Anorexic approx 2mo with failure to thrive

[phishphood]

WOOHOO totally incredible!! You and your wife are truly amazing beardie parents!

 

[woodnt]

Strax deserves the credit. He is the one that didn't give up and struggled to hang on. We are so thankful for his drive to live.

Well, I guess Strax likes my wife more than me. He only ate one larva for me and no dubias at lunch. It even took him a long time to start eating the Repti-Boost, which brings up a question. Since we have started with the Repti-Boost, we have been giving him no calcium/VitD nor multivits thinking the Repti-Boost had enough of all that. Is that wrong? The reason I ask is that I have noticed on his right (front) forearm, he has a little bulge not present on his other side (or at least the other side is less prominent), and I had a thought about metabolic bone disease with him. I would hope that if he is having that, that the BSF larva would greatly help correct that since they are naturally so high in calcium (and I'm guessing Vit D) as I have read of people curing MBD with BSF larva. Any thoughts?

I had him out for about an hour. He was really looking around, but didn't explore a whole lot. I had him on the couch with me on the high arm of it. Finally he crawled down it, which was impressive as it is about a foot to 18 in vertical, but he still could cling on. He didn't really run around on the couch like Praxis does, though (different cough to avoid atadenovirus cross-contamination).

As to how big Praxis is getting, it is amazing (he is 8 inches now):

Went by a pet store today and they had a very large female (3-4X Praxis's size). I asked to hold her, but they guy told me she was gravid and isn't even for sale right now.

I was also disappointed to see them selling Savannah, which I've read is possibly the most abused reptile in the reptile pet industry usu. lasting not even to their 1st year birthday out of a potential 20-30 year life span because people do provide for their needs (enclosure size, humidity, enough dirt to tunnel in, humidity, etc). I really feel for these sweet creatures. I would love to care for one, but can't give one the proper habitat.

 

[woodnt]

Well, Strax is getting older. For the first time today, we saw him move to a warmer basking spot and regulate his temp with his mouth open. We've never seen that before today.

A funny story looking back now: at the time, it scared us silly. The first time we ever force-fed Strax, we were such noobs. My wife's hand was in the way making it where I couldn't see very well. I didn't know how wide to open his mouth and didn't notice his beard was fluffing out as I fed with baby food. When I saw it, I hollered out in fear thinking I shoved all that down his windpipe saying, "Oh no!!! Oh no!!!" I was terrified I'd just killed him. We didn't, but it sure taught us to have good visuals on everything.

On another noob front, after that first feeding episode, we would hear him make a crunching noise with his jaw when he moved it, esp with the feeders we were forcing down. I was so afraid I had broken his jaw by opening it too much. It took a few days of feeding Praxis to realize that he was making the same sound as Strax. I thought the "crunch" sound was the cricket shells cracking with Praxis (where that was impossible with Strax as he was eating soft-bodied feeders). It finally dawned on me that it was the sound of their "teeth" grinding together. I was so relieved because I was sure I had broken his jaw and didn't know what to do.

Strax ate 4-5 BSF larva at lunch for me today. No dubia. He had his usual 1cc of Repti-boost each of his 2 feedings.

 

[diamc]

Oh wow, that's awesome that Strax is thermo-regulating now. Bet it was adorable watching him bask with his mouth open. He is doing amazingly well. You should be proud of him AND yourselves.

That must have been so scary for you thinking you had pushed the syringe in too far. Yes, now you can laugh at it and you have both learned so much.

Yes, the old teeth grinding noise. :mrgreen: That can be a scary sound, in fact, I had something similar happen to me when I was feeding a sickly beardie years ago, thought he had a broken jaw or metabolic bone disease until I realized that sometimes they can all make that same noise when chewing a particular way. See, you're not alone. :wink:

Strax sure ate well again today. He just LOVES that Repti-Boost which is really helping him out.

 

[woodnt]

Well, it wasn't just me. Strax only ate one larva today and no dubia, but did go after the Repti-Boost quite a bit. He ate about a day and a half in just one feeding. My wife made another batch because he was still going at it. It he did for her like he did for me lately, he is essentially tongueing it right off the syringe a good portion of the feeding and I can just make a steady "stream" of it to keep up with him. Hope he is not getting depended on that. I want him to eat feeders.

I was in Dallas today and am in Wichita Falls tonight, but get home (D.V.) tomorrow evening. I hope to see about ordering some hornworms. Places seem to be out of silkies. Mulberry farms says they have small and medium, but then that same page says there is nothing on there to order and is putting a strange disclaimer that environmental factors are might prevent them from living their entire life cycle (and ones we grew from eggs just suddenly died--but it could have been our fault).

When Strax gets big enough to eat larger feeders, I think we'll order a variety pack from http://www.lindasgonebuggie.com/. I really like that they have this variety pack because on of my problems with ordering certain types of feeders (like hornworms or waxies), that I don't want to give that many that often of those feeders, but with a variety pack of soft-bodied feeders, I can mix it up.

Better get some sleep.

 

[Esther19]

Thanks for the report. I think the Reptiboost can't hurt him for a while. Just try giving him live feeders a little bit before the boost and see what he does. Have a safe rest of your trip. Hope you sleep well.

 

[woodnt]

Esther: right-o. That's what we'll keep doing. Thanks for the trip and night wishes. Hope you have a good night, too.

 

[woodnt]

Strax wasn't as perky today, my wife said. He would eat no feeders. No dubia nor bsf larva. Don't know if it is feeder fatigue or what. She said he didn't seems as perky today. Don't know if it is because he has been shedding or if something is going on, but he did eat his normal Repti-Boost

 

[Esther19]

There are bound to be days like that. I wouldn't worry yet. Great that he continues with the boost.

 

[diamc]

I agree with Esther, they all (no matter how young) go through days where they don't want to eat as much. He got some nutrition from the Repti-Boost so that's good. Hopefully tomorrow he will eat some feeders. Shedding can affect their energy level & appetite.

 

[woodnt]

Here's a pic of Strax standing up so tall before I went away on my trip. I mean, wow. Tipee-toes. I have no idea why. I thought it was so cute.

 

[diamc]

Adorable, he looks SO proud! Don't know how they do that with their toes. :lol:

 

[Esther19]

Oh my gosh! How precious! Adorable came to my mind first, but Diane already took that. You and your wife must be so proud! He looks so good, Nathan! So he's bending his limbs like that on purpose? What a sweetie.

 

[woodnt]

Thanks, ladies. I'm sure all beardies to super cute things.

Now that I look at that picture, I can see that bulge in his right front forearm (left side of the pic front limb). I've heard that with MBD you can see bulging in the bone between joints like this. Should I be concerned?

I have noticed that live, and felt of it. It seems to cause him no pain, but of course he didn't like me holding onto a limb, either (to examine).

 

[woodnt]

We are having a nice black soldier fly larva bloom right now. Putting up the corrugated cardboard really helped! Just about every speck in the picture is a larva. If only Strax would eat them more regularly. Praxis and Trenzalor (our chameleon) love them. Trenz ate 15 yest, which is a huge amount for a cham. Strax ate 3 yesterday for lunch. Wanted none for dinner last night nor lunch today. Still taking his boost though.