bearded st 8-9 months showing signs of brimstone

[Drache613]

Hello,

They can get very picky about their greens! Keep trying
with the greens & possibly add a small amount of minced
up apple or mango into the salad for some color.

Tracie

 

[blue11]

Hi -

Just wanted to share that my beardie was Jan/Feb hatchling - she brumated that same year in November - so she was 9/10 months. Looking back, it wasn’t her full blown very lengthy burmation that she has done every year since then, but she did go down for about a month and half. Like many people have said - prob not the most common thing, but it’s definitely possible - if that helps any!

 

[ChileanTaco]

My Taco now also shows very clear signs of brumation. (Light, temperature, food... are all as recommended and have not changed, he's eating his salads very well, so not an issue of that.)
I saw him preferring salads over insects the days before, staying more on the cool side, and now he's mostly down in his cave that he dug himself behind a plant (his favorite sleeping spot).
He's a beginning of June 2023 hatchling, weight (as 2 weeks ago) is 390 g, and we're here in the Southern hemisphere so here it's the mid of fall.

 

[evil.omens]

My Taco now also shows very clear signs of brumation. (Light, temperature, food... are all as recommended and have not changed, he's eating his salads very well, so not an issue of that.)
I saw him preferring salads over insects the days before, staying more on the cool side, and now he's mostly down in his cave that he dug himself behind a plant (his favorite sleeping spot).
He's a beginning of June 2023 hatchling, weight (as 2 weeks ago) is 390 g, and we're here in the Southern hemisphere so here it's the mid of fall.

okay so update guys. the last 2 days he hasn’t come out at all, no salad eaten not basking just hiding in his cool hide. he has taken live food but can’t see that’s healthy for him seen as he isn’t basking to digest it so what else can i do? when i try and give him some veg and tried some egg but he just closed his eyes when i tried. he’s lying with his head up so he doesn’t look lethargic but he’s just not coming out. temps are fine. i think it’s to do with stress and vet said he was very skittish which could a psychology thing. the last few days i’ve had. blanket draped over the front of viv as he’s in my bedroom and i’ve been keeping noise and movement in my room to a minimum. i’m just worried there’s something wrong but the vets if it is psychological will be worse for him i feel.

 

[KarrieRee]

okay so update guys. the last 2 days he hasn’t come out at all, no salad eaten not basking just hiding in his cool hide. he has taken live food but can’t see that’s healthy for him seen as he isn’t basking to digest it so what else can i do? when i try and give him some veg and tried some egg but he just closed his eyes when i tried. he’s lying with his head up so he doesn’t look lethargic but he’s just not coming out. temps are fine. i think it’s to do with stress and vet said he was very skittish which could a psychology thing. the last few days i’ve had. blanket draped over the front of viv as he’s in my bedroom and i’ve been keeping noise and movement in my room to a minimum. i’m just worried there’s something wrong but the vets if it is psychological will be worse for him i feel.

Has he been tested for parasites? I would get a fecal in for testing --- NO enemas ---- too many parasites can cause them not to eat ---

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

How is your boy doing today, has he come out &
basked any today?
I agree with Karrie, it might be a good idea to get
a fecal done on him to make sure there isn't any
high levels of worms or parasites making him feel
sluggish.
Is his beard dark in color?
If he has eaten recently do your best to get him
to bask & warm up so he can finish digesting. If
he is that slown down, to brumate then he will most
likely stop eating altogether pretty soon.

Tracie

 

[evil.omens]

hi sorry for late reply he has been doing better except last night he put himself to bed early. did eat as normal and this morning he’s still not out after 3 hours of light on so assuming he’ll be hiding most of today. i’ll try feed him tonight and see. it just seems he’s out for a week or so then a few days hiding then back out. eating is normal. poos haven’t been as regular and a few have been more runny than usual. he had a poo sample tested in march and it came back positive for salmonella but not dangerously. vet said he had higher levels of pinworms than normal but nothing major however at his next checkup in may he wants to test specifically for that type of parasite so see. he just seems fine one day then really lethargic the other

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

It sounds like he is up & down a little bit. Do your best to encourage him to bask as much as you can.
Did they medicate for salmonella or not? A lot of them have low levels of it but as long as it doesn't affect the health of them then it shouldn't have to be treated. If his appetite is off, he would probably benefit from a deworming treatment.

Tracie

 

[evil.omens]

Hello,

It sounds like he is up & down a little bit. Do your best to encourage him to bask as much as you can.
Did they medicate for salmonella or not? A lot of them have low levels of it but as long as it doesn't affect the health of them then it shouldn't have to be treated. If his appetite is off, he would probably benefit from a deworming treatment.

Tracie

nope no medication except these pro fiber tablets for a bit to get everything running smooth. contacted the vet and the next time he poos i’m going to drop it down and he’s going to test it again. his weight seems fine however if it is a stress thing i don’t want to make it worse by taking him to the vet again

 

[AHBD]

He looks great, his behavior is perfectly normal for a dragon his age and that is visually quite healthy. Just a comment about salmonella, it's known that almost all reptiles carry salmonella and its rarely bad enough to be treated so that's good that the vet didn't make a big deal out of it . He should be fine, dragons are built for these times when WE think someting's wrong but they do their little sleepy stunts that keeo you worried.

BTW your enclosure is beautiful, you put a lot of effort in to it ! I'd remove a little bit of the decor, the greenery is a hazard because some dragons will eat it , you'd be surprised how many do [ just Google b.d. ate fake leaf ] and my own dragons would grab some for sure. You might take out the branches that are lying down in the middle of the tank as well, some dragons really prefer a little more room to move without so many obstacles.

 

[ChileanTaco]

BTW your enclosure is beautiful, you put a lot of effort in to it ! I'd remove a little bit of the decor, the greenery is a hazard because some dragons will eat it , you'd be surprised how many do [ just Google b.d. ate fake leaf ] and my own dragons would grab some for sure. You might take out the branches that are lying down in the middle of the tank as well, some dragons really prefer a little more room to move without so many obstacles.

That's also something I would recommend, and the reason I'm not using fake plants: My dragon would eat them.
I only use live plants that are edible for dragons.
There are a couple of plants that survive the conditions in such an enclosure: aloe vera, golliwog (turtle weed, scientific name is callisia repens) are such. My dragon eats the golliwog a lot, so I in fact keep multiple plants out of which always one is in the enclosure and then I switch it out once about half of it is gone. Some hardy herbs such as rosemary can also do well. More leafy herbs which are not used to desert conditions often struggle with the conditions in a bearded dragon enclosure; those I'm not planting directly but I put in a potted plant once in a while.
Also prickly pear cactus grows well in an enclosure (the cactus spikes should be removed; they can be cut off easily with scissors).
All those are safe for bearded dragons to eat. And a plus: Always some fresh food in there. (I'm usually not at home during the day but gone for a long work say with often extra hours, and thus cannot provide salads multiple times a day but only put in food in the morning and late evening, except for weekends.)

 

[evil.omens]

He looks great, his behavior is perfectly normal for a dragon his age and that is visually quite healthy. Just a comment about salmonella, it's known that almost all reptiles carry salmonella and its rarely bad enough to be treated so that's good that the vet didn't make a big deal out of it . He should be fine, dragons are built for these times when WE think someting's wrong but they do their little sleepy stunts that keeo you worried.

BTW your enclosure is beautiful, you put a lot of effort in to it ! I'd remove a little bit of the decor, the greenery is a hazard because some dragons will eat it , you'd be surprised how many do [ just Google b.d. ate fake leaf ] and my own dragons would grab some for sure. You might take out the branches that are lying down in the middle of the tank as well, some dragons really prefer a little more room to move without so many obstacles.

thank you will do that. i’ve been looking for a good branch to add another height piece too it but haven’t found much yet

 

[evil.omens]

thank you will do that. i’ve been looking for a good branch to add another height piece too it but haven’t found much yet

update for everyone. we took a poo sample to the vet and he came back and said there was nothing he could see that would be concerning. yesterday he refused to eat and has been having runny poo recently but parasites is ruled out. he’s hiding today, not basking or eating. will try with live tonight. i don’t know what else to do as this isn’t normal i wouldn’t think? i was kind of hoping it was just parasites that was simple and easy to treat however maybe something else. yesterday he was restless, glass surfing and running around crazy then put himself to bed early and didn’t wanna eat. maybe he has some psychological? any advice is appreciated

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Well, that is great news that his fecal was clear. Honestly, I think he is just slowing down for a partial
brumation but maybe not a full one.
Since he looks healthy & doesn't act ill or have a black beard, you can let him rest a little extra. Be sure
he stays hydrated so you can check on him daily.
One question, are you sure he is not a female?

Tracie

 

[evil.omens]

Hello,

Well, that is great news that his fecal was clear. Honestly, I think he is just slowing down for a partial
brumation but maybe not a full one.
Since he looks healthy & doesn't act ill or have a black beard, you can let him rest a little extra. Be sure
he stays hydrated so you can check on him daily.
One question, are you sure he is not a female?

Tracie

now the at is the thing. when we went for a vet checkup the vet said he wasn’t sure. he was sexed as male from the breeder i got him from but vet said his pores are under developed so doesn’t look male or female. however he said at his next checkup when he will be about 1 year old he will re sex him. he said he could be female and getting ready to lay eggs so i’m extra careful with that. he’s got a nice deep layer of substrate to burrow in. anything else i could provide if he is a female? he will be 9-10 months now