Beardie is always sleepy and has trouble with back legs

[Moxxie1122]

I have a bearded dragon, Octavia that's about seven to eight months old. She's always been really small but we thought that she'd grow as she got older. She's always very tired and will go to sleep before her lights shut off and sometimes during the day and if I pick her up she goes to sleep 90% of the time and always really quickly. She often lets her back legs hang if I'm holding her and sometimes I'll hear her fall off of things in her cage (short heights that wouldn't affect her at all) she still walks with her back legs and can use them but I'm concerned for her, she also isn't much of a eater. Her basking temps are around 113 degrees and her uvb is getting replaced soon since it's time for a new one. She's fed dubias as many times as she'll eat which is about 12 a day. And she has mixed veggies with bee pollen.

 

[Beardielover9000]

I have a bearded dragon, Octavia that's about seven to eight months old. She's always been really small but we thought that she'd grow as she got older. She's always very tired and will go to sleep before her lights shut off and sometimes during the day and if I pick her up she goes to sleep 90% of the time and always really quickly. She often lets her back legs hang if I'm holding her and sometimes I'll hear her fall off of things in her cage (short heights that wouldn't affect her at all) she still walks with her back legs and can use them but I'm concerned for her, she also isn't much of a eater. Her basking temps are around 113 degrees and her uvb is getting replaced soon since it's time for a new one. She's fed dubias as many times as she'll eat which is about 12 a day. And she has mixed veggies with bee pollen.

Hi! Full disclosure, I’m not a professional, I’ve had my two dragons since maybe April/May of 2022. First thing you need to do is get a fecal sample done. She most likely has coccidia, which slows down growth rate. Luckily for you, it’s treatable when they are young, so baby Octavia should be fine. **Before the fecal, you’ll have to stop giving bee pollen a while before hand as under a microscope it looks almost exactly the same as coccidia! (That’s what my vet told me at least!) *** I know it’s very hard to feed my babies their greens without pollen, so I end up having to poke it in between their mouth until they open and I slowly and gently slide it in. Not all the way back! Just enough for them to start munching. They will spit it out and it’s frustrating but if I can do it, you can too. When was the last time she pooped? How often are you giving soaks? She could be a little constipated (impaction), but daily soaks and a soft tummy rub in lukewarm water should help. Has she ever had a fecal test done before? Ultimately, in my unprofessional opinion, is that it’s the parasites. We won’t know until you get a test. If you got her from a chain pet store it’s extremely likely. Please keep me updated!

 

[KarrieRee]

I have a bearded dragon, Octavia that's about seven to eight months old. She's always been really small but we thought that she'd grow as she got older. She's always very tired and will go to sleep before her lights shut off and sometimes during the day and if I pick her up she goes to sleep 90% of the time and always really quickly. She often lets her back legs hang if I'm holding her and sometimes I'll hear her fall off of things in her cage (short heights that wouldn't affect her at all) she still walks with her back legs and can use them but I'm concerned for her, she also isn't much of a eater. Her basking temps are around 113 degrees and her uvb is getting replaced soon since it's time for a new one. She's fed dubias as many times as she'll eat which is about 12 a day. And she has mixed veggies with bee pollen.

We need to go over the UVB and your surface basking temps- first 113 is too hot for the age of your dragon-those temps should be 95-100 and second how are you getting that temp? Stick ons are inaccurate and they should be taken w/ a digital probe thermometer- next the UVB is it a coil or a long tube fixture? These things I am asking about are all can be caused by improper lighting and temps- parasites can cause appetite issues- impaction can cause back leg issues-- but we need to get the lighting up to par first -- something is going on w/ her falling off the basking decor--

 

[xp29]

We need to go over the UVB and your surface basking temps- first 113 is too hot for the age of your dragon-those temps should be 95-100 and second how are you getting that temp? Stick ons are inaccurate and they should be taken w/ a digital probe thermometer- next the UVB is it a coil or a long tube fixture? These things I am asking about are all can be caused by improper lighting and temps- parasites can cause appetite issues- impaction can cause back leg issues-- but we need to get the lighting up to par first -- something is going on w/ her falling off the basking decor--

She said she can walk, they "hang" when she is held, I'm thinking maybe is just sexy leg.

 

[xp29]

When your girl walks are her legs wobbly or does she walk with no problem? The pic is sexy leg, all beardies do it. It generally means they are relaxed and comfy.
Most likely the size and appetite are environmental (lights) work with Karrieree she can help you get them on point.

 

[shmoomunchkin]

I have a bearded dragon, Octavia that's about seven to eight months old. She's always been really small but we thought that she'd grow as she got older. She's always very tired and will go to sleep before her lights shut off and sometimes during the day and if I pick her up she goes to sleep 90% of the time and always really quickly. She often lets her back legs hang if I'm holding her and sometimes I'll hear her fall off of things in her cage (short heights that wouldn't affect her at all) she still walks with her back legs and can use them but I'm concerned for her, she also isn't much of a eater. Her basking temps are around 113 degrees and her uvb is getting replaced soon since it's time for a new one. She's fed dubias as many times as she'll eat which is about 12 a day. And she has mixed veggies with bee pollen.

She is very small for her age and not eating the amount she should be eating. Please get an evaluation of her stool/poop.

 

[Moxxie1122]

Hi! Full disclosure, I’m not a professional, I’ve had my two dragons since maybe April/May of 2022. First thing you need to do is get a fecal sample done. She most likely has coccidia, which slows down growth rate. Luckily for you, it’s treatable when they are young, so baby Octavia should be fine. **Before the fecal, you’ll have to stop giving bee pollen a while before hand as under a microscope it looks almost exactly the same as coccidia! (That’s what my vet told me at least!) *** I know it’s very hard to feed my babies their greens without pollen, so I end up having to poke it in between their mouth until they open and I slowly and gently slide it in. Not all the way back! Just enough for them to start munching. They will spit it out and it’s frustrating but if I can do it, you can too. When was the last time she pooped? How often are you giving soaks? She could be a little constipated (impaction), but daily soaks and a soft tummy rub in lukewarm water should help. Has she ever had a fecal test done before? Ultimately, in my unprofessional opinion, is that it’s the parasites. We won’t know until you get a test. If you got her from a chain pet store it’s extremely likely. Please keep me updated!

Thank you very much! I'll get her tested as soon as possible, this will be her first fecal test. I used to give her a small soak everyday so that way she could go poop in the bath and not in her cage but she stopped going and now she goes in her cage every few days. I've tried getting her to go poop other ways but nothing works, how long should I wait before getting her tested after cutting off the bee pollen?

 

[Moxxie1122]

We need to go over the UVB and your surface basking temps- first 113 is too hot for the age of your dragon-those temps should be 95-100 and second how are you getting that temp? Stick ons are inaccurate and they should be taken w/ a digital probe thermometer- next the UVB is it a coil or a long tube fixture? These things I am asking about are all can be caused by improper lighting and temps- parasites can cause appetite issues- impaction can cause back leg issues-- but we need to get the lighting up to par first -- something is going on w/ her falling off the basking decor--

I'll adjust her temp ASAP. I'm measuring the temp via temp gun but I also have digital probe monitors in her cage, The uvb is a long tube fixture (T5)

 

[Moxxie1122]

She is very small for her age and not eating the amount she should be eating. Please get an evaluation of her stool/poop.

I'll get an evaluation as soon as I can tysm!

 

[Moxxie1122]

When your girl walks are her legs wobbly or does she walk with no problem? The pic is sexy leg, all beardies do it. It generally means they are relaxed and comfy.
Most likely the size and appetite are environmental (lights) work with Karrieree she can help you get them on point.

She walks fine but her walk is sort of a duck like walk, I'm unsure if that's due to her build or not though. I have two other beardies and they both do the little leg pose and so does she but when I hold her she'll only hang on with her front legs and let go with her back

 

[KarrieRee]

I'll adjust her temp ASAP. I'm measuring the temp via temp gun but I also have digital probe monitors in her cage, The uvb is a long tube fixture (T5)

The T 5 is on top of screen or inside the tank? Your screen will determine where the uvb is placed and distance

 

[Moxxie1122]

The T 5 is on top of screen or inside the tank? Your screen will determine where the uvb is placed and distance

It's mounted inside of her cage

 

[KarrieRee]

It's mounted inside of her cage

Ok good please have a piece of basking decor directly under the uvb 12-15 inches- and the bulb is less than one year old-- I recommend they are changed out every 10-11 months

 

[Moxxie1122]

Ok good please have a piece of basking decor directly under the uvb 12-15 inches- and the bulb is less than one year old-- I recommend they are changed out every 10-11 months

Thank you very much, I moved her basking light so that her actual basking area would be correct temp (she currently has a 40 gallon so not a very high lid but we have a 120 gallon that we're going to move her in to very soon) and instead of sitting on her basking decor she stood under her light on the floor even though Its colder. Any reason why she would do this? She's also usually cold that's why we had higher temps

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

It sounds like she just may not be getting enough UVB. Which T5 brand are you using, Reptisun or
Arcadia? I find that you can safely have them at 10-12 inches from them, when mounted underneath
of the screen. However, is your basking bulb mounted directly beside it so that she gets the heat & the
UVB together?
Have you used a temp gun just to measure her body temperature? When measuring the basking area,
are you measuring it directly below the basking bulb, too?
How often do you give calcium for her?
They often start to exhibit back leg weakness or unstability when calcium levels drop.
Getting a fecal is always helpful. When stressed, their parasite levels can be elevated.

Tracie