First time Beardie owners of a few days but we researched for a month or so before we adopted a wonderful girl who needed a good home. 14" (with a slight tail nip), quite heavy, wonderfully healthy girl of unknown age.
She traveled from Detroit to Macon, Ga and on to Springville, AL on Monday. Ate 10 crickets and a nice salad of raspberries, banana and collard greens and acted extremely well on Tuesday. Got her all the stuff she needed to be set up in a temporary fashion while we dialed in her settings and enclosure.
On Wednesday I messed up and misread the 20th care sheet for the umpteenth time and fed her fifty large crickets. She didn't touch her salad. No bowel movement since then, today she's not interested in food at all (even though she's always been a good eater) and she's showing stress marks since late this afternoon. Realized I overfed the snot out of her with something that could cause an impaction and gave her a bath today and plan on two baths tomorrow. Kind of forced her to take some water from a dropper and will again tomorrow.
Also got a thermometer today and realized her heat lamp was WAY too hot. Got a dimmer switch this afternoon and fixed that.
Ideas? Suggestions? Critisism?
I also laid some natural slate tile in her enclosure yesterday and she doesn't seem to like it nearly as much as the paper towels we had before. We may go back to paper towels if anyone thinks it will help her.
Relocation stress can even start days after they have been in their new home.
That's a possibility, but I honestly think that she is just full! My big boy hardly eats half what he used to because this is his first winter burmating. I HATE it cause I'm worried, but I know he was healthy as a horse on his check up about 3 months ago.
Give her time to take a big poopie, i'm sure that's all it is. Dave only poops every 3 days so maybe yours will soon. And she will get used to the slate.
If you're REALLY concerned she is impacted you can force feed her mineral oil. It's a natural laxative for people and as long as it's not over done, for beardies! Give her VERY LITTLE of this. If there is exact dosage per weight I'm sure Drache13 i think it is (otherwise known as Tracie) would know.
Good luck with her! I'm sure youre just a paranoid new owner!
Yes, expect to be paranoid about EVERYTHING for about the next six months or so! Keep her basking temps up, around 105-110, to help her with digestion. Warm baths and very gentle tummy massages will help as well. Mineral oil is a good laxative, as Kelsey mentioned, or you could also try plain canned pumpkin or unsweetened applesauce. Whichever one you choose, give it only in moderation, as you don't want her to get the runs and then get dehydrated!
I'm sure she is fine though! But I understand your concern....like right now, the rescue I got on Sunday is laying on the bottom of her tank and pushing her beard in and out. It's freaking me out cause my other 2 never do that, but when I pick her up or feed her she is fine...
Beardies are definitely strange creatures...
And now she just let out the biggest yawn (which I have never seen one do). I guess this is just how she wakes up in the morning. haha.