Baby dragon rescue, possible neuro issues???

[TwistedCrayon]

I work at one of the big chain pet stores. There was a really skinny baby. They put it in the back for a week and it wasn't getting any better. They adopted it out to us on Thursday. we have been giving him two baths a day, we added pedilyte to his bath water today. We are force feeding him chicken baby food w/ a syringe, with Ben a bac, calcium and vitamins mixed in. He has eaten two tiny crickets on his own and has tried eating some micro super worms but ends up shaking his head and throwing them around his cage. He is under a brand new reptisun 10 and basking temps are right. He is pooping, so that's a good sign. It comes out looking like undigested babyfood and his urate is a nice bright white. Is he not absorbing the nutrients?

For the most part he just lays around, once in a while and at night he spaz's out and runs around the cage like somethings after him, then he just falls asleep mid run. We've determined he's either playing possum or is narcoleptic. When I try to feed him he will struggle at first, eat a little (enough to sustain life) then fall asleep. He draws his legs up, goes stiff as a board and makes you think he's dead. Which by now we know better. We have to put a tiny sponge in his bath water to rest his head on so he won't drown.

I've never had a baby in this bad of shape and not sure what else to do. Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I just want what's best for him. I'm going to take him to the vet tomorrow when I go to pick up my guinea pig that's been there for the last 4 days...

 

[ataraxia]

i would like to see a pic of his size. personally on young dragons. i dont force any type of liquid even baby food. the risk of aspiration at that age is easily done. we choose to force feed young appropriate size crickets. the first process is that we gut load the crickets very well 24 hours before feeding. if the dragon is in bad shape and not drinking on its own we will inject water or pedialyte in the cricket or spray the cricket with a tad bit of water. the amount we force feed is determined on the health of the dragon, age and size.

for him to spaz out and close his eyes after a short run. that tells me he is weak or extremely young like less than 4 days. it may take some time to get him back to par. just keep giving him food and hydration everyday. you have witnessed him eating, that is generally a good sign.

just to know. what are the basking temps set to?

has he been tested for parasites?

 

[TwistedCrayon]

Okay his temps are 106 with an accurate probe from
Wally world. He is about 4 1/2 to 5 inches nose to tail. My new born hatchlings where this big!! He was in the cage a week before I suggested they pull him and put him in the sick room, then he was in the sick room for a week, so he is atleast two weeks to three weeks old I will try the cricket feeding. I have nursed many a sick dragon back to health and adopted them out but this one is worse than the others. he is for sure weak. When I feed him, he struggles a little which is encouraging then will either stiffen like a board or go completely limp. I have pics I will try to post tomorrow.

I wanna call the breeder myself and ask them to stop sending us such little dragons!!!