Hello, my boy, Bart, is a 5 year old, 23" sandfire. He has a 48x24x18 critter condo with a ceramic tile substrate. The viv is kept on the floor with the doors open so he can free roam. ZooMed basking spot, ReptiSun 10.0 T8 tube and heat emitter. Recently the spot was replaced with a 70 watt MegaRay UVB. Hot side 100 and cool side 85. Offered salad, greens and squash, everyday and live feeders, crickets, phoenix worms and roaches once a week. The live feeders are dusted and the greens are dusted twice a week.
Ever since we got Bart, at 6 months from a reptile expo, he always had a little head shaking. His checkups were always normal and we were told not to worry. At about one year old he had an "episode" where he kept his head down and spun in circles. He was rushed to the vet and hospitalized for a few days. After some meds and a couple of big poops he came home fine. We had been feeding him large crickets and thought that the episode was due to impaction but the vet couldn't give a specific cause.
A couple of weeks ago, after eating about 15 large crickets, he had another episode. Head down, nose to the ground, and spinning in circles. Lasted for few minutes and then he was fine. Then this past Sunday, again after eating, he had another major episode and this time he has not come out of it. He was taken to the vet, Monday, where his physical exam and x-ray were normal. Sent home with antibiotic, calcium and anti-inflamitory. Blood tests results, the next day, were normal except his calcium was high, 14. We went back to see the more experience beardie doctor who said that we are looking at a neurological disorder. Stroke or brain lesion. Told to stop the calcium and continue antibiotic and anti-inflamitory. He hasn't eaten or pooped since last Sunday. Told to soak him two to three times a day and if he doesn't eat on his own soon to syringe feed baby food. If there is no improvement in a couple of days then the next step is brain imaging.
When he lays down he's fine. He moves his head and eyes and is expressive. When I pick him up he becomes agitated and forces his head down as if to try and curl into a ball or flip over. If I hold his head up he's fine. When I remove the support his head and body drops and he "zones" out. Doesn't blink.
That's the history. The question is how best to support him? Getting him to eat and poop. I took emergency vacation this week, boss not happy, to be home with him but what do I do when I have to leave him alone for an extended period of time? Sorry for the long post but a general search didn't provide a lot of answers. He's my little boy and I love him so much. I hope someone can help. Thank you.
Ever since we got Bart, at 6 months from a reptile expo, he always had a little head shaking. His checkups were always normal and we were told not to worry. At about one year old he had an "episode" where he kept his head down and spun in circles. He was rushed to the vet and hospitalized for a few days. After some meds and a couple of big poops he came home fine. We had been feeding him large crickets and thought that the episode was due to impaction but the vet couldn't give a specific cause.
A couple of weeks ago, after eating about 15 large crickets, he had another episode. Head down, nose to the ground, and spinning in circles. Lasted for few minutes and then he was fine. Then this past Sunday, again after eating, he had another major episode and this time he has not come out of it. He was taken to the vet, Monday, where his physical exam and x-ray were normal. Sent home with antibiotic, calcium and anti-inflamitory. Blood tests results, the next day, were normal except his calcium was high, 14. We went back to see the more experience beardie doctor who said that we are looking at a neurological disorder. Stroke or brain lesion. Told to stop the calcium and continue antibiotic and anti-inflamitory. He hasn't eaten or pooped since last Sunday. Told to soak him two to three times a day and if he doesn't eat on his own soon to syringe feed baby food. If there is no improvement in a couple of days then the next step is brain imaging.
When he lays down he's fine. He moves his head and eyes and is expressive. When I pick him up he becomes agitated and forces his head down as if to try and curl into a ball or flip over. If I hold his head up he's fine. When I remove the support his head and body drops and he "zones" out. Doesn't blink.
That's the history. The question is how best to support him? Getting him to eat and poop. I took emergency vacation this week, boss not happy, to be home with him but what do I do when I have to leave him alone for an extended period of time? Sorry for the long post but a general search didn't provide a lot of answers. He's my little boy and I love him so much. I hope someone can help. Thank you.
I know this is very stressful for you. I'm not sure that large feedings can cause this, somehow it seems that they trigger the behavior, but it may be a coincidence. Most large beardies have no problem with large prey items, but babies [ and possibly adults ] may develop impaction from eating large bugs, esp. if eaten in large amounts. BUT....that usually causes the hind leg paralysis, [ from the large mass of undigested food pressing on the spine ] not the symptoms Bart is having. I would definitely not soak Bart 2-3 X a day.....it accomplishes nothing and can add to his stress right now as well as keeping him constantly wet. Oral fluids mixed with some Critical Care formula will 
