WumboProdigy":13tkr1dv said:My girlfriend has a bearded dragon that we are becoming concerned about, but I’m not sure what to do.
He hasn’t eaten in a couple weeks, but outside of that is completely normal. He hasn’t had any health issues as far as we can tell since we got him in August of 2016. He was fed crickets growing up, but now is fed super worms. A couple weeks ago he stopped eating super worms and in general stopped eating. He has eaten some squash and kale occasionally in these weeks, but he seems disinterested in the super worms he once loved. Since he eats the occasional vegetables, obviously his appetite is not completely gone.
<<< I don't recommend using superworms as staple feeder insect, they are fine an occasion treat for adult bearded dragons.
See viewtopic.php?f=18&t=236074
and viewtopic.php?f=76&t=234999&p=1807834#p1807834
I recommend silkworms , or gutloaded/dusted crickets or roaches or locusts as staple feeder insects for my dragons.
He has not pooped since he stopped eating, but he hasn’t eaten much so I don’t think there would be anything for him to excrete. His last poop before the fast was normal. He is an extremely lively and active lizard who is not acting different or sick in any way. He loves running and climbing around my girlfriend’s room, and being held. It doesn’t seem like he’s losing weight.
<<< are you regularly weighing him , I recommend religiously weekly weighins.
<<< well no food in ==> nothing much to poo , it's a very simple equation .... but an impacted dragon can also loose interest in eating , very important to have a vet examine him to determine if this is the cause or part of the problem.
Being active is a good sign , if he is still active (and not black bearding) now.
His environment has a purple UVB and basking bulb, as well as a white day lamp. His basking rock is about 100 degrees. There was no environmental change when he stopped eating, he just did. It really doesn’t seem like he’s sick, maybe he’s trying to brumate or something? His lights are on from 7-7 every day. He has carpet, no sand.
<<<< Sorry but this a common mistake , black UV tubes are TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE for any reptile.
They produce a very poor UVA & UVB spectrum and totally in adequate levels of both UVA ( need very high levels of UVA to stimulate a dragon's appetite and activity) and UVB ( not negotiable for a healthy dragon who is able to produce vitD3 , necessary for good bone development, density and strength.
The black light UV tube MUST be replaced immediately IMO . I believe the black light UV tube is directly attributable to the dragon loss of interest in feeding , I also believe it is highly likely he is suffering neurological problems and MBD as a result of the totally inappropriate UV light he's been kept under for an extended period.
see viewtopic.php?f=6&t=236150&p=1815390#p1815390
Is it a T8 tube or a T10 tube or a T5HO tube ?
If it's a T8 or a T5HO tube I VERY STRONGLY RECOMMEND investing in an Arcadia 12%UVB tube (a T5HO version is going to be your best option).
I also highly recommend investing in a proper reptile specific reflector hood, and that you mount a new Arcadia T5HO 12%UVB tube in it , and mount this UNDER the mesh lid if you have a mesh lid and you arrange it so tube is no more than 12 inches from the basking spot (to expose the dragon to 180-200 microW UVB / sq.cm flux , and institute a photoperiod not less than 14 hours per day.
See this for more information :
viewtopic.php?f=34&t=234800
and
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=234801&p=1806497#p1806497
and
viewtopic.php?f=34&t=235611
We really love our baby and we’d do anything for him. There’s a single vet here that deals with exotic pets but it seems they have a decent wait list for new patients. Maybe I need to look for more foods for him to try, but it’s been a long time and we are worried.
kingofnobbys":1iwfp0fq said:WumboProdigy":1iwfp0fq said:My girlfriend has a bearded dragon that we are becoming concerned about, but I’m not sure what to do.
He hasn’t eaten in a couple weeks, but outside of that is completely normal. He hasn’t had any health issues as far as we can tell since we got him in August of 2016. He was fed crickets growing up, but now is fed super worms. A couple weeks ago he stopped eating super worms and in general stopped eating. He has eaten some squash and kale occasionally in these weeks, but he seems disinterested in the super worms he once loved. Since he eats the occasional vegetables, obviously his appetite is not completely gone.
<<< I don't recommend using superworms as staple feeder insect, they are fine an occasion treat for adult bearded dragons.
See viewtopic.php?f=18&t=236074
and viewtopic.php?f=76&t=234999&p=1807834#p1807834
I recommend silkworms , or gutloaded/dusted crickets or roaches or locusts as staple feeder insects for my dragons.
He has not pooped since he stopped eating, but he hasn’t eaten much so I don’t think there would be anything for him to excrete. His last poop before the fast was normal. He is an extremely lively and active lizard who is not acting different or sick in any way. He loves running and climbing around my girlfriend’s room, and being held. It doesn’t seem like he’s losing weight.
<<< are you regularly weighing him , I recommend religiously weekly weighins.
<<< well no food in ==> nothing much to poo , it's a very simple equation .... but an impacted dragon can also loose interest in eating , very important to have a vet examine him to determine if this is the cause or part of the problem.
Being active is a good sign , if he is still active (and not black bearding) now.
His environment has a purple UVB and basking bulb, as well as a white day lamp. His basking rock is about 100 degrees. There was no environmental change when he stopped eating, he just did. It really doesn’t seem like he’s sick, maybe he’s trying to brumate or something? His lights are on from 7-7 every day. He has carpet, no sand.
<<<< Sorry but this a common mistake , black UV tubes are TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE for any reptile.
They produce a very poor UVA & UVB spectrum and totally in adequate levels of both UVA ( need very high levels of UVA to stimulate a dragon's appetite and activity) and UVB ( not negotiable for a healthy dragon who is able to produce vitD3 , necessary for good bone development, density and strength.
The black light UV tube MUST be replaced immediately IMO . I believe the black light UV tube is directly attributable to the dragon loss of interest in feeding , I also believe it is highly likely he is suffering neurological problems and MBD as a result of the totally inappropriate UV light he's been kept under for an extended period.
see viewtopic.php?f=6&t=236150&p=1815390#p1815390
Is it a T8 tube or a T10 tube or a T5HO tube ?
If it's a T8 or a T5HO tube I VERY STRONGLY RECOMMEND investing in an Arcadia 12%UVB tube (a T5HO version is going to be your best option).
I also highly recommend investing in a proper reptile specific reflector hood, and that you mount a new Arcadia T5HO 12%UVB tube in it , and mount this UNDER the mesh lid if you have a mesh lid and you arrange it so tube is no more than 12 inches from the basking spot (to expose the dragon to 180-200 microW UVB / sq.cm flux , and institute a photoperiod not less than 14 hours per day.
See this for more information :
viewtopic.php?f=34&t=234800
and
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=234801&p=1806497#p1806497
and
viewtopic.php?f=34&t=235611
We really love our baby and we’d do anything for him. There’s a single vet here that deals with exotic pets but it seems they have a decent wait list for new patients. Maybe I need to look for more foods for him to try, but it’s been a long time and we are worried.
TJinPgh":1ypbk6am said:If that Reptisun 5.0 coil bulb is what they included for UVB it's not very good. Dragons need 10.0, not 5.0. And, the coil bulbs are said to cause eye problems.
EllenD":1bw42udk said:They make no 26 watt Reptisun 10.0 compact bulb, they are all 13 watts, both the compact and the coil, and I and everyone else here can guarantee 100% that this is your dragon's problem...
I suggest you use the search function in the forum above and search for "Reptisun Compact UVB" and read the literally thousands of posts. Not only is your UVB bulb totally inadequate for a Bearded Dragon, but it's also got the mesh lid blocking almost half of the already inadequate UVB AND UVA light.
I actually agree in this case with the member above, instead of wasting money on a vet (if it's not a Certified Reptile Vet, but rather an "exotics" vet, then they most likely won't even ask you any husbandry questions because they won't know a thing about UVB lighting for Bearded Dragons, instead they'll give you liquid calcium and probably an injection of either calcium, vitamins, or both, that your dragon won't be able to absorb because he's getting no UVB or UVA light), you need to simply buy an adequate UVB tube and fixture...
For between $50-$60 on Amazon.com you can buy one of the best available, strongest T5 UVB tubes for Bearded Dragons and a reflected fixture for it, and within a couple of days or less of putting it over your dragon he will start eating again like a garbage disposal and become very active. It's simple common sense, knowledge of desert reptiles and their very strong UVB/UVA needs, and Bearded Dragon husbandry 101. An "exotic" vet is going to cost you probably $100 and not know anymore about Bearded Dragon husbandry than you do, literally and seriously. They usually don't even ask about lighting, temps, diet, etc. You don't need to give your dragon more calcium because he can't absorb any of it anyway, and that's going to be the end result of your vet visit, more calcium and a vitamin shot.
And again, there is not compact, "self-ballasted" Reptisun 10.0 UVB bulb that is 26 watts, unless they just started making them recently. The highest wattage Reptisun 10.0 compact/coil UVB bulb that they have ever made is 13 watts, which is almost half the wattage that your Dragon needs. So I highly suggest you look right on your UVB bulb, as I said if they started making a 26 watt compact bulb then I'll apologize, but I really don't think so, especially considering that their 22" Reptisun 10.0 T5HO UVB tube is only a 24 watt tube.
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