8 Year Old Beardie Jack (I WAS NEGLECTFUL)

[singtoyou]

Some of you may have already talked to me about Jack and for that I thank you...I also posted this very message as a blog for all to read just incase they have been out of the loop also.I hope that in sharing this with others that it might help someone else out there understand that you can't just get an animal like this and take care of it like a dog or cat. I unfortunatly did just that and Jack had to suffer because of it. I never knew that a website like this excisted. Had I a long time ago found this website Jack would had been a lot better a lot sooner. I only found it by searching google because Jack just seemed to be getting worse. Here is his breif story:

I got Jack when he was 5 months old and have had my beardie for 8 years now. I never knew that I was taken care of him wrong. You are told so many different stories on how to take care of your beardies. Well this website saved my Jacks Life! I have had the same UVB Light on him for "8 Years" that's right! I didn't know and never was told any different. And I only thought calcium was for his growing bones! Auh!!! Didn't know that was wrong either. And was told no more pinkies because of his age...that pinkies had to much fat content.....I feed only fruits and veggies and not a variety either. Well, needless to say; Jack has gone down hill in the last couple of years, so thin and not much movement. I know! It sounds horrible. And it is, I blame myself for not researching more for him. I just thought that, that was the way older lizards look and react. Well, in saying all that, Jack now as of 2/8/09 has a brand new UVB light, and new black light warming light, A new diet with worms, different greens, and fruits, and calcium. He is acting so much better, really alert, running around in his cage, and basking like never before. He is drinking very well also. He is going to the bathroom well and not regurgitating anything back up. We are on a good road to recovery. It will take a while to get more weight put back on him. That will just come in time. I am just very thankful that I have this website now and can share with others how Jack is now recovering from my neglectful behavior. I will not let that happen to him again now that I really know how to take care of him. I just love him. Thanks to all who helped me Singtoyou

Here is a picture of him today 2/10/09

 

[BrittanyS]

So many people out there don't know how what to do and can only act apon what the poorly knowledged pet store clerks tell them. (Although there are some pet store clerks that know what they are doing). It's good to hear that he is on a road to recovery. Now you can be the best beardie slave you can be!

What brand UV have you gotten for him?

Best wishes,
Brittany and Buddah

 

[hockeyballz30]

the only thing i would be concerned with with your setup is the substrate, since he is not 100% i would keep him on shelf liner or paper towels until he is feeling better. just a suggestion

 

[MarianaL87]

I marvel at how he is still alive... ( no offence, i was almost just as clueless as you were not too long ago myself)

All the best to you both, god bless

** Just as the user before me expressed, beware WHICH uv source you use, not all bulbs are made the same, thats for sure.

If I may, i recommend Mega rays. Helped wonders for mine.

 

[sunkist]

I'm glad you were open to learning more about them when you realized he was sick. I have found it's better to not harp to people outside the site but instead just direct them to the site and let them learn more. I have done that with a few people.

 

[singtoyou]

The UVB Is Reptisun Brand
Thanks for all your comments Here are some Pictures of Jack today. He Has been having such a good day.
Just in 3 days time. I am so happy
Thanks

Here Is a Picture Of Him tonight He has had a busy day!

 

[diamc]

Wow, he looks great. We're all happy to hear that you've gotten helpful info from this forum and that you've seen great changes in Jack already.

Just curious, are you using a red light as his basking bulb? What does he prefer for temps? I know my 6 yr old prefers it a little cooler than the younger adults, he likes it about 101 to 102 and prefers cooler bath water too. Are you using a temp gun or a digital thermometer with a probe end for the temps? Just want to make sure you're getting good readings.

 

[singtoyou]

digital and he likes it between 100 and 104 degress as you can see he gets as close to it as he can, but he still likes to go
over to the other side of the tank and sleep on his bed I made him of the 1/2 bark. He has been walking all over his branches today.
He should be pretty well pooped out. As you can see in the photos he does have some sage in his skin. He drinks fine but this is from
his weight loss. Do have a ? for Diane.
At the top of the page the changing picture of the two beardies right before the logo BeardedDragon.org You see the one looks just like Jack
and the other one is very light almost like a powderd effect to the skin. I have seen a lot of them this last weekend in the pet store that
look like this BIG And Light in color Males and Females. But Jack is so Dark Brown is he a certain type of Beardie that might not get as big as
filled out as these lighish color ones like the one at the top of this page??
Thanks Josie

 

[diamc]

So, the digital has a long wire & probe end? Just want to make sure because only an infrared temp gun and digital with the probe will give you accurate readings and some owners don't realize that. Are you using a red light for his basking bulb?

He has beautiful coloring and a nice pattern on his back. Does he enjoy baths?

Regarding the pictures of the beardies, they are both actually the same one, just at a younger and mature age. That special beardie is the reason that Alex (the Admin) started the forum, his love of his beardie. Since Jack is already 8 yrs old, he may not fill out much more but now that you have made some great changes, he may just surprise you and put some nice weight on. Hope that answers your questions.

 

[singtoyou]

I am using a black light Repta Sun. I just purchased it yesterday along with my Reptisin UVB
Yes He loves bathing. He likes to always poop when he is in the tub.
As far as answering my ? about the 2 beardie pictures. So what you are saying is the brown one
that looks like Jack is the Juvy picture and the lighter one is the older picture??
If so Jack should had turned like that but didn't???
I really can't see Jack turning light and being that big like the ones I see on the site and at the pet store.
But I sure am hoping he will.

 

[diamc]

If you don't mind, I'd like to make a suggestion with the basking bulb, it may make an even bigger improvement with him. Bright white basking lights increase their appetites, activity level and overall health, we've heard this quite often. So, switching to a white bulb should help him too. You can even save money by using a standard household lightbulb. Also, they don't need any heat at night unless the room temp drops close to about 65 degrees. If it does, we recommend using a ceramic heat emitter that gives off heat but no light. Some things you might want to consider.

Yes, the lighter beardie in the picture is the juvenille of the same beardie. UVB lights affect their color a lot so you may notice a change in his soon.

 

[singtoyou]

Wow good to know about the coloring cause I would of thought maybe something was wrong.
About the basking light. Well I just paid $8.00 for this Blacklight because I had a white one on him
and keeping that on him all night long was keeping him up. So I got this blacklight. We turn our heat off at
night so it can drop down to about 55 degress. I don't have any more money to be spending at this time. For
all these other things like ceramic light warmer thing. I splerged on this Blacklight for Jack and the UVB.
Husbands been laid off here so things are tight. And I begged him to let me use some money for Jacks
Lights. And he said yes for that, becasue he needed it so bad. So I am doing what I can for him.
I can't turn off his heat lamp or he would freeze at night cause we have to have the heat off. So I guess this black light
will have to do for now. Although I did just think of something. What if I was to use the 75Watt Houshold White for the
Daytime heat. And the Blacklight bulb at night so he can sleep in piece. What do you think of that??

 

[Karnagia]

You can use a basic household bulb for bright light and heat during the day and if your temps get too low at night you can use the blacklight. They NEED to cool down at night though so be sure to monitor the nighttime temps.

 

[diamc]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel like you had to fill me in on all of that. Just trying to make sure you get all the needed info so Jack can do even better. Wow, $8.00 is an awful price to pay for a bulb, too bad it was so expensive. But yes, you can certainly continue using the black light at night, just make sure that it isn't shining right in his eyes because even the black lights can disturb their sleep. I have used a black light at night off & on, I wrap our beardies up in a small blanket & put their backs to the light which is further over on the other side of the tank. They do need it cooler at night to allow for the best sleep but at 55 degrees, I agree that you need to continue using it.

Yes, using a white household lightbulb for the day would be perfect. If the black light is a 75 watt and you've been getting good temps with that wattage, then using the same wattage white bulb should be perfect. :wink:

 

[singtoyou]

Thanks to both of your comments.
The Black light is a 100 watt bulb see I have a 40 Gallon Show tank. So it is very tall...it's 2"ft high. Jack does get away from it
at night sometimes he sleeps at the other end of the tank. Sometimes like tonight he cozyed himself up at the bottom directly
under the light. Before when I had a 40 watt over him "that was when I was not doing things correctly" he would sleep right under
the light and never get away from it. Cause I was keeping him to cold poor guy :study: I know better now. But anyway
the 100 watt bulb is doing the trick. And I think going to one of my 75watt white bulbs in the day will work just fine. Because as
you can see in the pictures he can get as close as he wants to or get away from it at different levels because I have so many tree branches at different angles and heights.

I gotta say when you told me that you wrap up your beardies and put them to bed like that for sleep, that is just toooooooooooo
cute. I have never heard of any body ever doing that.....toooooo cute!! But then again I don't know of anyone who has a bearded
dragon other than me. And now all of my other beardie friends on the site. Which I am so so grateful for.

Don't worry you didn't make me feel sad or anything. Lay offs are happening all over Oregon along with everywhere else. So it's just
part of life right now. It;s just that quit a few people have been talking to me telling me I need this and this and this and so on.
And I'm thinking Auh! I only wish! But I am ever so greatful to have been able to get him the two lights that I did and I need to get
him some more calcium too. The pet store Lady knows my situation and so she was kind enough to bag me up enought Calcium for
Jack for about probably 2 weeks. So Calcium is next on my list of important things to buy him.
Take Care and Thanks for all of you imput. See I just learned a whole lot more here also tonight....so Thanks :study: I'll keep reading.
singtoyou