I need help from you guys, please!

[BDMom22]

Alright here is the story.
About 4 years ago I got two bearded dragons from a boy (yes, young boy, maybe 14) who was "learning" how to breed dragons. He ended up with too many, and lots of them with nips. I had no idea about beardies, but they sure looked cool. So I took two, I came home with them and thought what I was doing was right, IE. Putting them on sand, letting them live TOGETHER, feeding them spinish, and carrots, things like that, not to mention all they had was a regular light house bulb

Not long after having them they started to 'play rough' thats when I began to look around online and find other people with beardies. I found bd.org and cannot thank all of you for what I have learned. I recall may times of asking Tracie and Barbra for help, and always geting speedy replies and much needed information.

After the first summer I went away to camp, I found a friend to babysit my beardies, but I couldnt leave Drake, when it was time to drop them off the thought of being without him for two weeks, tore me up, so I asked her to watch just Puff. (I know, what kinda mother likes one dragon better than the other?) The thing was, since I got them, Drake was a mamas boy! He loved to be held, he loved to cuddle, loved to bath, just everything, and he was so calm and everything. While I was away I called to check on Puff and she was telling me how much fun they were having with them and how much her lil boy loved him, she said he was gonig to be so sad when I came to pick up Puff, she said it was going to be a hard job to break the two up. So after much thought, I told her if she wanted to keep Puff she could, since I didn't spend the amout of time with him I should, and all. It seemed like the right thing to do.

Monday I got a call from her that Puff was not doing well, she had called me a few times before this to tell me the boy was not caring for him like he should. She said he wasnt bathing him enough, he was 'forgetting' to feed him, etc. I told her then that if it kept up, it would be no problem for PUff to come back home. Well, Monday she was serious. She said she just didnt have the time, and she didnt feel her son was doing what he should.

Puff is here and NOT WELL AT ALL. I put him into a 4x2x2 viv and he has a 75watt house bulb and his reptisun 10.0. his basking side is about 110. Monday in the tub he made a huge poo, but nothing since and he has not eaten. he's almost lifeless. Just about no movement at all. I began to think, is he sick, or is he starting / trying to hibernate? Like I said before, Drake and my other baby, Del, do not or should I say, have not done that. So I'm really not sure what all is going on with him.

Does anyone have any reccommendations? AAnything I can try, watch for , anything?
(Oooh i see him in the tub right now and he's drinking! :mrgreen: )

Thank's so much

 

[vickson420]

Hi
So happy you rescued him back,it sounds like he really needed it!Great that he is drinking.Is he thin or just lethargic?Do you know what he was being fed?Was she keeping the proper lighting and calium regiment?Also if you have a pic of his current shape that would be great.

 

[Freeie]

Sounds like not being fed and bathed To help with the dehydration you can use clear gatoraid to soak him in. Or give pedilite oraly. I'm so sorry that happend to puff I will keep him in my thoughts. *hugs*

 

[BDMom22]

He does not look to badly underweight. Drake, his brother is much bigger, but I think sometimes Drake is just a big eater, and lazy, like me!

 

[vickson420]

He looks pretty good.Quite a handsome fella he is indeed Do you know what happened to his tail? The fact that he is not eating may just be simple relocation stress.I would give him a a day or so to settle in and see how it goes unless he really starts to decline in other ways.

 

[BDMom22]

She was feeding him collard greens. She use to get her superworms and crickets from me. I'm not sure how many he had or if he was getting his vitamins and such.

I was offered the viv he was in, but I didnt have the 250.00 to pay for it.
The one he has now is nice, needs a lil more work on the doors though.
I was thinking it could be relocation stress too, but she did call me b/c he wasnt doing well there either, thats what worried me. How could I tell if he was trying to hibernate or not?

And another thing, about the gaterade.. how does taht help them? And do you heat it first? or add it to bath water? I've never heard that one or the pedilite before.

Should I pick him up some babyfood tomrorow? What is the best kinds to get? Do you feed baby cereal warmed up too? I'm going to keep track of his poo's and make sure he don't go too long.

Anoter thing, he is in a room alone. There was no more room for a viv that big. I do leave the light on, and the tv he can see but he don't get to see humans as much as I wish he did. Maybe after the christmas tree comes down he can live in the livingroom.
I was actually going to see if he got better, and then see if anyone on here was intrested in him. We have so many pets already, but I feel like a horrible person for keep giving him up

 

[zebraflavencs]

Collards are actually better for him than that spinach will bind the calcium, making it unavailable to his body... want to fatten him up safely ? get Dubia roaches... say around 200 . Let him eat his way through them.. Get a fecal exam... always a good idea to run one of those when you see different behavior.

I'm thinking that this is just relocation stress... Also, how old is he ? He might be getting ready for brumation too...Either way, a fecal to eliminate parasites, and proper feeding with lighting and temps, should see him back to his self.
Janie

 

[vickson420]

She was feeding him collard greens. She use to get her superworms and crickets from me. I'm not sure how many he had or if he was getting his vitamins and such.

I was offered the viv he was in, but I didnt have the 250.00 to pay for it.
The one he has now is nice, needs a lil more work on the doors though.
I was thinking it could be relocation stress too, but she did call me b/c he wasnt doing well there either, thats what worried me. How could I tell if he was trying to hibernate or not?

And another thing, about the gaterade.. how does taht help them? And do you heat it first? or add it to bath water? I've never heard that one or the pedilite before.

Should I pick him up some babyfood tomrorow? What is the best kinds to get? Do you feed baby cereal warmed up too? I'm going to keep track of his poo's and make sure he don't go too long.

Anoter thing, he is in a room alone. There was no more room for a viv that big. I do leave the light on, and the tv he can see but he don't get to see humans as much as I wish he did. Maybe after the christmas tree comes down he can live in the livingroom.
I was actually going to see if he got better, and then see if anyone on here was intrested in him. We have so many pets already, but I feel like a horrible person for keep giving him up

Ok first let me say your not a bad person for trying to find him a better home.If you intended him hard you would not have tried so hard in the past to give him a good home or be trying again to make sure he is well.If you decide to keep him that is great and if not then I am sure you will find him a wonderful home.Brumation is very difficult at times to seperate from illness.She may have thought he was ill but was just going down for the winter.Generally when a healthy beardie brumates or semi-brumates they are either full asleep or just much slower and their waking hours are shorter.They do not eat much however they also dont lose weight.If he isnt eating because he is not well then he will begin to lose weight and he can have stress marks or black beard and general signs of illness.There is a great article on brumation in our article section that you should read it will really help you:
http://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/brumation/

Another possibility is that she hasnt been changing out the UVB which would explain his general laziness and lack of appetite as well.If that is the case then after a short while under proper UVB and calcium he should perk up rather quickly.On the gatorade bath you can just add it directly to the bath jusr make sure the bath temp is warm or you can give it to him orally with a syringe or even mixed into some baby food.I dont recommend giving him babyfood cereal.I would just stick with a veggie and a chicken or turkey babyfood with a pinch of calcium thinned out with the water ir pedialyre/gatorade.The pedialyte or gatorade will help restore his electrolytes.Another good think to get is repta-aid critical care formula by flukers or jumpstart.They will help get his appetite stimulated and balance out his body.