Beardie of 5 years needs help. UPDATE!

[TheJadeReptile]

Hello, I apologize. I haven't made any proper introductions or anything. But my Bearded Dragon Female of 5 year isn't doing good. She started having coordination troubles so I took her the the vet ASAP. On 6-6-2011: He said she had a Inner Ear Infection and prescribed Clindamycin Drops with directions saying "Give .06 mL twice a day for 10 days." Well I done all that. After about a month, she started head titling really bad and flips off her rock/hide. She isn't eating or drinking. I opened her mouth and no problems there. I put a 5.0 Compact Fluorescent UVB light on her and she laid her head on her rock.

Her Set Up:

36 inch by 12 inch by 17 inch Aquarium
Sifted Play Sand (she has been on it for 4 years, now)
Large Rock Hide
X-Large Exo Terra Water Bowl
75 Watt Red Heat Bulb
5.0 Compact UVB Bulb (Read somewhere it will help. So I bought one ASAP.)


Her Diet:

About 5-8 Crickets daily for 6 Days with Repti-Cal with Vitamin D.
About 4-5 Superworms not mealworms once a week with Repti-Cal with Vitamin D.

SHE WON"T EAT GREENS!!


P.S. Please help! I apologize! But every time I think about losing her I start crying. I am going to set up a vet appointment tomorrow ASAP!

 

[SamusTheDragon]

Your poor beardie =( . I have no clue why it didn't get better , but I highly suggest you make sure the vet specializes with reptiles since the condition hasn't gotten any better. The play sand isn't very good to have in there, even though you've had it awhile, tile or carpet is better. Also, I've also heard that people have been having problems with the compact UVBs , reptisun10.0 strip light is probably the best UVB light. Good luck, I hope your buddy makes a full and speedy recovery.

 

[spurlee01]

Hi there, sorry to hear your beardie isn't doing well. I would highly recommend making a few changes to her environment. UVB will definitely help her, but the best bulb is the reptisun 10.0 TUBE. http://www.petmountain.com/product/fluorescent-bulbs/11442-504983/zoo-med-reptisun-10-0-uvb-bulb.html?utm_source=gcs&utm_term=11442-504983
Also, you want a white light (for instance a regular household bulb) which is more like the natural sunlight. These two bulbs together should help. They really cannot process the calcium without them.
Unfortunately it does sound to me like she may have metabolic bone disease which comes from a lack of calcium or the body's inability to process the calcium. I would recommend you either get her liquid calcium from this site: http://www.bug-de-lite.com/ or take her to a vet. Drache613 is the owner of that site and will be able to help you with dosing. You can send her a PM or I can direct her to this thread.
One final suggestion, I would recommend you get a digital thermometer with a probe so you can see what her temperatures are in the basking spot and on the cool side. Beardies can be sensitive to incorrect temperatures. The stick-on type thermometers are basically worthless. Walmart sells a digital therm with a probe for around $12, it is made by acurite.
As for her diet, I would recommend you do away with the mealworms. Either feed her crickets all the time or you can order soft-bodied worms such as silkworms or hornworms for her. Superworms are a great alternative to mealworms, but I would not recommend introducing them into the diet while she is in a weakened state. Let me know if you have any more questions, I will be more than happy to help.

 

[TheJadeReptile]

Thank you both! I will defiantly see about getting that UVB bulb. I have a Zoo Med Digital Thermometer I didn't even think about it. The vet I go to does specialize in Reptiles. He has seen my Oldest Beardie twice and my cornsnake so far. As for her ear infection, she had black gunk fall out of her ear two to three times so far.

Both of her eyes are open and her head is more flat on the rock. I will also try to change her substrate to tile or something.

Actually she gets Superworms instead of Mealworms. I am looking into getting Dubias, Silkworms, and Phoenix Worms. Never heard of Hornworms will look into getting some. I am not thinking straight right now. I put Beard instead of Beardie for the title.

 

[spurlee01]

Check out http://www.mulberryfarms.com. One last question, do you bathe your beardie (soak her in water?). That will help to keep her hydrated. While she is ill she would benefit from being bathed daily or every other day, but you will have to stay right with her to make sure her head doesn't go under water and water doesn't get in her ears.

 

[TheJadeReptile]

Check out http://www.mulberryfarms.com. One last question, do you bathe your beardie (soak her in water?). That will help to keep her hydrated. While she is ill she would benefit from being bathed daily or every other day, but you will have to stay right with her to make sure her head doesn't go under water and water doesn't get in her ears.

Thank you. And yes I do. I just gave her one today She perked up a little. I wrapped her in a towl to dry her off and then put her on her hide/rock.

 

[TheJadeReptile]

Sorry for double post. But I put a regular 75 watt house bulb on her and she turned up and looked at me. It made me feel good inside.

 

[Jess]

Just wondering, did you have a UVB at all before you bought the compact one?

I hope she is feeling better!

 

[TheJadeReptile]

Just wondering, did you have a UVB at all before you bought the compact one?

I hope she is feeling better!

To be completely honest...No I have never had a UVB light on her. She used to get some real sunlight at least every two to three days every week, but since I moved about a year ago, she hasn't had real sunlight much. It is my fault and I am correcting my mistakes.

Checked Temperature and Humidity

Temperature: 92 Degrees F
Humidity: 32%

I took the red bulb off and she is doing a whole lot better. She turned and looked with her left eye and she didn't fall off her rock. Looking to get some 6 in. by 6 in. tiles, soy yogurt, different feeders, and Zoo Med 10.0 Reptisun UVB Bulb.

 

[spurlee01]

Is the 92 degrees on the basking spot, or in other words, the highest spot on the tank? If so, that is a little too cool and should be bumped up to around 100 degrees. You can do this by either raising the basking spot, lowering the bulb, or putting in a higher wattage. Also, if it is warm where you are, taking her out for some natural UVB would be great. If you could get her out for an hour a day until you can get that new bulb I think it would really help.

 

[Jess]

Ok, then I'm wondering if metabolic bone disease might be part of the problem, like Spurlee mentioned. I know it can mess with their coordination. Taking her out for sunlight would definitely help.

 

[TheJadeReptile]

Is the 92 degrees on the basking spot, or in other words, the highest spot on the tank? If so, that is a little too cool and should be bumped up to around 100 degrees. You can do this by either raising the basking spot, lowering the bulb, or putting in a higher wattage. Also, if it is warm where you are, taking her out for some natural UVB would be great. If you could get her out for an hour a day until you can get that new bulb I think it would really help.

Yes that is the basking spot. Okay, I will try to change her basking spot up either get a higher Watt bulb or lower the bulb down. And yes it is warm here, about 95-105 on average. And thank you. I will start taking her outside again.


EDIT: Moved the probes and it say 96 now.

 

[SoleSky]

I think it's great that you're doing all you can do to help her now. Good idea on switching to the tiles. If she's not used to them you can always put in a little sand box that she can mess around in. I use that for my beardie and he loves it.

 

[TheJadeReptile]

I think it's great that you're doing all you can do to help her now. Good idea on switching to the tiles. If she's not used to them you can always put in a little sand box that she can mess around in. I use that for my beardie and he loves it.

Thanks. Going to look at some tiles, when I go to get some Soy Yogurt and the UVB Bulb.

 

[TheJadeReptile]

I gave Fluff (my beardie) a bath, dried her off with a soft towel, then took her outside for about 30 minutes to an hour. She sat there for a little bit, looked around, and then opened her mouth. What does it mean when they open their mouth? Her head coloring also returned to normal. And I apologize I forgot to mention. Her belly spots are showing more than usual.