Ok so I've Harley almost 2 years and she has been great except not eating veggies. Anyways back in November she got RI so I took her into the vet. I had blood work done, a mouth culture and the vet did some kind of listening machine hooked up to Harleys chest and said there was no pneumonia. So anyways, she asked if I wanted oral baytril or injections of some Cep something. I opted for baytril as im squeamish about needles.
So while we waited for the culture to come back, I gave Harley her 10 day prescription of Baytril and it seemed to clear it up. Then the culture came back and it was enterobacteria which the baytril was sensitive to so it should kill it. Her blood test came back and the vet said everything looked good except for a little high protein but that was probably because Harley doesn't like veggies and really only wants to eat roaches, silkworms and hornworms.
Well everything looked great until around the 2nd week in December. Harley started coughing a little. So I called the vet back and she gave me a 14 day baytril and said, the first treatment maybe didn't get it all. So I gave her the 14 day baytril and she still coughed some and didn't like the baytril. So after we finished it, Harley seemed fine except for some coughing but otherwise she seemed happy. I thought maybe I need to wait for the baytril to all get out of her system and stuff.
Well fast forward to now and Harley really isn't coughing anymore, usually only once or twice at night when she is laying on me and not every night. She never black beards or shows any uncomfort. She is stretches out and gets her sexy legs going every day and loves eating her hornworms...or any worm for that matter. She is alert and loves to watch tv or me when I'm on the computer. She loves to sleep on me at night wrapped up in her blanket. I keep her around 80f at night and during the day she has a basking spot of 100-105f with a cool spot of 82f. She is lazy due to winter so she likes to hang out in the 82f area. She has a Zoo Med T5 Reptisun 10.0 as well as a T5 daylight bulb and her basking bulb of course.
My problem is her mouth seems kind of wet inside and most of the time she sits with just the tip of her mouth cracked open like a derp moment. But if something gets her attention she will snap her mouth closed. So it seems the derp moment is only when she is relaxing. I'm debating taking her back to the vet for another mouth culture. The whole ordeal is pretty stressful for Harley as she is shy and the last time she got scared and pooped all over the nurse and the floor and then jumped on me and hid under my chin. Im just wondering do some beardies just have a wet mouth? And do some just do the derp thing with the tip of the mouth cracked open? She seems overall happy with never black bearding or black stomach except when on the baytril.
Maybe if Tracy or someone else who is very familiar with beardies can shed some light or give some advice, that would be great. I'm thinking of waiting till end of next month and maybe taking her back for another mouth culture but like I said, if it is something that Harley might lick herself, I would rather not subject her to the stress again. Thanks.
Oh also, Harley hasn't lost any weight and is actually fat. At the vet checkup, she weighed in at 695g and she is about 17 inches. Even the vet said she was fat and I think Harley took offense to it because when the vet tried the mouth swab, Harley bit the swab stick in half and both the nurse and vet said "Wow, Harley has a strong mouth".
So while we waited for the culture to come back, I gave Harley her 10 day prescription of Baytril and it seemed to clear it up. Then the culture came back and it was enterobacteria which the baytril was sensitive to so it should kill it. Her blood test came back and the vet said everything looked good except for a little high protein but that was probably because Harley doesn't like veggies and really only wants to eat roaches, silkworms and hornworms.
Well everything looked great until around the 2nd week in December. Harley started coughing a little. So I called the vet back and she gave me a 14 day baytril and said, the first treatment maybe didn't get it all. So I gave her the 14 day baytril and she still coughed some and didn't like the baytril. So after we finished it, Harley seemed fine except for some coughing but otherwise she seemed happy. I thought maybe I need to wait for the baytril to all get out of her system and stuff.
Well fast forward to now and Harley really isn't coughing anymore, usually only once or twice at night when she is laying on me and not every night. She never black beards or shows any uncomfort. She is stretches out and gets her sexy legs going every day and loves eating her hornworms...or any worm for that matter. She is alert and loves to watch tv or me when I'm on the computer. She loves to sleep on me at night wrapped up in her blanket. I keep her around 80f at night and during the day she has a basking spot of 100-105f with a cool spot of 82f. She is lazy due to winter so she likes to hang out in the 82f area. She has a Zoo Med T5 Reptisun 10.0 as well as a T5 daylight bulb and her basking bulb of course.
My problem is her mouth seems kind of wet inside and most of the time she sits with just the tip of her mouth cracked open like a derp moment. But if something gets her attention she will snap her mouth closed. So it seems the derp moment is only when she is relaxing. I'm debating taking her back to the vet for another mouth culture. The whole ordeal is pretty stressful for Harley as she is shy and the last time she got scared and pooped all over the nurse and the floor and then jumped on me and hid under my chin. Im just wondering do some beardies just have a wet mouth? And do some just do the derp thing with the tip of the mouth cracked open? She seems overall happy with never black bearding or black stomach except when on the baytril.
Maybe if Tracy or someone else who is very familiar with beardies can shed some light or give some advice, that would be great. I'm thinking of waiting till end of next month and maybe taking her back for another mouth culture but like I said, if it is something that Harley might lick herself, I would rather not subject her to the stress again. Thanks.
Oh also, Harley hasn't lost any weight and is actually fat. At the vet checkup, she weighed in at 695g and she is about 17 inches. Even the vet said she was fat and I think Harley took offense to it because when the vet tried the mouth swab, Harley bit the swab stick in half and both the nurse and vet said "Wow, Harley has a strong mouth".
I've tried collard greens, dandelion greens, mustard greens, bok choy, yam, all squashes, red bell pepper, arugula, apple, mango, grapes, and I'm sure other stuff I cant even remember now. When she does nibble on the greens, its collard greens, dandelion greens, mustard greens and mango. Butternut squash is acceptable if finely grated and held in my hand in little balls.....she is so spoiled :roll: Of course any kind of worm, she will look up and just about jump on it when I put it in front of her.
Now is the time to limit the fatty feeder insects, reduce the amount and offer the type of greens that you have had success with. Stick to it , because as she gets older that extra weight will compromise her health, including fat pushing on her lungs, affecting her joints and her vital organs. She's young, so do it slowly but stick to it....don't cave in + feel sorry for her. One day she may surprise you and decide to eat all that greenery that she's been snubbing. Try crickets + roaches too instead of all worms.
