Baby Beardie Sleeping all day and unactive!

[DragoBarbuto]

Hello,

Let me start by saying that I have read many articles on this issues, but they have different behaviors than mine, so I decided to sign up and post this for some insight. I am very worried.

I just bought a baby beardie named Drago about 1 week ago and the owner said it was about 2 and a half months old so it is probably roughly 3 months old now. It is 5 3/4 inches long from snout to tip of the tail. I don't have a weight for him right now. He has been fairly inactive since I got him, but that was most likely the changing environment from traveling from Tennessee(where I purchased) back to Michigan and then settling in here for good. He was just starting to get comfortable and starting to get hyper and eat better. He has only eaten about 10-12 medium/small crickets in the last week along with 1-2 small mealworms and some collard greens. He poops about 2-3 times a day and it isn't runny or anything. I spray him with water 1-2 times a day and he has a water dish and I give him a 15-20 min bath about 2-3 times a week. The lighting setup is one 90 watt Halogen Flood light and I just purchased a brand new Reptisun 10.0 Compact UVB bulb today because the one I was using was only 5.0. His basking spot is between 108-114 F depending on where he is laying. The cold side is about 80-85 and his night temps are about 75-80. The substrate is 100% calcium sand specifically for bearded dragons, because the calcium sand isn't poisonous and acts like another form of calcium if digested. He is still pooping regularly so I don't think the sand is causing any blockage. I just noticed this yesterday and it has been happening all day today also and it has me really worried. He seems to be sleeping all day long and even if i pick him up, he barely moves and just stays asleep. His eyes don't look runny or anything, he is just squinting a lot then going back to bed. Another thing that made me worry was that he normally only sleeps on his log in the corner is his groove and now he isn't spending any time basking and laying on the rock and the sand. From what I have read, he is way to young to be going into brumation also. Please help me. If i left anything out please let me know. Thanks.

 

[DragoBarbuto]

I forgot to mention the the thermometer is a brand new zoomed probe thermometer, because my old thermometer was way off.

 

[DragoBarbuto]

BUMP! Please Help!

 

[Zara6]

Hello,
I'm sorry to hear about your little guy. I'll try to help. The first thing that could really help him is proper UVB light. The reptisun brand is great but unfortunately the compact is not the right type of bulb. The reptisun 10.0 needs to be a tube that runs the length of the cage or at least 2/3 of the cage. I personally use the reptisun 10.0 t5 bulb and it works great for my beardies. Since you will have to buy a new fixture to hold the bulb you can save money by getting a cheap fixture at Walmart that you can mount inside of his tank. This change alone can make a big difference in your beardies behavior. I recently took in a bearded dragon who sounds a lot like yours and once he got proper lighting he became active and got his appetite back.

The next thing I would change is the sand, it can be really dangerous for him and right now he doesn't need anymore problems. You can use paper towels, reptile carpet, tiles, or anything solid that he won't be able to digest. I wouldn't feed him anymore mealworms right now but he definitely needs to start eating more. Like I said, once you get the new UVB light he might get his appetite back. For now you could offer him silkworms, hornworms, or Phoenix worms if he isn't interested in crickets. A lot of bearded dragons can't resist silkworms. At his age he should be eating a lot more than he is. Did he have any UVB lighting in his previous home? Do you have any pictures of him? If he hasn't had proper lighting then there is a chance he could be or already developed Metabolic Bone Disease. I hope this isn't the case!
Tori

 

[Zara6]

In my previous post I forgot to ask if he has ever had a fecal done to check for parasites?

 

[DragoBarbuto]

Sorry for the late response. I did what you recommended and bought a fixture and a T8 18" 10.0 reptisun bulb and mounted it inside his tank. The lady at petsmart said it is good to take him outside and I took him outside for 5 minutes and he started wiggling and had his mouth wide open and he passed away with his eyes wide open. I don't know if it was taking him outside or if something else caused him to go so early. Im devastated. He was such a cute and loving little guy and had the best personality.

 

[Zara6]

I am so sorry to hear this! I really wanted this little guy to pull through. You did your best for him. Taking beardies outside is actually good for them so I don't think that was the problem. Sadly, a lot of the time pet stores will sell bearded dragons who are sick just to make money off of them. The previous owner may have got him from one so there is a chance he was already ill when you got him. I am so sorry for your loss.
Tori