Got a juvie in bad shape :(

[omahadragon]

Found a great deal on a leatberback. When I arrived at his house, the dragon looked terrible. She was super skinny, eyes half closed, bones near her butt/tail protruding, ribs showing through the top skin. The owner admitted to neglecting her for a long time, and also had her set up in a 5 gallon aquarium with a reptiglo uvb. I took her home with hopes to nurture this little beauty. She's now in a 55gal long under a reptisun 10.0, undertank heatpad, slate tile, basking spot, etc. I bathed her immediately, and she drank water from my hands for about 3 minutes straight. I fed her about 12 smaller turkistan roaches and she gobbled them right up. Next morning she puked them all up. Repeated the bath and drinking twice that day. Her colors really brightened! She hasn't eaten a thing for 2 days now. I did notice she ate a few of her turnip greens and grated butternut squash, sprinkled with calciumd3. That was a relief!!! Im going to do the same thing tomorrow and so on! Any pointers for her recovery? Or just take it day by day... ? Thanks all!!!

 

[Beardednoob]

Ease her back into feeders, if she isn't used to them or has been off them for awhile feeding heavily can cause her to vomit and make things worse. You may want to try Bene-Bac to help settle her stomach if she is having issues keeping the feeders down. What is the basking temperature? What thermometer are you using to measure the temperature?

 

[omahadragon]

That's what I assumed, just kind of overdid it on the feeders. The basking temp is 103, and cool side is 74. Nightime temps in my house are usually 68-72. Im using a radioshack digital thermometer. Its been pretty accurate for me for years. What is the bene bac you speak of?

 

[Beardednoob]

Bene-Bac is beneficial gut flora. Dragons who are suffering from relocation stress (or vomiting) can receive back the good gut flora and in return keep the negative gut flora in check. Allowing the negative gut flora to flourish can increase natural parasite counts. If this happens one of the only options is a vet visit for medications (antibiotics).
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0BZ05J3113&nm_mc=OTC-Froogle2&cm_mmc=OTC-Froogle2-_-Birds+-+Health+Care-_-PET+AG+PRODUCTS-_-9SIA0BZ05J3113

Vomiting can decrease beneficial gut flora counts.

Everything else seems fine from what I read thus far.

 

[omahadragon]

Here's a few pictures of her!

 

[omahadragon]

Thanks for that! Ill give it a shot

 

[Beardednoob]

She definitely is skinny!
Consider the bene-bac since she is going to be stressed (generally).
Since she is eating, tomorrow or day for where ever you are located, feed her less roaches, cut the number in half. Ensure she keeps them down.
Keep providing a healthy salad (I prefer collard greens base with other acceptable greens mixed in)
http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html

Ensure you are dusting her food with supplements per a schedule

up to 1.5 years - calcium 5x per week / vitamins 2x per week (one(1) dusted feeding per day)
1.5 years + - calcium 3x per week / vitamins 1-2x per week (one(1) dusted feeding a day 4-5 days, 2-3 days nothing dusted)
Gravid female - calcium 5x per week / vitamins 2x per week (one(1) dusted feeding per day)
sick dragon - Unable to dose, due to variables of illnesses
up to 1.5 years butterworm/BSF larvae diet - calcium 2-3x per week / vitamins 2x per week
1.5 years + butterworm/BSF larvae diet - calcium 1-2x per week / vitamins 1-2x per week

I recommend to use RepCal supplements.

Can you post a picture of the enclosure?

 

[omahadragon]

Yep, repcal is all I use. Also, I give collards and mustards for the past 5 years to my other dragons, but I found some turnips at the market and figured id get some. I give butternut squash, raspberries, all kinds of things. Haha... here's a picture of the enclosure. This is an old pic, I've since used brackets to lower the reptisun down a bit.

 

[omahadragon]

Thanks esther! When I saw her, I immediately thought to myself, I HAVE to take this girl home for some aid! I've never seen a dragon drink water so intensely, its sad, but very warming to watch her slurp it up out of my palm...

She also has had 2 bowel movements in the water. One in my hand... Hahaha the urates seemed decent, not hard, not to mushy

 

[Beardednoob]

Ahh 5 years experience. :wink:
Yeah just ease her back into feeding and consider the bene-bac it can help allot.
She should come back around.

And as mentioned she is a pretty dragon too. :wink:

 

[omahadragon]

Thanks for the quick response, you've helped ease my mind! I worry every morning of waking up and seeing her belly up

 

[Beardednoob]

I worry every morning of waking up and seeing her belly up

I worry this with 4 healthy dragons, I think it comes with the territory.

 

[suzjohnson]

How is she doing today?

Suz

 

[omahadragon]

She's doing much better it seems! Eating a few more greens, not dehydrated anymore, and ate about 4 very small superworms last night. Caught her eating some fresh collards and spaghetti squash this morning here's a few pics of her. Were actually sun bathing as we speak now, and snapped a few pics from my phone. She's already filling out some!

 

[omahadragon]

She is! I couldn't believe the color and pattern on her when I seen her!