Name: Flo
Age: ~3.5
Sex: I assumed female up until last week based on internet info, but am unsure now.
I apologize in advance if this is super long, I just want to make sure I cover everything because it's kind of a weird situation.
Background info:
I am the lead caretaker of the animals in my university's bio lab (however I'm not a bio student), and I can't figure out what is wrong with our beardie Flo. Because I do not own her, I have to get permission for almost everything I do for her, which has delayed so much and is incredibly frustrating. We've had her for approx 3 years after her previous owner decided they didn't want her. She was doing quite well in the care of another student who took her home over the summer, and had grown quite a bit. After she came back in Sept. she went into brumation. When she came out mid Oct., she wouldn't eat. I knew she was way too cold (tank average was mid 80s), but the administration would not let me move her until I took her to a vet, who obviously told me she was too cold to digest food, so was not hungry. FINALLY, admin let me move her to a warmer room. Her current setup is a 55 gal. tank with slate substrate (changed from sand in Sept.), hides on warm and cool sides, branch to climb on, water and food dish, 100 and 150 watt ceramic heating bulbs and a UVB bulb (do not know what kind, was replaced during the summer). Basking temp is ~100, hot side 90, cool side 80. I know these should be higher, but admin will not let me change this currently.
I am able to take care of her M-F, but cannot get into the building on weekends. I'm trying to finish school at the same time. I have two others helping me who don't see her current situation as a problem.
The problem:
Flo has eaten a bit since she came out of brumation, and the vet gave me Critical Care to give her every day, and gave her fluids because she was dehydrated. She will only eat mealworms by herself. Since getting her temps up, she has been acting very normally. She was pooping semi-regularely up until 10 days ago. Since then, she's been getting warm baths almost every day, and on Tuesday I tried a bit of mineral oil in squash baby food. Nothing. Thursday I tried a bit more oil and a some prune baby food. Still nothing. Her stomach appears to be swollen, which makes me think she could be gravid, but I cannot tell for certain if she is actually a female (flashlight didn't reveal anything). She never exhibited increased appetite, but was very active and restless towards the end of Nov. Yesterday, I added a mixture of damp dirt and sand about 4 inches deep on the warm side of her cage, packed so she can dig in it. She didn't seem interested in it, and I won't be able to see her until Monday because the building is closed.
What should I do? She's definitely too thin, and it's been so long since she ate normally. I know that something isn't right, but can't figure out what I hate the idea that there's something I could've been doing for her but haven't, so please let me know what I can do. Also, let me know if there's any more info I can provide.
I will try to take her into the vet if I can, but do not have much money. I'm prepared to do whatever I can for her; I love her and would adopt her if I could. These next few weeks are crazy busy because it's the end of the semester, and I'm trying convince the administration to let me take her home over break, instead of leaving her for someone else to take care of.
Age: ~3.5
Sex: I assumed female up until last week based on internet info, but am unsure now.
I apologize in advance if this is super long, I just want to make sure I cover everything because it's kind of a weird situation.
Background info:
I am the lead caretaker of the animals in my university's bio lab (however I'm not a bio student), and I can't figure out what is wrong with our beardie Flo. Because I do not own her, I have to get permission for almost everything I do for her, which has delayed so much and is incredibly frustrating. We've had her for approx 3 years after her previous owner decided they didn't want her. She was doing quite well in the care of another student who took her home over the summer, and had grown quite a bit. After she came back in Sept. she went into brumation. When she came out mid Oct., she wouldn't eat. I knew she was way too cold (tank average was mid 80s), but the administration would not let me move her until I took her to a vet, who obviously told me she was too cold to digest food, so was not hungry. FINALLY, admin let me move her to a warmer room. Her current setup is a 55 gal. tank with slate substrate (changed from sand in Sept.), hides on warm and cool sides, branch to climb on, water and food dish, 100 and 150 watt ceramic heating bulbs and a UVB bulb (do not know what kind, was replaced during the summer). Basking temp is ~100, hot side 90, cool side 80. I know these should be higher, but admin will not let me change this currently.
I am able to take care of her M-F, but cannot get into the building on weekends. I'm trying to finish school at the same time. I have two others helping me who don't see her current situation as a problem.
The problem:
Flo has eaten a bit since she came out of brumation, and the vet gave me Critical Care to give her every day, and gave her fluids because she was dehydrated. She will only eat mealworms by herself. Since getting her temps up, she has been acting very normally. She was pooping semi-regularely up until 10 days ago. Since then, she's been getting warm baths almost every day, and on Tuesday I tried a bit of mineral oil in squash baby food. Nothing. Thursday I tried a bit more oil and a some prune baby food. Still nothing. Her stomach appears to be swollen, which makes me think she could be gravid, but I cannot tell for certain if she is actually a female (flashlight didn't reveal anything). She never exhibited increased appetite, but was very active and restless towards the end of Nov. Yesterday, I added a mixture of damp dirt and sand about 4 inches deep on the warm side of her cage, packed so she can dig in it. She didn't seem interested in it, and I won't be able to see her until Monday because the building is closed.
What should I do? She's definitely too thin, and it's been so long since she ate normally. I know that something isn't right, but can't figure out what I hate the idea that there's something I could've been doing for her but haven't, so please let me know what I can do. Also, let me know if there's any more info I can provide.
I will try to take her into the vet if I can, but do not have much money. I'm prepared to do whatever I can for her; I love her and would adopt her if I could. These next few weeks are crazy busy because it's the end of the semester, and I'm trying convince the administration to let me take her home over break, instead of leaving her for someone else to take care of.