Hi everyone! I just want to track Kevin's recovery so that it can be accessed in the future by other owners and myself. Plus it makes me feel better!
Original thread with x-ray can be viewed here:
viewtopic.php?f=45&t=239010
So it's Sunday (Christmas Eve) & our 1st day on the recovery path. Kevin seemed more tired earlier last night, as was I, long, rough day, so we had lights out @ 6:30. Apparently we both needed extra sleep & I didn't get up to turn his lights on til 8! (I've purchased a timer now, just gotta set it up)
His good morning pic!
I had seen others mention raising his night temp to boost his immunity so plugged in his CHE for the 1st time ever & he slept @ 80° (would love input on this)
He got right up & was looking around within 5mins of lights on. I gave him his Metacam (0.01ml) @ 9 but it's such a small amount & I'm so inexperienced that I'm unsure if he actually got it. He struggled a lot & I was worried he would hurt himself! He immediately laid down, head & all, in my hand for about 2mins, then I put him back in his hospital tank.
He just had breakfast about 9:45 & ate 9 herptivite crix, which I'm so happy about! I also put in his normal listed greens h squash, but he doesn't usually head to that til closer to noon. He's taking the crix from my hand again & when I dropped one he fell over trying to catch it so I will be exclusively hand feeding for the 1st bit, til he can manage a little better.
I'm having a lot of trouble getting his temps right with insufficient small lamps & needing his basking spot to be on the floor. His cool side is good, staying around 79-80° but his hot side is getting to hot. I'm using the Zilla mini dome with a 50watt halogen mini bulb. We have a 25watt also but it had previously blown so I'll be heading out today to get a replacement. All out other bulbs are getting WAY to hot or nowhere near hot enough. It's currently at 112° & he's hanging out along the outsides of it.
I will do an update tonight after dinner. If ANYONE has any advice on anything I'm doing, I will adjust it willingly. I really only want the best for Kevin & am trying my best but I am not the slightest bit experienced with Beardies in the 1st place, definitely not with an injured one. I did get a lot of kudos from the vets office that I've gotten everything right thus far & he is very healthy. I owe all that credit to reading threads here constantly for the 1st 2weeks or so & ditching everything I originally purchased & buying all new everything! So thanks to everyone in this community. I've only had him a little shy of a month so I can't say much but I'd hate to imagine how bad this coulda been had I stuck with the "kit" i originally had for him! I'm gonna go take a pic of his tiny hospital tank to upload for constructive criticism as well!
Here is his tiny 10g tank (the only thing useful in the kit) that the vet recommended I keep him in to limit movement
There's nothing to climb on, newspaper to prevent his splint catching, & salad offered on a lid to prevent climbing into bowl. All this was vet recommended & I hate it!
Top view as you can see he is lingering on the edges of his light due to temp being too high.
Thanks for reading!