? Bump between eyes just developed? PICS ADDED

[HappiDragon]

Hello there all, my name is Lisa, I'm a wife and mother of two teenages and I'm a huge beardie fan, I have three, one gal, two fella's :love5:

I've been a lurker to this board for a couple years now but finally now have joined...lol.

I'm hoping some of you seasoned owners out there can help me out. My large male dragon Sythe has recently developed a lump between his eyes, on the top on his head. Its soft but bothers him to have it touched. He seems fine but I'm a lil concerned as to what it could be. I don't have any decent rep vets in my area but if I had to would take him for the few hr drive to see one. If this is something I could treat on my own I as have other issues though.... i would.

Also, some may notice he has some scarring around his head, this came from a case of yellow fungus that took 8 months to cure completely but he's good now. When I aquired him he had this fungus and I was too much a newbie to dragons to know it what it was...After tons of time and treatment he is fully cleared.

 

[beardie parents]

I am not sure what that was. I'm glad, however, that he no longer has the yellow fungus as I've heard that fungus can kill beardies.

 

[zebraflavencs]

I noticed that this "bump" has raised the Perietal "eye". This "eye" is what senses uvb, and heat.

 

[HappiDragon]

oh...really? Could you explain that more zebraflavencs?? He's alwalys had very ..large bulbous eyes, maybe I shoud replace his UVB bulb...it may not be producing enough anymore...? Its 5 months old.

 

[HappiDragon]

Anybody?....bump.

 

[Twobeardieguy]

Hello, yes as stated the Perietal "eye" senses uvb,heat and cold. What type of UVB do you have? We recommend using the Reptisun 10.0 as that is the best UVB tube out to date. The bulbs are only good for about 6 months. Could you post a picture of it in light? Also what are your temps and how are you measuring them?

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Is that bump hard or soft? It looks like it could be a cyst possibly.
Has he bumped the top of his head on something recently?
What type & brand of UVB are you using, a compact/coil light or a tube bulb?

Tracie

 

[HappiDragon]

Thank you! I'm using a Repti-glo 10.0 and its about 4-5 months old. Its also a coil light. His temp on the hot side reached 110 ( measured by a mercury temp gauge) in the hotest spot.(this light is a wide beam basking bulb 100w) He's able to get hotter I suppose it her were to climb the big rock beside his basking spot but he does not... I don't think he's bumped himself recently :dontknow: but I don't watch him all the time.. The bump is very soft and he REALLY doesn't like it being touched. As of today again though he's eating his greens well and devours his superworms. So no change there. He hasn't been drinking as much lately but still gets his baths every third day. I know they take in water through their vents in their baths but is this enough? He's not one to lick from misting like my other two but used to drink alot when first put in the bath while the water was running.

thank you again for your responses, I appreciate every one of them.

 

[zebraflavencs]

I can highly suggest the tube Reptisun 10.0. coils don't properly work for dragons.

 

[AprilMayJune]

I've had a male dragon with a strange lump on his head as well.

It was quite larger than the one pictured and developed very quickly. It was more so to the side as yours is in the middle of his head. It turned out to be excess fluid in his fat pad. It bothered him occasionally when touched but was not generally bothered by it. The vet took a sample and had it analyzed (sp) and suggested if it did bother him to have it surgically removed but since it only bothered occasionaly they would keep an eye on him and the lump and if it did start to bother then surgery would be in order.

My advice is to take him to the vet and see what s/he thinks is best. If it bothers him, it shouldn't probably be there. I'll warn you that when the vet said possible surgery for him it didn't sound like an easy procedure for anyone involved, especially the dragon. It was also going to cost quite a bit to have the lump removed and for future vet care to ensure proper healing.

I aquired him from a home that did not properly supplement with vitamins or calcium and had improper lighting and heating from the beginning of his life. He was also not fed the best diet (superworms only) and the vet said it probably had something to do with why he grew this lump to begin with. Please find a ReptiSun tube bulb instead of using those coil bulbs as they don't provide the right lighting for our dragons. Many members on this site will tell you the exact same thing and if you have been lurking on here for quite awhile you would have read multiple times that they are not recommended for our scaley family members.

Good luck and I certainly hope you seek a vet opinion on this lump and please keep us informed.

 

[Twobeardieguy]

Yes I agree you do want to get away from the coil bulb. Maybe try the Megaray or go to a tube bulb like the reptisun 10/.0 As for water you can flood the greens with water. They consume water through that and their feeders also the vent. I would say a vet visit would not hurt.

 

[HappiDragon]

Thank you for all your replies, when I would peruse the forum I was usually looking for specific topic I didn't realize I was using a improper light :help: I will rectify that immediatly!! I will look at all the reptile/pet stores in my area and see if I can find a reptisun 10.0.

I will keep you updated, I may take him to the vet at the end of the week if the bump doesn't go down at all.....I want him to be as healthy as possible. I know he had a rough start before I got him, I want nothing more than for him to be a happy boy with us.

 

[Twobeardieguy]

Awww it is ok. How where you to know unless someone had explained it. We all went through that at one time or another. I am sure he will be fine. You can also turn that off for a few days until you get the new one. Also petmountain.com you can get it pretty cheap.

 

[HappiDragon]

Well, I took my big guy Sythe into town to have his bump looked at. Initially he thought it was a calcium bump but upon further examination it looks like a heat blister. It may have been possible that when i cleaned his tank and moved his rock around he got up on it and hit his head on his 100w basking light. Its really hot to touch and even I've burned myself a couple times. I'm going to buy a lower wattage bulb as I've heard on here you don't need to buy the really expensive basking bulbs sold at replite stores. He also told me that Sythe was a few years older than I thought he was.. :| Other than that he's in good health, and the vet rep said he's never seen any scars like that on a dragon before and his fungus had to have been REALLY bad..which it was when I got him. Had to keep the poor guy covered in a towel the whole way, he was NOT a happy camper about being transported at all. :x

thanks all for your sage advice!!