My beardie is opening her mouth and then wheezing?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Commissaar

Member
Hi all.

My female beardie is about 1 year and a half old. She's always been a picky eater and sometimes just refused to eat, but I've taken her to a specialist vet many times who has confirmed that she is fine. She hasn't lost weight, she hasnt got adenovirus or mbd. Her habitat is fine. I have an arcadia long uv light and a mercury heat lamp for her basking spot, which is 36-40C in different parts of the hot side. We even did an x ray and an mri after that and the only thing that showed up was that her kidney was a bit 'too round' but the vet had no idea what it could mean because she'd never seen it before.

This morning she keeps almost coughing at random intervals. She was running around her tank in the morning as she often does, and then started 'coughing'. What happens is her mouth opens and her head sort of lunges, and then a little wheeze. She has been really bad with eating these past few months but I didn't take her to the vet because she's picky and hasn't lost weight and isn't blackbearding. I've heard her make little wheezes before but never as bad as this, I thought she might have a respiratory infection but the vet said not the last time I checked.

What could this be? Please help.
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

You are using the Arcadia D3 12% T5 or regular T8 10%? How close is the tube bulb to her?
Which brand of MVB do you use?
Is her face possibly getting ready to shed? Sometimes, their nostrils become plugged up
when they are getting ready to shed & they can't breathe very well.
If she isn't showing any other signs of a respiratory infection, I wouldn't think that she has
one currently. Coughing & wheezing constantly are not good so if she does continue that
you should take her back in. For now, maybe you can keep her a bit warmer overnight using
a ceramic heat emitter & be sure her humidity is no higher than 20-30%.
How are you measuring the temperatures in her tank & what is the humidity?

Tracie
 

Commissaar

Member
Original Poster
It's a T5 at about 8 inches away I'd say?

Mercury bulb is an arcadia or exo terra Mercury that's a similar distance away.

I've been using a probe thermometer with two probes to detect temperature, but the only humidity detector I have is a crappy stick on one. I don't know of any better options.

She's stopped doing it now, but she isn't shedding.
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

So she isn't wheezing right now?
Can you move the T5 to a 10 inch distance, in case it may be too strong for her? Is it mounted
directly overhead?
If possible, post a picture of the tank setup for us so we can see the placement of the lighting.
Which brand of MVB are you using? If it is an Arcadia, those are very good & relatively strong.
The Exoterra Solar Glo is a decent one, too. The Arcadia MVB is a bit stronger though in UVB
strength. Is it a 100 watt or a 160 watt? You will want to keep a 100 watt at around a 10-12
inch distance & a 160 watt at a 14-16 inch distance.
You will want to try to get either a digital probe or a temp gun for a much more accurate
reading of your temperatures.

Let us know how she is doing.
Tracie
 

Commissaar

Member
Original Poster
It's not mounted on the inside, it's on the outside through a mesh. I know some of it will be lost but I've heard it was better to get a T5.

The outer mercury bulb is solar glo. I'll need to check the wattage.


She isn't wheezing anymore, today she mostly spent the day in her hide, poking her head out in the evening and seemed fine.

I'll post pics of tank set up tomorrow as her lights are off now.
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Ok, well that is fine then, since it mounted on top of the mesh then, it shouldn't hurt her
eyes. The setup looks good, nice & bright for her.
Is she still wheezing today? Is she possibly going to shed her face/nostril areas?
Let us know how she is doing.

Tracie
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Members online

Still Needs Help

Latest resources

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

I miss you so much, Amaris 💔
What is a quick way to warm up a cold beardie? His heating element went out overnight and now he's very cold.
Pearl Girl wrote on moorelori1966's profile.
i feel so sad reading your about me 😢
Clapton is acclimating okay I think. He's quick as lightning so I'm not sure how much I should bring him out of his house yet. He's not at all interested in his salad though. I wonder if I should change what I'm giving him. Least he's eating his crickets.

Things to do:
Buy calcium powder
Material to raise surface for basking spot
Scenery decals for back of tank

Forum statistics

Threads
155,897
Messages
1,255,656
Members
75,965
Latest member
williamyoung
Top Bottom