humidity? should i trust my vet?

[BobSaget]

Quite frankly, I think you are a pretentious jerk, Brandon. I'm not willing to spend the 12 dollars? I just spent $200 dollars on vet visits. And like I said, went to 6 different pet stores. That is what they sell. Don't know where to find this magical thermometer that solves all your pets heath problems that you seem to have discovered. I've also watched various videos on bearded dragons which show dragons with coil uv bulbs and the very same thermometer and guess what? Not dead. And what credentials do you have that make you an expert. I never once asked you about my thermometer. I asked about probiotics. Don't care how toy feel about my thermometer.

 

[Claudiusx]

Then get your advice from those pet stores and videos.

-Brandon

 

[Mistyck]

If you don't like the advice given, then don't take it. But don't complain that your dragon isn't doing well. Your Vet doesn't seem very knowledgeable in Bearded Dragons.

The coil light is KNOWN to cause harm in Bearded Dragons, and the thermometer that you have is as much as 20* off.

You do not HAVE to go to a pet shop to get the "magical thermometer" that he's talking about. You can go to walmart, or a hardware store and get it. If you go to a pet shop and get everything recommended, then you're going to spend way too much money.

But as I said, it's your dragon, do as you want, just don't complain that your dragon is sick and that you're not concerned with anything but the coccidia. If you do not have proper heat gradients and lighting, then that dragon will NOT get better, even with the meds. But good luck.

 

[BobSaget]

Thanks for not answering the one question I actually asked. And I'm aware that the vet is an *****. Which us why I'm on here in the first place.

 

[Claudiusx]

What is the point of fixing your cars oil leak by adding oil to it every week. Sure it will mask the issue for awhile, but the problem is still there, and it will keep coming back.

First step is fixing the problem so it doesn't come back, second step is cleaning up the mess and damage.

You are skipping the first step.

Interpret that how you will.

-Brandon

 

[BobSaget]

My reality right now is that in 5 minutes I have to medicate my dragon. Whether our not i get a new thermometer in the future, he is definitely getting albon now. Do i need probiotics? Does critical care provide that? When i get paid monday i can get a different thermometer but none of this changes the fact that i need to medicate him now.

 

[Mistyck]

You're welcome... :roll:

No, you need a probiotic, as critical care is not a probiotic.

 

[Claudiusx]

Fair enough.

CC is strictly a food supplement super saturated with nutrients. It has no probiotics in it, although it wouldn't hurt to give at all, it won't have the desired effect of what you are wanting out of a probiotic.

If you can find some soy yogurt that would work. You don't want to use a dairy yogurt.

Probiotics are not required, but they are definitely recommended, especially with a drug as harsh as Albon. You will also want to increase baths to daily if you haven't been already.

Since you are treating for Coccidia, you need to be thoroughly cleaning the tank daily. It would be easiest to get rid of all porous materials in the tank, and make the tank as minimalistic as you can, for ease of cleaning.

You don't want to be administering a drug like this if you are not cleaning the tank daily, otherwise your dragon will just get reinfected.

Steam works really well for this. Otherwise you will need to use a diluted bleach solution, and clean it out very well so that you don't smell any bleach anymore.

-Brandon

 

[Zaxtor99]

Bob, I appreciate that you have come to these forums to try and get help to aid your beardie. You took a wise step by coming here seeking advice.

I will have to agree however with Brandon (claudiusx) on this one. It's very understandable that your beardie is sick and you want to help him first. But in your panic to help him, its just like a panic a person might get into when they have a leaky pipe in their kitchen. They go OMG! Water everywhere!! And they frantically try to mop up the water all over the kitchen floor, meanwhile the pipe is still leaking and their efforts are going nowhere. Fix the leaky pipe first (or turn the water off), then clean up the water.

The advice you are being given is good advice. I haven't been a beardie owner long myself, but I can tell you that by following the advice of others here on these forums, I KNOW I got my baby beardie acting happier and healthier then by listening to the advice and buying what the pet store clerk advised me.

Every pet store in my area sells JUNK for the beardies. For the most part, Zilla, especially their starter kits are nothing but garbage. Please research that on the net, you'll see it from tons of user reviews, and sick and dead dragons as a result of listening to the pet store clerk or buying the stuff in the pet store.

I understand you took your pet to the vet and spent a fortune and are frustrated because you obviously got bad advice. I'd be furious as well. However, Brandon here is only trying to help you get your pet in a safe, comfortable environment to live in so that he can fight off the illness and any diseases that could otherwise attack him in poor living conditions (ie Zilla crap).

Everyone here is here to HELP you. I understand you are asking a completely different question (asking about how to mop up the water on the floor in this case) but Brandon is simply trying to tell you "Hey bud, let's turn that water pipe off first".

:wink:

 

[BobSaget]

Brandon, my dragon is dead because my vet was a scumbag. But I intend on getting another one because it's too sad to be without. I've looked for this thermometer of which you speak. I've tried Walmart, Walmart online, harbor freight tools. Can't find it. Anywhere. Would a Marina digital fish tank thermometer be accurate? Do you know of an online sight where i can purchase an accurate thermometer? Because I an at a loss here.

 

[Claudiusx]

I saw your other thread, I'm sorry.

I wasn't speaking of any particular thermometer, just a digital thermometer with a probe end, or a temp gun. There are dozens upon dozens of different ones you can buy.

Most any one will be at least decently accurate; a lot more accurate than the dial stick-ons.

Do you have a petco/petsmart around? They seem to sell the digital with probe ends, and a semi-decent temp gun too.

If not, you can always find a temp gun online. Same goes for the digital thermometers with probes.

Not only are the dials very inaccurate, but they have no way of giving you the basking SURFACE temp, since they are stuck to a wall. And that is the most important temp of them all.

-Brandon

 

[ac3j0k3r]

I'm not concerned about a new thermometer at the moment. Can't afford it, and am relatively certain everyone else in the surrounding area is using the exact same thing since I've been to 6 surrounding pet stores and it's all they sell. I'm more concerned about the real problem, which are the parasites in my dragons body and whether or not I should be giving him probiotics or if just the critical care is fine.

The temperature is a real problem. Do not go by what "pet"stores sell or tell you because they are only interested in making a quick buck versus keeping the animal well. If you don't have the temperature correct they can't digest which can lead to the food decaying and rotting in their stomachs or the beardie getting impacted...and if you can't afford a 7 dollar (7 at the most..mine was like 3 bucks off drfosterandsmith.com) probe thermometer, then you wont have enough for the impaction vet bill/surgery and the only thing that is going to suffer is the dragon.... Yes you need to give probiotics as well.