Force Feeding - What are your Thoughts on this? Have you don

[thatLizardGuy]

I started to Force Feed my 3 Year Old Male Beardie after seeing these Videos on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlpGXrHLhuY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYVe79z5wEM

What are your Thoughts on this practice?

Have you done it before?

It went much better than expected.

But afterwards he breathes very heavily and sometimes makes noises.

Why is that?

 

[AHBD]

There would need to be a good reason to do it.....is your beardie ill ? If yours is not eating, it is probably because this time of year they may go off food naturally because it's winter, which is brumation time. Doing what was done in the video doesn't always work, and if done to a baby dragon it can break their jaw. For very small beardies, or any size , it's much safer to slide a piece of cardboard,about the thickness of a cereal box, into their mouth and gently wiggle it open. As for your beardie choking, be very careful now because he can aspirate food and develop pneumonia. I hope he is doing O.K.

 

[thatLizardGuy]

Here is what I weighed them at.

Adult Female #1 - 482 Grams
Adult Female #2 - 555 Grams
Adult Male (Not Eating) - 415 Grams

What do you guys think?

What should Healthy Adult Bearded Dragons Weigh?

 

[PastelBeardie]

Here is what I weighed them at.

Adult Female #1 - 482 Grams
Adult Female #2 - 555 Grams
Adult Male (Not Eating) - 415 Grams

What do you guys think?

What should Healthy Adult Bearded Dragons Weigh?

I'm a gecko person with a beardie, not a beardie expert, but I think that in order to know if the beardie's weight is good, they'd also need to know the beardie's length. A 16" beardie would weigh less than a 21" beardie. I'm just suggesting that posting their lengths would help them to know if the beardie's weight is in the normal range.

I had to force feed my last beardie for a while before he passed.

 

[Heyimbrit]

I force fed one of my beardies for a few days before he passed too. He was really sick and lost a lot of weight. Too bad I couldn't help him sooner. R.I.P. Prince

 

[thatLizardGuy]

Ok, so apparently I needed to Post their Length as well as Weight to see if they are Healthy.

Adult Female #1 - 482 Grams - 18 Inches
Adult Female #2 - 555 Grams - 18 Inches
Adult Male (Not Eating) - 415 Grams 19.5 Inches

What do you guys think?

Are these Three Beardies a Healthy Weight or Not?

If not what Should they Weigh?

 

[CooperDragon]

Their weights can vary wildly so it's difficult to give an exact number or even a narrow range of what they "should" be at. Weight is an indicator of health but I usually measure it against an individual dragon's history. It's more important that they maintain their weight or increase slightly over time than it is for them to hit a specific number. Another thing to look at is the fat pads on top of his head and at near the base of his tail. If those look diminished or if his "hip" bones are showing, it could indicate a health problem. As mentioned, he may just be in a brumation cycle. If that's the case, then his weight should be remaining somewhat steady. If he is losing a significant amount of weight over time, then there may be a health issue in play.

 

[thatLizardGuy]

Their weights can vary wildly so it's difficult to give an exact number or even a narrow range of what they "should" be at. Weight is an indicator of health but I usually measure it against an individual dragon's history. It's more important that they maintain their weight or increase slightly over time than it is for them to hit a specific number. Another thing to look at is the fat pads on top of his head and at near the base of his tail. If those look diminished or if his "hip" bones are showing, it could indicate a health problem. As mentioned, he may just be in a brumation cycle. If that's the case, then his weight should be remaining somewhat steady. If he is losing a significant amount of weight over time, then there may be a health issue in play.

I will take a look at him and post back.

I do not see any bones but could feel his "Side Bones" when I picked him up which is something I never felt before in any of my Dragons.

He is definetly Skinnier than my Girls though and Skinnier than he used to be.

Do you know about how much Medications cost?

Everyone I talk to that says that they took a Dragon to a Vet has paid 400.00

 

[CooperDragon]

It depends on the medication, but I've found that medications themselves aren't very expensive. Here are some examples I have on hand. A basic exam at my vet costs $33.20. Additional tests and medications if needed can cost extra, but I don't feel that they are unreasonable at all. For example, 3 weeks of Baytril costs $26.20. Aerobic culture and sensitivity tests costs $88.40. A blood test costs $35.63. A small biopsy costs $85. I can't find the bill for x-rays at the moment, but it was under $100. Hopefully that gives you an idea of vet costs, your mileage may vary of course.

 

[thatLizardGuy]

It depends on the medication, but I've found that medications themselves aren't very expensive. Here are some examples I have on hand. A basic exam at my vet costs $33.20. Additional tests and medications if needed can cost extra, but I don't feel that they are unreasonable at all. For example, 3 weeks of Baytril costs $26.20. Aerobic culture and sensitivity tests costs $88.40. A blood test costs $35.63. A small biopsy costs $85. I can't find the bill for x-rays at the moment, but it was under $100. Hopefully that gives you an idea of vet costs, your mileage may vary of course.

It does help.

Thank You.

But what if He doesn't Poop?

It seems that everyone that goes to the Vet gets a Fecal.

Is it pointless to go to a Vet without getting a Fecal Test or No?

 

[CooperDragon]

A fecal test is one diagnostic that can be done. In my opinion a routine visit to an experienced reptile vet is helpful because basic visual and tactile diagnostics can be done as well as more advanced tests if deemed necessary. Once the vet has done an exam, a fecal sample can be dropped off later for testing if needed (without additional exam in most cases).

 

[Sauzo]

As I said in your other thread, there has to be some underlying problem as to why your beardie wont eat. It could be brumation which is normal but I would be doing force feeding as a last resort. I would be making sure the environment is correct and get him to a vet for a checkup. My vet charges $53 for the office visit/checkup, $83 for a culture, $93 for a full blood panel and for Harleys 2 week supply of Baytril, it was about $20. Don't remember how much the fecal was but as I have had Harley for 2 years and never had symptoms of parasites or anything else wrong(knock on wood) except her slight RI, I opted to skip the fecal at that time. My advice is find a good reptile vet and call them and ask them what the price is for an office visit/checkup. Once he is in and gets looked at, the vet will give you advice on what they think might be wrong and/or what tests need to be done and the prices and you can decline or accept all or part of them.

The closest I came to "force feeding" Harley was when she was on Baytril. I syringe fed baby food mixed with probiotics to her daily and that was only dripping it on her nose and letting her lick it off. I never forced anything down her throat except the Baytril which when she saw that prescription bottle come out, she took off and would run up the couch back, along the top of the couch and jump to a chair. She hated it.

Remember force feeding is going to induce stress and in an animal which is already weakened and not receiving medicine for a possible illness, that could allow that illness to fully blow up and create even more problems.

And like Cooper said, my vet gave me a sealable fecal container to take home and said if I do feel I need a fecal done, I can collect a fresh one and drop it off at the office that day. I wouldn't need to make an appointment as they have Harley of file as a patient now anyways.