Femoral Pores

[kaitlynp]

Hello! I recently rescued this 13 year old bearded dragon. I have no experience but I just couldn’t leave him. He looks weak and malnourished to me, so I’m starting him out slow with a little fresh veggie and some raw honey. He’s also got a heat lamp and basking lamp, I still need to buy a UV. My main concern is his femoral pores though. They are long and hard, but don’t look too irritated in my opinion. I let him soak for 20 min today and kept the water warm, yet they don’t seem to be softening. Any advice or opinions?

 

[Longfellow777]

I have no advice on the pores but someone will. Your a saint! That’s great of you. God bless you. Are you taking the dragon outside for some natural uv? That will help with d3 process until you get uvb lamp. Do you know what kinds to look for most on the market are not high enough output to create a uv index strong enough for dragons?

 

[Longfellow777]

I have an arcadia uvb lamp and bulb but it’s very large what size enclosure is he in ?

 

[kaitlynp]

Thank you! I have no clue what size this terrarium is. It’s fairly large, about double his size. I haven’t taken him outside. He is near a window with black out curtains that I’ve been nervous to open because I hear that it can be bad for them to be by a window. I may take him out later though as he seems to be very calm and stays on my shirt once placed there. Most of the stuff I have is what the previous owner had, based on the size of the hide it’s from when they first got him 13 years ago

 

[Longfellow777]

Damn how sad poor thing. Yeah windows by the enclosures are iffy because on hot days it can attribute to getting too hot or increase stress because they may see something that scares them. The uvb I have is like 36 inches long which is too long for a smaller tank because the uvb should not cover the whole tank. 1/2 or 2/3 of the tank is recommended so they can get out from it. But if you want to cover part of it somehow I’m sure you can.

 

[kaitlynp]

Damn how sad poor thing. Yeah windows by the enclosures are iffy because on hot days it can attribute to getting too hot or increase stress because they may see something that scares them. The uvb I have is like 36 inches long which is too long for a smaller tank because the uvb should not cover the whole tank. 1/2 or 2/3 of the tank is recommended so they can get out from it. But if you want to cover part of it somehow I’m sure you can.

I’m honestly surprised he’s made it 13 years. I’m hoping to give him a better set up soon, and have been looking into it, but since I didn’t really have time to prepare for him we will have to do our best with what we’ve got for right now. I will definitely be giving him soaks and taking him outside though.

 

[smaugthebeardie3756]

Best thing I've heard for femoral pores is to provide the soak and use a soft baby toothbrush to start working them out, and then provide rough surfaces in the cage that he can rub against. They can be squeezed out like a pimple in extreme cases, but I would leave that to a certified reptile vet that knows how to do it safely.

For your UV, you'd probably be good with a 24" fixture from ZooMed or Arcadia. The ZooMed comes with a 5.0 bulb, you would want a 10.0 or an Arcadia 12%.

 

[Longfellow777]

Good hydration is key and Baths are good for them However it does not hydrate them through the vent like most people think hydration comes from eating veggies and some people mist once or twice a day but keep in mind humidity past 30 or 40% is not great. Once in awhile is ok like I live in Arkansas and my humidity spikes sometimes. If the humidity is always high like that though they can get respiratory infections if you can get them to drink water while in the bath that’s great in the past when mine has been dehydrated I get a small syringe with no needle lol like a child’s medicine syringe. I also know a vet tech who is also a moderator on this forum I swear by her products and use her liquid calcium’s but she makes a hydration mixture that comes with a dropper and syringe.

Repti-Hydrate

Helps to replace Electrolytes and Minerals in dehydrated reptiles. Proper levels of electrolytes have been known to aid in the prevention of dehydration. Repti-Hydrate is designed and produced by us at Bug-De-Lite so we can ensure the highest quality. Made fresh when ordered. Comes in a 2 fluid...

bug-de-lite.com

If you are interested in the uvb I’m happy to help it’s just sitting here. If you’ll pay to get it to you, you can have it.

 

[Longfellow777]

Like I said it’s big but you can cover some of it till you have the money to get a proper sized one. I’d be happy to considering how you are helping that poor guy. It’s a 12% bulb good at 12-15 inches from bask spot

 

[Longfellow777]

Also here is a great source for nutrition. What to give them what not to give them and how often.

Nutrition Content

 

[smaugthebeardie3756]

Also here is a great source for nutrition. What to give them what not to give them and how often.

Nutrition Content

You can ignore the kale thing it is a great staple.

 

[Longfellow777]

You can ignore the kale thing it is a great staple.

Yep kale is a great staple

 

[kaitlynp]

@Longfellow777 @smaugthebeardie3756 I appreciate the advice!

@Longfellow777 I also appreciate the offer on the bulb, but since I am planning on keeping him and we wanted a beardie anyways we are looking into building a custom set up for him that we could use for another in the future (since this guy is already so old). Plus shipping is a hassle anyways I will update once we’ve got him set up.

 

[Longfellow777]

Ok great and no problem that’s what this forums for. A lot of good people on here and if someone doesn’t know something the other will again God bless you for making that dragons last lap a happy better one!

 

[KarrieRee]

Please post measurements of the tank LxWxH we can tell you gallons- you can use a 24" fixture for a 40 + gallon tank- anything over 120 you will need a longer fixture