How much multivitamin ?

[Espa]

Hello I was wondering if 1/4 a teaspoon of multivitamin once or twice per week is good enough? Along with half a 1/4 teaspoon of calcium each day. I took Damien to a vet recently due to seeing weight loss. She said he was in the skinnier side and that gut loading and ensuring he gets the right amounts of vitamins can help. He also lack appetite too? I was wondering what the right amounts for vitamins would be, as that can be a cause of weight loss and lethargy. I was dusting his food with a pinch before, and did not gutload. But becasue it’s hard to feed him I do it via synringe. Are the amounts listed above okay?

 

[KarrieRee]

Hello I was wondering if 1/4 a teaspoon of multivitamin once or twice per week is good enough? Along with half a 1/4 teaspoon of calcium each day. I took Damien to a vet recently due to seeing weight loss. She said he was in the skinnier side and that gut loading and ensuring he gets the right amounts of vitamins can help. He also lack appetite too? I was wondering what the right amounts for vitamins would be, as that can be a cause of weight loss and lethargy. I was dusting his food with a pinch before, and did not gutload. But becasue it’s hard to feed him I do it via synringe. Are the amounts listed above okay?

Your dragon needs a good UVB NO coils to absorb the calcium you feed him -- if hes not eating and lethargic this could be a good reason for this --- you want to dust your insects ONCE per feeding lightly coated w/ calcium D3 for a baby -- how old is the dragon? I can then tell you how often to feed but we must get the lighting corrected-- what are your surface basking temps and how are you taking them? Another factor in the not eating

 

[Espa]

Apologies for such late reply. So he has two cages because we travel between ax and cali. His main one in az is a 50 gallon. The temps are 90-95 throughout the day, thanks to an 150 watt. Kept at 70s during the night. He has the long fluorescent, I thinks it’s desert brand? Now the other one, it’s one used for only a few weeks at a time hence it’s smaller. It’s a 20 gallon but temps remain similar. He has a heat pad at night. Now, I do use a thrive compact Uv bulb for this. I read it was okay, and I was unsure about fluorescent do to the size. Here is the bulb and wattage I have for that cage. Which we is currently in since I am at cali currently. He’s not lethargic entirely? He walks around if I take him an out and is quite bright and explorative. It’s just a lack of interest with eating and weight loss I see

 

[KarrieRee]

Apologies for such late reply. So he has two cages because we travel between ax and cali. His main one in az is a 50 gallon. The temps are 90-95 throughout the day, thanks to an 150 watt. Kept at 70s during the night. He has the long fluorescent, I thinks it’s desert brand? Now the other one, it’s one used for only a few weeks at a time hence it’s smaller. It’s a 20 gallon but temps remain similar. He has a heat pad at night. Now, I do use a thrive compact Uv bulb for this. I read it was okay, and I was unsure about fluorescent do to the size. Here is the bulb and wattage I have for that cage. Which we is currently in since I am at cali currently. He’s not lethargic entirely? He walks around if I take him an out and is quite bright and explorative. It’s just a lack of interest with eating and weight loss I see

Please do not use any coils for any tank - you want a long tube fixture-- I can post links for 3 good ones- coils are a health hazard - your dragon cannot absorb the calcium your feeding w/ the compact uvb

 

[Espa]

Yes please! With this is there anything else I can do? Anything that may cause appetite loss, considering the az cage had adequate lighting and uvb?

 

[KarrieRee]

Yes please! With this is there anything else I can do? Anything that may cause appetite loss, considering the az cage had adequate lighting and uvb?

You can use a Zoo Med 20" UVB w/ a Reptisun 10.0 T 8 for the 20 gallon-- however jossling him back and forth is hard on him and that tank is too small for a full size adult dragon - every time you move him he goes thru relocation stress - hence the not eating or very little plus the compact UVB is doing no good --dragons will not eat w/ out correct UVB -- please no heat pad at night- dragons like cool and dark anything over 75 is too warm - if you get the T 8 it will need to be no screen or unobstructed and 6-8 inches directly over the basking decor piece --- I recommend you stop moving him so much and let him be stationary in one place-

Zoo Med ReptiSun Reptile Terrarium Hood | reptile Light Fixtures | PetSmart

Zoo Med ReptiSun Reptile Terrarium Hood at PetSmart. Shop all reptile light fixtures online

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[Espa]

I unfortunately cant do much about moving in between, I generally have him in a carrier in my lap for the trips so he’s not stuffed in the back of a car entirely. I will be sure to get the new uvb though, thank you for the help. He is also 18 in long so maybe the 20 gal is okay for temp stays? He has gone to the 20 gal about 4 times by now, before we had taken the 50 gal with us but it was difficult to move between each time. He spends a majority of his time at the 50 gal again. Maybe I can make the 20 familiar to him? He has a AstroTurf Matt in the 50 so I wonder if adding that to the 20 could help, can they be familiar with two places if they have been there enough?

 

[KarrieRee]

I unfortunately cant do much about moving in between, I generally have him in a carrier in my lap for the trips so he’s not stuffed in the back of a car entirely. I will be sure to get the new uvb though, thank you for the help. He is also 18 in long so maybe the 20 gal is okay for temp stays? He has gone to the 20 gal about 4 times by now, before we had taken the 50 gal with us but it was difficult to move between each time. He spends a majority of his time at the 50 gal again. Maybe I can make the 20 familiar to him? He has a AstroTurf Matt in the 50 so I wonder if adding that to the 20 could help, can they be familiar with two places if they have been there enough?

I dont know -- moving them is hard on them -- just moving the tank alone causes relocation stress --

 

[Espa]

I’m in cali for June and will be in az (where the 50 gal is) from July up to December generally. But I’ll get the uv for the 20 here, and see if that helps. I forgot to mention he is an adult and around 3 years old. I’ll monitor him between trips, considering he doesn’t hide in his hides often and behavior doesn’t change much but again the moving most likely causes stress and the loss in appetite

 

[KarrieRee]

I’m in cali for June and will be in az (where the 50 gal is) from July up to December generally. But I’ll get the uv for the 20 here, and see if that helps. I forgot to mention he is an adult and around 3 years old. I’ll monitor him between trips, considering he doesn’t hide in his hides often and behavior doesn’t change much but again the moving most likely causes stress and the loss in appetite

Get that uvb changed out - then watch his behavior

 

[Espa]

Ok, thank you for the help. I’ll be sure to monitor him for signs of stress or discomfort, again thank you for the advice!

 

[Espa]

Get that uvb changed out - then watch his behavior

Follow up question! So for the hood I’m getting the reptisun t8 5.0 18” uv? I was wondering how I may mount it? The description for the bulb says it may be placed at a distance up to twelve inches but as far I’m aware t8 is weaker and 12 in is the requirement for t5? I need to mount it within the cage, considering the netting may simply block it. What distance should it be placed at?

 

[KarrieRee]

Follow up question! So for the hood I’m getting the reptisun t8 5.0 18” uv? I was wondering how I may mount it? The description for the bulb says it may be placed at a distance up to twelve inches but as far I’m aware t8 is weaker and 12 in is the requirement for t5? I need to mount it within the cage, considering the netting may simply block it. What distance should it be placed at?

Please get the 10.0 bulb the 5.0 is more for aquariums- it needs to be 6-8 inches directly above the basking decor - expiration 6 months I recommend it changed out at 5

 

[Claudiusx]

So for the hood I’m getting the reptisun t8

If you are going to be buying a new lighting setup, I'd go with the T5 hood over the T8 hood unless you have a height restraint and need your bulb to be 6-8 inches from the basking surface.

Even temporarily, an adult shouldn't really be housed in a 20g enclosure. It's much too small. Petco often does dollar per gallon sales, allowing you to pick up a 40g breeder tank for a cheap price. That would be a much better solution then the 20g. Even a large plastic tote would be better than a 20g for an adult.

-Brandon

 

[Espa]

I was never aware of that! I’ll be sure to look into it. For the breeder tank, considering it’s an aquarium, should I put netting over it as well?