My 4yr old male beardies is biting, walking weird,breathing

[MylesO]

Hi. My beardie Tarzan has tried biting me a few times yesterday. First time he has every tried that before. He is also breathing out of his mouth a lot more. Not venting. I was cleaning his room the other day and he was sitting on a low window getting some sun while I cleaned. He's never jumped off before. Well this time he saw my female in the mirror and jumped down and hit the wall heater. I don't want part of him hit bit it seemed like it hurt and now I'm seeing all this different behavior. I feel so bad! This is my baby boy, super spoiled. I have a reptisun T5 5.0, 100 w basking light. T5 is about 6 inches from basking spot and in top of mess screen. Temp on hot side is 95-100, cool side 75-80.
Can't take to vet right now due to being broke ( no work due to covid 19) and no vet visits rt now. I am really scared and franking out. And suggestions??

 

[KarrieRee]

Your T 5 is inside or on top? Take some pics of him-- and post them ---Tracie and ahbd are gonna haft to help you w/ this - is he black bearding-? The biting could be he's in pain but he's beard will.also tell you-- click on the image uploader at top of screen in banner- then on top of the message box click on XIMG then click on pic it should post- Tracie is on at nite she's the vet moderator
Karrie

 

[MylesO]

Thank you Karrie. I tried to post pics. Hope it worked. He's is the process of shedding too. No black beared. He hasn't tried biting me today so far. I have him out getting some sun with me.

 

[KarrieRee]

Pic did not post try again heres a link
https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ click on XIMG at the top of the message box then click on the pic it should post
It could of been the shock from falling and scarring him -- the UVB is on top of screen or inside the tank?
Karrie

 

[MylesO]

Hi Karrie,
T5 5.0 on top of his screen. Newer hood so I haven't figure out to hang it inside. Thinking about upgrading to T8 10.0 if I read some post on here correctly, I can have that one on top of screen. The pics posted before the post for some reason

 

[KarrieRee]

The 5.0 is equivalent to a T 8 it should be inside the tank for correct UVB -- the 5.0 is not strong enough to go thru the screen the screen is blocking 30% of those rays -- I recommend you get a 10.0 T 5 -- then you can leave on top of screen - distance for basking decor needs to be approx 8-10 directly underneath the UVB -- and NO plastic cover over the bulb--- needs to be exposed if there is one
Karrie

 

[MylesO]

Thank you very much for that info and your help. I will get a 10.0 tube. I will try to contact Tracie and ahbd tonight.
Myles

 

[Drache613]

Hello Myles,

How is your boy doing today? He looks good overall though.
You have a Reptisun 5% or 10% T5? I have not had a chance to test the 5% T5 tube
with a UVB meter. It should be a good bulb, but not as strong as a 10% obviously, but
probably better than the T8 counterpart. It is the long tube bulb, correct? What type of
basking light are you using, is it coated with Neodymium or a bright white halogen flood
bulb?
Are you giving him a good calcium supplement as well a few times a week for him?
His tank looks very nice, & spacious for him also. I agree with Karrie, it would probably
be a good upgrade for him, to get him the 10% T5 tube instead in case he is having some
trouble getting enough UVB exposure with it through the screen.

Tracie

 

[loljelloclowdz]

He might be hormonal, lol. They gape when trying to show off sometimes, but if you smell their breath and it smells bad, it’s a respiratory infection or some other infection. (Yeah, I sniff things to determine if something is infected or not, but I swear our noses can still recognize many infectious bacteria! Also it’s unfortunate if you manage to catch a whiff of an infection because humans will gag in response to something perceived as a dangerous smell. Beardies also have been documented as having this behavior - they might understand that disease comes from poop, which is why they don’t poop in their enclosure unless they simply cannot hold it any longer.)

 

[MylesO]

Hi. He's doing ok. Although as I write this, I looked over to his room and noticed he was laying on his back and could not turn himself over! I am freaking out! He's breath does not stink thankfully. I now he has been in mating mode. He saw me female in the mirror a week ago and has been a horn dog ever since. Lol. He's still walking weird. Like he can't hold himself up or his legs aren't working right. I dust he bugs 2 to 3 times a week with calcium and twice a week with vitamins and those are both Rep-Cal . He's UVB light is a tube Reptisun T5 5.0 and I'm looking for the 10.0 today. The basking light is a zoo med 100w basking buld. Not sure if it's coated with anything. I'll post a pic of it. UVB bulb is replaced ever 6 months.

 

[KarrieRee]

Do you know how he got on his back? Did he fall off a decor piece? The basking bulb is a bright white one so that is good --- the T 5 can sit on top of the screen if its a 10.0--- the 5.0 MUST go inside the tank --- w/ a 10.0 basking decor should sit directly underneath approx 8-10 inches w/ it sitting on top of screen --- if you want it inside the tank it should be 12-15 inches from decor piece
Karrie

 

[MylesO]

I don't know how he got on his back. Could have been off a decor or he keeps trying to run and turn around against the glass. He trying to look for Lucy, my female. For some reason, my local pet shop says they don't make the Reptisun T5 10.0 on my size anymore so I'll have to look on-line. Just sucks now I have to wait and every idea for hanging it has failed. Lol . Plus the distance is to short if I hang it. Uhhh. My boy is almost 4 and I have not had any major problems until now.

 

[KarrieRee]

what size fixture ???? Go here and look for the bulb you need --
www.pangeareptiles.com I just got 2 22" bulbs in yesterday from them -- they are fast and good they ship fed ex
Karrie

 

[KarrieRee]

You can move decor pieces to get distance --- first hang fixture then adjust your decor piece --
you can use these to hang w/ 3 M command Velcro fasteners- picture hanging wire –long plastic zip ties-- fishing line -- shoe laces
Karrie

 

[MylesO]

Thank you Karrie and Tracie. I do have another question. Is it better for my dragon to have the light inside vs. on top? I understand I can go on top of the screen with the 10.0 but I'm just wondering what would be the best for Tarzan. Is the 10.0 ( with the proper distance) better inside? Does it matter if it's in the middle of the tank or the back?I apologize for all the questions but I thought I had everything set up just right. 4yrs later, he's having problems like I didn't do anything right.