Not Eating...Please Help.

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Excalibur

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About 2 years ago I adopted my dragon Excalibur from a family who no longer wanted him. Come to find out, 2 years later (approx. 4 weeks ago) that Exie was a female and not a male. She had started laying eggs. She's laid close to 20 eggs now.

The problem is, ever since she started laying she hasn't had an appetite. In the last couple weeks, she won't touch any food. Not even her bugs...and she loves bugs. She refuses to drink while she is in the bath. I've only ever seen her do it once and that was when I first adopted her. She gets her water through her greens and insects. I've been having to force feed her. I've been giving her the repta-boost by Flukers, baby food, and syringing water. Since the repta-boost, she seems to have gotten a little perkier but still isn't 100%. I'm so worried about her. I have exotic vets near me but none of them are specialized in reptiles...of course. I can go to get an ultrasound and a fecal but not sure what else they can do for her. I have an appointment scheduled for this week.

She has sunken eyes and fat pads. She is very lethargic unless I am holding her or trying to feed/bathe her. Then she's up and about.

It is winter where I am and last winter she went into burmation for a couple weeks. I am not sure if she's trying that again but it is unsafe for her to do so right now.

Another thing is, I am not sure she is done laying. She keeps pushing things out that resemble eggs (every other day or so) but they aren't exactly like what she's laid before. It also smells horrid.

Her temps are 98-100 during the day and in the cool zone they are 85-75 during the day.
At night they are 75-70 cool end and 88-92.
Bulbs have about another month or two left.
She's got 2 uvb bulbs.

She is on tile. Has access to water (just in case she ever wants to drink). Tank humidity is low. Has food. Any suggestions are welcome. I just want her back to normal...
107032-7613182026.jpg
107032-1210023850.jpg
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Please post pics of tank and lighting and what she's pushing out--- she looks terribly thin- brand and bulb of the UVB's your using
Karrie
 

Excalibur

Member
Original Poster
Thanks for the reply. Her bulbs are reptisun 10.0 uvb a small and larger one.
One of her hammocks broke (the one that lays under the larger uvb. I am grabbing another one tomorrow.
She's sleeping right now.
Also, the fish food isn't for her. It is just on top of her enclosure.
107032-5976038058.jpg


107032-3308849693.jpg
She just passed this. Sorry it is gross.
Normally it is more oval and squishy. This time it was longer and had this little tail end attached to a bulb.
I do not have a picture of the other things she has passed. Like I said, she just passed this in the bath.
(don't mind the black hair in the pic. I had to grab this out of the trash.)
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
So the smaller uvb is a T 8 and the larger one is a T 5??? Ok so if the smaller one is the T 8 and you want to use it put it in the tank 8-10 inches from basking decor-- if you have the T 5 and screen on top is wide holed it can stay on top but decor needs to be 8-10 inches from decor-- you only need one good UVB not both--- if it's fine mesh the T5 needs to go into the tank 12-15 inches from decor------ the poop could be caused from not enough UVB-- as well as the appetite-- that T 8 is not strong enough to get thru the screen it's blocking 30% of those rays-- get your lighting straightened out--- as far as the egg laying I am not savvy on that but some others on here can help w/ that---- I would PM ahbd or drache613 she is our vet mod-- they are on the boards click on their name and find PM and send them a message--- edit if there is covers on those fixtures covering the bulbs take them off
Karrie
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Her sunken fat pads are concerning. As mentioned, I would review the lighting to make sure the temperature gradient is correct double checking with a temp gun or digital thermometer with probes and that she is getting adequate high quality UVB exposure. It's probably worth investing in a high quality UVB light such as this one http://www.lightyourreptiles.com/22-t-5-ho-fixture-high-output-with-arcadia-d3-12-ho-bulb/

If she isn't eating on her own, at this point I would try syringe feeding to keep her hydrated and try to replenish her energy a bit. You can make your own slurry using a variety of vegetables and water or you could start simply with a basic baby food like squash, green bean, or sweet potato. If you can get her eating a bit of that it may help. She may also benefit from a little bit of extra calcium. Perhaps adding a bit of liquid calcium to the food would help https://bug-de-lite.com/Category/Calcium
 

Excalibur

Member
Original Poster
The one in the back is a reptisun and the longer one is a zilla. T8 I believe. Do you have any suggestions on how to hook it up inside her enclosure so that it is closer to her instead of resting on the mesh?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Yes you can use these-- long plastic zip ties- 3m Velcro fasteners-- picture wire -- fishing line--- shoe laces-- boot laces-- please follow advice from cooperdragon-- the arcadias are good bulbs and the T 8' are not as strong- if those bulbs are 6 months replace them - if the longer fixture is 22" or longer get the Arcadia 12% and put it inside the tank 12-15 inches if not hang the T 8 10-12 inches inside- you only need one I would keep the zilla fixture but make sure the bulb is not the zilla bulb they are not that good-- and get the bulbs recommended
Karrie
 

Excalibur

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":2hkx697z said:
Yes you can use these-- long plastic zip ties- 3m Velcro fasteners-- picture wire -- fishing line--- shoe laces-- boot laces-- please follow advice from cooperdragon-- the arcadias are good bulbs and the T 8' are not as strong- if those bulbs are 6 months replace them - if the longer fixture is 22" or longer get the Arcadia 12% and put it inside the tank 12-15 inches if not hang the T 8 10-12 inches inside- you only need one I would keep the zilla fixture but make sure the bulb is not the zilla bulb they are not that good-- and get the bulbs recommended
Karrie


Hi, sorry for the late response! I have a hammock right under her UVB now but she doesn't really go under there at the moment. I took Exie to the vet and she did take an x-ray and sent that and all the information I gave her to Cornell. Cornell said I was taking excellent care of Exie judging by her x-rays and they said do not stop doing whatever I am doing. No one saw any eggs on the x-ray either. However, she still isn't eating or drinking on her own and she is very skinny (still). No parasites were found in fecal. I really think she is trying to go into brumation but I am so scared to let her because I don't want her to die. She's really trying to just go to sleep though and is avoiding her heat lamp. Is it a good idea to let her go into brumation?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
They should not be brumating now- did you get the UVB moved into the tank- w/ her being so skinny it is not a good idea- is she hydrated? How is she getting water- the UVB needs to be inside the tank---
Karrie
 

Excalibur

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":1uk3fxjo said:
They should not be brumating now- did you get the UVB moved into the tank- w/ her being so skinny it is not a good idea- is she hydrated? How is she getting water- the UVB needs to be inside the tank---
Karrie

The uvb is inside the tank. I have to syringe water and food into her
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Ok and there is no cover over the bulb it's exposed and it's 8-10 inches from basking spot-
Karrie
 

Wickedpogana

Juvie Member
She needs calcium and a good way to process it like the correct uvb mentioned aboved . I would get her on greens until shes digesting and passing her stool correct then feed her a pinky mouse since she lost so much calcium from such a big clutch THATS IF SHE IS IN WELL ENOUGH SHAPE and without SUPERB HOUSING feeding that will be consequential and it sounds like you have housing issues already. Soak her get her hydrated and make sure she gets her supplements and a good belly of dubias
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I would recommend not feeding pinky mice -- they can cause impaction and they are too fatty -- she has enough issues going now --- keep her on her greens / salads and dubia roaches if you can -- a good balanced diet w/ some worms like butter worms super worms horn worms and meal worms thrown in will get her back on the right track --
Karrie
 

Excalibur

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":k1ra01x9 said:
I would recommend not feeding pinky mice -- they can cause impaction and they are too fatty -- she has enough issues going now --- keep her on her greens / salads and dubia roaches if you can -- a good balanced diet w/ some worms like butter worms super worms horn worms and meal worms thrown in will get her back on the right track --
Karrie

Yea I was thinking about not doing the pinky mice. Do you just suggest me blending up greens and feeding them to her via syringe? She isn't interested in her worms or roaches. She doesn't have a drive to pick them up.
 
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