Beardie Not Eating!!!

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Hi all, it’s been a while since I’ve posted. I need some serious help with my girl. I left for vacation and was gone for 10 days, and over those days my mom informed me that my dragon wasn’t eating superworms but was still drinking. I told her to pick up dubias and she ate five in a row. :/ That was last Thursday. I never intended for my mom to feed her that much, but I wasn’t concerned at all when my girl wasn’t interested in food for a couple days. 5 roaches is a lot

However, since that Thursday, she has only eaten 1 superworm and nothing else. I took her to the vet today and picked up both critical and carvivore care (a powerded feed that can be made into a smoothie essentially), drew bloodwork, gave her fluids and vitamin B, and ran a fecal.

She is not gravid or impacted, and showed no signs of MBD when the vet checked her jaw for squishy-ness. She’s drinking and she is alert and not lethargic. However, she is breathing much harder than normal

When she’s eating, she usually gets dandelion greens, blueberries, dubias, and superworms that are dusted in viramins and calcium.

Her Viv is 55 gallons. She Has a MVB 125watt on the warm side that sits at 100 degrees, and her cool side sits around 82 degrees.

What else can I try to get her to eat? What do I do if she doesn’t? What can I ask the vets to try? I need as much help as I can get.

Thank you in advance
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
The UVB what kind is it? Is it a coil? And where in the tank is it?
Karrie
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Ok here is some info on that subject---Which UVB light should I use?
The best UVB light is a ReptiSun 10.0 fluorescent tube HO (Or Arcardia 12% in the UK). Compact or coil bulbs do not emit the proper amount of UVB light for a bearded dragon, and should not be used. Other brands, such as the Zilla Desert Series and ReptiGlo have been known to cause eye problems and other health issues with bearded dragons, and should be avoided. The reason that some UVB lights (Zilla, ReptiGlo, coils/compacts, ect.) are considered dangerous is because the wavelength of UVB that they emit is shorter and more intense than the wavelength of the "safe" lights (ReptiSun, Arcadia).
UVB lights should be replaced every 6 months. The T5’s are a strong bulb and only need to be replaced once a year – the T 8 every 6 months--- where as the T 8 are not as strong—they need to be placed inside the tank the T 5 10.0 bulb approx 10-11 inches from basking spot – the T 8 approx 6-8 inches from basking spot—the cover needs to be off the bulb for full effect of the UVB rays--
I would recommend getting that changed out as soon as you can --
Karrie
 

toddthedragon

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":ct7ghv1z said:
Ok here is some info on that subject---Which UVB light should I use?
The best UVB light is a ReptiSun 10.0 fluorescent tube HO (Or Arcardia 12% in the UK). Compact or coil bulbs do not emit the proper amount of UVB light for a bearded dragon, and should not be used. Other brands, such as the Zilla Desert Series and ReptiGlo have been known to cause eye problems and other health issues with bearded dragons, and should be avoided. The reason that some UVB lights (Zilla, ReptiGlo, coils/compacts, ect.) are considered dangerous is because the wavelength of UVB that they emit is shorter and more intense than the wavelength of the "safe" lights (ReptiSun, Arcadia).
UVB lights should be replaced every 6 months. The T5’s are a strong bulb and only need to be replaced once a year – the T 8 every 6 months--- where as the T 8 are not as strong—they need to be placed inside the tank the T 5 10.0 bulb approx 10-11 inches from basking spot – the T 8 approx 6-8 inches from basking spot—the cover needs to be off the bulb for full effect of the UVB rays--
I would recommend getting that changed out as soon as you can --
Karrie

I’ve been using this MVB brand for a bit, but I just replaced it about a month ago. Should I turn it off until I can get the reptisun 10.0?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
No-- have you been using this bulb for how long? I can't remember if this bulb is ok to use or not-- I just know that most on this forum use/ recommend the bulbs that I gave info on-- you can see who else responds to your post and go from there-- usually when there behavior changes and stop eating etc it has something to do w/ the lighting---
Karrie
 

toddthedragon

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":2hvwy36z said:
No-- have you been using this bulb for how long? I can't remember if this bulb is ok to use or not-- I just know that most on this forum use/ recommend the bulbs that I gave info on-- you can see who else responds to your post and go from there-- usually when there behavior changes and stop eating etc it has something to do w/ the lighting---
Karrie

I’ve been using a MVB for her whole life, I’m not sure when brand I used when she was a baby though. I’m replacing the solarglo with the reptisun 10.0 tomorrow just to play it safe. I want to rule out all causes of why she isn’t eating. Does it matter if I get the t-8 or the t-5?

I also want to pick up a new thermometer, I don’t trust my gun as it seems inaccurate. Is there a brand you (or anyone) strongly recommends that isn’t too pricey?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Check your batteries in your heat gun first-- they may be getting weak -- you can get a digital probe for your tank as well ---- the T 5 is a stronger bulb than the T 8 --- the T 5 will last longer wont need to be changed out for a year and the T 8 will need to be changed out every 6 months--- the T 5 takes a flat fixture whereas the T 8 takes a regular fixture--- but make sure you get the 10.0 bulb -- they make a 5.0 HO bulb but that is equivalent to the T 8 or so I was told-- I think you can get most Reptisun 10.0 bulb and fixtures at Petsmart and Petco -- I have not found the T 5 fixtures in the area I live so mine were ordered on line--
Karrie
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Hi there, another thing to consider is that if she's an adult she may be in the mating mode and not too interested in food. If she's a good size + weight and still eating greens she may actually prefer to only eat insects once a week. It may also be that she's holding out for roaches now rather than supers. BTW, keep the MVB, it's a great heat source and will last long after it stops producing uvb.

Can you post pics of your girl + her set up ? Here's how :

https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ Then use the XIMG to post them
 

toddthedragon

Member
Original Poster
Here is a picture of my girl - https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/#list

I completely forgot to take a picture of her set up, and her lights are off now so it would be totally dark lol!

I switched the MVB to the Reptisun 10.0 t-8 so hopefully that will make a difference! She is getting force fed her slurry of food and she’s still pooping and drinking so I’ll take it as a good sign
 

toddthedragon

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":2c844p5e said:
Still offer her food and see if she starts eating--
Karrie

She wasn’t :( I am going to have her eyesight checked at her next appointment. She doesn’t follow my finger with her eyes at all

This is off topic, but do you know if the Zilla fluorescent hoods allow for UVB rays to pass through the clear plastic part that is over the actual bulb?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
The clear plastic cover should be off the bulb -- if its a regular fixture shouldnt make a difference w/ the UVB-- its the bulb -- so if you have the Zilla fixture w/ the cover off the bulb and the bulb being the Reptisun 10 T 8 thats good - it should be in the tank and approx 8-10 inches from basking spot--
Karrie
 

toddthedragon

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":yuui6kw8 said:
The clear plastic cover should be off the bulb -- if its a regular fixture shouldnt make a difference w/ the UVB-- its the bulb -- so if you have the Zilla fixture w/ the cover off the bulb and the bulb being the Reptisun 10 T 8 thats good - it should be in the tank and approx 8-10 inches from basking spot--
Karrie

Thank you!
 

toddthedragon

Member
Original Poster
Here’s a picture of her in her Viv

https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/#list

The spot where she is currently sitting is at 99 degrees (should I make it warmer?) and her cool side is at 83.

How warm should her night temps be? I’ve gotten different answers

Her uvb just got changed to a reptisun 10.0 t-8, she can get 9 inches away from it

Any help with her not eating would be amazing. Her fecal is clean and so far all of the bloodwork that came back is normal as well. Until I can get her to eat, she will be getting oxbow critical and carnivore care. (She had a big poop today which was great! :) )
 
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