Just adopted a second lizard who has been neglected.

[johnnyze]

Hi all!

It's been awhile since I used these forums, the last time I came here was when I was just getting started and needed some help.

I recently took a beardie from my friends younger brother who just left it in his room all day, only feeding him once every few weeks with waxworms. I was told he hasn't pooped in months, so when I got him that was my first priority. I gave him a bath to no avail, and just gave him veggies every day to get things moving. He pooped today, probably the hugest poop I've ever seen from a bearded dragon. About the length of a large index finger and the width of a thumb. Crazy stuff.

What would you recommend I do now? I think he has a calcium deficiency since he shakes a bit when he walks around (I remember reading that was a cause somewhere).

Any advice is appreciated, thank you!

 

[kingofnobbys]

I will be willing to bet he had no UVA and no UVB and no dietary calcium.

No food in , no poo out it's a simple equation.

How old is the dragon ?

How heavy ?

Can you put up a few photos of it and the tank and the lights you have it in.

1st order of business IMO is a thorough vet check. Else you going to be flying blind and oversupplimentation can more dangerous the vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Bloods and Xrays and ultrasounds are a good idea.
I think this is a very high priority , get him to a good HERP vet ASAP.

2nd order of business = UV lighting
make sure he has a good quality 10%uvb or better T8 or T5 tube with a reflector hood or a good MVB in his tank. = Arcadia, Exo Terra or Zoo Med . Steer clear of other brands of UV light and MVBs.
He needs UVA to help increase his appetite and to help with the shakes (likely UVA deficiency)
he needs UVB and dietary calcium (in gut loaded insects, on insects) and likely to get daily doses of a vet grade liquid calcium given by syringe into his mouth.

3rd order of business = build him up , start slow with liquid suppliments such as HerpaBoost or ReptaBoost , maybe Carnivore Critical Care , given orally by mouth by syringe if he wont eat these as a firm paste. You might also get some Repashi BugPie to give as a firm paste (is based on dehydrated BSF maggots so naturally high in calcium and a very good insect protein source).

4th order of business simultaneous with 2 and 3 above, sort out his tank temperatures, I suggest keeping him warm at night too, this will help boost his metabolism and immune system.

5th order of business = ditch the "friend" , if he treats his totally dependent pet this way, he's not the kind of person you want to be associated with.

 

[CooperDragon]

It's a good sign that he pooped and is eating some veges. Go easy on food at first as to not overwhelm his system. I would keep offering him water via drops on his nose to ensure he is well hydrated. If he's eating veges on his own, keep offering a nice wide variety of those. Go easy on the protein/bugs for a while because that can overwhelm his system. High end UVB and proper temp gradients in his tank are also critical as KingofNobbys mentioned. It sounds like he may need nutritional supplements but a good vet exam will help determine what he needs. Until then I would keep him hydrated and give him plenty of different veges. Introduce bugs slowly and start with ones that are easy to digest like silk worms.