Rescue dragon - a few concerns...

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MrsNoggin

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Updates below...



So I knew I'd be here sooner or later. Health forum. Hi.

Picked up a rescue dragon at the weekend, very little history known, rescue place seemed OK except she was on sand and in a smallish tank in the top corner of the wall, poor lonely baby.

Anyway, I've had her... 2 days? Have yet to see her MOVE. Actually get up and move. She has shuffled about a bit, eaten half a bowl of greens, spat out a bit of red pepper, scoffed 2 locusts, 4 morios and a few waxworms (look, I'm trying to get her on my side here, I will feed ALL THE FATTY TREATS! ?)

I put her greens at the other end of her house this morning (the cooler end) and she watched me but has shown no interest in moving. In fact, I think she's just gone to sleep where I put her 10 mins ago (when I made sure she could see the food) , without actually shifting a millimetre.

Maybe I'm just used to a more active dragon, but our boy used to scrabble at the glass to be taken out for a cuddle and run. He moved from one end of tank to other several times a day for food or attention, he HUNTED, was awake while basking, stared out the window and gave you dirty looks if you got in the way. You know the sort of thing.

Is this a normal thing? Beardie that just SIT? And sleep 20hrs a day. I don't want to prod and poke her much to examine her thoroughly, moving home is a big change. But there's not even an attempt at hiding. I'm just concerned I haven't seen her actually get UP, at all.

Tank setup is all fine, she should be comfortable unless she's come from something WAY different.

90153-388101489.jpg
She still hasn't shifted the whole time I've been typing.

90153-8120787181.jpg
The tiny effort at moving yesterday...
 

MrsNoggin

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Original Poster
Ok, update, not that anyone's even looking at this post!

Having had a good half hour cuddle and finally looked her over a bit more, she's very weak at the back end. She did a huge poop today which had quite a lot of the substrate in that she was kept on in the shop. But her back legs are kind of scrabblers rather than standers. If I straighten one out a bit, it just hangs there.

Also, she's bony. Ribs and spine are easily felt. Could this be an age thing? I have NO idea of age. Is there any way to tell? Or has she just been kept very poorly? And her left eye is very watery, when she eats it leaks. She doesn't seem to react to movement on that side and it never moves so I'm beginning to suspect she's blind on one side. Another concern is tongue discoloration (sorry, there's a lot of things!) - it's quite dark. I've only ever seen pink tongues, and I don't feel like it's a normal thing.

I want to take her to the vet, but all the vets within reasonable distance know no more than me about beardies. Can anyone on here help with any of these concerns?
 

MrsNoggin

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90153-3966756868.jpg

Also is the weird colour around her mouth anything? Am I being paranoid or is this a mouth rot thing?
 

CooperDragon

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Generally she looks OK based on the photos. It's good that she pooped some of that old substrate out. Hopefully keeping her hydrated and giving her a higher fiber diet will help keep that from being an issue going forward. Give her time in her new environment and for her to get used to a healthy diet. It may take weeks to months for her to fully settle in. Hopefully good lighting and healthy diet will help her build up strength.

As far as the eye goes, it could be irritation from something caught in it (perhaps a piece of substrate or a piece of shedding skin). You can try flushing it with some plain saline solution and see if that helps.

The skin around her mouth looks gray like it's about to shed too. Not likely to cause a problem aside from some irritation.
 

MrsNoggin

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Thank you, that's very reassuring. I managed to weigh her earlier and she's just about 350, which feels light for her size. She's about 17 inches, but is missing at least an inch off her tail, if not a couple. She has a LOT of loose skin, I feel like she has been bigger at some point in her life ?

My boy was 450g and 19 inches. Is that about the weight I should be aiming for do you think?
 

CooperDragon

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350 is a little low, but not terrible. Give her some time to get used to a healthy diet of a variety of veges and greens and you'll likely see some healthy weight come back on. Usually in the 400-600g range is about right for an adult, but that can vary between individuals.
 

MrsNoggin

Member
Original Poster
Thank you! Should I feed her bugs more often to get the weight up, do you think? I was going for 3x a week, like schedule for previous beardo, but he was healthier.

Also she can't see at all out of the left eye. It's not swollen or anything, but it literally does not move and she sees NOTHING on that side, always positions herself the other way like she's used to it. I even tested with a pokey finger (didn't actually poke) and there was no reaction to avoid like the good side. I'll try and get a pic of it later.
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
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I'd focus on a variety of veges to get her into a habit of eating those. The variety of nutrients you can provide that way is better for an adult dragon. She'll be able to put weight on with veges too. Once she's used to eating those regularly, then you can start to incorporate more bugs. Maybe a full bug meal once or twice a week with some treats like black soldier fly larvae or silk worms or a hornworm now and then to add variety will do the trick.
 

MrsNoggin

Member
Original Poster
Omigosh everybody! She moved!

She jumped down from her basking shelf, had a wander round, a poop, and then I watched her (after walking into a few things in her blindspot) scrabble back up again. I am so relieved.

Mind you, that was yesterday and she hasn't shifted today, except to shuffle into her breakfast for a relaxing lie down on the greens. But it's progress and a reassuring sign she's getting some strength back.
 
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