Getting beardie's weight up after URI

[NewDragonMommy]

So my Dandelion is about 3 1/2 months old. She is 9 inches long from snout to tail. However, the past month, we have been battling a very resistant URI. And since starting antibiotics she won't eat on her own. She would lightly pick at her greens but would ignore all of the proteins. She also IS NOT having any of that nasty baby food! :lol: She hates it...she's a picky little stinker! She was very quickly losing weight and got down to 12 grams! Now a 9 in. dragon that only weighs 12 g was very scary, she was so thin her tail looked like it would break like a twig. Since then I have been assist feeding her insects 3 times a day alternating between phoenix worms and crickets. Phoenix worms (15-20) per meal. Crickets (20-25) per meal. So in 4 days, I have gotten her weight up to 17 grams. I'm hoping for 18 by the end of the night (she has only had 1 meal today). She is still on antibiotics for a few more days. So my question is, does anyone have any good tips for fattening this cutie back up?

 

[AHBD]

Hi there....just keep doing what you're doing. Slow + steady will get her there.

 

[NewDragonMommy]

Thanks. I was also wondering, how long do you think I will need to keep helping her out. I would like her to eat on her own again one of these days! hahaha :lol:

 

[Rankins]

Keep helping until you don't have to. Let the dragon tell you when it is no longer needed. Once its able to hunt down and eat its own food items then you'll know when help isn't needed.

 

[diamc]

Poor thing, seems so young to have such a stubborn URI. Must have been scary seeing her so thin. Good to hear that you have been able to get some to eat some protein. Have you been giving her a probiotic to help restore the good gut flora that the antibiotics kill off? If not, that may be why she isn't eating on her own & you have to assist feed her. Benebac gel for reptiles & birds is liked by most beardies, ours willingly lick it off their noses. Even SOY yogurt would be good to give her to help with any stomach upset & to help increase her appetite. Also make sure you are offering drinks of water on her nose as antibiotics are very drying & can cause dehydration.

How are the the tank temps and what type of thermometer are you using? Did you replace the compact UVB with a strip fluorescent or mercury vapor bulb?

Hope she will start eating on her own very soon. You're doing a great job with her.

 

[NewDragonMommy]

I have been using a probiotic the vet gave me with the antibiotic. She seemed to like it on her greens for the first few days, and then she stopped eating those too. Could I maybe roll her phoenix worms around in the probiotic? I got a mercury vapor bulb (from amazon) and it went out almost immediately, have a reptisun on the way, but until then I was using the coil and my heat bulb was not getting high enough. Which is what caused the URI most likely. Right now tank temps are at 105-115 and she has no uvb until that tube comes in a couple days.