Bearded Dragon wont eat since room change in house?

[jwizzle]

I got a question for everybody regarding my bearded dragon. I had recently moved from one of my room in my house to another one like 2 weeks ago. Before I moved him he was eating good now he wont eat at all. I thought it through about being stressed and all and a week ago from yesterday I saw improvement like he was back to his old self but he still wont eat. I thought it could be brumation but he hasnt went in that for like 2 years plus he just is laying to one side not really doing much at all. Im trying to see if I should take him to the vet or not. I mean its not like his eyes are not open he just wont eat. I have tryed Mealworms, Crickets, Greens and even the Rep Cal Pellets which he usually would eat right away after I put them in there and he wont eat anything. Any help would be appreciated because I am so worried about him. He is only like 3 years old too.
Brandon

 

[augsburg1530]

They def can suffer relocation stress, even just being moved to another room, but after two weeks he should be back to his normal self. You might want to check his heat temps to make sure it is hot enough in the new room for him and make sure the uvb is set up correct. If your uvb is old, you may need to look into changing it. UVB and heat are two main issues related to dragon eating. Check to make sure your uvb and heat are good, if they are and the problem continues you may want to think about getting him to a vet asap.

Eric

 

[jwizzle]

Eric,
Right now he is in a 40 gallon breeder tank and about 2 feet long including the tail. He has a cave and a basking light. I am using like a 24" uvb strip light with a Repti Sun 5.0 light bulb. I have a 150 watt Basking bulb. I am planning though after I get him better because I finally got all the supplies to changing him to a 75 gallon tank. I mean I got the tank, the screen cover, the sand, and the 48" Repti Sun bulb too alongside the strip light that it came with. I am so worried something is going on. I mean I don't know if its brumation because he hasn't went in that since the 1st year I got him. I have heard the plastic thermometers you get a pet store is not that accurate and that you can get the probe ones like at walmart. Were would I look for them. I just really want him to perk up. I haven't taken him out this week at all but last week when I did he was normal when I took him out but when he went back in the cage he wasn't.
Brandon

 

[augsburg1530]

Repti-Sun 5.0 is too low uvb output, I would switch to the 10.0 and he needs to be able to get to within 6 inches of the light. A lot of us do that by stacking rocks or a tree branch for him to climb up to get close to the uvb.

Walmart has a prob thermometer for around $10 bucks in their hardware section. You may have to ask someone for help finding it. Also Petco has a zoo med prob thermometer for around $7 bucks that seems to work well too. Put the probe right on his basking site, temps need to be around 100 degrees F for an adult dragon and he needs to be able to get close to the right uvb too.

Best bet at this time would be to bite the bullet and take him to a vet just to be sure everything is o.k.

Eric

 

[jwizzle]

Eric,
So your saying you think that a ReptiSun 10.0 I should get and not the ReptiSun 5.0. I can still return it and change it if I need to get a better one just let me know. I mean I cant really go to the vet till Tuesday. That is the only time they have somebody available that does Exodic Pets. I mean they had one today but there would be no way I could get down there in 15 minutes from were I work. I get off at 5 this week and they had a 5:15 appointment and its probably too late now to make it so I guess I will try that stuff you said. I can always switch the bulb thing since I havent opened or put it on the 75 gallon tank. What would you say I should do if the tempertures are too low. What could I do to make them higher again.
Brandon

 

[augsburg1530]

I would def get the repti-sun 10.0. Get Repti-sun, not repti-glo.

To get the temps up, you can either get a higher wattage light, add another light or raise the basking spot to be closer to the spot light.

Since you have to wait until Tues. I would work on getting the right uvb, set it up so he is close to the uvb bulb, and make sure the basking temps are at least 100 degrees F.

If heat and uvb are the problem you should begin to see results within 24 hours of getting the set up correct.

Also make sure he is hydrated after not eating for 2 weeks. Take a cup of water, put your finger in it and drip some on his snout so he can lick it off. Give him as much as he wants to drink.

Eric

 

[jwizzle]

Eric,
The problem with the higher wattage is that I dont think it goes higher than 150 because thats is what it is at now. Do you think it would hurt to put him in the new 75 gallon tank now or wait because I would prefer to if I was going to buy a 10.0 Reptisun UVB that it be in the 75 gallon since he wouldn't be in the 40 gallon breeder much longer since I got the stand built and the tank. I am just trying to decide when It would be suitable to move him into it. I am going to try to find that probe thing at walmart tonight. Hopefully I can find it but I have no clue were to look. I guess I will look at the Lawn and Garden section. Did you want me to send you a picture of what he looks like and see what you think.
Brandon

 

[augsburg1530]

You can send a pic, though it is always hard to tell what's up from a picture.

I think for now, if it were me, that I would not disturb him and stress him further by moving him to a new tank. Since you are saying "tank" can I assume you have an aquarium with a screen top? If so, you can get the repti-sun 10.0 to fit the 75 gallon tank and just let it sit on top of the 40 gallon screen for now.

More than likely your 150 watt bulb is fine, you just may have to get your dragon up a bit higher to he can reach the heat and uvb.

I think the hardware section of Walmart is where the prob thermometers are. Go in there and look, if you don't find it ask someone who works there if they know, if they don't know what you are talking about, ask about where home thermometers are and look there. I'm sure with a bit of effort you will find it there.

I am praying for your dragon and hope he gets well.

Keep us updated on what's going on.

Eric

 

[jwizzle]

Eric,
Okay I got the probe one from the brand Acurite. I looked and it says like 74.1 on the hot side. I have no idea how to make it more hotter or even if I stuck it in the far enough. My lizards was looking at what I was doing but he was still just sitting in the same spot. He really hasn't moved except his head.
Brandon

 

[jwizzle]

Eric,
Oh and by the way I went to see if they had a 10.0 reptisun for a 48" one but they didn't all they had was the 5.0 one so I didn't exchange it. The only Reptisun I saw that was 10.0 was one that would fit the one I have now the 18" ones.
Brandon

 

[diamc]

Hi, actually a 150 watt bulb seems like an awful lot of wattage for a 40 gallon tank. With the probe thermometer, you lay the probe end so that it is resting on the basking area where he prefers to lay when basking, you wait about 45 min for the temp to stop rising before you decide the actual temp. Then you do the same thing on the cool side unless you have the AcuRite that has an "in" and "out" reading. If that's the one you bought, you lay the thermometer part on the cool side, the probe so that it is laying on the basking site, wait the required 45 min or so, the "out" reading would be for the basking & the "in" reading for the cool side. Let us know what your final temps are & we can help you make adjustments.

Also, be sure that the strip UVB and basking bulb are right alongside each other so he can get both benefits at once when he is basking. The distance to the UVB needs to be 6 to 8" so bare that in mind before adjusting the bulb wattage of the basking bulb.

He may be dehydrated, so a warm bath with a washcloth or small towel in the bottom of sink or container would probably be appreciated. A 15 or 20 min bath with the vent area (where he poos) right down in the water is very beneficial.

 

[jwizzle]

Hey,
Well I thought I had bought a Reptisun 5.0 uvb light but I just looked again and its a ReptiGlo 5.0 uvb. I havent even taken it out of the cardboard thing so I am going to have to go return it. Now I want to be sure would I want a 5.0 or a 10.0 Reptisun uvb light before I order it off of Drfostersmith.com since they have the cheapest price with shipping.
Brandon

 

[diamc]

Yes, you would want the Repti-Sun 10.0 strip fluorescent. This place has great prices too. http://www.petmountain.com/product/bulbs/504983/zoo-med-reptisun-10.0-high-output-uvb-bulb.html

 

[jwizzle]

Hey,
I want to show you all pictures of what I just saw when I picked up my lizard which I called Bardock from Dragonball Z but I don't know how to upload them so I will just send them to the two people that replyed and maybe they can tell me.
Brandon