HELP My bearded dragon is dying!!!

Status
Not open for further replies.

sean0529

Member
My bearded dragon was completely fine earlier today he is about 5 years old and was eating fine as well as drinking. We noticed later in the day when returning home his whole body excluding his tail was a pale white as if he was shedding but his beard is completely black and upon trying to remove him from the cage he had what seemed to be a seizure. He had multiple of these seizure-like episodes where he would fling his body around uncontrollably. His end of his tail is still regular color and his beard has been black this whole time. I wish there was something I can do there is no reptile vet available near me and I don't know what my options are.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
What are you using for a UVB? Brand and bulb where in the tank is it is it a coil or a tube? It sounds like calcium defiency- what are his basking temps and how are you taking them? The UVB how old is it? Here is a website to find a vet www.arav.org
Karrie
 

sean0529

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":322z4r85 said:
What are you using for a UVB? Brand and bulb where in the tank is it is it a coil or a tube? It sounds like calcium defiency- what are his basking temps and how are you taking them? The UVB how old is it? Here is a website to find a vet http://www.arav.org
Karrie
I'm using a Reptisun 10.0 UVB bulb and it stays next to his heat lamp on the warm side of his cage. I take his temps with a temp gun and I also have a humidity/heat gage on the wall of the cage. His basking spot is usually around 85-95 degrees. He gets calcium with his crickets and worms.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Is it a coil or tube? Where in the tank? Tube T 5 or a T 8? Basking temps need to be 95-110-- this UVB is crucial-
Karrie
 

sean0529

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":3gaelwpi said:
Is it a coil or tube? Where in the tank? Tube T 5 or a T 8? Basking temps need to be 95-110-- this UVB is crucial-
Karrie
I keep it over his basking area where he spends most of his time at. And what do you mean by coil or tube? Its like a light bulb.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
A light bulb is it a UVB? A tube is a long fixture look on the bulb and tell me the wattage if it's a coil it will say 13 watt or 26 watt--
Karrie
 

sean0529

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":3f2h58kc said:
A light bulb is it a UVB? A tube is a long fixture look on the bulb and tell me the wattage if it's a coil it will say 13 watt or 26 watt--
Karrie

Reptisun 10.0 UVB
2U-13W AC 120V/60Hz 0.14A

This is what it says on the light bulb, its not a long strip its a uvb light bulb similar to a heat lamp

What I also don't understand is the seizure like episodes that were happening every few minutes, they've since slowed down he's been asleep for hours
 

sean0529

Member
Original Poster
sean0529":3c5vumd7 said:
KarrieRee":3c5vumd7 said:
A light bulb is it a UVB? A tube is a long fixture look on the bulb and tell me the wattage if it's a coil it will say 13 watt or 26 watt--
Karrie

Reptisun 10.0 UVB
2U-13W AC 120V/60Hz 0.14A

This is what it says on the light bulb, its not a long strip its a uvb light bulb similar to a heat lamp

What I also don't understand is the seizure like episodes that were happening every few minutes, they've since slowed down he's been asleep for hours
I also forgot to mention that he struggles to move from place to place its like he holding on to life...
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Ok those are NO GOOD--- tomorrow I want you to get him out in the sun- let him sit on you for ever how long you can stand the heat 15 minutes of direct sun will equal out to about 4 hrs of UVB-- then I want you to get a 24" fixture w/ a reflector-- and a Reptisun 10 T 5 bulb-- you can look at your petstores for this - or you can go here and order--- http://www.pangeareptiles.com
Look under fixtures there is one there for $32 do not use the bulb that comes w/ it it is not for reptiles-- or get the zoo med that comes w/ a 5.0 bulb save it for back up you need to order the Reptisun 10.0 bulb 22" or a Arcadia 12%bulb they are both really good bulbs-- but you must get him out side for UVB-- at this point if he's been using the coil in a 40+ gallon tank he's basically been getting none-- he has been hiding his illness- he has not been able to absorb his calcium -- I am going to flag your post to Tracie she is a vet tech that can help more she is on at nite
Karrie
 

sean0529

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":819trvbe said:
Ok those are NO GOOD--- tomorrow I want you to get him out in the sun- let him sit on you for ever how long you can stand the heat 15 minutes of direct sun will equal out to about 4 hrs of UVB-- then I want you to get a 24" fixture w/ a reflector-- and a Reptisun 10 T 5 bulb-- you can look at your petstores for this - or you can go here and order--- http://www.pangeareptiles.com
Look under fixtures there is one there for $32 do not use the bulb that comes w/ it it is not for reptiles-- or get the zoo med that comes w/ a 5.0 bulb save it for back up you need to order the Reptisun 10.0 bulb 22" or a Arcadia 12%bulb they are both really good bulbs-- but you must get him out side for UVB-- at this point if he's been using the coil in a 40+ gallon tank he's basically been getting none-- he has been hiding his illness- he has not been able to absorb his calcium -- I am going to flag your post to Tracie she is a vet tech that can help more she is on at nite
Karrie

But he's been fine for so long with the same setup this could really be it? It seems like he's just holding on to life he gets sunlight all the time I'm afraid he may not be around in the morning
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
What kind of sunlight? Outside or thru a window? If outside how long ? If thru a window it is filtered and not enough
Karrie
 

sean0529

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":136g7s7f said:
What kind of sunlight? Outside or thru a window? If outside how long ? If thru a window it is filtered and not enough
Karrie
30 minutes of direct sunlight a couple time a week definitely not enough, this is giving me hope that its not the end because it definitely does make sense to be lack of uvb now that you bring all of these things up. The rest of his sunlight is through a window which is multiple times a day but if its not enough because of it being filtered that would make sense as well. I just don't know if he'll be able to make it till the morning he was having a hard time even breathing it seemed like he would open his mouth and be gasping for air at some points and taking big deep breaths then breath shallow at other times. Right now it seems like he's not even breathing but I thought that before and he continued to breath stronger so I'm assuming its him lightly breathing while asleep. His beard is still black.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
He is in distress- do you have a heat emitter? It's like a coil that produces no light--- only heat- if you have one turn it on and keep his temps overnite- around 80-- I gave you a website to find a vet in my first post- if you take him to the vet they should do a bloodwork to get calcium levels and maybe an x-ray to check his calcium- if he's not moving that would be mbd--- he could possibly have a RI as well-- use that website I gave you - hopefully you will find one where you are-- if not start making calls to vets in your area and ask if they have experience w/ bearded dragons
Karrie
 

sean0529

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":305sr1la said:
He is in distress- do you have a heat emitter? It's like a coil that produces no light--- only heat- if you have one turn it on and keep his temps overnite- around 80-- I gave you a website to find a vet in my first post- if you take him to the vet they should do a bloodwork to get calcium levels and maybe an x-ray to check his calcium- if he's not moving that would be mbd--- he could possibly have a RI as well-- use that website I gave you - hopefully you will find one where you are-- if not start making calls to vets in your area and ask if they have experience w/ bearded dragons
Karrie
I have a night lamp with purple light I use occasionally when temperatures in the house are low that I put on him
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Ok those are no good either-- they are harmful to the eyes and can cause long term eye damage--- I want you to set your tank up like a hospital tank - you need to get a heating pad put in the tank set it on low- take and cover it w/ a dish towel or small towel etc-- put him on it -- tomorrow you need to work on getting that UVB replaced - and getting him into the vet--- do not use the coil anymore- he's better off getting direct sun at this point and if he has a RI he will need antibiotics- please keep me posted and I am hoping Tracie jumps in here tonite and advised
Karrie
 
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
155,896
Messages
1,255,655
Members
75,965
Latest member
williamyoung
Top Bottom