Beardie breathing heavily and walking strangely

Noogai16

Member
Hello everyone,
I’ve noticed my beardie has been breathing heavily. He’s been taking big breaths in and sometimes gaping to breathe out. I would think that he was overheating since it does get pretty hot in his tank but then I noticed he was drooling a bit. He has also make little clicking noises with his mouth whenever he breathes out, like he’s trying harder to breathe. He’s also been walking wobbly and it looks like it takes extra effort for him to move around his tank. Today he flipped over on his back in his enclosure and was unable to flip back around until I quickly ran over and flipped him myself. I’m worried that if I’m not home and he does the same I’ll be too late to help him. Can anyone pitch me suggestions or ideas on how to help my beardie recover?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Hello everyone,
I’ve noticed my beardie has been breathing heavily. He’s been taking big breaths in and sometimes gaping to breathe out. I would think that he was overheating since it does get pretty hot in his tank but then I noticed he was drooling a bit. He has also make little clicking noises with his mouth whenever he breathes out, like he’s trying harder to breathe. He’s also been walking wobbly and it looks like it takes extra effort for him to move around his tank. Today he flipped over on his back in his enclosure and was unable to flip back around until I quickly ran over and flipped him myself. I’m worried that if I’m not home and he does the same I’ll be too late to help him. Can anyone pitch me suggestions or ideas on how to help my beardie recover?
It sounds like he might have a RI and lack of calcium w/ the flipping over and walking funny-- MBD ---- please go over your UVB your using and surface basking temps-- how old is the dragon -- surface basking temps should be taken w/ a digital probe thermometer --- NO stick ons - what is the humidity in the tank? That should be taken w /a digital probe hygrometer placed on the back center wall of the tank -- analogs are inaccurate -- if your dragon is having a hard time getting around your going to need to get some rolled up dish towels for him so her can get to under his basking light --- please NO coils for UVB NO colored bulbs for night time heat / basking bulbs --- I am going to flag the post to Tracie our vet tech mod but we need all this info to better help you
@Drache613
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Good advice from Karrie. I was just about to ask when you said it gets hot , how hot do you mean ? Excess heat can cause respiratory distress and heat stroke. What are the temps. throughout the tank ? If you get a chance please post pics of the entire tank and if possible a short video of breathing.
 

Noogai16

Member
Original Poster
It sounds like he might have a RI and lack of calcium w/ the flipping over and walking funny-- MBD ---- please go over your UVB your using and surface basking temps-- how old is the dragon -- surface basking temps should be taken w/ a digital probe thermometer --- NO stick ons - what is the humidity in the tank? That should be taken w /a digital probe hygrometer placed on the back center wall of the tank -- analogs are inaccurate -- if your dragon is having a hard time getting around your going to need to get some rolled up dish towels for him so her can get to under his basking light --- please NO coils for UVB NO colored bulbs for night time heat / basking bulbs --- I am going to flag the post to Tracie our vet tech mod but we need all this info to better help you
@Drache613
Hi all,
I’m using a ZooMed slimline UVB Fluorescent Light fixture with a Flukers Heat Lamp. I don’t have the necessary equipment to accurately measure what’s being asked but my estimate for both the humidity and Basking Temperature from the little thermometer that came with the tank is a little above 30 for humidity and the basking temperature ranges from 110 degrees to the hottest I’ve seen it go, 120 degrees. I don’t use any colored bulbs or night lights. My beardie is around 5 years old. I’m going to do what you said with the dish towels when I get home from work. He currently has a vet appointment scheduled for the 14th but I want to do the most I can until I get him checked out by a vet.
 

Noogai16

Member
Original Poster
Good advice from Karrie. I was just about to ask when you said it gets hot , how hot do you mean ? Excess heat can cause respiratory distress and heat stroke. What are the temps. throughout the tank ? If you get a chance please post pics of the entire tank and if possible a short video of breathing.
I’ll record a video of him breathing but the hottest I’ve seen it get to in the tank is around 120 but it’s usually around 110-115
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I’ll record a video of him breathing but the hottest I’ve seen it get to in the tank is around 120 but it’s usually around 110-115
please get 2 digital probe thermometers -- we need surface basking temps of 95-100-- w/ him being sick I recommend getting a ceramic heat emitter and keeping over night temps of around 80--- please look on the tube for the UVB bulb is it a T 8 or a T 5 and where is it placed in the tank -- top of screen or inside --- also how old is the bulb -- we need to get placement and distance for the UVB corrected
 

Noogai16

Member
Original Poster
please get 2 digital probe thermometers -- we need surface basking temps of 95-100-- w/ him being sick I recommend getting a ceramic heat emitter and keeping over night temps of around 80--- please look on the tube for the UVB bulb is it a T 8 or a T 5 and where is it placed in the tank -- top of screen or inside --- also how old is the bulb -- we need to get placement and distance for the UVB corrected
I’ll get 2 digital probes as soon as possible. As for ceramic heat emitters, do you have any recommendations? I can’t see the bulb right now since I’m not home but I believe it’s a T 8 and I bought it about 2 months ago. It’s set on top of the screen towards the back center of the tank.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I’ll get 2 digital probes as soon as possible. As for ceramic heat emitters, do you have any recommendations? I can’t see the bulb right now since I’m not home but I believe it’s a T 8 and I bought it about 2 months ago. It’s set on top of the screen towards the back center of the tank.
Ok if its a T 8 it needs to be inside the tank - T8's are not strong enough to go thru the screen and its blocking 30% of the rays -- please get it moved inside the tank as soon as you can -- if its a T 5 we need to have a look at the screen then distance and placement will be determined by that -- ceramic heat emitters can be purchased at the pet store or on line I will post some links for those - what size is the tank? For a 40 gallon I would go w/ a 100 watt especially if its a glass tank -- but those can be trial and error for wattage --
these are kind of spendy -- try looking at your pet store -- but you want the che in a deep dome w/ reflector and make sure you get the dome that can handle the correct wattage as well -- the one I posted handles up to 160 watt --- you wont need this all the time but the are good to have for real cold winters and when dragons are sick - it can sit on top of the screen of the tank - I have mine placed in the center of the tank -
 

Noogai16

Member
Original Poster
Ok if its a T 8 it needs to be inside the tank - T8's are not strong enough to go thru the screen and its blocking 30% of the rays -- please get it moved inside the tank as soon as you can -- if its a T 5 we need to have a look at the screen then distance and placement will be determined by that -- ceramic heat emitters can be purchased at the pet store or on line I will post some links for those - what size is the tank? For a 40 gallon I would go w/ a 100 watt especially if its a glass tank -- but those can be trial and error for wattage --
these are kind of spendy -- try looking at your pet store -- but you want the che in a deep dome w/ reflector and make sure you get the dome that can handle the correct wattage as well -- the one I posted handles up to 160 watt --- you wont need this all the time but the are good to have for real cold winters and when dragons are sick - it can sit on top of the screen of the tank - I have mine placed in the center of the tank -
I’ll stop by the pet shop today and look for those items. As for placing the light fixture inside the tank, that might be an issue since the top is just covered by two screens and the tank is made entirely of glass. It’s a 40 gallon reptihabitat by ZooMed, it’s top opening so there’s no place to mount it. I could look for a different enclosure but that might take some time.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
I’ll record a video of him breathing but the hottest I’ve seen it get to in the tank is around 120 but it’s usually around 110-115
110-120 is way too hot, try for 100 and make sure there's a cool side around 77-80.

Your uvb can be mounted by attaching it under the screen using very thin wire or even fisjhing line. Some people use velcro strips.
 

Noogai16

Member
Original Poster
110-120 is way too hot, try for 100 and make sure there's a cool side around 77-80.

Your uvb can be mounted by attaching it under the screen using very thin wire or even fisjhing line. Some people use velcro strips.
I’ll give it a shot. Should I mount it towards the center of the tank or towards the cooler end. Also would lowering the wattage of the lamp make the tank cooler??
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I’ll give it a shot. Should I mount it towards the center of the tank or towards the cooler end. Also would lowering the wattage of the lamp make the tank cooler??
You want surface basking temps of 95-100 -- place the probe where he sits for basking and get temp - that is going to tell you what you need to do - how far is it from the basking decor piece now? And what wattage are you using? Get the UVB as close to the basking area as you can -- its good if they can sit under both at the same time --- if you need help post pics of the tank and lighting and we can see if we can give you some pointers
 

Noogai16

Member
Original Poster
You want surface basking temps of 95-100 -- place the probe where he sits for basking and get temp - that is going to tell you what you need to do - how far is it from the basking decor piece now? And what wattage are you using? Get the UVB as close to the basking area as you can -- its good if they can sit under both at the same time --- if you need help post pics of the tank and lighting and we can see if we can give you some pointers
He basks on a hammock under the light, it would sit a little high, around the half way point of the tank, before but since he’s not been well I’ve moved it down so he can have an easier time climbing up. But now I’m thinking of taking it out so he has no chance of accidentally flipping over. As for wattage, the bulb I bought is 100 watts. I’ll post a picture of his enclosure
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
He basks on a hammock under the light, it would sit a little high, around the half way point of the tank, before but since he’s not been well I’ve moved it down so he can have an easier time climbing up. But now I’m thinking of taking it out so he has no chance of accidentally flipping over. As for wattage, the bulb I bought is 100 watts. I’ll post a picture of his enclosure
please get him off the hammock and use the rolled up dish towels so he can maneuver himself and you need those digital probe thermometers asap- thats going to give you surface basking temps - we need to get all your temps correct and the UVB correct - please check the UVB bulb for T 8 or a T 5 --
 

Noogai16

Member
Original Poster
please get him off the hammock and use the rolled up dish towels so he can maneuver himself and you need those digital probe thermometers asap- thats going to give you surface basking temps - we need to get all your temps correct and the UVB correct - please check the UVB bulb for T 8 or a T 5 --
I’ll look at the pet store for two thermometers. One for the cool side and one for the basking temp. I’ll also need a hygrometer for the humidity and the ceramic heating bulbs and fixture. Is there anything else I need to grab?
 

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