Juvenile with on going diarrhea

[J.t94]

Hello,
I am new here. I am mildly educated in basics of reptile care, having them all my life and my parents having them as well. But I’m at a loss and exhausted.
For some information: 75g tank, weighs 236g, basking ambient temp is 90.1, laser checked at 105, cool side 74. 100w deep dome thrive basking bulb and 10.0 Acadia uvb 24 inch bulb. Eating 15 crickets morning and night, few hours worms as treats, bsfl, horn and silk. Collard greens, dandelion greens, acorn squash, arugula, rotated depending what I have bought that week. All food dusted in calcium rotating with and without d3 calcium. And daily probiotic nutribac. Spot and deep Cleaning with f10, soak for 10 mins and then air dried.
To begin our journey:
I got my little dragon Feb 5, 2023. He was approx 6-8 weeks old from a pet shop. He started having loose bowels pretty well right away. Cycling between loose and formed and healthy looking. More loose than formed. I took him into a vet about 3 weeks later and she tested positive for coccidia, pinworms, and 2 other parasites (vet said they already live in the gut of a dragon but there was an overgrowth)
So we started daily medication for 5 days to kill the pinworms, then 5 days of another med for the coccidia. And I’m sorry I didn’t keep records of brands of medication.
Bowels didn’t improve so about 2 weeks later vet gave us 5 days of every other day of metronidazole 100ml. Bowel improved significantly and the vet was happy. Bowels stayed healthy for a few days and slowly went back to liquid. I reached out and picked up another round of metronidazole. We have 1 dose left of this. Bowel has greatly improved but not healthy looking yet.
I am exhuasted, rigorous cleaning, researching, medication dispensing, worrying. I feel like I’m doing everything right. I just want Lenny to have a good life but I’m at a loss. I’m even at the point of considering someone else might be best to care for her instead because I feel terrible for her that I can’t cure her. My heart sinks every bowel that isn’t healthy. I just love her.
What more can I do? What am I doing wrong? Any advice? Please help

 

[KarrieRee]

Hello,
I am new here. I am mildly educated in basics of reptile care, having them all my life and my parents having them as well. But I’m at a loss and exhausted.
For some information: 75g tank, weighs 236g, basking ambient temp is 90.1, laser checked at 105, cool side 74. 100w deep dome thrive basking bulb and 10.0 Acadia uvb 24 inch bulb. Eating 15 crickets morning and night, few hours worms as treats, bsfl, horn and silk. Collard greens, dandelion greens, acorn squash, arugula, rotated depending what I have bought that week. All food dusted in calcium rotating with and without d3 calcium. And daily probiotic nutribac. Spot and deep Cleaning with f10, soak for 10 mins and then air dried.
To begin our journey:
I got my little dragon Feb 5, 2023. He was approx 6-8 weeks old from a pet shop. He started having loose bowels pretty well right away. Cycling between loose and formed and healthy looking. More loose than formed. I took him into a vet about 3 weeks later and she tested positive for coccidia, pinworms, and 2 other parasites (vet said they already live in the gut of a dragon but there was an overgrowth)
So we started daily medication for 5 days to kill the pinworms, then 5 days of another med for the coccidia. And I’m sorry I didn’t keep records of brands of medication.
Bowels didn’t improve so about 2 weeks later vet gave us 5 days of every other day of metronidazole 100ml. Bowel improved significantly and the vet was happy. Bowels stayed healthy for a few days and slowly went back to liquid. I reached out and picked up another round of metronidazole. We have 1 dose left of this. Bowel has greatly improved but not healthy looking yet.
I am exhuasted, rigorous cleaning, researching, medication dispensing, worrying. I feel like I’m doing everything right. I just want Lenny to have a good life but I’m at a loss. I’m even at the point of considering someone else might be best to care for her instead because I feel terrible for her that I can’t cure her. My heart sinks every bowel that isn’t healthy. I just love her.
What more can I do? What am I doing wrong? Any advice? Please help

Where is the uvb- inside the tank or top of screen? Digital probe thermometers are the most accurate for surface basking temps-- ir guns can be off depending on the material

 

[J.t94]

Where is the uvb- inside the tank or top of screen? Digital probe thermometers are the most accurate for surface basking temps-- ir guns can be off depending on the material

On top of screen

 

[KarrieRee]

On top of screen

And your screen is a fine mesh like a screen door or a wide holed type

 

[J.t94]

And your screen is a fine mesh like a screen door or a wide holed type

Wide holes type. And 8 inches from basking

 

[Axil]

laser checked at 105,

You might want to try a digital probe and see what it reads in the basking area. Sometimes the lasers can't get a correct read on certain materials/color. My laser reads 5-8f higher than my probe on my basking surface.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

That has to be very frustrating indeed. Can you post a few pictures of your tank setup just so we
can see the exact setup for him?
Are you still using the Nutribac for him daily? That may help out. It sounds like his tummy is still
out of balance. You can try adding some sweet potato or butternut squash to see if that will help
to firm up things by adding some fiber.
We would all love to see his picture.

Tracie

 

[J.t94]

Hello,

That has to be very frustrating indeed. Can you post a few pictures of your tank setup just so we
can see the exact setup for him?
Are you still using the Nutribac for him daily? That may help out. It sounds like his tummy is still
out of balance. You can try adding some sweet potato or butternut squash to see if that will help
to firm up things by adding some fiber.
We would all love to see his picture.

Tracie

Cooked sweet potatoe or uncooked ? I feel absolutely terrible he doesn’t have a cool set up like everyone else. He’s been in a quarantine set up since I got the diagnosis

 

[J.t94]

You might want to try a digital probe and see what it reads in the basking area. Sometimes the lasers can't get a correct read on certain materials/color. My laser reads 5-8f higher than my probe on my basking surface.

Thank you I will look on Amazon !

 

[KarrieRee]

Wide holes type. And 8 inches from basking

I would upgrade the UVB bulb to a 12% bulb -- 8 inches is fine for a wide hole but definitely get the 12% bulb- and those digital probe thermometers- I would also look at upgrading the tank to a 4x2x2 tank - the log piece you have in your tank I have them as well - take and lay the long stick part down and the big thick trunk so its up and he can lay on it - he will utilize that piece w/ different areas to sit lean on etc -- raw shredded sweet potato is good -- you can get some textured NON adhesive shelf liner from Walmart or your local home improvement store as well for substrate

 

[J.t94]

I would upgrade the UVB bulb to a 12% bulb -- 8 inches is fine for a wide hole but definitely get the 12% bulb- and those digital probe thermometers- I would also look at upgrading the tank to a 4x2x2 tank - the log piece you have in your tank I have them as well - take and lay the long stick part down and the big thick trunk so its up and he can lay on it - he will utilize that piece w/ different areas to sit lean on etc -- raw shredded sweet potato is good -- you can get some textured NON adhesive shelf liner from Walmart or your local home improvement store as well for substrate

Thank you, I really appreciate your suggestions. I have full intentions to upgrade but it was a great starter tank when he was 6wk old.
I want to decorate and get more things for her but she’s been in quarantine for 3m which is the main reason for my posting. All these things can wait until we get the bowels under control

 

[KarrieRee]

Thank you, I really appreciate your suggestions. I have full intentions to upgrade but it was a great starter tank when he was 6wk old.
I want to decorate and get more things for her but she’s been in quarantine for 3m which is the main reason for my posting. All these things can wait until we get the bowels under control

Please get the UVB suggested for bulb its going to help --- as far as getting them under control try what was suggested for food - see if it helps - some dragons are prone to having loose stools--- I would not wait for the tank he needs a bigger tank - CooperDragon has a dragon w/ this issue
@CooperDragon