Beardie not eating much or moving has lots of black mark

[Nprischak]

Hi,

My Beardie is about 11-12 months old (got him from a petco here and they did not have an exact age). We moved him into this larger tank as his size would dictate around the start of November. When we did he loved the size and was very active and eating. Around the first week or two of December he slowed on his eating and was not nearly as active. He started hiding from the light most of the day and rarely came out. Recently he came out and has been sitting on top of this small rock and looks very sick. He has had these stress marks on him and they have not gone away. He almost seems like he is just sliding off the rock. He has pooped every now and then( just as we were taking this pictures)

Please help

 

[destiny1998]

Hi. I'm sorry about your baby, but it looks like he definitely needs a vet visit.

 

[KarrieRee]

Hi,

My Beardie is about 11-12 months old (got him from a petco here and they did not have an exact age). We moved him into this larger tank as his size would dictate around the start of November. When we did he loved the size and was very active and eating. Around the first week or two of December he slowed on his eating and was not nearly as active. He started hiding from the light most of the day and rarely came out. Recently he came out and has been sitting on top of this small rock and looks very sick. He has had these stress marks on him and they have not gone away. He almost seems like he is just sliding off the rock. He has pooped every now and then( just as we were taking this pictures)

Please help

Your dragon looks ill -- please go over the set up NO coils for the UVB and you need basking temps being taken w/ a digital probe thermometer NO stick ons they are inadequate ---- these things are extremely important to the health of the dragon
temps should be surface temps and taken w/ a digital probe 95-100 -- basking light should be a CLEAR bright white bulb like a Exo Terra Intense basking bulb or a Zoo Med Reptibasking bulb -- I will help you get your tank set up correctly and post links to get it corrected

 

[Cuttlefishh]

Hi there, sorry your dragon isn't doing too good. Could you please post your set up? (Including lighting, heat, humidity etc? That looks like a Zen habitat but might be good to post dimensions anyway too)

He looks a little on the thin side, and his fat pads are sunken. This could be because of illness, but he needs nourishment. What's his poops like? Are they wet ? Solid? Or liquid? Any odour or strange colour?

He seems a bit young to be brumating. I'd get him checked out by a vet when you can asap- for the meantime though it might be good to get a slurry of some healthy greens, water, and her bugs into a small 1-3ml syringe and start syringe feeding him asap. You can also prepare some oxbow omnivore critical care into the syringe. I hope he improves I think with a bit of TLC he can, just as long as it isn't something like ADV which the vet can check for.

 

[KarrieRee]

Hi there, sorry your dragon isn't doing too good. Could you please post your set up? (Including lighting, heat, humidity etc? That looks like a Zen habitat but might be good to post dimensions anyway too)

He looks a little on the thin side, and his fat pads are sunken. This could be because of illness, but he needs nourishment. What's his poops like? Are they wet ? Solid? Or liquid? Any odour or strange colour?

He seems a bit young to be brumating. I'd get him checked out by a vet when you can asap- for the meantime though it might be good to get a slurry of some healthy greens, water, and her bugs into a small 1-3ml syringe and start syringe feeding him asap. You can also prepare some oxbow omnivore critical care into the syringe. I hope he improves I think with a bit of TLC he can, just as long as it isn't something like ADV which the vet can check for.

This is great advice but we must get the UVB and basking temps in order to get him to eat on his own and to eat period -- this is what is effecting the behavior at this point

 

[Nprischak]

Your dragon looks ill -- please go over the set up NO coils for the UVB and you need basking temps being taken w/ a digital probe thermometer NO stick ons they are inadequate ---- these things are extremely important to the health of the dragon
temps should be surface temps and taken w/ a digital probe 95-100 -- basking light should be a CLEAR bright white bulb like a Exo Terra Intense basking bulb or a Zoo Med Reptibasking bulb -- I will help you get your tank set up correctly and post links to get it corrected

His basking temp is currently at 98 degrees, taken with a thrive digital thermometer. We had a regular UVB bulb but replaced it recently with a Zilla Slimline Desert Fixture with a T8 fluorescent bulb. His Basking light is a 100w zoo med bulb.

We noticed his temps has gone down to about 93-94 yesterday, I figured it was just form the temperature outside getting colder. I went and got a 150w lamp and bulb(Arcadia Ceramic Reflector and Zoo Med Bulb). When I put that in his temp Actually went down to 87. I put the original set up 100w (zoo med) and respective lamp back in and his temps are now up to the 98 I mentioned.

His substrate is currently a mixture of dirt and sand that we got from a specialty reptile store. The substrate was the recommendation of one of the employees. We put his food in a bowl to help avoid any accidental impaction from eating it. I know some people do not like the natural substrate set up and I was on the fence until talking with the person there.

I plan on taking him to the vet tomorrow as well.

Thank you so much for the help I really appreciate it!

 

[Nprischak]

Hi there, sorry your dragon isn't doing too good. Could you please post your set up? (Including lighting, heat, humidity etc? That looks like a Zen habitat but might be good to post dimensions anyway too)

He looks a little on the thin side, and his fat pads are sunken. This could be because of illness, but he needs nourishment. What's his poops like? Are they wet ? Solid? Or liquid? Any odour or strange colour?

He seems a bit young to be brumating. I'd get him checked out by a vet when you can asap- for the meantime though it might be good to get a slurry of some healthy greens, water, and her bugs into a small 1-3ml syringe and start syringe feeding him asap. You can also prepare some oxbow omnivore critical care into the syringe. I hope he improves I think with a bit of TLC he can, just as long as it isn't something like ADV which the vet can check for.

This is great advice but we must get the UVB and basking temps in order to get him to eat on his own and to eat period -- this is what is effecting the behavior at this point

Currently the temp is 98 degrees and 10% humidity in his tank. It is a Zen Habitat 4x2x2 enclosure and the substrate is a mixture of sand and dirt.

He was eating and looking fine up to about 2 weeks ago, when he started hiding. His diet is a mixture of meal worms and some healthy greens, mostly collard greens.

Thank you!

 

[KarrieRee]

His basking temp is currently at 98 degrees, taken with a thrive digital thermometer. We had a regular UVB bulb but replaced it recently with a Zilla Slimline Desert Fixture with a T8 fluorescent bulb. His Basking light is a 100w zoo med bulb.

We noticed his temps has gone down to about 93-94 yesterday, I figured it was just form the temperature outside getting colder. I went and got a 150w lamp and bulb(Arcadia Ceramic Reflector and Zoo Med Bulb). When I put that in his temp Actually went down to 87. I put the original set up 100w (zoo med) and respective lamp back in and his temps are now up to the 98 I mentioned.

His substrate is currently a mixture of dirt and sand that we got from a specialty reptile store. The substrate was the recommendation of one of the employees. We put his food in a bowl to help avoid any accidental impaction from eating it. I know some people do not like the natural substrate set up and I was on the fence until talking with the person there.

I plan on taking him to the vet tomorrow as well.

Thank you so much for the help I really appreciate it!

Ok I am confused w/ this Arcadia Ceramic Reflector and Zoo Med Bulb). the slimline fixture is good but I would replace the bulb w/ a Reptisun 10.0 T 8 ASAP - take the clear plastic cover off the fixture leave it off --- it needs to be inside the tank directly over the basking decor piece 6-8 inches -- I recommend getting a 24" fixture for a 40+ gallon tank
Zoo Med Zoo Med ReptiSun T5 HO Hood this comes w/ a 5.0 bulb you need this one 22" Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB T5 HO or this one

Arcadia ProT5 12% UVB Bulb With Hood

Arcadia ProT5 12% UVB Bulb With Hood is a highly adaptable lighting kit with high-quality internal electronics designed for optimal reptile husbandry. Get yours today from Pangea Reptile!

www.pangeareptile.com

or this one 24" or 2 ft SunBlaster NanoTech T5 HO - Fluorescent Fixture with 6400K Lamp
sand and loose substrate is not recommended unless your doing a bio tank and I am not familiar w/ those set ups - the loose stuff harbors bacteria along w/ the impaction thing

 

[KarrieRee]

Currently the temp is 98 degrees and 10% humidity in his tank. It is a Zen Habitat 4x2x2 enclosure and the substrate is a mixture of sand and dirt.

He was eating and looking fine up to about 2 weeks ago, when he started hiding. His diet is a mixture of meal worms and some healthy greens, mostly collard greens.

Thank you!

10 % humidity is too low -- you need nothing under 20% so I would get a bowl of water in the tank hot side so it puts humidity in the air - how are you getting that reading I would get a digital hygrometer Exo Terra Digital Hygrometer place on the back center wall it will read the whole tank also you might need a small humidifier placed next to his tank if that does not work
please get him on a staple insect like dubias or crickets or BSFL or silk worms I can post all kinds of websites for those meal worms are not a staple feeder

 

[Nprischak]

Ok I am confused w/ this Arcadia Ceramic Reflector and Zoo Med Bulb). the slimline fixture is good but I would replace the bulb w/ a Reptisun 10.0 T 8 ASAP - take the clear plastic cover off the fixture leave it off --- it needs to be inside the tank directly over the basking decor piece 6-8 inches -- I recommend getting a 24" fixture for a 40+ gallon tank
Zoo Med Zoo Med ReptiSun T5 HO Hood this comes w/ a 5.0 bulb you need this one 22" Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB T5 HO or this one

Arcadia ProT5 12% UVB Bulb With Hood

Arcadia ProT5 12% UVB Bulb With Hood is a highly adaptable lighting kit with high-quality internal electronics designed for optimal reptile husbandry. Get yours today from Pangea Reptile!

www.pangeareptile.com

or this one 24" or 2 ft SunBlaster NanoTech T5 HO - Fluorescent Fixture with 6400K Lamp
sand and loose substrate is not recommended unless your doing a bio tank and I am not familiar w/ those set ups - the loose stuff harbors bacteria along w/ the impaction thing

Thank you. I am going to order one of those larger set up ones. Going to get the other bulb to put in mine while I wait on that to come in.

 

[KarrieRee]

Thank you. I am going to order one of those larger set up ones. Going to get the other bulb to put in mine while I wait on that to come in.

Ok let me know when it comes in and what fixture you got -- the screen will depend on placement of that fixture

 

[Nprischak]

10 % humidity is too low -- you need nothing under 20% so I would get a bowl of water in the tank hot side so it puts humidity in the air - how are you getting that reading I would get a digital hygrometer Exo Terra Digital Hygrometer place on the back center wall it will read the whole tank also you might need a small humidifier placed next to his tank if that does not work
please get him on a staple insect like dubias or crickets or BSFL or silk worms I can post all kinds of websites for those meal worms are not a staple feeder

Currently getting temp and humidity readings with this

Thrive 2-in-1 Digital Thermometer & Hygrometer

Buy Thrive 2-in-1 Digital Thermometer & Hygrometer at Petsmart

www.petsmart.com

I put a bowl of water in there to help bring the humidity up. The 10% is taken from the top of the tank near the basking spot. On the ground of the hot side It is 74 degrees and 24% humidity (I have two of the thermometer/hydrometer I posted a link to above, this is how I’m reading both).

Any recommendation on which staple insect to get him on?

 

[Nprischak]

Ok let me know when it comes in and what fixture you got -- the screen will depend on placement of that fixture

Will do. Do you have any recommended set ups for the basking light? Currently it is on top of his tank to produce this. Would you recommend hanging it in there?

Thank you again for all the help!

 

[Cuttlefishh]

Currently the temp is 98 degrees and 10% humidity in his tank. It is a Zen Habitat 4x2x2 enclosure and the substrate is a mixture of sand and dirt.

He was eating and looking fine up to about 2 weeks ago, when he started hiding. His diet is a mixture of meal worms and some healthy greens, mostly collard greens.

Thank you!

It sounds like he's looked after pretty good other than the small adjustments karieree suggested, if he's been eating mealworms as a staple I'd envisage him to be a bit fatter as they are very fatty bugs, though this can vary depending on feeding schedule too. He's still juvenile so it's probably best to cut down the mealworms to a few once a week only, they aren't very nutritious. When you're able go ahead and swap over to roaches or BSFL. I think at his age 3-4x a week on the roach/BSFL with dusting would be good as he's still growing. This could be a possible reason as how he's become unwell as he needs to eat frequently to keep up with his growth, the sudden stop can cause some damage to the liver sometimes if they otherwise had a healthy appetite (my vet told me this when my girl stopped eating at 18mo old but she bounced back within a week or so with supplement feeding)

The humidity being 10% is also definitely a possible factor, he could be very dehydrated- and he does look a little so. I'd try to get that humidity up a little and give him gentle warm soaks where possible (please make sure the room is warm too so it doesn't shock him!) - offer him some water on the nose as well and see if he responds !

It's good you're taking him to the vet tomorrow, if none of the above helps the vet can certainly help rule out acute illness. I'm rooting for your boy to recover !

 

[KarrieRee]

Will do. Do you have any recommended set ups for the basking light? Currently it is on top of his tank to produce this. Would you recommend hanging it in there?

Thank you again for all the help!

No you can leave it on top of the screen - I have a Zen and I have 3 basking bulbs but one is for the middle of the tank for temps in the 90's and that is where my UVB is -- that would be the warm part the hot side is one 150 watt Exo Terra and one 75 watt Exo Terra - its winter so they are both being used at this point and there is a temp gradient on that hot part so temps run from 105 to 95 or so depending on where he sits - no bulb on the cool side and it stays in the 80's - here is a pic of Blazes tank if your going to the vet tomorrow NO enemas they often end in disaster but I really think its your lighting contributing to alot of this -- you can take a fecal in w/ you if you can get one or get one later and take in