My beardie is deathly sick

[Reptilelady]

Yes, could be burmation but, it could be something else. Burmation is dangerous for an ill dragon. I think it would be wise to err on the side of caution and, make sure there is not some other issue here before jumping on the burmation band wagon. They are tough little creatures but, delicate at the same time.

I agree with you. If he is actually ill while brumation that could be devastating. Have you tried go to an experienced reptile vet not just a regular vet who sees cats and dogs on a regular basis but someone who is actually qualified to work and see reptiles? If he or she says so, i would request to see their qualifications. If he or she refuses then i would not trust that vet at all. Next time your beardie poops i would save it and send it to a certified/qualified reptile vet and have it analyzed. Make sure nothing serious is going on. If it is Brumation and he is sleeping just think whatever might have could be sitting in his body making things worse. Either way, i would get a sample of his poop and send it to a qualified reptile vet. Call me OTT (Over the top) but I really care for animals and i rather play it safe than sorry.

 

[EllenD]

Maybe I'm wrong, but the way I took this post is that the OP is saying that his beardie is deathly sick, not moving, and has his eyes always closed BECAUSE he cannot always feed him...If I'm wrong then I apologize, but I'm pretty sure this has nothing to do with brumation, he's saying that he has not been able to feed his beardie recently, and now he's not moving.

The green pellets are the substrate, not food pellets, they must be some kind of gravel or something. It's quite possible that he's impacted with these "green pellet" substrate, which you need to remove right now, just put down clean paper towels in his tank for now, he could be literally full of whatever these pellets are...

Please verify if what I'm saying is correct so that we can try to help you...Do you think your beardie is sick and not moving now because you haven't been feeding him enough recently?

Please post some photos of him and his setup as well so we can see what's going on. We will try to help you.

 

[AHBD]

I don't think it's brumation either....something's not right. And the green pellets are probably alfalfa pellets .

https://www.google.com/search?q=alfalfa+pellets&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS695US695&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjR-MKt2frUAhVJeSYKHZZWCBsQsAQIqwI

 

[EllenD]

Oh, alfalfa pellets, you're probably right, I hadn't thought of them.

I agree, when I first read the post I took it as the OP was telling us that due to financial issues he hasn't been feeding his beardie much, and now the beardie is not moving, won't open his eyes, and won't eat...I wish he would clarify so we can at least try to suggest something to help...

 

[Reptilelady]

Whoops. If he is not moving at all then yeah its something serious than just brumation. Heck, i havent even experienced that yet with my beardie but thought id help and send a link on that. I am no professional but a qualified reptile vet has gone through schooling and has the experience than me. I would try changing out the substrate at least.

 

[EllenD]

I'm assuming if he can't afford to buy his beardie food, he's not going to be able to take him to the vet, unfortunately.

Again, maybe I'm totally wrong, but here's the direct quote that the OP wrote:

"Money has been hard for me so I can't always get him food. Now he won't move and he just sits all day with his eyes closed. Please help me."

Sounds like his beardie is most likely severely malnourished and dehydrated. I wish the OP would answer back, because if their beardie is that malnourished then trying to get nutrition in him has to be done very slowly and it needs to be the right thing to feed it, and he'll no doubt have to force feed, because the beardie will not have the strength nor the want to eat on it's own.

 

[Permutation]

Ya, at this point there is to much speculation if the OP doesn't return

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Any updates for us on your dragon?


Tracie

 

[Mavthebeast]

I force fed a superworm into his mouth, he spat it out, tried again he ate it. Yes, they are the alfalfa pellets and I can't afford a vet but he has been impacted before and I have him baths to get him to go. He's still doing terrible. I'm heartbroken

 

[Mavthebeast]

I don't know what to do. I think he may have parasites because I've seen a lot of weight loss recently. I wish I knew how to help him. He looks very sad and he seems in pain.

 

[kingofnobbys]

I don't know what to do. I think he may have parasites because I've seen a lot of weight loss recently. I wish I knew how to help him. He looks very sad and he seems in pain.

Sorry he is ill , but , you need to divert some money from some other aspect of your life and get him to a good reptile vet PRETTY QUICKLY ,else you will loose him.
Borrow the money , sell some stuff , ask for an advance on you pay , i'm sure you can find the money one way or another.

If he's impacted , DO NOT TRY TO GIVE HIM SOLID FOODS .... these will make the impaction worse, only sloppy foods by syringe into the SIDE OF HIS MOUTH and ONLY A LITLE AT A TIME so he doesn't aspirate it in his very weak state , and this is until you get a vet's clearance .

 

[EllenD]

I'm very sorry this is happening to you and your beardie, I want to help you but I'm still confused as to exactly what you think the issue is. I guess he hasn't pooped in a while, but how long since he last pooped? Does he have a black beard? Is he straining to poop a lot? Usually when they are very impacted they will start straining to go a lot, they swing their pelvis/hips back and forth and stand like they are trying to go. Sometimes they even get a curve or a hump in their spine, and often they loose some feeling in their back legs and have trouble moving them, like they go limp. And a black beard is also very common, especially when they are straining, as it is painful. As already mentioned do not feed him any more solid food if he is impacted, as it will literally just sit in his stomach/intestinal tract and rot, causing infections and other issues. Only liquids and liquid foods like prune baby food mixed with raw, canned pumpkin and some unflavored Pedialyte. You buy a jar of prune baby food and a can of plain, raw pumpkin (with the canned vegetables at the store), and a bottle of unflavored Pedialyte because he's dehydrated and needs the electrolytes, the generic Walmart brand Pedialyte is fine... dump the entire jar of prune baby food into a Tupperware container that is able to be microwaved, then add 2-3 spoonfuls of the canned pumpkin, mix it up, and then add in the unflavored Pedialyte until the slurry is thin enough to be sucked up into an eyedropper or an oral syringe. Mix it really well, and microwave it for 45 seconds to warm it, mix it really well again and test it on your wrist, it should be warm but not hot. Try to get him to lick at least 2ml of it off of the end of his snout (2 eyedroppers full or 2cc's on a syringe, more if you can get him to take it, he needs the fluids). The canned pumpkin is a very good natural laxative....

I'm not exactly sure that an impaction is his issue though, we don't know your UVB lighting situation or the temperatures in his enclosure...And my major concern to start off was that I was under the impression that he was sick because you hadn't been feeding him enough. I'm not asking this to criticize you or anything, but rather to be able to help you, it's very important that if he is actually sick due to malnutrition that he be fed the correct things and that it happen very slowly, because if he hasn't been eating for an extended period of time to the point that he's now sick because of it, if you feed him a bunch of solids and protein all of a sudden he can actually get much more sick and his body can actually go into a kind of shock, where his kidneys and liver cannot handle too much at one time...That's why I'm asking you what the actual problem with him is, as you mentioned in your original post that "you can't always get food for him", so if that's actually what the issue is then we need to know...I mean, how often recently has he not had food? I'm not sure how to ask the question, I guess I'm asking what you meant when you said that, like in the last month how much has he been fed, how long has he gone without eating? And what are you feeding him when you are able to get him food, and how much does he eat? Is he really thin, like emaciated?

Again, I'm trying to help, we all are, so it's important to try to figure out what the actual problem is if we're going to try to save him, and if you can't take him to an experienced reptile vet, which is what should be done immediately, then we can at least try to help. I just don't understand exactly what you meant by what you said, and if you meant that this is why he's sick...

A photo of both him and his enclosure/lights would be extremely helpful to see what we're dealing with here...He should go to a reptile vet right now, but I understand that you cannot afford to take him. All I can say is that if he is in pain like you think he is, he's suffering and needs some help, so we'll try, but if you can borrow the money please take him to a reptile vet...Try applying for CareCredit online, all vets take it...But if you can't then please try to explain the situation and post some photos, and we'll see what we can do to help him..

This is very critical at this point, especially if he's in pain, so try to post quickly...

 

[Mavthebeast]

I think I fed him about 10-15 times last month, and he is very black. I can't take him to a vet, but his temps are about 90-100 degrees fairenheit and he has a reptisun 10.00 bulb not a coil and he refuses to eat anything. He just spits it out. He has moved about 4 inches in the last 3 days. If anybody could give me Direct instructions like step 1, step 2, etc. really need something quick

 

[neilkd21]

Are you able to post a picture like EllenD said so we can see, it's very hard to give advice if we don't know what we dealing with.

I know you have said you can't afford a vet but if he really is that sick a vet may be the only option, especially if he is suffering. Personally that would be the 1st thing to do, is there no way you can borrow the money as others have said.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

In this case, there isn't anything you can do at home, other than supportive care which was suggested, per the soft foods, etc.
If he has parasites that badly, enough to make him lose weight, it will kill him from malnutrition & destruction of the GI tract. His liver or kidneys could be having trouble, but it sounds like he needs subcutaneous fluids to boost his hydration & some blood work to determine what is going on. We cannot diagnose without really knowing what is going on with him.
Since he is dark black, he is obviously in pain & distress. He needs to see a vet, somehow.
You can apply for Care credit, or ask a friend or family member to help out, but at this point, he is definitely suffering & he does deserve to have health care.

Tracie