Is my baby bearded dragon having RI or relocation stress?

Kamewu

Member
Original Poster
Hello Beardie Fam!

After a year since my 8-year-old bearded dragon passed away, I decided it was time to welcome a new baby bearded dragon into my life. I got this little guy at a reptile expo in NY last week. The breeder mentioned he’s about 2 months old. Last week, he ate around 8 crickets and 5 Dubia roaches, which feels a bit low for a hatchling bearded dragon. About three days ago, I noticed he occasionally seems to choke or make a sound while basking—2-3 times a day. (Please see the video for references, I do not know how to describe this, choking/wheezing/clicking?) At first, I thought it might be relocation stress since he’s been active and exploring his tank. He doesn’t have bubbles from his mouth or nose or show open-mouthed breathing. However, his appetite is low, he keeps closing his eyes in the basking area, and he’s not eating any veggies at all. He also hasn’t pooped in the last two days, which has me worried.

And here are some info for my tank:

Heat lamp: Zoo Med Repti Basking Spot Lamp 100W--------(NY is cold right now, the basking area is showing 95 ° F to 100 ° F, Humidity: 30%)
UVB: Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB T5 HO Reptile Terrarium Lamp, 24-watt (Its brand new, never been used but I brought it one year ago, should I get another one?)
Tank size: 40 gallon
Food in tank: Veggies-----Collab green, yellow squash and carrot (He doesn't want to eat at all)
Insects------Crickets and Dubia roaches


I’m unsure if I should risk traveling to the vet in this cold weather or if this might just be stress, shedding issues? I'm worrying if this is possibly an early sign of a respiratory infection. I’ve reached out to the breeder, but it’s the holiday season, and they’re currently on vacation. I’d really appreciate any advice or suggestions from the fam before scheduling a vet appointment!

Please let me know if you need any additional information from me! Thank you so much!
 

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Kamewu

Member
Original Poster
I know it's super stressful and sad for you. I just don't know what will help him. Another round of Ponazuril may help or may leave him in the same condition and I feel so bad that you have these very difficult decisions to make.
So when you try to syringe feed him now will he accept any of it ? What method did you use to get him to eat it ? Sometimes if you run the syringe along the side of the mouth and gently wiggle the tip in you can slooowly push the plunger , wait to see if he swallows. If he doesn't, , then gently stroke his throat to get him to swallow.
Thank you so much for replying to me during the holiday, I truly appreciate it. It’s been tough for us, but we’re not giving up on him and will do everything we can until the very last moment. We keep hoping that he’ll get better each day, even though he’s only been with us for a month.

Yes, we’re feeding him by syringe, though he’s been keeping his mouth tightly closed recently. According to my vet, I need to feed him 2ml of the powdered food daily. On days when I don’t have to work, I usually divide it into 4 smaller feedings (0.5ml).
Since he’s so tiny, it’s even harder to feed him. I was using the method you mentioned, but now he backs away and refuses to eat. It usually takes me at least 20–30 minutes to feed him each time, and even then, I can’t always get him to finish. When that happens, I save the rest for the next round. I also make sure to give him some water during each feeding.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
If you can get some raw unpasteurized honey try a dab of it on his snout. If he likes it try adding a very slight amount to the powdered mix and a tiny bit of lukewarm water to thin the honey.
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

I am really pulling for him, it seems he is really trying, bless him!
Definitely don't give up on him, they can really fight to survive.
That's good you are dividing the feedings into smaller feedings,
that will help a lot for him. That is hard I know, to get food into him
if he isn't cooperating but keep trying to encourage him to take in
some type of food to try to get his strength up.

Keep us updated on him.
Tracie
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Hi there, just wondering how your baby is doing ? I'm afraid he wasn't looking too good and I am hanging on to a sliver of hope that maybe he improved but I know his situation is dire.
 

Kamewu

Member
Original Poster
Hi there, just wondering how your baby is doing ? I'm afraid he wasn't looking too good and I am hanging on to a sliver of hope that maybe he improved but I know his situation is dire.
Hello,

I am really pulling for him, it seems he is really trying, bless him!
Definitely don't give up on him, they can really fight to survive.
That's good you are dividing the feedings into smaller feedings,
that will help a lot for him. That is hard I know, to get food into him
if he isn't cooperating but keep trying to encourage him to take in
some type of food to try to get his strength up.

Keep us updated on him.
Tracie
Hello AHBD and Tracie,

Thank you for your kind concern. Sadly, he passed away peacefully on December 31st around 3 PM, with us by his side. It was heartbreaking to witness him transform from such a sweet and lively little one to becoming so unwell and frail. We did everything we could to save him, but perhaps he was just too young and had a fragile immune system. We are deeply grateful to everyone who followed this post and offered suggestions. It truly means so much to us. After this experience, we’ve realized the importance of spending more time finding a reputable breeder. We really hope the breeder who sold us this bearded dragon takes steps to improve. This is not just a matter of money......It has deeply affected us emotionally.

Me and my husband will continue to support our local nonprofit reptile organizations and send our love to every reptile in need of care and assistance. And happy new year to everyone.

Best,
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Awww, I'm so sorry. :( I could tell in the last pic that he was fading. You guys did all you could to help him andthere was something that caused him to go downhill so fast. I know this affected you emotionally so my heart goes out to you. If and when you decide to get another here's some info. I know of the best long time breeders in the U.S

I can recommend a very good breeder that has healthy dragons for low prices. They are Dachiu out of Pennsylvania. Their dragons are always healthy and whenever they post what's for sale they usually sell that day. I have no association with them other than knowing they've had this reputation for over 25 years. Here's a link to their page.

BTW , I'd go with a non transluscent personally.
 

Kamewu

Member
Original Poster
Awww, I'm so sorry. :( I could tell in the last pic that he was fading. You guys did all you could to help him andthere was something that caused him to go downhill so fast. I know this affected you emotionally so my heart goes out to you. If and when you decide to get another here's some info. I know of the best long time breeders in the U.S

I can recommend a very good breeder that has healthy dragons for low prices. They are Dachiu out of Pennsylvania. Their dragons are always healthy and whenever they post what's for sale they usually sell that day. I have no association with them other than knowing they've had this reputation for over 25 years. Here's a link to their page.

BTW , I'd go with a non transluscent personally.
Thank you, AHBD! I checked out the website and really appreciate the health guarantee they offer. I just remembered seeing them at the White Plains Expo as well, but their booth was so crowded that I didn’t get a chance to stop by. Thanks for sharing and we're definitely check them out once we ready for the next one.

I typically donate to nonprofit reptile organizations I follow on social media since it’s easy to stay updated on their activities, and I also make sure to show my support at Expos.
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

I am so sorry you lost him. :cry:The pain emotionally from losing a precious dragon is undeniably one of the worst things you can go through. Most don't understand the pain involved & for me, it never really goes away. Somehow, it fades some & gets a little easier to deal with but, you always remember.
You did everything you could for him & I am positive that he knew just how much you loved him. I am glad that he had you with him when he needed you.
I hope you can find some peace.

Tracie
 

Kamewu

Member
Original Poster
Hello,

I am so sorry you lost him. :cry:The pain emotionally from losing a precious dragon is undeniably one of the worst things you can go through. Most don't understand the pain involved & for me, it never really goes away. Somehow, it fades some & gets a little easier to deal with but, you always remember.
You did everything you could for him & I am positive that he knew just how much you loved him. I am glad that he had you with him when he needed you.
I hope you can find some peace.

Tracie
Thank you, Tracie. The past few days have been really difficult for us emotionally. We took him for a private cremation today, and it was incredibly hard to say goodbye. Even though he was only with us for 5 weeks, we still think about him every day. I hope he’s enjoying himself in the beardie world now. I truly appreciate this forum and the support it provides. I’ll do my best to share my experiences and help others here.

Much love!
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

I am so sorry, it is so very difficult to lose a precious
dragon no matter how short or long of a time you have them. I truly hope you can heal from this loss
& somehow find peace & solace.
Please feel free to stay around here on the forum,
there are a lot of great people here in this small
community.

Tracie
 

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