beardiemom2424
Member
So I am a brand new bearded dragon owner, I brought Giblet home on Tuesday and I have some concerns. First thing I noticed is that she seems underweight. I was told she is a 3 year old female and she is weighing in just under 300 grams (~290 grams), but I can see her ribs and she doesn't have a big belly like I see most bearded dragons have, she also has no fat pads on the back of her head, there are depressions there instead. The previous owner advised before I got her that she had just laid eggs a few days prior and she had been kind of quiet since then, okay, no big deal. I take her home and set her up in her tank and start to do some research. My first concern with her weight is MBD, I don't believe her previous owners were giving her the proper lighting (they couldn't remember when the bulb was last replaced and they had it hanging above the mesh top, not ideal) and diet so I am concerned she may have low calcium levels (no other signs of MBD like soft bones or twitching) but then as I started reading more about beardies and learned more about brumation I am wondering if that could be what is happening. Her previous owner said she went through brumation once, in the winter, a few years ago, so her cycle could be off but they didn't really sound like they knew. She has not eaten at all since I've brought her home Tuesday, I've offered her both insects and vegetation and she doesn't seem at all interested. She has also not pooped since I got her. She mostly just sleeps in the same spot for most of the day, occasionally getting onto her basking rock but then going back to sleep. Her previous owners advised I try syringe feeding her baby food but everywhere online is telling me if they're brumating it can be dangerous to force feed them. My question is, how do I know if this is MBD or that she is just in brumation? I am considering taking her to a vet to have her looked over but I don't know if I'm over reacting. I know it could also be due to the move, she was with the same family previously for 3 years so I know she must miss them. I am just looking for some advise about where to go from here, do I wait it out or should I seek medical attention for her? Thanks in advance for any help!