another lightening bug question:(

[selliott]

I have a 3 year old female that ingested a bug about 15 minutes ago that my husband thinks was a lightening bug (50/50 sure?). I have called at least 8 vet clinics and emergency hospitals within an hour drive of me and no one will treat her. Hubby is on his way home with charcoal capsules, does anyone have a good knowledge for dosage (I don't know her exact weight, I'm sorry), prognosis, will the charcoal hurt her if it wasn't a firefly? We've had her since she was a baby, she is plump, generally healthy, good appetite, and no health issues that I've ever seen to work against her.

Because I know it will be asked:
She eats: mustard and collard greens, a variety of fruits and veggies, crickets, superworms and silkies, waxworms, butterworms and hornworms when I can get them. The crickets get dusted with calcium and vitamins, roughly once a week. She has the 10.0 reptisun long tube in her breeders cage, but also a 150w mercury vapor bulb for when she is out in the living room with us. Has always been healthy sweet and curious, oh, and loves her bathtimes.

Any guidance is appreciated.
Stacey

 

[Esther19]

I'm not sure of dosage, but the charcoal is good. Can you call one of the vets back and ask?
The prognosis is not good, but a dragon here did survive a firefly ingestion last year.

Is her beard black? How is she acting?

 

[selliott]

She is still acting fine (we are about a 1/2 hour in now), nice creamy colored beard. I think my best hope is that we are wrong and it wasn't a firefly--I have seen a couple of dark moths lately, but I didn't see this my husband did.

 

[Esther19]

If she still is fine, she might have eaten something else. Wish I knew how fast a lightening bug would affect her. I image by now, since they are so highly toxic. Keep us posted, please.

 

[selliott]

She lapped up some applesauce with the charcoal in it and ate some cilantro, she's had a bath, and I will let her soak again shortly. She is very still right now, but alert and her normal color. I think the charcoal itself can be hard on their bellies, so maybe it isn't sitting well with her.

I really appreciate your concern, my stomach is in my throat right now

 

[Esther19]

Yes, I'd be scared out of my wits, too. You might want to offer her some water orally with a dropper, unless she will drink in the bath. Hang in there!

 

[Esther19]

How is she doing tonight?

 

[selliott]

Being a princess, and probably wondering why I keep staring at her. So far, so good I'm a night owl so I'll keep an eye on her for a while more.

 

[Esther19]

What a relief! Thanks for checking in.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

I wish I had seen this earlier!
How is she doing, still with you I hope?
Perhaps it was not a firefly?
How much does she weigh approximately? What is the mg's on the capsule of powder? If she gets a little extra, that is ok as it wont hurt her. She may vomit some up though, so, if she does, don't be alarmed as that is norma.
I can estimate based on that, if you need.

Tracie

 

[selliott]

Other than looking a little miffed that I'm wallowing her around so early after she was up so late, she seems to be her perfect little self My guess is it wasn't a firefly, this time of year they aren't as plentiful as they are early in the summer, but going on what the hubs said I felt like I needed to assume it was. I live around 45 minutes from Louisville, KY and am still a little appalled that I could not find an on call vet or clinic, or even the emergency hospital that is open 24/7 that would help me with her.

Thank you for checking in on her!

 

[Esther19]

Yay! She's miffed! Sounds like she Is in fine shape. Thank goodness, it must have been a different bug. You did exactly the right thing if it had been a firefly, and at least you would have given her a chance.

 

[saden99]

That's awesome! You must be relieved. If it's been more than 12 hours now and she hasn't reacted to it then it must not have been a firefly. Apparently, the symptoms come on [almost] immediately and even with proper care the beardie unfortunately passes within a few hours because of heart failure.

I'd say keep an [extra] eye on her for a couple more days because if it was another bug then it could have had some kind of pesticide or something on it (albeit not much).


How did she get access to the bug? My beardie has an open cage (no screen top not that it would help) because they are such a pain with a large cage and I take him out and interact with him almost constantly. I thought it would be an issue because we have such bad fireflies, but they don't come in the house at all. I leave out sugar traps for them just in case, but usually find other flying buggers dead in them...

 

[selliott]

Well, truth is I'm usually home and she is out of her cage, a lot; that's been the case since she's been big enough and docile enough to be 'trusted' out and about with us. We all know about the risk fireflies pose so the whole family is pretty vigilant about watching for the little buggers. My hubby saw the bug last night but so did Levi, and evidently Levi was faster, even in her spoiled state Since she is often out with us and exploring we don't use an pesticides (or herbicides) in or around the house, so I'm not terribly concerned about that. In my experience, even with the lids you'll occasionally have things make their way into the cages too mostly moths, drawn by the lights.

She attacked some salad, her crickets and superworms today so she is apparently still feeling well, I really wasn't sure the charcoal wouldn't throw her off for a while. She is technically my sons pet but she's my baby and the whole family lovers her like most people love their dogs, so we are very relieved.

 

[discojan]

So glad to read your beardie is ok! I dont know where in Ky you are( i.e.min which direction you are 45 min from Louisville), but we are here in Lexington and in case you need a vetbrlec. Clays Mill Vet in Lex. has an excellent reptile vet-- Dr.Blair, and they are very good about responding after hours. Dr. Blair even did emergency surgery on our big girl Electra a year ago. Best wishes, jan