Beardie not eating, possible parasites

sconley

Member
Beardie name(s)
Lyra and Reginald
Hey, my female beardie isn't eating, she's around 2 years old, I need to send off for a fecal but she isn't producing enough poo for one, like it's the tiniest amounts, I can't imagine they can do anything with?
She won't eat even bugs right now, she is black bearding all day and glass surfing.
Should I just send what I have off for the fecal in a specimen pot and hope its enough, maybe I could get some reptiboost in her mixed with some baby food in the mean time?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Hey, my female beardie isn't eating, she's around 2 years old, I need to send off for a fecal but she isn't producing enough poo for one, like it's the tiniest amounts, I can't imagine they can do anything with?
She won't eat even bugs right now, she is black bearding all day and glass surfing.
Should I just send what I have off for the fecal in a specimen pot and hope its enough, maybe I could get some reptiboost in her mixed with some baby food in the mean time?
Black bearding could mean a number of things -- distress -- pain -- incorrect lighting-- lets go over the surface basking temps and your UVB -- how old is the UVB and what type are you using? Coil or a long tube fixture --? Has she laid eggs before? Any digging going on w/ the glass surfing? How are you getting the surface basking temps? NO stick ons please ---- any colored bulbs being used?
 

sconley

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Lyra and Reginald
Black bearding could mean a number of things -- distress -- pain -- incorrect lighting-- lets go over the surface basking temps and your UVB -- how old is the UVB and what type are you using? Coil or a long tube fixture --? Has she laid eggs before? Any digging going on w/ the glass surfing? How are you getting the surface basking temps? NO stick ons please ---- any colored bulbs being used?
UVB was replaced last week, t5 12% arcadia uv's, sits diagonally with the basking lamp so they get UV and heat at the same time.
Basking spots are 41C/43C, cool end is 33/28C, temp gun and komodo digital probe thermometers
She tries to dig but she's on non adhesive shelf liner, no coloured bulbs.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
UVB was replaced last week, t5 12% arcadia uv's, sits diagonally with the basking lamp so they get UV and heat at the same time.
Basking spots are 41C/43C, cool end is 33/28C, temp gun and komodo digital probe thermometers
She tries to dig but she's on non adhesive shelf liner, no coloured bulbs.
Please drop surface basking temps to 95-100 F-- older dragons do not like hotter temps-- the cool end needs to be 80ish F -- the distance should be 12-15 inches directly above your basking decor for the UVB-- has she ever laid eggs before?
 

sconley

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Lyra and Reginald
Please drop surface basking temps to 95-100 F-- older dragons do not like hotter temps-- the cool end needs to be 80ish F -- the distance should be 12-15 inches directly above your basking decor for the UVB-- has she ever laid eggs before?
Ok will do, I do not know, not with me she hasn't but I got her May 2022 and her previous owner never said she did, she's only just turned 2
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Ok will do, I do not know, not with me she hasn't but I got her May 2022 and her previous owner never said she did, she's only just turned 2
with her digging its possible shes gravid --- can you feel her abdomen for eggs?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I checked her earlier this week for eggs, I can't feel any :/
Ok -- well drop your temps see what she does for behavior- the black bearding is concerning - does she have the black beard now? try getting her out see if the black beard goes away -- if it goes away its something in the tank -- and the Arcadia is a good UVB -- might be those temps -- get them down and see what she does
 

sconley

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Lyra and Reginald
Ok -- well drop your temps see what she does for behavior- the black bearding is concerning - does she have the black beard now? try getting her out see if the black beard goes away -- if it goes away its something in the tank -- and the Arcadia is a good UVB -- might be those temps -- get them down and see what she does
Thanks, it's night here in the UK so she's sleeping, I'll try tomorrow but there isn't really anything in her tank as she's in a quarantine style set up because I suspect parasites, so I am cleaning as if she has them as my other dragon in the viv next to her's has coccidia and pinworms. I possibly should have mentioned this. She has a simple flat cave to bask on with steps up the side, and a cave hide on the cold end.

I get her out of her viv for two hours max at a time and she does stop black bearding. This behaviour has been going on for weeks, what alarmed me was that she stopped eating.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Thanks, it's night here in the UK so she's sleeping, I'll try tomorrow but there isn't really anything in her tank as she's in a quarantine style set up because I suspect parasites, so I am cleaning as if she has them as my other dragon in the viv next to her's has coccidia and pinworms. I possibly should have mentioned this. She has a simple flat cave to bask on with steps up the side, and a cave hide on the cold end.

I get her out of her viv for two hours max at a time and she does stop black bearding. This behaviour has been going on for weeks, what alarmed me was that she stopped eating.
Ok so we need to get her to poop -- feed her some baby food pumpkin w/ a drop of honey and few drops of olive oil- and make sure shes hydrated -- since shes not eating when was the last time she had water?
 

sconley

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Lyra and Reginald
Ok so we need to get her to poop -- feed her some baby food pumpkin w/ a drop of honey and few drops of olive oil- and make sure shes hydrated -- since shes not eating when was the last time she had water?
Will try, I offer her a water bowl, she never drinks from it, when she gets baths she doesn't drink either... I have been dripping water onto her head via syringe daily
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Will try, I offer her a water bowl, she never drinks from it, when she gets baths she doesn't drink either... I have been dripping water onto her head via syringe daily
Ok that is good w/ the syringe and water--- we need her hydrated --- its possible she has parasites if the count is too high they will stop eating -- so we need to get her to poop so you can get a fecal in for testing - are you sanitizing the tank w/ a disinfectant ? F 10? Zoo Meds Wipe out ? Rescue?
 

sconley

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Lyra and Reginald
Ok that is good w/ the syringe and water--- we need her hydrated --- its possible she has parasites if the count is too high they will stop eating -- so we need to get her to poop so you can get a fecal in for testing - are you sanitizing the tank w/ a disinfectant ? F 10? Zoo Meds Wipe out ? Rescue?
I'm using F10 and a handheld steam cleaner also
 

sconley

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Lyra and Reginald
Awesome! Work on the temps and see where that gets you
Hey - replying on this thread again as I checked Lyra this morning again and I can feel at least two eggs in her abdomen, gonna provide her a lay box. Any advice on this whilst dealing with parasites? I imagine I've gotta focus on getting her to lay now as a priority and just keep her viv disinfected as possible.
 

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