Overheating but won't move from basking spot

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felix27

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Cass is 6 years old and usually semi-brumates for a few weeks during the summer. Last month I thought he was doing his normal thing, but then he stopped going in his cave, he would just sit around all day, not eating. He was losing weight rapidly so I started giving him greens/veggie slurries and ordered some Reptaid which he's been on for 5 days. His poops are totally normal when I get him to eat. He's been slowly improving, even opened his mouth for the slurry this morning, I didn't have to force it into him.

But I've noticed he will sit in his basking spot until he is literally blackbearding, overheating and limp. I'll move him to the middle of the enclosure, he recovers, and then he will eventually make his way right back to the basking spot and do the same thing. I tried covering the screen top to keep the ambient at 92 as my vet suggested, but it just raises the basking temp and he still does the same thing.

Normally the ambient temp is 85, cool side in cave 75, basking spot has always been around 99 and up to 107 at the high point of the log, but I lowered it yesterday so it only gets to 101. MVB is less than a month old. Tile/slate substrate.

He gets soaks and his fat pads are plump so he's not dehydrated, but he just seems unable to tell when he is too hot. he doesn't gape either - even when I aimed the temp gun at him and his surface temp was well over 100 degrees.

I've tried searching but can't find anything about beardies overheating themselves, it's usually the other way around. Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions or ideas. Thanks!
 

Claudiusx

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What type of MVB are you using and how close is it to the basking surface?

Ambient temps of 92 are way too hot. Your temperatures beforehand were better. They need to have cool areas to cool off in.

How do his urates look. Fat pads aren't really a good indicator of hydration.

-Brandon
 

felix27

Member
Original Poster
I have the solarglo 125. I lowered his log level so the whole thing is about 16 inches from the bulb. Before it was about 12 inches at the high point. It's been like that for years and he has always just moved around on the log to get different angles and heights to thermoregulate. His urates are white and firm. They were a little rusty colored before he started the Reptaid, but they have cleared up.

The ambient temps are back to normal now, I had called my vet and he suggested keeping the whole cage warmer, but after one day I switched it back - it just felt like a bad idea lol
 

Claudiusx

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How much reptaid are you giving. I noticed it to be semi harsh on their systems when I was using it.

Are his urates white and chalky firm or white and soft?

Yeah good idea on only doing that for a day. If anything, I think your vet might have been confused and should have suggested warmer temps at night with a che. usually it's a good idea to keep temps slightly above 70 at night for a sick dragon.

-Brandon
 

felix27

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.05 mm on the reptaid. He was 503 grams when I started him on it. I'm going to pick up some type of probiotic today to see if that will help him handle it a little better.

Urates are firm but not chalky, sort of like a hard boiled egg.

I'm pretty sure it's been staying above 70 at night because the house is around 72, but I'll get the CHE out just in case. I usually only use it in the winter.
 

Drache613

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Hello,

How is your dragon doing today?
Are his pads on top of his head up or down?
Probiotics can definitely help out, if his system is out of whack a little bit. Which one are you
getting him?
The Solar Glo is a pretty decent bulb for UVB but it isn't real strong. Are you using a digital
probe or temp gun to measure the temperatures?

Tracie
 

felix27

Member
Original Poster
He is improving slowly, better today than a few days ago! His pads are up but definitely not as firm as they used to be.

I was thinking of getting NutriBac. The Reptiboost came today and he ate the whole 3ml which is more than he has eaten in one sitting so far, and he really perked up after and his color lightened. I'm hoping if he can just get back to eating regularly he will feel better.

Still having the basking problem, I just have to move him out from under the lamp every so often so he can cool down, but he was actually gaping today so maybe that will return to normal too.

I have a digital probe for the hot spot, attached to one that reads ambient are temps and I also have a temp gun for spot-checking.
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
If it's a very hot day , or likely to be (heatwave) , turn off the basking globe , and unplug it from the powerpoint.

Your dragon sounds like it has been exposed to very high tank temperatures , and the entire tank was too hot during a string of hot days , and has the ability ( hopefully temporarily) to move and thermoregulate.
See this for an indication of the temperatures to avoid :
viewtopic.php?f=45&t=236296&p=1816412#p1816412
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

How large of a tank is he in right now?
The ambient temperatures shouldn't exceed 82 maximum, really to avoid overheating.
The temp gun & digital probe should be fine for measuring the temperatures with. The
125 watt may be too much for a smaller tank. If it's 16 inches from him you might want
to consider getting a long tube bulb for him for supplemental UVB exposure to help out.
Hopefully he is feeling better. Overheating really zaps them for awhile but he should start
to eat again. The nutribac is a really good probiotic also. At least he did eat the reptiboost
which should help out.

Let us know how he is doing.
Tracie
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Just wondering how your dragon was doing, let us know any updates on him!


Tracie
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
If he's not moving despite being overheated and very stressed , he's suffering heat stroke and has lost the ability to thermoregulate or actually physically move under his own power , this will kill him if it's allowed to continue .

Turn the heat off , and give a chance to recover , if he doesn't start showing improvement , or start regaining movement , it's a vet emergency , he needs very urgent vet treatment .
 
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