Heat mat/brumation

[Hailey1110]

So, I have a little man about 3-4 months old. I live in Pittsburgh PA so the winter here can get pretty cold. And I read that going into brumation this young and sick can be very dangerous. My boy is just starting treatment for coccidia, so he isn’t the healthiest, we were struggling with bloody poops and prolapsing and lack of appetite. I believe he is starting to brumate, I want to try to stop it, does anyone have any recommendations. This is the enclosure that I have for him but he loves to lay in the water bowl under his basking platform. And he’s not wanting to bask to much but I want to make sure he stays warm to hopefully stop brumation. Do you think a heat mat would be safe, it’s a glass bottom but has the plastic drawer in there, I’m just worried it might melt it.

 

[hdochow]

he is too young to brumate. something else is going on. and i personally wouldn't use the heat mat.

the best place to start is by going over your lights and temps. these are the things that control the overall health of the dragon. if everything is ok in this area then you move to other reasons. what uvb bulb are you using and is it a long tube style bulb? how old is it? what about your other lights? what are your enclosure ambient temperatures for cool/middle/hot side and then the surface temp for your basking spot? how are you getting those temperatures?

i know this is overwhelming at first, it was for me too, but making sure this stuff is on point is the best way to figure out how to help your dragon.

 

[Hailey1110]

he is too young to brumate. something else is going on. and i personally wouldn't use the heat mat.

the best place to start is by going over your lights and temps. these are the things that control the overall health of the dragon. if everything is ok in this area then you move to other reasons. what uvb bulb are you using and is it a long tube style bulb? how old is it? what about your other lights? what are your enclosure ambient temperatures for cool/middle/hot side and then the surface temp for your basking spot? how are you getting those temperatures?

i know this is overwhelming at first, it was for me too, but making sure this stuff is on point is the best way to figure out how to help your dragon.

Yep everything is good I have thermometers and a temp gun that I check everything with, and the uvb is a coil I guess which I know if bad, it’s not exactly the spiral one tho, I’m just not sure what to get other then that, because everything else recommended to me was bad for him when I read into it. His enclosure right now is only a 30x12x13inch 20 gal long, I’m trying to find better options if you have any recommendations. he is shedding his tail right now, so I don’t know if that could have something to do with it, I did notice this behavior and the shedding did match up a bit, he’s not wanting to bask or eat much, and his poops are very small, but he’s also on coccidia meds right now so I’m not sure if that’s side effects

 

[hdochow]

what type of thermometers? you want to have a couple of digital probe thermometers. they are the most accurate. the temp guns can be inaccurate depending on what surface is being read off of, like hammocks, rocks, etc. we can give ya links for them if you need.

that uvb is more than likely your biggest issue right now. i know what you mean by not exactly the spiral. the loop shape is still what is referred to as a "coil". with that small of a tank you want to get a 24" long tube fixture with a reflector. what bulb you will need is dependent on what type of top your enclosure has. is it a screen more like a window screen, or the larger type where the holes are bigger?

 

[Hailey1110]

what type of thermometers? you want to have a couple of digital probe thermometers. they are the most accurate. the temp guns can be inaccurate depending on what surface is being read off of, like hammocks, rocks, etc. we can give ya links for them if you need.

that uvb is more than likely your biggest issue right now. i know what you mean by not exactly the spiral. the loop shape is still what is referred to as a "coil". with that small of a tank you want to get a 24" long tube fixture with a reflector. what bulb you will need is dependent on what type of top your enclosure has. is it a screen more like a window screen, or the larger type where the holes are bigger?

It’s a screen too, but a thicker metal kind so not like a windows, but yea it has bigger holes, I’ve just really really been struggling to find the right uvb I would really appreciate some help

 

[hdochow]

ok so for that you could use an arcadia pro t-5 fixture with the 12% bulb. it could be on top of your screen with basking decor 8-10 inches under it. get a 24" fixture. that will also work for when you need to upgrade to a bigger enclosure.

 

[Hailey1110]

ok so for that you could use an arcadia pro t-5 fixture with the 12% bulb. it could be on top of your screen with basking decor 8-10 inches under it. get a 24" fixture. that will also work for when you need to upgrade to a bigger enclosure.

So where I have found his basking spot to get the perfect temp it has to be maybe 5 inches from the basking bulb which sits right on the screen, so I’m not sure how to get it further away the 5 inches, I was thinking one of those bulb holders things that allow you to hang it above the screen but I can find any that would work for a long bulb :/

 

[KarrieRee]

So where I have found his basking spot to get the perfect temp it has to be maybe 5 inches from the basking bulb which sits right on the screen, so I’m not sure how to get it further away the 5 inches, I was thinking one of those bulb holders things that allow you to hang it above the screen but I can find any that would work for a long bulb :/

Lower your basking decor for the surface basking temps--- the UVB if the screen is really thick I would get it unobstructed - place inside the tank if this is a 40 gallon tank or open the tank so it can shine in w/ no obstruction --- decor needs to be 12-15 inches directly under it -- if you need heat at night please get a ceramic heat emitter - place on top of the screen in the middle of your tank - you want temps at nite 65-75 --- if the dragon is sick its going to be best to run it at night w/ trying to get temps around 80 at night - it will help him keep his immune system up -- you want all your surface basking temps and UVB up to par --- coils are terrible UVB's and will cause all kinds of health issues - if you cant find the Arcadia you can get a 24" Zoo Med w/ a 22" Reptisun T 5 for a 40+ gallon tank if its a 20 gallon tank use the 5.0 bulb that comes w/ it --- please let me know the tank size so I can help you get it placed

 

[AHBD]

Poor little guy, he''s very sick, not trying to brumate. Where did you get him and can you post pics of him and his set up ? His problem is definitely coccidia [ and maybe other parasites ] Bloody poop and prolapsing are very serious , what is he being given for coccidia ? You can dab his vent [ butt ] with honey using a Q-tip. Take the water bowl out, a siick baby becomes disoriented and can drown or damage their scales soaking in the water .

 

[Hailey1110]

Lower your basking decor for the surface basking temps--- the UVB if the screen is really thick I would get it unobstructed - place inside the tank if this is a 40 gallon tank or open the tank so it can shine in w/ no obstruction --- decor needs to be 12-15 inches directly under it -- if you need heat at night please get a ceramic heat emitter - place on top of the screen in the middle of your tank - you want temps at nite 65-75 --- if the dragon is sick its going to be best to run it at night w/ trying to get temps around 80 at night - it will help him keep his immune system up -- you want all your surface basking temps and UVB up to par --- coils are terrible UVB's and will cause all kinds of health issues - if you cant find the Arcadia you can get a 24" Zoo Med w/ a 22" Reptisun T 5 for a 40+ gallon tank if its a 20 gallon tank use the 5.0 bulb that comes w/ it --- please let me know the tank size so I can help you get it placed

I have a 20 gal long right now the dimensions are 30x12x13inch, and this is the tank. And the lid also slides on and off like the drawer does
Edit: I realized this isn’t the exact cage I have but like I said it looks exactly like thing with the drawer but the lid slides off towards you like the drawers does

 

[KarrieRee]

I have a 20 gal long right now the dimensions are 30x12x13inch, and this is the tank. And the lid also slides on and off like the drawer does
Edit: I realized this isn’t the exact cage I have but like I said it looks exactly like thing with the drawer but the lid slides off towards you like the drawers does

Ok so the Zoo Med would be a better fit for the 20 gallon tank -- you want the screen unobstructed for the 5.0 bulb and the distance 6-8 inches directly over the basking decor - when you upgrade the tank you will need to upgrade the bulb to a 10.0 T 5 ---

 

[Hailey1110]

Poor little guy, he''s very sick, not trying to brumate. Where did you get him and can you post pics of him and his set up ? His problem is definitely coccidia [ and maybe other parasites ] Bloody poop and prolapsing are very serious , what is he being given for coccidia ? You can dab his vent [ butt ] with honey using a Q-tip. Take the water bowl out, a siick baby becomes disoriented and can drown or damage their scales soaking in the water .

He’s doing much much better no more blood in the poops and I’m honestly not sure what he was given the vet I went to wasn’t very informative. As for the prolapsing I believe it has stopped last I saw anyways, but I haven’t been home much due to moving and being at work a lot. He just seems stressed tbh his tail is shedding and I think that’s an annoying spot, I just ordered him a better uvb source, and hopefully that helps
Edit: I actually just saw a good poop right after I posted, still prolapsing a tiny bit but it’s much much much better, before it was a decent amount of his cloaca coming out and some times took 5 mins to go back in and a decent bit of blood, now it’s the tiniest little bit of tissue showing (I had to pick him up to actually see) and it went back in immediately and no blood, and he’s only bin medicated for not even a full week

 

[Hailey1110]

Ok so the Zoo Med would be a better fit for the 20 gallon tank -- you want the screen unobstructed for the 5.0 bulb and the distance 6-8 inches directly over the basking decor - when you upgrade the tank you will need to upgrade the bulb to a 10.0 T 5 ---

I know it’s not exactly right but this is what I got him as of right now, I’m short in money due to moving and having a new job, hopefully this will do for a bit

 

[Drache613]

Moved by Moderator from General to Health

 

[KarrieRee]

I know it’s not exactly right but this is what I got him as of right now, I’m short in money due to moving and having a new job, hopefully this will do for a bit

That's fine just set it up like I posted-