Baby Beardie hasn’t eaten over a week; weird symptoms

[Miko]

Hi everyone! I’m hoping someone out there can help me. I got my little guy Miko almost 2 weeks ago from PetSmart (yeah…I know not the best) and I started noticing some weird symptoms after a couple of days. Miko was estimated to be between 3-6 months old (baby) and he weights 8 grams. He hasn’t eaten over a week and he isn’t even interested in food when I put it right up to his mouth. Even getting him to open his mouth is pretty hard. He’s also really lethargic and only wants to stay on his basking rock all day. I’ve noticed that he has some weird coughs/wheeze/hiccup/swallow (idk what to call it) which let me to believe it could be a respiratory issue. I took him to the vet 3 days ago and they found parasites in his fecal sample so I was given two medications to give him. They told me he should start feeling better and eating but he still hasn’t eaten. I am going to call the vet again tomorrow. However, he still has his weird clicking cough breathe and today I noticed that his belly feels like it’s all full of air. I voiced my concerns to the vet of a potential R.I but they said that parasites present similar symptoms to that and didn’t check him for an R.I. So I have 4 questions:
1. Do parasites actually cause a weird clicking exhale that happens every minute or so? This little guy is doing it constantly and I notice that it’s bothering him because it quite literally shakes him and wakes him up when he’s trying to sleep. Do parasites also cause his belly to feel like a bag of air?
2. I am currently using Reptisun UVB T5 HO 5.0 22” with hood. The UVB came with the hood when I bought it but I was wondering if it is sufficient enough or if I need to buy a UVB 10.0. I don’t want him to get MBD.
3. Miko hasn’t eaten for a week (besides when the vets syringe fed him) and poops every day consistently. His poop looks relatively normal too even for having parasites. How do beardies still poop if they don’t eat anything? I monitor his food intake pretty closely so I am 99% sure he isn’t eaten anything when I am not around.
4. Does the UVB need to be over his basking rock? It’s not directly over it right now, mostly covering the other half of his enclosure

I hope someone can help and I appreciate you reading my concerns. This is my first Beardie and I’m trying to do my best! Here are some more basic info on his enclosure:
Substrate: newspaper
Basking lamp: Zoo Med basking spot lamp 100 watts with dimmer
40 gallon terrarium
40% humidity (I’ve tried to get it lower with a rice sock, dehumidifier, and have slats in my enclosure (it’s made of a wood/plastic composite) but the lowest it gets is 37%)
Measure temp with infrared temp gun
Cool side temp is 75 F, basking rock is 107 F

 

[KarrieRee]

Hi everyone! I’m hoping someone out there can help me. I got my little guy Miko almost 2 weeks ago from PetSmart (yeah…I know not the best) and I started noticing some weird symptoms after a couple of days. Miko was estimated to be between 3-6 months old (baby) and he weights 8 grams. He hasn’t eaten over a week and he isn’t even interested in food when I put it right up to his mouth. Even getting him to open his mouth is pretty hard. He’s also really lethargic and only wants to stay on his basking rock all day. I’ve noticed that he has some weird coughs/wheeze/hiccup/swallow (idk what to call it) which let me to believe it could be a respiratory issue. I took him to the vet 3 days ago and they found parasites in his fecal sample so I was given two medications to give him. They told me he should start feeling better and eating but he still hasn’t eaten. I am going to call the vet again tomorrow. However, he still has his weird clicking cough breathe and today I noticed that his belly feels like it’s all full of air. I voiced my concerns to the vet of a potential R.I but they said that parasites present similar symptoms to that and didn’t check him for an R.I. So I have 4 questions:
1. Do parasites actually cause a weird clicking exhale that happens every minute or so? This little guy is doing it constantly and I notice that it’s bothering him because it quite literally shakes him and wakes him up when he’s trying to sleep. Do parasites also cause his belly to feel like a bag of air?
2. I am currently using Reptisun UVB T5 HO 5.0 22” with hood. The UVB came with the hood when I bought it but I was wondering if it is sufficient enough or if I need to buy a UVB 10.0. I don’t want him to get MBD.
3. Miko hasn’t eaten for a week (besides when the vets syringe fed him) and poops every day consistently. His poop looks relatively normal too even for having parasites. How do beardies still poop if they don’t eat anything? I monitor his food intake pretty closely so I am 99% sure he isn’t eaten anything when I am not around.
4. Does the UVB need to be over his basking rock? It’s not directly over it right now, mostly covering the other half of his enclosure

I hope someone can help and I appreciate you reading my concerns. This is my first Beardie and I’m trying to do my best! Here are some more basic info on his enclosure:
Substrate: newspaper
Basking lamp: Zoo Med basking spot lamp 100 watts with dimmer
40 gallon terrarium
40% humidity (I’ve tried to get it lower with a rice sock, dehumidifier, and have slats in my enclosure (it’s made of a wood/plastic composite) but the lowest it gets is 37%)
Measure temp with infrared temp gun
Cool side temp is 75 F, basking rock is 107 F

Please change the 5.0 bulb out to a 10.0 as soon as you can the basking surface temps 105-110 taken w/ a digital probe thermometer- humidity is good at 40% that is optimal - parasites do not cause hiccups etc it soujnd like a RI-- I am going to flag your post to Tracie our vet tech mod she can advise on the RI -- please keep him hydrated-- also please get the basking decor directly under the uvb 12-15 inches for the 10.0 bulb
@Drache613

 

[Miko]

Please change the 5.0 bulb out to a 10.0 as soon as you can the basking surface temps 105-110 taken w/ a digital probe thermometer- humidity is good at 40% that is optimal - parasites do not cause hiccups etc it soujnd like a RI-- I am going to flag your post to Tracie our vet tech mod she can advise on the RI -- please keep him hydrated-- also please get the basking decor directly under the uvb 12-15 inches for the 10.0 bulb
@Drache613

Thank you so much for the quick response! I will get the 10.0 UVB tomorrow

 

[Drache613]

Hello,


As Karrie suggested, I would change out to the Reptisun 10 T5 instead, though the 5 isn't too bad
really. The tank looks nice & bright also. Can you keep him a little warmer at night, to help boost
his system right now?
Usually we recommend around 75-80F overnight, when they are not feeling well. You can use a
ceramic heat emitter so it wont emit any light to disturb his sleeping patterns.
The tube bulb is on top of the screen so it is probably filtering out a pretty good percentage of the
UVB. If you place the new UVB on top of the screen, I would aim for 10 inches from him, to be sure
he gets strong enough UVB exposure.
If he is making coughing/wheezing noises, or hiccuping noises like forced exhalation, it doesn't sound
like worms or parasites. Is his head or face getting ready to shed?
He is very small, so be careful in medicating him as they can be overdosed easily at that size.
Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie

 

[KarrieRee]

I would get some more food in him -- you can feed him some baby food chicken mix w/ water so its soupy type consistency - see if he will lick off the spoon first -- if not you may haft to use a syringe -- feed VERY SLOW let him swallow what you put in so he does not aspirate -- add a pinch of calcium D3 maybe a drop of honey for taste - that might get his attention -- you dont want him to get too weak from not eating -- you want him to stay hydrated so you can administer water the same way - I would stay away from baths if hes got a RI going- here is a website to find a reptile vet in your area - www.arav.org
If your in a small town type in a bigger cities zip code closest to you

 

[Miko]

Hello,


As Karrie suggested, I would change out to the Reptisun 10 T5 instead, though the 5 isn't too bad
really. The tank looks nice & bright also. Can you keep him a little warmer at night, to help boost
his system right now?
Usually we recommend around 75-80F overnight, when they are not feeling well. You can use a
ceramic heat emitter so it wont emit any light to disturb his sleeping patterns.
The tube bulb is on top of the screen so it is probably filtering out a pretty good percentage of the
UVB. If you place the new UVB on top of the screen, I would aim for 10 inches from him, to be sure
he gets strong enough UVB exposure.
If he is making coughing/wheezing noises, or hiccuping noises like forced exhalation, it doesn't sound
like worms or parasites. Is his head or face getting ready to shed?
He is very small, so be careful in medicating him as they can be overdosed easily at that size.
Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie

Yes, his face began shedding on Monday and there are just a few little pieces left. Poor guy is shedding and gots lots of problems I do have a ceramic heat emitter so I’ll make sure it stays 75-80 at night. The cover for my UVB doesn’t have any holes so I’m not sure how to prop it up above the screen. And suggestions?

 

[Miko]

I would get some more food in him -- you can feed him some baby food chicken mix w/ water so its soupy type consistency - see if he will lick off the spoon first -- if not you may haft to use a syringe -- feed VERY SLOW let him swallow what you put in so he does not aspirate -- add a pinch of calcium D3 maybe a drop of honey for taste - that might get his attention -- you dont want him to get too weak from not eating -- you want him to stay hydrated so you can administer water the same way - I would stay away from baths if hes got a RI going- here is a website to find a reptile vet in your area - www.arav.org
If your in a small town type in a bigger cities zip code closest to you

Thanks! I will try that. The little guy is super stubborn and never wants to open his mouth. I pretty much have to force open his mouth with a guitar pick to be able to get him to eat or take his meds. I tried giving him water yesterday by dropping some on the tip of his mouth but that doesn’t even phase him. I found a vet that specializes in reptiles but they are an hour and a half away. I went to them on Tuesday and they diagnosed him with pinworm and coccidia so I’m currently giving him the medication for that. I’m just still very weary that he doesn’t have an RI. The weird swallow/exhale clicks seem strange along with a puffy belly filled with air

 

[KarrieRee]

Thanks! I will try that. The little guy is super stubborn and never wants to open his mouth. I pretty much have to force open his mouth with a guitar pick to be able to get him to eat or take his meds. I tried giving him water yesterday by dropping some on the tip of his mouth but that doesn’t even phase him. I found a vet that specializes in reptiles but they are an hour and a half away. I went to them on Tuesday and they diagnosed him with pinworm and coccidia so I’m currently giving him the medication for that. I’m just still very weary that he doesn’t have an RI. The weird swallow/exhale clicks seem strange along with a puffy belly filled with air

Please post a video of him -- youtube and then post the link

 

[xp29]

Something i would add. You said you use newspaper, i know A LOT of people say its ok. Myself personally i can not read a newspaper, I'm extremely sensitive to the ink. 5 minutes and my sinuses are on fire. That ink is strong. Unless you dry that paper till it has no smell your beardie is breathing those fumes. I would recommend paper towels instead. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Miko]

Please post a video of him -- youtube and then post the link

Here’s a video I got of him doing his weird cough exhale:

 

[Miko]

Something i would add. You said you use newspaper, i know A LOT of people say its ok. Myself personally i can not read a newspaper, I'm extremely sensitive to the ink. 5 minutes and my sinuses are on fire. That ink is strong. Unless you dry that paper till it has no smell your beardie is breathing those fumes. I would recommend paper towels instead. Better safe than sorry.

Good to know, I would have never thought about that. I’ll change it out and see if it makes a difference

 

[KarrieRee]

Here’s a video I got of him doing his weird cough exhale:

Let's have ahbd and our vet tech watch this
@AHBD
@Drache613

 

[Miko]

Update: took Miko to the vet today after I called them. They ended up syringe feeding him again and sent me home with some intensive care food powder to mix with water and syringe feed him until he eats on his own again. I voiced my concerns about a potential RI again and they went ahead and injected him with some antibiotics (called Tazicef) and sent me home with 6 more injections to do every 3 days. They didn’t test him for an RI but said that Tazicef helps fix a lot of things in reptiles. Curious to hear your guys’ thoughts. The vet I go to is an hour and a half away and they specialize in reptiles (exotics). I also bought a new UVB 10.0 today and am currently installing it. I know someone said to have it be 10” above his basking rock and currently i think it is 6” resting on the screen. The UVB cover doesn’t have any holes so I was wondering how other people have been able to prop up their UVB to hover above their screen. Also doc couldn’t really tell me why miko’s belly was bloated with air but I’ll include a pic

 

[xp29]

I would talk to tracie (Drache613) before i gave him a bunch of injections.

 

[KarrieRee]

Let's have ahbd and our vet tech watch this
@AHBD
@Drache613

Update: took Miko to the vet today after I called them. They ended up syringe feeding him again and sent me home with some intensive care food powder to mix with water and syringe feed him until he eats on his own again. I voiced my concerns about a potential RI again and they went ahead and injected him with some antibiotics (called Tazicef) and sent me home with 6 more injections to do every 3 days. They didn’t test him for an RI but said that Tazicef helps fix a lot of things in reptiles. Curious to hear your guys’ thoughts. The vet I go to is an hour and a half away and they specialize in reptiles (exotics). I also bought a new UVB 10.0 today and am currently installing it. I know someone said to have it be 10” above his basking rock and currently i think it is 6” resting on the screen. The UVB cover doesn’t have any holes so I was wondering how other people have been able to prop up their UVB to hover above their screen. Also doc couldn’t really tell me why miko’s belly was bloated with air but I’ll include a pic

Tracie advised the 10 inches if it's on a screen - and I would let Tracie advise on the injections- they should of done blood work for infection and x rays to look for infection as well - I would get the uvb in the tank myself especially if the holes are a fine mesh like a screen door then distance would be 12-15 inches directly above the basking decor - there should be no cover over the bulb it needs to be exposed