a few weeks" if he's not eating, hasn't eaten in a very long time, and is losing quite a bit of weight. If it is allowed to continue "a few weeks" and does continue the same way it already has happened, imagine how much weight he will have lost "in a few weeks"...

Up to you, but sometimes home remedies and natural treatments are not good enough. Again, I don't know what you've already tried or what the history of this issue is, but I do know that waiting "a few weeks" to even get an actual diagnosis and start appropriate treatment is a huge gamble and it may be too late at that point. And the reason I'm pushing this isn't because I'm trying to be dramatic, it's because I'm tired of seeing this exact situation over and over and over and over on here, every single day, and the poor Beardies suffer, are in pain, are put through so many different things their owners are hoping will work, then the beardie either dies without ever seeing a vet, sees a general vet that has no idea what they're doing and then dies, sees a reptile vet, is diagnosed and starts treatment but dies anyway because they waited too long to take them, or they just disappear and never update on here again, most likely because their beardie died...It's frustrating and depressing, and sometimes absolutely infuriating. I'm not directing that at you in particular, I just don't want to see your beardie end up the same way...

He is not noticeably thin. I keep track of his weight weekly. He does eat some just not much. He is in a 90g tank retisun 10 t5 a month old. White basking light. Temps are 100 to102 on basking spot down to mid 70 on cool side. I am concerned and I am not looking for a home remedy I am looking for help to get him to eat more and I will get him an expert reptile vet but they are busy and so am I. Thanks for making me feel any worse for not been able to get him to the vet. It's people like you that make others not want to post or to not update a post because they really didn't get helpful information just bashed on
Thanks

Mordecai is still looking good...is that his coolest beardie on the forum pic ? Doing his one armed push up like a show -off. Losing 35-40 grams is a bit much, but not extreme. Keeping in mind that they can lose 20 grams in one bowel movement the weight fluctuation would be pertinent depending on when he had or had not eaten or had recently had a bowel movement. As far as the hornworms, are they the large sized ? Because those are very filling and tasty to a beardie so he may just be holding out for those. Do you offer him more than one a week ? And yes, baby food is still putting some nutrition in him.

Yes they are big Hornworms and he can and sometimes does eat more then one a week but I try to get him to eat his salad or dubias and he doesn't so I give in and offer another hornworm. Since I rescued the other two dragons and I see how much they eat compared to him it make me wonder. And yes that is his I'm the coolest dragon pic. Thank you for your response and help. I would never let this get so bad before I took him to the vet and his weight has fluctuated up and down not just a sudden drop.

Saying that "the vets are busy and so am I" makes me feel bad for your beardie. The answer to your question is obvious, or it should be, and my goal was not to make you feel badly but to stress that he cannot wait "a few weeks" to see a vet. Don't blame me for not pulling any punches, I stopped doing that a long time ago because it does no good for the animal. Do you want the truth, or do you want it sugar coated? If what I said made you feel worse then it's pretty obvious that you know I'm correct.

I was not asking if he needed to see a vet. I have an appt. It's been made for a while and that is the soonest the vet can get us in. (Experienced herp) I was asking for support in the meantime. So again thanks for the bashing. I take great care of all my animals.

Every dragon is different in their habits, they are individuals.
So comparing him to your rescues is not a fair judgement.
As long as he is eating a few hornworms a week and pooping normally he should be fine till your appointment. Hornworms are a great source of hydration and nutrition. Like AHBD said, he might be holding out for them.

Hello,

He does still look good, great pictures of him.
They can get rather picky with their eating sometimes at that age! I would continue with baby food supplementation it will help out. You can add a greens slurry also for fluid intake if he isn't eating enough greens. What other feeders have you tried?
Definitely consider getting a fecal done, just to be sure he doesn't have worms or parasites.

****No reason to be quite so harsh or judgemental in analysis. The OP is aware of the situation & has expressed a desire to get to the vet & does not need to be guilted or badgered****



Tracie

Thank you Tracie. He was eating crickets when I first got him. Changed to dubias. He also eats supers, have tried calcium worms? Butter worms and wax worms (as treats). I will be getting more feeders on Sat and will see about something different. Thank you again.
Amie

Vet appt tomorrow. Taking all three in just to be safe. As far as there fecal sample they all poop this morning. I collected them and put in the fridge. Will this be fresh enough?

It should be good, but the fresher the better. Hoping everything turns out O.K for your gang. How's Mordecai doing ?

Well back from the vet!!! That was a long trip. 2 1/2hrs to the vet (got a flat tire) an 1 1/2 at the vet then an 1 1/2 drive home. So Mordecai is a mystery. He looks healthy no parasites so we took some blood and they will send it out. The vet also gave me some carnivor and omnivore care to give to mordecai and extra baths because he is dehydrated. Didn't do an x-ray because she didn't feel there was anything there. Jasper and Alice on the other hand have worms (pin) so they are on panacur for the next 5 days.

I hope the blood tests give you some answers and it's nothing serious. It's frustrating when their health issues remain a mystery. Dripping water on his nose to lick up should help with hydration. Pinworms aren't a huge deal and should clear up pretty quickly.