Health concerns about new beardy

[Deabrua]

Pictures: Rescued beardy

I took this 7-8yo beardy in as of yesterday (April 9th, 2023) afternoon. I've a number of concerns regarding his health due to prior care. To start off, I will mention that I'm working to replace his entire setup ASAP with initial changes being ditching the repticarpet, changing heat and uvb bulbs, and giving him a proper diet. He has the earliest available vet appointment on April 22nd, but id like to discuss things sooner. Onto what concerns I have and why before I ask for recommendations.

He previously had a heat + uvb bulb in one, a "day white light 75w bulb" from reptisun, that was around a foot from his basking spot. There was no uvb tube to supplement. His prior tank setup was identical to the picture I shared in the above album save for repticarpet instead of paper towels, with the heat being far above the left side. His old diet was spring mix greens with misc fruit on a daily basis, and 30-50 medium crickets 2-3 times per week with calcium + d3 dusting on each cricket feeding.

My initial concerns are mbd from the lack of uvb, gout from the protein heavy diet, diabetes from the sugar heavy diet, and it appears that care may have dropped off in the past month or two given he seems rather underweight compared to the original pictures I was sent and he weighed in at 380-390g roughly 2 hours after a dubia feeding today. Additionally, the coloration of his tail has me concerned. I dont know if it's maybe cutoff circulation from stuck shed, burn marks, stress marks, tail rot... I'm not sure.

Behavior wise, he refused to eat greens (collard, mustard, parsley) throughout today but chowed down on dubias in the late afternoon. His previous owner reported he refused to eat greens yesterday but ate 40+ crickets on Saturday. He's been in his basking spot for most of the time I've watched him though he has roamed the tank a little. He doesn't seem lethargic to me but ive only seen his behavior for 2 days now.

I let him roam the office a little while I was preparing his tank and he was a little wobbly for a moment which reinforces my concerns about health, but when I went to take a video he straightened out and seemed fine while running about for a 2 minute period. He had no issue hunting the dubias today either.

If there's anything I need to keep in mind or do outside of ordinary care until the vet, recommendations are appreciated. My plans for now are just the usual daily mixed greens, every other day dubias, calcium once per week. His heat was changed to an exoterra 75w with 105f basking temp and a t5ho 10.0 reptisun tube. My herpstat 2 is arriving tomorrow or the next day to verify temps and control as necessary.

 

[KarrieRee]

Pictures: Rescued beardy

I took this 7-8yo beardy in as of yesterday (April 9th, 2023) afternoon. I've a number of concerns regarding his health due to prior care. To start off, I will mention that I'm working to replace his entire setup ASAP with initial changes being ditching the repticarpet, changing heat and uvb bulbs, and giving him a proper diet. He has the earliest available vet appointment on April 22nd, but id like to discuss things sooner. Onto what concerns I have and why before I ask for recommendations.

He previously had a heat + uvb bulb in one, a "day white light 75w bulb" from reptisun, that was around a foot from his basking spot. There was no uvb tube to supplement. His prior tank setup was identical to the picture I shared in the above album save for repticarpet instead of paper towels, with the heat being far above the left side. His old diet was spring mix greens with misc fruit on a daily basis, and 30-50 medium crickets 2-3 times per week with calcium + d3 dusting on each cricket feeding.

My initial concerns are mbd from the lack of uvb, gout from the protein heavy diet, diabetes from the sugar heavy diet, and it appears that care may have dropped off in the past month or two given he seems rather underweight compared to the original pictures I was sent and he weighed in at 380-390g roughly 2 hours after a dubia feeding today. Additionally, the coloration of his tail has me concerned. I dont know if it's maybe cutoff circulation from stuck shed, burn marks, stress marks, tail rot... I'm not sure.

Behavior wise, he refused to eat greens (collard, mustard, parsley) throughout today but chowed down on dubias in the late afternoon. His previous owner reported he refused to eat greens yesterday but ate 40+ crickets on Saturday. He's been in his basking spot for most of the time I've watched him though he has roamed the tank a little. He doesn't seem lethargic to me but ive only seen his behavior for 2 days now.

I let him roam the office a little while I was preparing his tank and he was a little wobbly for a moment which reinforces my concerns about health, but when I went to take a video he straightened out and seemed fine while running about for a 2 minute period. He had no issue hunting the dubias today either.

If there's anything I need to keep in mind or do outside of ordinary care until the vet, recommendations are appreciated. My plans for now are just the usual daily mixed greens, every other day dubias, calcium once per week. His heat was changed to an exoterra 75w with 105f basking temp and a t5ho 10.0 reptisun tube. My herpstat 2 is arriving tomorrow or the next day to verify temps and control as necessary.

I would get 2 digital probe thermometers- surface basking temps 95-100- placement and distance will be determined by the screen on the tank-- fine mesh like a screen door or a wide holed type - dubias 2-3 times per week dusted w/ vitamins w beta carotene since he isn't eating salads- I would get him some bsfl to lure him to the salad bowl - we want him eating salads- make sure he's hydrated since he's not eating salads-

 

[Deabrua]

I would get 2 digital probe thermometers- surface basking temps 95-100- placement and distance will be determined by the screen on the tank-- fine mesh like a screen door or a wide holed type - dubias 2-3 times per week dusted w/ vitamins w beta carotene since he isn't eating salads- I would get him some bsfl to lure him to the salad bowl - we want him eating salads- make sure he's hydrated since he's not eating salads-

Two digital probes to start off or permanently? The herpstat 2 has two probes but my intention was for it to control two tanks. I could definitely use both probes in the one tank if it's just to initially get it situated and I also have an IR temp gun to supplement.

Is there a specific product recommendation for the vitamin/beta carotene?

I did try to entice him in salad by putting dubias on it but I got an absolute look of betrayal when he got greens instead of insects. I can pick up bsfls soon to try that instead. Should I try the droplets on his head thing or maybe get hornworms for hydration?

You mentioned feeding dubias 2-3 times per week. Is every other day too much in general or is this to tryn get him to eat salad again? I don't know if he's maybe used to a more colorful salad because he had fruit before or whats going on. He last ate salad on Friday according to prior owner.

 

[KarrieRee]

Two digital probes to start off or permanently? The herpstat 2 has two probes but my intention was for it to control two tanks. I could definitely use both probes in the one tank if it's just to initially get it situated and I also have an IR temp gun to supplement.

Permanent -- IR guns can be off depending on the material the basking decor is made out of

Is there a specific product recommendation for the vitamin/beta carotene?

Not really that I recommend -- try and find something w/ low calcium D3 -- if your supplementing w/ D3 now --

I did try to entice him in salad by putting dubias on it but I got an absolute look of betrayal when he got greens instead of insects. I can pick up bsfls soon to try that instead. Should I try the droplets on his head thing or maybe get hornworms for hydration?

Do both --- horn worms are a good treat

You mentioned feeding dubias 2-3 times per week. Is every other day too much in general or is this to tryn get him to eat salad again? I don't know if he's maybe used to a more colorful salad because he had fruit before or whats going on. He last ate salad on Friday according to prior owner.

It is up to you how often the insects are fed - but I would feed the BSFL as a supplement to the dubias as a way of getting him to the salad bowl -- do you have the nutrition website?

 

[Deabrua]

Permanent -- IR guns can be off depending on the material the basking decor is made out of

Where would the second probe go? I will be placing the first near the basking spot.

Not really that I recommend -- try and find something w/ low calcium D3 -- if your supplementing w/ D3 now --

I was always informed that adults don't receive D3 or if they do then only once per month, I do however have calcium d3 powder available if needed.

Do both --- horn worms are a good treat

Noted.

It is up to you how often the insects are fed - but I would feed the BSFL as a supplement to the dubias as a way of getting him to the salad bowl -- do you have the nutrition website?

At least for now, from the underweight concerns, I'm going to stick with every other day for dubias/crickets. If it needs to be reduced later, thats fine. I dont have the nutrition site offhand though it's the primary reason I moved from crickets to dubias as a primary feeder for my other beardy and now this one.

Edit: are Phoenix worms the same as bsfl?

 

[KarrieRee]

Where would the second probe go? I will be placing the first near the basking spot.

You want it on the spot where she / he sits for basking- you dont need to leave it there stick to the side of the tank and check spot every 2 weeks or so - basking bulbs get weak over time if they dont blow out first- second probe for the cool side of the tank and you can use it to check other areas of the tank like middle etc

I was always informed that adults don't receive D3 or if they do then only once per month, I do however have calcium d3 powder available if needed.

I give D3 to my two once a week dusted on the insects and calcium w/ out D3 no phosphorus 2 times per week -

Noted.

At least for now, from the underweight concerns, I'm going to stick with every other day for dubias/crickets. If it needs to be reduced later, thats fine. I dont have the nutrition site offhand though it's the primary reason I moved from crickets to dubias as a primary feeder for my other beardy and now this one.

Ignore the kale info its outdated
Nutrition Content

 

[Deabrua]

You want it on the spot where she / he sits for basking- you dont need to leave it there stick to the side of the tank and check spot every 2 weeks or so - basking bulbs get weak over time if they dont blow out first- second probe for the cool side of the tank and you can use it to check other areas of the tank like middle etc

Noted. Are there recommendations for specific probes to purchase? My initial one is a thermostat with built in dimmer/timer which wouldn't be necessary for just tracking another spot of the tank.

I give D3 to my two once a week dusted on the insects and calcium w/ out D3 no phosphorus 2 times per week -

The nutrition page you linked mentions D3 dusting is meant for supplementing insufficient amounts from UVB?

Ignore the kale info its outdated
Nutrition Content

Ty! This is indeed the page I've used in the past, though I long since lost track of it and simply continued with the same list of 5-6 veggie staples. Though it was a separate website that turned me over to dubias.

 

[KarrieRee]

Noted. Are there recommendations for specific probes to purchase? My initial one is a thermostat with built in dimmer/timer which wouldn't be necessary for just tracking another spot of the tank.

The nutrition page you linked mentions D3 dusting is meant for supplementing insufficient amounts from UVB?

Ty! This is indeed the page I've used in the past, though I long since lost track of it and simply continued with the same list of 5-6 veggie staples. Though it was a separate website that turned me over to dubias.

I give the D3 once a week -- the UVB helps them absorb and synthesize the calcium they are getting -- one of my dragons is going into the vet tomorrow for a check up - I know hes got one parasite from the dubias they said after doing a fecal test here a couple of weeks ago - I am going to have them do a calcium check to see where his bones etc are for that -- I am curious - his urate looks good - sometimes the calcium will appear orange on the edges of the urate -- then it would be time to cut back on it --

 

[Deabrua]

Side note: I verified via herpstat 2's probe that my IR gun is accurate for the basking surface in Dezzy's (my other beardy) tank but not Percy (the beardy being discussed in this thread). Percy's bulb has been swapped from 75W to 100W and has the herpstat 2 controlling it.

 

[KarrieRee]

Side note: I verified via herpstat 2's probe that my IR gun is accurate for the basking surface in Dezzy's (my other beardy) tank but not Percy (the beardy being discussed in this thread). Percy's bulb has been swapped from 75W to 100W and has the herpstat 2 controlling it.

So did you get it fixed for temps then

 

[Deabrua]

Percy is good for temps/UVB. BSFLs and hornworms are on order. First d3 dusting will occur in tomorrow's dubias feeding. Also it appears that he ate some, albeit not much, of his salad today.

 

[Deabrua]

Update: Percy is looking a bit healthier now. Not as scrawny and less wrinkles. Tail is still dark but it seems to be a coloration/stress thing because there's times that his entire tail matches it, but I will still continue to give him soaks.

He's eating salads now, but he eats around the bsfls so that didn't really help. I bought too many hornworms (24) so I need to figure out what to do with them, I think they'll die out before my two beardies will finish them w/o eating more than they should.

 

[KarrieRee]

Update: Percy is looking a bit healthier now. Not as scrawny and less wrinkles. Tail is still dark but it seems to be a coloration/stress thing because there's times that his entire tail matches it, but I will still continue to give him soaks.

He's eating salads now, but he eats around the bsfls so that didn't really help. I bought too many hornworms (24) so I need to figure out what to do with them, I think they'll die out before my two beardies will finish them w/o eating more than they should.

Feed them off every day --- its not going to hurt them - give them more of a watery poop

 

[Deabrua]

Update: vet specialist said he's looking good for his age, fecal came back good, pores are cleared, and tail is fine as it stands.