txnurseIVAJOY
Member
2 days ago while my sister was watching my 2 sons (4 year olds), the boys got into my room with a chair & one was able to get my 2 month old baby dragon out of his tank. When I came home my sister was oblivious to what had happened. I came into my room to find my baby dragon laying completely flat in his tank with grey eyes, black tail, black beard.. he was 99% unresponsive. I saw a chair lying on the floor & his screen messed up & called my boys to the room. I am not 100% sure what happened because nobody saw them but after lecturing & talking to both of them the story I got included; swinging dragon by his tail, dropping dragon on floor, bouncing dragon on ball, etc. I didn't know what to do in this situation so I just did what I thought would help. First I assessed him, he was completely limp & his legs remained extended when I moved them. I put the dragon in a warm bath & turned his lamp around so he had his lights over him. But he barely moved and I was having to hold his head up. He was breathing around 3-5 resp/min but I am not sure what the resp rate is supposed to be for dragons. After about 10 min I wrapped him in a little wash cloth, held him for a minute. I thought he was in the process of dying. But after thinking about it I decided to put him back in his enclosure because what he went through was very stressful/traumatic. I thought maybe if he did become alert it would scare him or stress him more that I was holding him.
At about 11pm (6 hours later) the little guy opened his eyes. I picked him up and he didn't resist at all. He still wouldn't move his limbs. He wanted to keep his eyes shut, he was very lethargic. Wouldn't move, wouldn't eat, etc. It took about 12 hours, he started moving. I'd put him down and he would walk to other side of tank. Then about 18 hours later he took a bite of greens. He is progressing very very slowly, it has been 48 hours since the incident and he still seems to want to sleep a lot but is eating only veggies/dragon food... he won't eat any insects. He climbs up on his basking rock, and before he will come down to eat he does the arm waving (extremely slow) for about 10 minutes before he climbs down. He was extremely active before this incident, I know nothing is broken, and I just need more insight on what is going on with him.
What should I do to best help him get over this? I have not been overhandling him but I have been "comforting" him. I don't want him to be afraid of me. I've been crying off and on for 2 days because the way he is behaving is SO SAD.. especially compared to how sweet, funny, active, & trusting he was before it happened. My boys had been thoroughly taught that they are not to touch the dragons without me or dad handing them to them & sitting right beside them and they also knew that what they did with the dragon was unacceptable. My sister & my kids were both handled in the appropriate way and I am getting a new enclosure that locks.
Is his arm waving because he is scared to even come down from his rock to eat? ;( Do beardies act like this (sleepy, lethargic, uninterested) for a long time after being under stress/hurt?
BTW I have correct lighting, correct supplements, and our other bearded dragon has his own enclosure in another room.
At about 11pm (6 hours later) the little guy opened his eyes. I picked him up and he didn't resist at all. He still wouldn't move his limbs. He wanted to keep his eyes shut, he was very lethargic. Wouldn't move, wouldn't eat, etc. It took about 12 hours, he started moving. I'd put him down and he would walk to other side of tank. Then about 18 hours later he took a bite of greens. He is progressing very very slowly, it has been 48 hours since the incident and he still seems to want to sleep a lot but is eating only veggies/dragon food... he won't eat any insects. He climbs up on his basking rock, and before he will come down to eat he does the arm waving (extremely slow) for about 10 minutes before he climbs down. He was extremely active before this incident, I know nothing is broken, and I just need more insight on what is going on with him.
What should I do to best help him get over this? I have not been overhandling him but I have been "comforting" him. I don't want him to be afraid of me. I've been crying off and on for 2 days because the way he is behaving is SO SAD.. especially compared to how sweet, funny, active, & trusting he was before it happened. My boys had been thoroughly taught that they are not to touch the dragons without me or dad handing them to them & sitting right beside them and they also knew that what they did with the dragon was unacceptable. My sister & my kids were both handled in the appropriate way and I am getting a new enclosure that locks.
Is his arm waving because he is scared to even come down from his rock to eat? ;( Do beardies act like this (sleepy, lethargic, uninterested) for a long time after being under stress/hurt?
BTW I have correct lighting, correct supplements, and our other bearded dragon has his own enclosure in another room.
