Beardie Playing Dead

[RobbinRN]

I got a 10-week-old Beardie on Sunday at a reptile show. I've read everything I can get my hands on and have been tweaking his enclosure and thought I finally got it right when all of a sudden tonight (twice) I looked over to see him flopped upside down like he was dead. When I touched him, he jumped up and went on about his business. Is this normal? If not, what is it and how can I correct/prevent it?

He's in a 20L with screen. ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 for UVB and a 50 watt basking bulb. I use a temp gun to measure temps and have changed his basking bulb out several times since I got him trying to find a "happy" temperature because none of the things I've read can seem to agree on basking temp range. The one I have in there now got his back and his rock surface to 120 F. The other side of the tank is around 80, so he has a cool spot to retreat to. The light I originally set up with was 95-100 F. Then I bought one that got it a whopping 170 (luckily I was home after installation and able to remove it a couple of hours later when I shot the temp gun in there and discovered how hot it had gotten).

He's eating a few crickets in the morning and a few in the evening, with a little bit of salad in between. At least one meal of crickets per day is being dusted. He currently weighs 10 g. He has pooped and peed once per day.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Robbin

 

[RobbinRN]

Bump....

HELP...

Anyone?

 

[jortiz9758]

Upside down on his back..feet up like a dead roach?.....or just sleeping on something?

 

[RobbinRN]

First time on the paper towel, feet in air...yes like a dead roach. Second time, a few minutes later, wedged between rock formation and back wall of aquarium on his head with hind feet in air. Both times...it looked pretty scary.

 

[LJean]

Being upside down is not a good thing ever for a beardie. I have no idea otherwise how to answer.
I will try to alert someone who may know something of the situation to your post.

 

[Freeie]

For a baby beardie the temps should be between 105 to 110f. We use a 75 watt basking bulb for our babys we just kind of moved their basking up and down to try and get the proper temps it can get tricky. I almost fried one of our older beardies i put in a 100watt instead of the 75 watt TG i tested it while my daughter was giving them a bath. It hit 125f i took a second look and cought my mistake. Could he have over heated?

 

[chancellor91]

this sounds pretty bad, because when they on their backs, if i am correct, and please do correct me if im wrong tracy or someone, but it is very difficult or next to impossible for their lungs to get any air in them? could your beardie be having seizures? is he breathing when he is on his back like that?

 

[Jasper's Mom]

It could be a stress reaction. When my girl gets really stressed, she quits breathing and goes limp - basically plays dead. She doesn't go on her back though. Being on their back is not necessarily fatal, but it's not a good thing. Try to minimize his stress as much as possible - cover the sides and front of his viv so he can't see out - maybe try putting paper on the inside of the glass so he can't see his reflection either. Don't move anything in his enclosure, and try to give him some time to settle in before you handle him. I know it's hard - they are so darn cute! - but he's just a little fella and he probably thinks everyone is going to eat him. Once he settles in and feels more at home, this behaviour should stop. Check on him periodically, but try to do it quietly and without him knowing if at all possible, just to make sure he hasn't gone on his back again. If he has, of course you should turn him over. Let us know how he does over the next few days!

 

[Lennifer]

I would take him/her to the vet for a check up, just to be on the safe side. I'm not trying to scare u but I think it may be serious if he/she is actually laying on his/her back?? I have also heard this could make problems hard for breathing or something to do w/ their lungs.

~Sandy

 

[diamc]

Is the Repti-Sun 10.0 a fluorescent tube or a coil/compact bulb? How close is he to that bulb when he is basking? It's very possible that he over heated and is dehydrated since his back & rock were both 120 degrees. I suggest you give him a bath in some warm water for about 20 minutes making sure that his vent (where he poops) is right down in the water to help hydrate him.

 

[duke11]

I agree that he could have gotten really overheated and dehydrated. I would switch back to the light that gets you to 105 degrees.

 

[RobbinRN]

Thanks for all the help. I am proud to say that my Little Man is doing fine. He hasn't had anymore of those fainting episodes. I did indeed switch out the basking bulb to one with less wattage and we are staying in the 100-105 range. I finally found a fixture to go with the Reptisun 10.0 I bought and took that awful Mini Compact bulb and hood back to the store. He's chasing crickets, eating his salad, and pooping daily. What more could a beardie mom ask for?

 

[Jasper's Mom]

Excellent! I'm glad to hear it.

 

[diamc]

That's great news, makings those changes have certainly helped him. It's good that you acted quickly.

 

[scalesandtales]

It could be a seizure, When my Twitch used to have seizures he would sometimes flip himself over.