The little guy ate twice in the last 4 days. Everyday, I warm him up, take him out of his tank, and try to feed him. He isnt holding his head up and unless I physically get it to his mouth, he doesnt go for it. He did eat a bunch of cantaloupe, couple pieces of cucumber and kale, and a few dubia roaches. But he still just lays on the floor of his tank, then, for what seems like no reason, he just starts racing around the tank, smashing off of and into anything and everything. Hell do this anywhere from a second to minutes. Then hell just lay in whatever position he ended up at. How much does an average exotics vet usually run? I have never been to one but I think this is getting too far for "wait and see". What else can I do? BTW, my original post is in the HEALTH section...that post has all of his housing details and things that have been tried and talked about. Thanks.
Hi there.....their behavior can be pretty confusing, especially as adults when they can go long periods without eating. I see that you just got him recently, so he may not have been handled at all and is super stressed. They can get very lethargic when they're terrified....you say he sometimes crashes around the tank , then just lays where he drops. That sounds like severe stress. He may even have been mistreated, you never know. Some adult dragons won't eat for much longer than 2 days....they may ignore food for weeks, so a couple of days is not of concern [ with an adult ] in the least. Do you have pics of him ? Please post some so we can see his condition. Unless he's extremely thin, there is no danger in his behavior. If he's in decent physical condition he just needs time to adjust. If he ate cantaloupe then he would be reasonably hydrated, too.
Thats what I was assuming. He just doesnt act "normal". I see all these other dragons bouncing around and clearly enjoying life while this lil guy just looks miserable. I appologize for bo pics. Trying to still learn the new forum too lol. Ill try posting some again.
I can understand your concern....he does look very unhappy about something and could have a hidden health problem. If you can look up a good reptile vet you might take him in for a check up. It's a hard shot to call....he may just be super stressed, yet he has been eating. He's on the thin side, but not extremely. Others may offer suggestions that could be helpful, dragons are hard to read sometimes. I know you want your guy to be happy. Is there anything he can see [ pets, active kids ] that might be upsetting ? You might cover part of his tank for privacy to see if that helps any.
He's next to my entertainment center and I have a pretty big aquarium across the room. I dont think those would be making him the way he is would they?
How is he doing on hydration? Not enough hydration from food can cause lethargic behavior. Has the weather improved there? I still think some sunlight may help out when it can be provided.
Just read the above post. Hes doing WAAAY better. I did indeed get him outside with me...I dont think the poor lil fella has ever seen the sun. He just laid out as flat as a pancake and just slowly closed his eyes. Ocassionally readjusting. Hes a whole new man guys! Still some issues but Ill take a victory, no matter how small. Thanks folks...the suggestions, the help, and the reassurance are appreciated!
Great that he seems to be improving. I remember when I brought my rescue outside for the first time (I'm also pretty sure the first time he ever saw the outside and felt real sunlight) and it made a huge difference. He basked just like you described and while his eyes were still sealed shut he became alert and seemed content. Please keep us up to date on his progress going forward.