DizzyLizzyNC
New member
I adopted a 1 year old 19" female bearded dragon a month ago. I offer greens every morning (some combo of collards/dandelion/bok choy + fruit/veg mix ins) but she hasn't eaten them for 4 days and would just pick at them before that. Since Vet 2 days ago, she's just hiding out under her hammock facing the corner. She looks so dejected. Admittedly, she has had a stressful week. She went to vet for wellness visit, got blood drawn, moved from a 40 gallon to a 2x2x4 Zen Habitats, was force fed 3 medications, and is shedding.
The vet reported she looked great and reviewed my husbandry practices. However, blood work/stool sample revealed elevated calcium (maybe gearing up for eggs but vet didnt feel any), elevated urates, and pinworms/parisites. Vet said uric acid levels could be from dehydration and prescribed:
-Daily 5 min warm bath (I use decholrinated tap water)
-0.4cc Rehmannia 6 - 2x daily (for uric acid)
-0.25cc Fenbendazole 50 mg - once ever 14 days for 3 doses
-0.4cc Metronidazole 50 mg - once every 7 days for 3 doses
She still eats insects no problem. I've tried hiding super worms in her greens but she just waits until they crawl out. Her insect feeding schedule is 10 min feeding window 3x week with primarily crickets and 3-5 supers + earthworm in her salad bowl. Twice week calcium dusting and once week multi-vitamins. On her Sunday feeding I fed her a thawed pinky mouse + crickets, which I plan on doing 2x month. She was also getting hornworms and some dubia mixed in. However, now they are pupated/breeding and I don't have any to give her. I plan on switching to dubia once my colony is established.
Poop: About 2 times a week. Last 3 were well formed with pliable white urates but with liquid.
I skipped her Friday insect feeding hoping it would encourage her to eat her greens. I have also been trying to limit handling to bath and medication time so as not to stress her more.
-Should I decrease insect feeders to 2x week until uric acid levels are under control and to encourage her to eat greens?
-How many days without greens before I need to start worrying?
She has a follow-up with vet in 2 weeks to recheck her blood and stool.
Lights: 6am - 9pm Timer
UVB: 18" 15 watt 50 UVB fluorescent located 9" away
Basking: 95-103 (check w/ probe and infrared gun)
Cool end: 80 (digital thermometer)
Humidity: 55%
Substrate: textured linoleum/rock mat
Location: On tank stand in home office where I work daily
The vet reported she looked great and reviewed my husbandry practices. However, blood work/stool sample revealed elevated calcium (maybe gearing up for eggs but vet didnt feel any), elevated urates, and pinworms/parisites. Vet said uric acid levels could be from dehydration and prescribed:
-Daily 5 min warm bath (I use decholrinated tap water)
-0.4cc Rehmannia 6 - 2x daily (for uric acid)
-0.25cc Fenbendazole 50 mg - once ever 14 days for 3 doses
-0.4cc Metronidazole 50 mg - once every 7 days for 3 doses
She still eats insects no problem. I've tried hiding super worms in her greens but she just waits until they crawl out. Her insect feeding schedule is 10 min feeding window 3x week with primarily crickets and 3-5 supers + earthworm in her salad bowl. Twice week calcium dusting and once week multi-vitamins. On her Sunday feeding I fed her a thawed pinky mouse + crickets, which I plan on doing 2x month. She was also getting hornworms and some dubia mixed in. However, now they are pupated/breeding and I don't have any to give her. I plan on switching to dubia once my colony is established.
Poop: About 2 times a week. Last 3 were well formed with pliable white urates but with liquid.
I skipped her Friday insect feeding hoping it would encourage her to eat her greens. I have also been trying to limit handling to bath and medication time so as not to stress her more.
-Should I decrease insect feeders to 2x week until uric acid levels are under control and to encourage her to eat greens?
-How many days without greens before I need to start worrying?
She has a follow-up with vet in 2 weeks to recheck her blood and stool.
Lights: 6am - 9pm Timer
UVB: 18" 15 watt 50 UVB fluorescent located 9" away
Basking: 95-103 (check w/ probe and infrared gun)
Cool end: 80 (digital thermometer)
Humidity: 55%
Substrate: textured linoleum/rock mat
Location: On tank stand in home office where I work daily