Found bearded dragon outside

[sisserydoo]

That looks like a great resource, thank you. I bought what looked like the best thing at the grocery store, but I think I will take it back. It's Madhava honey. It says "pure and raw" but I don't know, because it also says "whipped honey". It's this one: http://madhavasweeteners.com/product/whipped-organic-honey/

We just don't have a lot of resources out here in the boon docks! I did get some calcium without the d3. He's happy as ever. Ate some escarole, snap peas, and five small roaches.

 

[AHBD]

It states that it's raw, so it should be fine. They just whipped it to make it easier to spread.

Nice to hear that he has a good appetite and seems to enjoy veggies too.

 

[sisserydoo]

This pic I think shows the injury a little better. It's a good size bump with an open spot on top and bottom. Does not look oozy, rather looks dry and crusty.

Should I just dab on the honey? Should I ever rinse it off? Or put more on over the top? Once a day?

 

[AHBD]

Do you think it was a wound that scabbed over + left the lump under his skin ? And you can use a Q-tip to apply the honey daily. If you give him a bath a couple times a week some of the honey may come off, but after his beard dries you can apply more.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

OH my, poor thing! Either someone just dumped him outside or they lost him. He is lucky you all found him, he looks a bit rough around the edges but doesn't appear to have metabolic bone disease.
He does look a little young yet though.
The calcium with D3 can be used 1-2 times per week & the calcium without D3 can be used 3 times if you are going to use the D3 the other 2 times.
That is terrific he is eating also! Which UVB light are you using for him, are you getting a new one for him too?
That looks kind of like an old wound that has healed over & has a scab. Probably from trying to defend himself. He was really getting attacked by birds? How awful for him.

Tracie

 

[sisserydoo]

Hi Tracie,
Yeah, it was a pretty odd situation. When my daughter called me at work I could hardly believe it! She was saying "What do I do? He's in the middle of the road!!!" I was like "I don't know, drive him to our house I guess!" So she drove home with him sitting in the passenger seat!

We are planning to get him all the right equipment soon. Right now he's in our old 29 gallon tank with the old equipment from our own bearded dragon.

I'm going to put notes up today for a "found bearded dragon", but I'm going to include that he needs vet care because I don't want someone taking him if they don't plan to care for him.

 

[SukiLove]

He is so lucky to have found you! I hope everything works out for him and am so happy that you were willing to take him in and care for him.

 

[sisserydoo]

Just an update on the dragon we found.

His wound looks exactly the same. We have been applying the raw honey after his bath each day. I have been giving him a daily bath because he has so much extra skin that has not shed that is being really stubborn about coming off.

Although he looks really rough, he is very active and friendly. He is a great eater, comes right over to eat his salad, and chases the bugs very enthusiastically. He does have a bit of a problem grabbing the bugs because of the bump on his chin, but he eventually gets them.

Thank you to everyone who has helped out with advice so far!

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

That is wonderful he is doing so well, despite being rugged right now! At least he can eat even if it does take him some extra effort.
So no one has claimed him yet? Poor guy, at least though he was found before the birds got him.
Wow he actually eats his salad too, that is very surprising!
Does his chin look like maybe it is just a large scab possibly?
Keep us posted on his progress.

Tracie

 

[sisserydoo]

No, the signs and facebook post have been up for 3 or 4 days now. It's a small town and everyone knows everyone else, so you'd think if someone was actually looking for him he'd be home by now.

It's an odd looking sore. It's a large bump with two openings, and it looks dry and scabby on the inside. It doesn't look infected or anything. I don't know how it happened and maybe he will eventually shed it off? I don't know. I don't have any experience with reptile ailments!

We are really enjoying him, he has a great personality.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Maybe someone just didn't want him, it is hard to know. I agree, if someone lost him you would think they would be looking everywhere for him.
Just keep putting ointment or honey on the sore scabby area & hopefully eventually it will fall off. It didn't look infected, just based on the pictures you posted.
It is a great sign that he is active & is eating, too. It looks like you have a new addition to the family!

Tracie

 

[sisserydoo]

Yes, I'm getting very attached to him! I'm going to get him a new UVB, and I'm planning to mount it inside the tank based on some of the pics I've seen. I'm going to do that with our other bearded dragon too, his is setting on top of the screen. Right now the new guy is in an old tank, I'm not sure if it's a 20 long or a 29 gallon. Is there any chance I could get the bulb too close to him? Eventually, I'll get him a bigger tank. I just started a new job, so I'll have the funds in a few months.

We have so many pets, and this year we had two elderly animals die. A 25 year old lovebird, and a 17 year old cat. I also had a frog die that I brought home from someone's classroom at school, but he was in really bad shape, so I didn't really expect him to make it. That leaves us with two dogs, one cat, one rabbit, one bearded dragon and 5 aquariums of fish. So my husband was actually happy that the animals were thinning out a little bit. He's not real thrilled with the addition of another bearded dragon! But oh well, I take care of them all anyway, so it's no skin off his nose

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Well, he is a lucky little fellow indeed to have been found!
You can get the UVB too close. It is recommended to be minimum 6 inches & we usually recommend 6-8 inches which is pretty optimal. It depends on the bulb of course & whether or not you have a reflective backing on the fixture also which intensifies the UVB exposure. If so, then you will want to move it a bit further usually 10 or so inches. Which light are you planning on getting him? He will definitely need a larger tank, eventually. I know it all costs money!
Has he been eating pretty well too? I am sure he is very happy now. Let us know how he is doing.
You do have a house full don't you? I guess it is probably never a dull moment around there.

Tracie

 

[sisserydoo]

New problems! He has mites I guess I was just so concerned about the sores that I didn't notice the mites. How long should I soak him in the betadine to make sure it kills the mites? And he has them in the folds around his eyes. If I use a cotton swab, could that damage his eyes? I've been using reptile carpet in the tank, how do I clean it?
This little guy is a handful. We should be able to arrange a vet visit early next week.

I also bought some maxi guard oral cleansing gel just to make sure the inside of his mouth is okay since the sores are so close. Can I use that full strength?

 

[CooperDragon]

Ugh poor guy! Mites are a pain in the butt from what I've heard. Give him a normal warm bath so he can have a drink and a poop if he needs to. Then set up a shoulder high warm water and betadine bath that turns light brown like a tea. Let him soak in that. Use q-tips to rinse his head and face with the bath mix. Be very careful around his eyes. After a good soak, put him back into a bath of warm water while you clean his tank. Wipe down all areas and get rid of particle residue (out of the house) Throw out the repti carpet and get it out of the house. Bake any wood at 250 for 30-45 minutes. Boil the rest. Rinse the tank with a bleach and water mixture and rinse really well. If you have a steam cleaner, that's helpful here too. Use a paper towel substrate or something easily disposable for a while. Once the tank is clean, you can put him back in. Keep a close eye on the enclosure for signs of mites for the next few weeks. Also take a close look at your other enclosure to ensure they haven't spread. This is just repeating what I know from reading so if anyone has dealt with mites in person please chime in.