Beardie not eating

[Embee]

Hello,

Gotta a chance to get on here this evening afterall.

I removed the ESU light yesterday at about 4:45pm and I did not see any reaction all night. She didnt move from under rock. My wife stopped by the house today told me that she was back on her favorite basking log that is not directly under the light (just slightly off to the side). She hasent been on this log for more than a week now. I will know more when I get home after work.

Well, I'd say this is pretty encouraging to start. Often, just turning off the poor lamp can perk up a dragon. When the ReptiSun is installed, you'll likely see even more improvement, but as I say, it can sometimes take a bit of time. Were you able to get her to eat anything today?

I am replacing the blue light tonight with a hundred watt flood lamp and will see how she takes to it. Ill make sure to check temps again too.

Yes I checked the temp directly under the lamp in her basking area for 45 min. It was 109 deg. Her favorite spot is about 5 inches to the side and about 4 inches higher on another log. The temp there is slightly less.

I like the floods, as they tend to spread the light better, and also offer more heat per watt. Let me know how the temps work out.

Sounds like the temps were ranging just fine then (thanks for the reassurance on the gauging of the temps :mrgreen: ). Hopefully you'll experience a similar temp range with the 100w white flood.

Ill update in the morning.

Sounds great. I'll check in sometime tomorrow.

The best,
Em

 

[m7ak]

I put the flood light in last night. Temp was a 108 in the basking area. She deffinatly seems more active now but still not eating much yet. After giving her another belly massage, i think the semi hard spot that i felt was part of her bone structure. It is on both sides.

 

[Embee]

I put the flood light in last night. Temp was a 108 in the basking area. She deffinatly seems more active now but still not eating much yet. After giving her another belly massage, i think the semi hard spot that i felt was part of her bone structure. It is on both sides.

Sounds like the 100w is the right fit then. That she is more active is a very encouraging sign. As I said, sometime just switching off the problematic light can help some. The UVB however, tends to be rather directly related to appetite stimulation, so I imagine you'll see that increase once the new light is in place for a bit. In the meantime, continue to offer food (have you tried the chicken babyfood?), and keep her well hydrated. Is she eating at all? Even a little protein going in is an encouraging sign, and can also help while she is recovering.

It doesn't sound as if she has any immediate signs of impaction, and her lack of pooping could certainly be attributed to her spare diet.

Continue to keep me posted!

The best,
Em

 

[m7ak]

I am trying the chicken baby food tonight. She is eating a little bit. I hope she is getting better. I should have the new light on Monday. I will write tomorrow. Thanks

 

[Embee]

I am trying the chicken baby food tonight. She is eating a little bit. I hope she is getting better. I should have the new light on Monday. I will write tomorrow. Thanks

Hope the baby food went well. That she is eating at all, and that she is a little more active are both very encouraging factors. I'm curious as to how she will do under her new lamp, come Monday.

Thanks for keeping me posted!

Em

 

[m7ak]

I will keep you posted on the light.

 

[Embee]

Sounds good. Thanks.

Em

 

[m7ak]

i tried the chicken baby food and olive oil. She ate a few clumps off her nose but thats about it. She sill is eating a few worms here and there but hardly no crickets. Hoping the light comes in today. Maybe that will bring her appetite back.

 

[Embee]

i tried the chicken baby food and olive oil. She ate a few clumps off her nose but thats about it. She sill is eating a few worms here and there but hardly no crickets. Hoping the light comes in today. Maybe that will bring her appetite back.

Well, it's something any way and that she is eating at all is good. Do keep me posted on the new light. It took our girl a bit of time to get her appetite up, but we noticed a change in her alertness/activity level within hours of putting in the ReptiSun tube. Hope you see same!

Em

 

[Embee]

Hi there,

Just checking in.

How is your dragon doing? Have you received the ReptiSun tube?

Thanks!
Em

 

[m7ak]

Yes i got the reptisun tube.
Can the light be on the outside of the glass or will that effect the amount of UVB rays getting through. I had it on top for the screen lid but it is to far away. I put in on the side down low facing her basking area. But it is on the outside of the glass. Last night she was right up close to it almost like she enjoyed it.

She is still alive but still isnt eating much. Every other day i can get her to eat 6 or 7 worms but i havent seen her eat any crickets or vegies (vegis not suprising) I have been bathing her regularly.

What do you think about the light? She almost seems stiff when she walks to???

 

[Embee]

Yes i got the reptisun tube.
Can the light be on the outside of the glass or will that effect the amount of UVB rays getting through. I had it on top for the screen lid but it is to far away. I put in on the side down low facing her basking area. But it is on the outside of the glass. Last night she was right up close to it almost like she enjoyed it.

Ah sorry, UVB will not photosynthesize through glass (just like we can't get a tan if we sit in front of a sunny but closed window). Some mount the UVB in the tank itself, would that work possibly? If you check out the "viv pics only" thread in the "enclosures" forum, you could likely get some ideas in there on how to go about it. If you don't want to place it in the tank, perhaps you could raise the basking surface to get her closer to the light (of course, you'd have to adjust the basking heat lamp to make sure it's not then too hot at the basking area).

She is still alive but still isnt eating much. Every other day i can get her to eat 6 or 7 worms but i havent seen her eat any crickets or vegies (vegis not suprising) I have been bathing her regularly.

What do you think about the light? She almost seems stiff when she walks to???

I believe it's important to get the light situated in her tank at 6-8 inches (no closer though) ASAP. She sounds like she is shutting down due to lack of food/calcium. Good that you are keeping her hydrated, and that she is eating a little but she needs more calcium (with more feeders, she can consume more of course), and an ability to process the calcium which of course is directly related to good, strong, quality UVB. A few days under the light at close range, and you might see another dragon altogether, but it will likely take a bit of time to get her appetite up and running.

Please continue to keep me posted.

Thanks,
Em

 

[Embee]

Hi!

In the very first page of the "viv pics only" thread, the first two replies have a good example of mounting the UVB tube in the viv itself:

viewtopic.php?f=34&t=66704&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

(There are some other examples further down the page which aren't quite as good as they have the UVB tube rather separated from the heat lamp which isn't ideal.)

Hope this helps!

Em

 

[m7ak]

Thank you.

 

[Embee]

Thank you.

You're welcome. Best of luck in "rigging something up."

Em