Baby Beardie Close to Death

[NavyxWife]

A friend of my husband's is being deployed so he dropped off his 1 month old bearded dragon for me to try to get him back up on his health. I have my own bearded dragon and have been keeping Beardies since I was young. I have never seen one in this bad of shape and even with all my knowledge and the help of a friend who own's a reptire store and breeds them, nothing is working.
When he was dropped off, yesterday, he was in a 30gal with sand. Being fed crickets and meal worms. He was definitely not being handled correctly either.
I immediately put him in my old 10 gal with reptire carpet, gave him a smaller rock because he couldn't even get off the one he had, and changed his lights. He only had a florescent heat lamp so I changed that out to one of my desert lights and gave him UVB light.
He's extremely thin and very fragile to handle. He rarely ever opens his eyes but he can run and he can turn himself right side up if he is on his back.
His owner was carrying him around on his shoulder and told me that he is a jumper... So hearing that, I checked him for any signs of internal injuries but there were none. He can still use all his legs but is just too weak. He does like warm baths, he perks up a bit when he gets one.
He rarely eats from what I was told and didn't eat for a few days by the time I got him. Last night, I was able to feed him 3 small crickets that were sprayed with a vitamin supplement (same I've been using for my beardie since he was young) but he didn't eat this morning. He has greens in his tank just in case. Heat is now a stable 90 degrees and about 75 at night.
Please, any advice on what to do with this little guy will be greatly appreciated. I have never lost a beardie and I don't wish to start now.

 

[blondie098]

can you try and drip a little babyfood squash & chicken babyfood onto his nose and see if he'll lick it? Maybe that would get a little into his tummy, but be easier on his system incase he's impacted.

Keep up with the baths, daily -- he needs that hydration right now. keep trying, don't give up.

If you can boost the temps a little, too -- the little ones need over 100 on the warm side.

 

[NavyxWife]

Yea, I'm planning to get more baby food tomorrow when I get paid. My other dragon likes to eat everything.
He did have two heat lamps on before I changed one to a UVB because they were both heat, which kept it closer to 100 but I don't have another lamp to put the other bulp in ):

But I will definitely try putting the baby food on his nose, he seems to lick up there some times

Thank you.

 

[fez09]

You can get a jar of babyfood for uder $1.00, I wouldn't wait. He doesn't look well at all! Bless his little heart. Are you using a digital thermometer or the kind you stick on?

 

[alenke]

I just tried to save a beardie in the same situation. The little guy was too far gone though...even worse than this one. Try diluted pedialyte or gatoraide to get him rehydrated before you try to feed too much protein...just start out with squash babyfood so it is not too much of a shock to his system because it looks like he hasn't had much of anything lately...hope all goes well for you.

 

[NavyxWife]

fez09 - I would if I could. I really am completely out of money until I get paid tomorrow.
I'm using a digital and a stick on.

alenke - thanks, I'll try that.

 

[NavyxWife]

Update - he ate a little bit of peach baby food mixed with vitamins on his nose... not a lot but it's still something
And he crawled up my arm when I tried putting him back in... so hopefully he's getting some energy.

 

[NavyxWife]

Onyx passed this morning. Even after he started eating last night, he just wasn't strong enough.
Thanks everyone who offered their help. I really appreciate it.

 

[blondie098]

I am so sorry, he was so little. You tried -- maybe when this friend returns, if he wants another, maybe you could help educate him a little better so he knows how to care for them? My son is a Marine, and thought about getting a beardie, but he knows what we go thru for proper husbandry for ours, and he decided on a kitty instead.

They really are great companions, once husbandry is mastered. Thank you for trying to save this little guy.

 

[NavyxWife]

I plan to... He told my husband that "he didn't care if he died" and "he'd just get another one after deployment". I wasn't planning on taking him because I already have so many animals to take care of by myself but once I heard that, I was just give him to me.
I know I can't talk someone out of getting a beardie, even if they are irresponsible, but I do plan on telling him EXACTLY what to do with his new one in order for him to get started putting him on the right track.

But, my husband saw how upset I was when I lost Onyx and how hard I tried to help him, so we might be getting another one this weekend so my beardie can have a friend.

 

[beardie parents]

It's soo easy to fall in love with them. You want another one for you, not necessarily for your other beardie. We've had 6 beardies since Thanksgiving of 04 and only the first two were friends with each other, best friends actually. The current two I wouldn't house together because Rosie gets testy from time to time with Goldie and I won't take the chance of Goldie getting hurt because they are housed together when we are not home. We do have them out at the same time with mostly no problems but Rosie does go after Goldie, just not that often.

 

[NavyxWife]

Very true haha
If I could, my house would be full of beardies haha.
I've actually been looking at this sunburst bearded dragon that I'm thinking of getting. He is gorgeous & only going to get better look when he's older. Just love all their colors & markings.