My Dragon Is Sick

[bah09131962]

My Beardy has been sick...I have had him to the herp vet three times in the last two months and was at the herp vet again last week. He was tested and found 5 different parasites when he was just a baby in August of this year...they put his cells under a microscope and gave him a shot. A few weeks later I started seeing his phoenix worms whole in his poop...I took him back again and they tested him again and now found protozoa and gave him another shot...two weeks later still pooping whole phoenix worms...I took him back again they gave him another shot and have now given him flagyl (metrodonzonale) 0.1 every other day for two weeks...Any other ideas to help him...he did not eat well yesterday...I am giving him baths daily and feed him phoenix worms and gut loaded crickets...he gets bok choy, mustard greens, dandelion greens, blueberries, grapes, strawberries, beans off and on carrots...all chopped up small..he gets his calcium and mineral supplements and his substrate his unbleached paper towels...changed once to twice a day and the bottom and sides of tank is cleaned with diluted vinegar and all food is organic...any suggestions on what is going on any help please...

His tank has a UVB bulb and one side is at 85 degrees and the other side ranges from 105-110 degrees...

Any help please...what am I doing wrong or what is the vet missing here...he is now about 6 months active and eating daily and pooping one to two times a day and it is not runny just full of worms...

 

[destiny1998]

Hi. Need more information on your set up. Also beardies eat the Phoenix worms so fast they don't digest well since they get swallowed whole. What kind of uvb? Coil/compact or tube and brand? How are you taking temps?

 

[bah09131962]

Thank you so much for your reply I have probe thermometers on both sides of the tanks...I have a UVB Bulb in a ceramic holder on top of my cover and a I have a 100 watt bulb on the cool side at about 80-95..On the left side I have a basking bulb that gets up too about 110 ..and the UVB is a zoo med bulb not coil not tube zoo med about $65.00 I was told not too put the fluorescent tube inside the vivarium by my herb vet...so I bought the bulb that sits in the holder and sits right on top of the mesh screen...I was just told to buy a heat mat and out it under the tank to allow heat and put it on the opposite side of where is food dishes are...I do not leave water inside his vivarium and bathe him daily..

I hope I answered your questions. and my vivarium is a 40 gallon...

 

[destiny1998]

Ok well your vet was wrong about the lights. You need to get rid of the uvb bulb that you have as compact and coil burns their eyes, effects their appetite and proper digestion. You need to get a reptisun 10.0 Tube and you need to mount it in the tank. The screen blocks 30% or more of the rays he needs to stay healthy. Also beardies do not feel heat on their bellies so get rid of the heat mat as they can get burned. Do you dust his feeders with vitamins and calcium?

 

[dom1959]

you really need a new vet, imo.
you can get a lot of good info here,but you should get a new vet to test a fecal sample

 

[bah09131962]

I just got the fecal sample done and I was told he had Protoza and he is now on Flagyl 0.1 every other day for two weeks.

Any thoughts

 

[bah09131962]

Thank you..I have removed the bulb and installed a 10.0 reptisun bulb inside the tank..is anyone familiar with protozoa...also are phoenix worms okay to feed as he loves them...I also have crickets which are gutloaded with organic cornmeal...Does anyone have suggestions in keeping crickets longer as mine keep dying I buy from Armstrong crickets but within days I loose half of them.