I am currently taking care of one of our class pets. Her name is Squash, and I have no idea how old she is (I asked my teacher, she has no clue) I know she has not been getting the right lighting (My teacher had a 250 watt bulb in her fixture!!) I have gotten a new fixture (as the old one was all messed up, probably because the wattage was too high for it) and gotten her a 150 watt bulb. I also know she has not been getting any kind of calcium or supplements and she doesn’t have a UVB light at all. I have the suspicion that she also isn’t getting greens and veggies daily either (especially over the weekends) I have a few pictures that I have concerns about. Her belly sags and drags against the ground every time she eats, and there are concerning lumps on each side of her stomach. Her poops (I don’t have a picture of one because she always runs around in it and gets it everywhere) are incredibly runny, they’re nearly liquid. She also has a red light, which I know is not good for her or her eyes and I was going to get her a different one when I got the new bulb but I was worried it would shock her (as she’s had red ones all this time) I am trying my hardest to get her from my teacher (I’m going to offer to buy her by the end of the month) and hopefully I’ll be able to properly work on getting her back to peak health. I’m supposed to be giving her back in two days, is there anything I can/should do or should prepare for whenever I get her back?
Class Pet
- Thread starter Hayden65
- Start date
The dragon is not in good health --- please get rid of the red bulb ASAP--- shut it off and throw it away -- her eyes are being damaged --- please go get a UVB ASAP ---- you need a 24" fixture for a 40 + gallon tank check your pet stores for this
Zoo Med fixture / hood this will come w/ a 5.0 bulb you need this bulb Reptisun 10.0 bulb 22" keep the 5.0 as a back up
or you can look for this one a Arcadia Pro T 5 w/ a 12% bulb 24" fixture
I would call your pet stores and ask if they carry either one in the store if not I am posting some websites for you to order one --- this dragon will not survive w/ out this it is imperative that she gets this as soon as possible -- this would be a reason for her runny poops any calcium she is ingesting she is not absorbing it or synthesizing it -- to be honest I am surprised one shes still living or not having seizures etc-----------
Zoo Med ReptiSun T5 HO Hood 24" fixture
22" bulb Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB T5 HO
Arcadia ProT5 12% UVB Bulb With Hood make sure you ask if it has a 12% bulb
or this one SunBlaster NanoTech T5 HO - Fluorescent Fixture with 6400K Lamp you want the 2ft fixture
when you get this please let me know I will help you get it placed in the tank - your screen on the tank will determine where it goes
please get a digital probe thermometer they are the most accurate and she needs proper temps to be able to digest her food -- place the probe on where she sits to bask 10 min then get the temp 95-100 --- please get 2 of these one for each side of the tank cool side 80's during the day
Zoo Med Digital Thermometer
Measure the temperatures within your terrariums and reptile cages easily with this digital thermometer by Zoo Med! Order temeprature and humidity guages from Pangea Reptile.
www.pangeareptile.com
please get this done ASAP --
Thank you, I’ve never had a beardie before and I wasn’t quite sure what to do. As it stands right now I have to give her back to my teacher tomorrow and I am not sure when I can get her back, but I am aiming for by the end of the month, as that’s when I should have all of her setup properly done, and when I’ll have the money for it. After which I want to take her to a vet immediately. There is no way to keep her right now as I am going on vacation in a few days and she wouldn’t have anyone to care for her while I’m there. The problem is I am not 100% sure I can get her from my teacher (and my teacher will not listen if I try to tell her what’s wrong with her setup) In that case is there anyone I can report her to? This is not the only animal she neglects, nearly all of them have improper set ups/care. She has other reptiles as well as small animals, and she will only get more as time goes on. There are other problems with this particular beardie as well that I don’t have pictures of. Since her old light was so hot there’s what I think is she’d burned to her stomach from her laying on her rock, and her nails have never been clipped and have black lines on top. I’m so scared she’s going to die before I can get her. My boyfriend has a bearded dragon so he’s been helping me as much as possible (his dragon is kept properly, at peak health, and very spoiled) but he doesn’t live in the same state as me so there’s only so much he can doThe dragon is not in good health --- please get rid of the red bulb ASAP--- shut it off and throw it away -- her eyes are being damaged --- please go get a UVB ASAP ---- you need a 24" fixture for a 40 + gallon tank check your pet stores for this
Zoo Med fixture / hood this will come w/ a 5.0 bulb you need this bulb Reptisun 10.0 bulb 22" keep the 5.0 as a back up
or you can look for this one a Arcadia Pro T 5 w/ a 12% bulb 24" fixture
I would call your pet stores and ask if they carry either one in the store if not I am posting some websites for you to order one --- this dragon will not survive w/ out this it is imperative that she gets this as soon as possible -- this would be a reason for her runny poops any calcium she is ingesting she is not absorbing it or synthesizing it -- to be honest I am surprised one shes still living or not having seizures etc-----------
Zoo Med ReptiSun T5 HO Hood 24" fixture
22" bulb Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB T5 HO
Arcadia ProT5 12% UVB Bulb With Hood make sure you ask if it has a 12% bulb
or this one SunBlaster NanoTech T5 HO - Fluorescent Fixture with 6400K Lamp you want the 2ft fixture
when you get this please let me know I will help you get it placed in the tank - your screen on the tank will determine where it goes
please get a digital probe thermometer they are the most accurate and she needs proper temps to be able to digest her food -- place the probe on where she sits to bask 10 min then get the temp 95-100 --- please get 2 of these one for each side of the tank cool side 80's during the day
your pet stores normally carry this --Zoo Med Digital Thermometer
Measure the temperatures within your terrariums and reptile cages easily with this digital thermometer by Zoo Med! Order temeprature and humidity guages from Pangea Reptile.
please get this done ASAP --
The dragon will not live I am sorry to say -- its going to die a horrible death --- MBD is something you dont want to see w/ them -- seizures etc --- your teacher should know better --- call the ASPCA Report Animal Cruelty read this page on how to do this -- if shes got other reptiles or animals and not properly caring for them she needs to be turned in and you can be annonymous --- How to Report Animal Cruelty | PAWS
Another site to go to
I would get a hold of your superintendent of schools and talk to them --- she is setting a horrible example of not taking care of all these animals she has -- they just passed a new law this year about that --- people that are caught and convicted are barred from owning any more animals I believe is what the new law is --
Beansbanana
Hatchling Member
Are you a minor? If so, have your mother call her supervisor. If not, you could call. Maybe you could find a friend who could watch her while you are out of town. If possible, do whatever is needed to keep from giving her back to this person since you are willing to keep her. If this person is reasonable, forward her the advice you have been given on this forum and tell her you are willing to get the proper lighting and UVB that this dragon needs to survive.
Beansbanana
Hatchling Member
Another idea... If you must give her back, ask others in the class to put a little money towards getting the proper lighting. If you take her back with the proper equipment, hopefully, your teacher would use it. You really are doing the right thing here. I am a teacher too, and I would support a student who called a teacher out on something like this.
Hi there, it's really nice that you're trying to help poor little Squash . 
She looks pretty alert despite her obvious gastro intestinal problems. As far as calling the ASPCA, I would not do that since the light that your teacher is using is sold in pet stores as if it's the appropriate one [ which we know it isn't ] and therefore the ASPCA people would not know the difference. Maybe the teacher would be willing to give Squash to you and inn the mean time you could try to spread the word to your classmates and maybe they could pitch in for new lights. Squash DOES need to have a fecal test done , your teacher should see about that or let you take her to the vet. Hopefully things will work out !
She looks pretty alert despite her obvious gastro intestinal problems. As far as calling the ASPCA, I would not do that since the light that your teacher is using is sold in pet stores as if it's the appropriate one [ which we know it isn't ] and therefore the ASPCA people would not know the difference. Maybe the teacher would be willing to give Squash to you and inn the mean time you could try to spread the word to your classmates and maybe they could pitch in for new lights. Squash DOES need to have a fecal test done , your teacher should see about that or let you take her to the vet. Hopefully things will work out !The problem is I am not 100% sure I can get her from my teacher (and my teacher will not listen if I try to tell her what’s wrong with her setup)-- maybe he should surrender the dragon to the humane society for now and then have him adopt the dragon when he can at the end of the month- I would donate money to that humane society for the proper lighting if they dont have it --- I would need the website for that shelter to do that --- just a thought-- he needs to get the dragon out of the clutches of the teacher and if she has another one shes doing the same thing to not a good deal as he said she has other reptiles and small pets as wellHi there, it's really nice that you're trying to help poor little Squash .
Gormagon
Extreme Poster
We had a similar case like this a few years back and, the teacher did turn the dragon over to the student .
I hate seeing dragon in a classroom situation because they are stressed so easily. It is by no means healthy for them.
Proper uvb is a must along with heat gradients provided by a good basking bulb. Diet is just as important.
With computers in classrooms these days,there is no reason for not knowing how to care for a certain creature at any given time, researching them is a fairly easy task. I am going to go out on a limb here and say she/he hasn't done her/his homework and it is sad to see. Teachers are the very people that children look to for guidance and this one is doing it wrong.
I hate to say this but, your hands are tied unless you can convince the teacher to let you try to save the dragon (and that's going to be a tough road) but we will be here to help you along the way. All you can do is try my friend!
I hate seeing dragon in a classroom situation because they are stressed so easily. It is by no means healthy for them.
Proper uvb is a must along with heat gradients provided by a good basking bulb. Diet is just as important.
With computers in classrooms these days,there is no reason for not knowing how to care for a certain creature at any given time, researching them is a fairly easy task. I am going to go out on a limb here and say she/he hasn't done her/his homework and it is sad to see. Teachers are the very people that children look to for guidance and this one is doing it wrong.
I hate to say this but, your hands are tied unless you can convince the teacher to let you try to save the dragon (and that's going to be a tough road) but we will be here to help you along the way. All you can do is try my friend!
I echo the previous comments and thank you for doing your best to help Squash. Unfortunately, dragons are treated as property by the government so it can be difficult to get them out of some situations. Working with school administrators may be the best approach, but that all kind of depends on the behind the scenes politics within your school/district. Hopefully you would find a friendly ear, but that's not a guarantee. If you can research proper care (diet, lighting, etc) and provide this information to the teacher, they may be convinced to make improvements (or turn over care to you).
It's probably a good idea to prepare equipment ahead of time if your budget allows for it. A good UVB light will probably be the most expensive part, and arguably the most important so I'd start there. The Arcadia T5 kits from LightYourReptiles are an excellent option, but cost around $75for the bulb and fixture.
Double checking surface temps using a digital thermometer with a probe will help determine current surface temps and help you adjust those to be in a healthy range. Using two is better so you can monitor the basking site and the cool side simultaneously. These are relatively cheap and easy to get. Basking lights also don't need to be anything special. Something with a nice wide beam, bright white light, and providing enough heat for the enclosure. Incandescent or Halogen flood lights from a hardware store typically do the trick and aren't too expensive. If you live in an area with a farm supply store you can often find affordable options for dome fixtures and bulbs.
It's probably a good idea to prepare equipment ahead of time if your budget allows for it. A good UVB light will probably be the most expensive part, and arguably the most important so I'd start there. The Arcadia T5 kits from LightYourReptiles are an excellent option, but cost around $75for the bulb and fixture.
Double checking surface temps using a digital thermometer with a probe will help determine current surface temps and help you adjust those to be in a healthy range. Using two is better so you can monitor the basking site and the cool side simultaneously. These are relatively cheap and easy to get. Basking lights also don't need to be anything special. Something with a nice wide beam, bright white light, and providing enough heat for the enclosure. Incandescent or Halogen flood lights from a hardware store typically do the trick and aren't too expensive. If you live in an area with a farm supply store you can often find affordable options for dome fixtures and bulbs.
Thoused
New member
It's been quite a while, but I'd like to give a little advice for the future. If you are in a situation where you have to leave or don't just want to help, don't do it alone. Find someone to take care of your dragon or the same teacher and tell him how to take care of him. You can take care of your dragon alone if you take it for good.
TobiasSlater
New member
I had a similar experience with a class pet once. I changed the lighting and got proper supplements to help them thrive.
TobiasSlater
New member
I understand how challenging it can be to introduce a new kitten to your rats. I've had a similar experience with my pets. It's important to take it slow and give them time to adjust. Start by keeping them in separate spaces and gradually let them see and smell each other. Offer treats and positive reinforcement during these interactions to create a positive association. Don't forget to give your rats extra love and attention to help them feel secure. I have a Ragdoll cat (here's the definition what is a Ragdoll cat), so it was an easier process. I hope you will also do this!
Hazel_Basil10
Sub-Adult Member
- Beardie name(s)
- Hazel my female two year old beardie
I remember I had a class pet in 5th grade and he was in very good health(His name was Krom). My teacher would let us feed him dusted roaches and collard greens once every other day and if there was something wrong with him she would take him to the vet. Loved him so much. And it was my idea and a couple other students once we heard that she had a bearded dragon that my teacher should have him as a class pet. She even had the right fixture and a Light tube and hood! I am so sorry that you're teacher isn't giving Squash the right life she deserves
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