Miko

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
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
 

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AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Miko still looks a good weight but poor little guy is having breathing problems. He might have aspirated some food and/or have an R.I.
Probably best to leave him be for a few days before trying any syringe feeding but you can still offer insects any time just in case.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
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
Your humidity is good at 40% -- are you using a digital probe hygrometer? If not and its a dial or analog one please get a digital probe one - they are the most accurate Exo Terra Digital Hygrometer | Dubia.com
What is the distance for his UVB --- I can see it and it looks like he has several distances he can get under it --- you want 8-10 inches for sure the UVB is good where its at but if you want place it width wise on the end by his basking bulb and make sure it has the distance I posted here --- please raise the cool side temp to 80's during the day --- 70 is good at night but I would invest in a ceramic heat emitter and keep his temps at night around 80 or so -- place on top of your screen above the place where he sleeps at night -- this is going to help his immune system
 

Miko

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Miko
Your humidity is good at 40% -- are you using a digital probe hygrometer? If not and its a dial or analog one please get a digital probe one - they are the most accurate Exo Terra Digital Hygrometer | Dubia.com
What is the distance for his UVB --- I can see it and it looks like he has several distances he can get under it --- you want 8-10 inches for sure the UVB is good where its at but if you want place it width wise on the end by his basking bulb and make sure it has the distance I posted here --- please raise the cool side temp to 80's during the day --- 70 is good at night but I would invest in a ceramic heat emitter and keep his temps at night around 80 or so -- place on top of your screen above the place where he sleeps at night -- this is going to help his immune system
I use both a temp gun and digital probe. His basking rock is kept at 107 during the day and 75 on the cooler end but I’ll raise up the heat on the cooler side. I do have a ceramic heat emitter and I keep it at 80 at night. UVB is 10 inches and placed on top of the screen
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I use both a temp gun and digital probe. His basking rock is kept at 107 during the day and 75 on the cooler end but I’ll raise up the heat on the cooler side. I do have a ceramic heat emitter and I keep it at 80 at night. UVB is 10 inches and placed on top of the screen
Ok once he is over his illness you won't need those temps at night- since he's sick now it's good- a healthy dragon likes cool temp at night around 65-75
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Ok once he is over his illness you won't need those temps at night- since he's sick now it's good- a healthy dragon likes cool temp at night around 65-75
The meds have effected the appetite - please keep.him hydrated-- you can try some baby food chicken add a pinch of calcium d3 see if he will lick off a spoon if not you may haft to syringe feed - VERY SLOW if it resorts to that you don't want him aspirating- also you have the 5.0 bulb or did you get the 10.0 bulb? -
 

Miko

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Miko
The meds have effected the appetite - please keep.him hydrated-- you can try some baby food chicken add a pinch of calcium d3 see if he will lick off a spoon if not you may haft to syringe feed - VERY SLOW if it resorts to that you don't want him aspirating- also you have the 5.0 bulb or did you get the 10.0 bulb? -
Ok gotcha! Would you recommend that over ReptiAid? I got the 10.0 bulb. It says to change it every 12 months but would you recommend waiting that long or change it at 6 months?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Ok gotcha! Would you recommend that over ReptiAid? I got the 10.0 bulb. It says to change it every 12 months but would you recommend waiting that long or change it at 6 months?
Every 10-11 months for uvb- the reptiaid is a appetite inhancer- you want nurishment in him I would do the baby food and add some water for hydration
 

Miko

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Miko
I may be an overthinking mama but I just noticed this today. There’s a little dark patch above his vent that looks a little pink that could be a sore. Am I going crazy or do you guys see it too? I don’t feed him crickets and I’m not sure what would have caused it if it was a sore :/
 

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KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I may be an overthinking mama but I just noticed this today. There’s a little dark patch above his vent that looks a little pink that could be a sore. Am I going crazy or do you guys see it too? I don’t feed him crickets and I’m not sure what would have caused it if it was a sore :/
Boy he's got the stress marks going -
 

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