I took in a beardie today from a lady off Craigslist. I have other beardies, but this one seems to be having issues that I've not come across yet with my own (probably due to her husbandry). She was housed in a 10 gallon tank with sand, fed pellets IN THE SAND, her water dish was full of algae, and when I dumped out the sand there was a ton that had been bathroom'd on or gotten wet. No UVB, to my knowledge, and the lady also said her heat bulb burnt out a while back. As for diet, she's been munching lettuce ( 
) and the pellets, and the lady also said "one time a while back we bought her some crickets." 
I knew when I was getting her that she would be in bad shape, but I didn't expect her to not have a UVB. I made sure I had vet funds before I got her, but I can't call them until the morning.
When I got her home I put her in a 29 gallon long tank (I know it's not big enough either, but I wasn't planning on bringing a beardie home today, and since it's Sunday the pet shop was closed by the time I knew I was getting her, so I am going first thing in the morning to get her a 40 gal breeder temporarily while DH builds a crossfire) with reptile carpet and a reptisun 10.0 UVB and of course we gave her a heat bulb. Temps are 80 on the cool side, 95 on the warm side, and 100-105 in the basking area. I take temps using a temp gun, so I'm fairly sure they are accurate. I fed her about 9 reptiworms, that was all she would eat. When she ate she acted like it caused her pain, she blew out her beard with each worm and stuck her tongue out several times after eating each one. I'm concerned, because she also is breathing somewhat heavy and with each breath she puffs out her beard. I also saw her drool a little shortly after she ate. I know her husbandry has been all wrong for a year and a half, but I don't know what could be causing her to gape and blow her beard out. She also has a strange lump just past her vent hole that sags down and lies on the ground. I'm not sure if that's a female thing (Maynard's a boy [not planning on breeding this girl, just in case anyone sees that and assumes
]) or if there is something wrong with the skin/insides... Her eyes are also very very droopy and wrinkled. I feel awful for her.
Any advice on what could cause the heavy breathing (it doesn't seem like she's breathing out through her nose at all, but she does breathe in through it) would be helpful. I am debating a vet visit for her. Her activity improved once she was in a warm tank with the UVB, but she's still pretty lethargic. I don't want to do too much and stress her out too soon, but I don't want to not do enough and lose her. To be honest, I'm surprised she's alive at all. I don't see any signs of MBD, other than being slightly lethargic and having several retained sheds her body appears to be fine.
) and the pellets, and the lady also said "one time a while back we bought her some crickets." I knew when I was getting her that she would be in bad shape, but I didn't expect her to not have a UVB. I made sure I had vet funds before I got her, but I can't call them until the morning.When I got her home I put her in a 29 gallon long tank (I know it's not big enough either, but I wasn't planning on bringing a beardie home today, and since it's Sunday the pet shop was closed by the time I knew I was getting her, so I am going first thing in the morning to get her a 40 gal breeder temporarily while DH builds a crossfire) with reptile carpet and a reptisun 10.0 UVB and of course we gave her a heat bulb. Temps are 80 on the cool side, 95 on the warm side, and 100-105 in the basking area. I take temps using a temp gun, so I'm fairly sure they are accurate. I fed her about 9 reptiworms, that was all she would eat. When she ate she acted like it caused her pain, she blew out her beard with each worm and stuck her tongue out several times after eating each one. I'm concerned, because she also is breathing somewhat heavy and with each breath she puffs out her beard. I also saw her drool a little shortly after she ate. I know her husbandry has been all wrong for a year and a half, but I don't know what could be causing her to gape and blow her beard out. She also has a strange lump just past her vent hole that sags down and lies on the ground. I'm not sure if that's a female thing (Maynard's a boy [not planning on breeding this girl, just in case anyone sees that and assumes
]) or if there is something wrong with the skin/insides... Her eyes are also very very droopy and wrinkled. I feel awful for her.Any advice on what could cause the heavy breathing (it doesn't seem like she's breathing out through her nose at all, but she does breathe in through it) would be helpful. I am debating a vet visit for her. Her activity improved once she was in a warm tank with the UVB, but she's still pretty lethargic. I don't want to do too much and stress her out too soon, but I don't want to not do enough and lose her. To be honest, I'm surprised she's alive at all. I don't see any signs of MBD, other than being slightly lethargic and having several retained sheds her body appears to be fine.
