AHHH !! Blood work normal still not eating

[Gail]

My dragon is just about 4 months and he is very healthy. The last one I had was not though, he had neurological issues and eventually had to be euthanized.

 

[PuffPuff11]

If you want more information on different bulbs and UV than most normal people can digest definitely go to http://www.uvguide.co.uk/ and go to this thread. viewtopic.php?f=34&t=121986&start=0
Its not all about the MegaRay MVB, I read the entire thread because I use the MegaRay and was needing to replace it. Look for Lilacdragon - Frances Baines posts (she's from uvguide) She gives more information on various bulbs and information that I never found even after looking at uvguide.co.uk.
Especially look at Frances posts on the last 5-10 pages.... good information.

 

[Tomek]

Hello, yep, you are absolutely correct. I hate to blame other people, but, I took my daughter's word for it as to what we were using. She told me repti sun. I took her word for it and never bothered researching.From posts on here, I decided to look myself and WHAMO ! NOT using Repti Sun. I have shut the UVB lights off for now to see if they perk up. I am really hoping this has been my problem all along. If it is, I am going to be extremely angry I spent $300 + dollars at the vet. I will also be upset that Petco and Petsmart sell such lighting. EVEN, a board certified reptile store/manager told me they were good lights. All his beardies in his store is using repti glo OR Zilla products. Well, I suppose I will be equally upset if the Repti Sun lights make no difference. I do not know what else to do for my beardie. I have been giving her Jump Start and repta-aid AND force feeding her. ALthough, I do not like to do that, I feel terrible about it.

Thanks and yes, you did ask me about the lighting, that was my bad

 

[diamc]

I certainly didn't mean to make you feel bad or to feel you needed to explain, I just was confused and suspected you might be using something other than the Repti-Sun. Leaving them off for about 3 to 4 days is a good idea.

You might want to consider getting new feeders in case there is something about them that isn't agreeing with your beardies. Also, perhaps giving a probiotic would help in case their stomachs are affected.

 

[Tomek]

Dont worry about it Well, currently I got all new feeders the other day, hornworms, butterworms, silkworms, repti worms, I have tried EVERY one of them with no luck. Also tried new veggies and she wont touch them. The little 5 mos. old, I cannot even pry her mouth open, it is so tightly closed I cannot even get her to lick some baby sweet potatoes.

Its ridiculous sometimes, I spend most of my day nursing sick dragons. Mine who is one year old, I can force feed her some worms, but, have tried everything. I will keep the light off for a few days and when I get the new one replace it and see what happens. Have you ever heard of a dragon not eating (all of a sudden)? and is PERFECTLY healthy? its crazy to me.

You mentioned a probiotic. I do have one, but, currently I give her the Jump Start, Baytril and I am not sure if I should add something else. Isnt that too much for them all at once?

 

[Tomek]

PuffPuff: I wanted to thank you for letting me know about Frances Baines posts. They were very interesting to me. Although, here is a unusual question, if a bad UVB bulb is causing beardies to close or 1/2 close their eyes (in which case, mine is doing). Then, when you have the bulb off, shouldn't they not be 1/2 closing their eyes any longer? that one confuses me a bit.

 

[Tomek]

Diamc: hi, I thought i would send this post to you since we have been talking about my UVB issues. I gave him a bath today and he drank alot of water, but I noticed he was twitching his legs and arms quite often. I read this could be a result of MBD and using the wrong UVB is that right? also, I am wondering if I should turn his UVB on until I get the new one or leave it off?

 

[ladybriann]

The debate over which lighting to use can be a heated one, to say the least. (pun :lol: intended) I think you will find every bulb has someone who swears by it and someone who hates it. It depends on personal experience with that particular bulb. For my beardies I have only used the Zoo Med Powersun and have gotten excellent results. My male, Sophiro, is 9 months old and has been under a Powersun since he was 3 weeks old. He grew fast and is 475 grams at 9 mo.(he also eats a lot of hornworms too.)

The reason I use the Powersun is because it was recommended by the reptile shop owner where I got my BDs. He uses it on all his beardies, and has had the same one on his huge Tegu for 6 years. He said it also starts flashing when it is not producing the UVB rays; the florescent type you need to replace every 6 months, even if it's not burned out.

I hope your beardeds are doing better. My Soph had me worried for period of 3 months of not eating too. Turned out he was just going in and out of brumation, which everyone seemed to think that dragons under a year old don't go through. I guess since Soph is such a big guy, he wanted to act older than he is. LOL

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

Hello! I would like to chime in on this thread if you don't mind. I am sorry to hear you are having so many problems with your beardies. It can be very frustrating, to say the least, when your beardies are not feeling well/not eating. You have received some wonderful information from Gail and I see she has helped you a great deal with your uvb problems. Alot of us here have had to deal with problems similar to yours when it comes to uvb's. It can be very disheartening. I just wanted to touch base on the eye issues your beardies are having.

Although, here is a unusual question, if a bad UVB bulb is causing beardies to close or 1/2 close their eyes (in which case, mine is doing). Then, when you have the bulb off, shouldn't they not be 1/2 closing their eyes any longer? that one confuses me a bit.

You would think turning off the bad uvb would stop a beardie from closing it's eyes, yes. In actuality though, the bad uvb has done damage to the beardies eyes. Turning off the uvb keeps them from damaging their eyes any further and gives the eyes time to heal. This is why both Gail and Diane mentioned keeping your beardie UVB "free" for several days, to give the eyes time to heal. If your beardies are suffering from PKC(Photo Kerato Conjuctivitis), which is from overexposure to UV, their eyes have been burned. This condition is very painful(like having sand in your eye) and the eyes need some time to heal. So this would be why your beardies eyes are still half closed.
Sorry the explanation was so long, but hope that it helped.

 

[Tomek]

Hello, Yes that did help, I feel so bad for my little 5 mos old beardie. My older one seems to be doing better with his eyes since I turned off the UVB for a few day. The little 5 mos. old one, can hardly keep his eyes open and has not eaten in 8 days. I have been giving him repta-aid, jump start and baby sweet potatoes. But, he can hardly keep his eyes open. I thought maybe it wasnt the light and turned it back on. Now, I am at work and I feel AWFUL !, it is probably on and bother him. I dont know anymore what to do for him. I spent so much money on my older beardie to get him well, that I have no more for the little one. I do have some Baytril medicine left from my older beardie and am thinking of giving him some to help him with his pain perhaps?

Anyway, I am writing a nasty letter to Zilla about their lights, I think that is AWFUL what my beardies have gone through. I think those UVB lights should be banned from stores as well. Its awful that I had to find out the hard way with both my beardies. I am hoping to get my new Repti Sun UVB lights soon and I can put those up for them. In the meantime, I hope this is my little ones problem and not something else.

Thanks for chiming in, I need a good swift KICK

 

[diamc]

Diamc: hi, I thought i would send this post to you since we have been talking about my UVB issues. I gave him a bath today and he drank alot of water, but I noticed he was twitching his legs and arms quite often. I read this could be a result of MBD and using the wrong UVB is that right? also, I am wondering if I should turn his UVB on until I get the new one or leave it off?

I had typed a long post here last night with more info and answers to your questions but I was having computer problems so I lost my post as well as some others. :roll:
Anyway, it's hard to say for sure that the twitching is indeed from MBD but it is possible because the UVB you were using wasn't putting out a sufficient amount. How many days a wk are you giving calcium right now? It's possible that he isn't able to process the calcium with a good UVB light so that could also be a reason for the twitching. It's also possible that the twitching is from weakness since he hasn't been eating. I would suggest that you mix some chicken or turkey baby food in with the mixture you're giving to help boost his protein level as you don't want him to go downhill any further and the protein in that meat baby food will help give him boost. Using Repta-Aid and Jump start at the same time seems like a little too much, if it was me, I would give one or the other.
Thanks Dawn for chiming in. I agree with everything she said and would certainly keep the UVB off to give him time to adjust. Something else you could do to help his eyes heal is to pick up some Saline Eye Wash like what we use when we get something in our eyes. Make sure it is NOT what you would use for contact lenses though! I had to flush my beardies eyes out when they were under bad mercury vapor bulbs and it did seem to help them heal quicker.
Regarding giving the Baytril, that won't help lessen the pain and could mess up his system even more right now. I would just keep the UVB off and try the Saline Eye wash instead.
Please be sure to keep us updated. And no, you don't need a good swift "kick." :lol: We're all still learning.

 

[Tomek]

Thanks for the post, my one year old is still not eating on his own, but seems to be doing a little better. I am really sad about my 5 mos. old beardie though, he doesnt open his eyes and doesnt move much, very very lethargic. It is so sad, I am not sure what to do for him. Do the bad lights have that bad effect on him? I mean, I understand his eyes are shut and why, but, to be lifeless seems like the lights would not do all that would they? I will try the saline solution (good idea). I mean my 5 mos. old, I am holding now and he is not moving and just breathing very shallow like and eyes are shut. I have been forcing repta-aid down him with a little sweet potatoes (baby food) and water. But, do not know what more I can do for him would a bad UVB do all that?

 

[diamc]

Actually, a bad UVB can cause all sorts of symptoms. The PKC that Dawn explained, is very painful. You wouldn't believe how bad my female (Sabrina) acted and looked from the bad MVB's. It was awful! She just sat in her basking spot with her eyes tight closed even a wk after not having a UVB light on. She wouldn't even open her eyes when I talked to her and all the skin around her eyes turned a very strange brown color and then pinkish, nothing like a normal shed. It actually burns their skin and eyes.

I would make sure to keep your 5 mo old well hydrated, he sounds very weak from all of this. I really recommend getting some of the chicken baby food into him right away. I have to ask, are you using the Repta-Aid Critical Care formula OR the Reptaid that is supposed to be the all natural ingredients? How much of this product, whichever you're using, are you giving daily? Are you also giving him clear liquids to help flush his system?

What are the tank temps and what type of thermometer are you using?

 

[Tomek]

Hello, wow!, I guess it could cause all sorts of problems, I held him in a blanket tonight and he was pretty lifeless, opened his eyes for a minute. One week ago, he was the liveliest beardie ever!!, enjoyed exploring, running and eating. Now, it is horrible to see him like this. I am giving the Repta-aid critical care 0.2 diluted once every day. Although, I have the jump start as well, I was giving to him. But, someone said dont give both. I think I will stick to the Repta-aid, I am not sure which one is better? Yes, I am giving a daily bath and giving water through a dropper to keep him hydrated. The basking temp is 113 degrees (is that to hot?), I know juveniles like it hotter right? The temp was at one time 120, OMG!, I felt awful. Its no wonder he is so sick, I am such a bad mommy Anyway, I cannot wait to get my repti sun. I meant to ask you, the cover that came with the Zilla bulb is fine, right? it is just the outer cover that the light fits in.

 

[diamc]

It's awful how they can go downhill so quickly when something isn't right. It was me that said to use one or the other of the supplement, either the Jump Start or the CC formula. I'm glad you're not using the Reptaid although some have had good results, I still worry because it hasn't been totally tested or approved by the FDA so that worries me. Good that you're giving a daily bath and getting oral fluids into him.

What type of thermometer are you using, a digital strip, round gauge (dial type), temperature gun or a digital with a long wire & probe end? Yes, even 113 is too high, it actually shouldn't be over 110. A 5 mo old might actually like it 105 or just a little higher. Little babies do best when it is 110 but as they get older, it seems that they like it a little cooler, at least mine always have.

Yes, the Zilla hood should be fine to use as long as the bulb fits ok. Make sure the plastic cover is off once you get the Repti-Sun bulb. Just curious, what distance did you have the other UVB and was it right alongside a bright white basking bulb?