Beardie Acting Odd

[Falcor1212]

My daughters beardie is about two years old and over the last few weeks is not eating as much. when we check on her she is always under her log. When we bring her out to handle/socialize her she finds a dark spot and curls up under a blanket Or in the crook of the couch so nobody can see her. She is housed alone temperature is good new UVB and nightlights but not sure why she's not eating any help would be great :|

 

[destiny1998]

Hi. Can you be more specific ? What are the brands of the lights? Any colored? Coil or compact? How are you taking the temps? What are they ? What size is the enclosure? Also no lights at night. Beardies need complete darkness to sleep and they like it cool at night.

 

[Falcor1212]

We are using 2 75 watt zoo med lights and one soft light for day and on ceramic 2 could light for night time. We have a wanted thermostat inside the tank and a strip on the outside of the tank. She is currently in a 40 gallon glass reptile tank (working on a custom enclosure). At bed time the only thing the has on is a night heat lamp no color just ceramic bulb.

 

[LeapinLizards]

I am not expert in any way, however, I have a 7 year old male that has gone through a very similar thing in hiding under his log and burying his head. At time he would get frantic trying to hide. He lost his appetite for over a week. So I took him to the vet because he was so lethargic and wanted nothing to do with me. She said he needed more UVA and UVB exposure and a calcium deficiency. I felt like a horrible mom. But she just told me to change his bulbs and use more calcium. ?.
So I searched this site and did what the vet said and tried something and it made a world of difference. Zeke is more active than he was in years.
I changed his "basking" lights to a Solar Glo and the ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 UVB Flourescent bulb on his cage. I wasn't too happy in the fact I had just purchased new bulbs a few weeks prior to these newer ones but I kept these in case the new bulbs burned out so I would have a back up until I could get the replacements.
One other thing I did was bought liquid calcium and put some drops in this water and put some on my finger and just rubbed his lips/mouth. Sounds odd, but now he drinks water w/ the calcium drops from a turkey baster.
I hope your girl will get better. I know the feeling and just offered what I did when in your place. It may help. My guy used to "bromate" in the middle of spring and summer for 2 weeks and then POOF he was awake again.

 

[Falcor1212]

Thanks I will try and replace the lights this weekend, we are not sure if it was just missing her girl...

 

[destiny1998]

Hi. Yes a uvb light is very important to their health. You need a reptisun 10.0 Tube. You can get a t5 and put it on top of the screen or a t8, but that is weeker so that needs to be mounted in the tank. You also need a thermometer inside the tank so you know what the temps are on the basking spot. The most accurate ways to do that are get a temp gun or a digial with a wire probe. Having the correct lights and temps are the way for him to be healthy. Oh and he needs calcium with d3 so he does not develop metabolic bone disease. His feeders should be dusted with calcium 3 to 4x a week vitamins 2x a week.