need help fast...

[rebfeehan]

This morning at 8 O CLOCK I am getting the ReptiSUN. We have a PetSmart a little further away I am going to and if they don't have it I WILL order it online for him.

I also am going to get the Pink and Blue labeled calcium and vitamins you recommended. I just have one question about when you said this: For the calcium and vitamin supplements - the best out there is the rep-cal, phosphorous free with D3 (has a pink label) 5 times per week and then the repcal herptivite (blue label) 2 times per week! They are the most popular and highly recommended supplements so I really think they would also help him.

Does this apply to a juvenile?

You guys have been so much help. I feel terrible that I had the wrong equipment.

I have another question, while the sun is still out today would it be a good idea to take him out for some natural sunlight for a little while? If so how long is safe? Where I live there can be gusts of wind, is this bad for him?

 

[MissT]

Yes, that is what you should be supplementing a juvenille in terms of calcium and vitamins.

On a side note, have you checked out www.beautifuldragons.com yet - it has a great list of feeding options - some super ideas for salad contents!!!

If the temp is around the mid 70's upwards, I would def get him out for some natural sunlight - as long as you possibly can. If you have a large rubbermaid you could put a towel on the bottom of it and put him in that or you could get a little leash to put him on (I am overly cautious when it comes to outdoors - you never know when something might startle them!!!)

I feel terrible that I had the wrong equipment.

I think most of us did that - I started out with EVERYTHING wrong - I had a teeny viv, a bulb that was far too hot, a repti-GLO, sand and dessert snow for substrate etc etc.... our first beardie had outgrown her viv within a month of getting her!! I was so glad I had found this site and was getting her new viv ready very quickly lol!!! We all have to start somewhere and it takes a lot of time to figure it all out!!!

T

 

[rebfeehan]

Thank you sooo so much. <3

I will definitely take him out for some sunshine right now! Another question I have is, what type of heating bulb (as in brand) should I use? I know I need to get the temps going right, but for the record what I have in is a 150 watt (I hope I am using the right terminology) which made the ambient temp in his basking spot about 117. The cool side is roughly 78 to 82 degrees F.

I do have a 100 watt and a 75 watt as well that I was going through trying to get the temp to be correct. What brand do you guys suggest? Links would be great for me to bookmark so I can get my list all ready for the morning trip. And my tank is a 20 gallon long and for the basking light I use a clamp light aimed down into the viv, so anyone able to say roughly what would be better?

Thank you for the beautiful dragons link! I'm going through it now.

I am going to get the vitamins and calcium you have told me but I would like to ask what IS the difference between these two: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754048 the one I have been using? I am just the type who gets curious like that. Anyone who can explain it, please do! C:

 

[myzeak]

Thank you sooo so much. <3

I will definitely take him out for some sunshine right now! Another question I have is, what type of heating bulb (as in brand) should I use? I know I need to get the temps going right, but for the record what I have in is a 150 watt (I hope I am using the right terminology) which made the ambient temp in his basking spot about 117. The cool side is roughly 78 to 82 degrees F.

I do have a 100 watt and a 75 watt as well that I was going through trying to get the temp to be correct. What brand do you guys suggest? Links would be great for me to bookmark so I can get my list all ready for the morning trip. And my tank is a 20 gallon long and for the basking light I use a clamp light aimed down into the viv, so anyone able to say roughly what would be better?

Thank you for the beautiful dragons link! I'm going through it now.

I am going to get the vitamins and calcium you have told me but I would like to ask what IS the difference between these two: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754048 the one I have been using? I am just the type who gets curious like that. Anyone who can explain it, please do! C:

For the basking lamp i would go with an ordinary halogen flood light it is much cheaper and also most of the bulbs at a pet store put out uvb or things that might overload your beirdie and some bulbs arnt good for them. Or if you dont want a flood light just a bright white bulb that will put out enough heat. The Flood lights and regular bulbs are usualy cheaper so it dont hurt as much for you to experament with the watts to get the temps good

 

[rebfeehan]

Just wanted to make an update on Kusanagi (that's his name). I got the bulb and he seems a little more alert. He still sleeps a lot of the day, but he moves himself around a few times every hour regulating his temp and going after mealworms I leave out for him during the day to try and fatten the poor little guy up because he lost so much weight. At first I was really hopeful, he ate a little more each day, until yesterday he only ate two crickets and later ate a mealworm. So today I've gotten the baby food and am prepared to have him lap it up if he refuses his crickets. But I'm hopeful that he will continue to get a little better and I am already planning to get new things to redesign his tank in case he doesn't regain his ability to jump around into his hammock again. Without you guys I don't think he would be here today, so thank you all very very much.

 

[rebfeehan]

Well he wouldn't eat any crickets today. I got him to lap up some baby food but he eventually refused that as well.

 

[MissT]

Just wanted to make an update on Kusanagi (that's his name). I got the bulb and he seems a little more alert. He still sleeps a lot of the day, but he moves himself around a few times every hour regulating his temp and going after mealworms I leave out for him during the day to try and fatten the poor little guy up because he lost so much weight. At first I was really hopeful, he ate a little more each day, until yesterday he only ate two crickets and later ate a mealworm. So today I've gotten the baby food and am prepared to have him lap it up if he refuses his crickets. But I'm hopeful that he will continue to get a little better and I am already planning to get new things to redesign his tank in case he doesn't regain his ability to jump around into his hammock again. Without you guys I don't think he would be here today, so thank you all very very much

It will take time for him to get completely back to normal. Just keep an eye on him and if you are still concerned about him try to get him back to the vet for further tests. Have you had a fecal checked? If not, try to get one of those done soon too - just to ensure there is nothing else bothering him. Is he basking then? Thats great that he is moving arouung a bit more. I would be cautious with the mealworms tho - they have a hard shell and can be difficult to digest so for now, try to go with soft bodied worms like butterworms, hornworms or even some phoenix worms (although they are pretty tiny).

At least he took a little baby food! Is he eating any salad at all?

Perhaps in the mean time, you could make his viv a little more accessible for him. Remove anything he could fall off, perhaps put in some rice socks for climbing on and maybe a nice big fluffy towel on one side of his viv. If his basking spot is high up, lower it - just make things as easy as possible for him while he recovers and that could encourage him to move around that little bit more.

Did you get the basking bulb sorted? How are the temps now - just to check, you are taking those with a digital thermometer? (I have a memory like a goldfish hehe!!)

 

[Buggsy]

I have just read the whole post, and is there any of the mesh covering in between the UVB bulb and the tank? If so this will filter alot of the UVB out, so no matter how good a bulb you have, the dragon wont be getting enough.

Its just something no-one had mentioned yet. How is he doing??

 

[rebfeehan]

I have just read the whole post, and is there any of the mesh covering in between the UVB bulb and the tank? If so this will filter alot of the UVB out, so no matter how good a bulb you have, the dragon wont be getting enough.

Its just something no-one had mentioned yet. How is he doing??

Yes there is a mesh cover, ugh. And he's not doing that great. He's moving around a bit every day but he won't eat any crickets any more and I can only get so much baby food into him.

The basking spot to answer the previous question is at 105.

 

[MissT]

Can you mount the reptisun, inside the enclosure? That way the UV will be of much more benefit to him.

 

[rebfeehan]

Can you mount the reptisun, inside the enclosure? That way the UV will be of much more benefit to him.

I can't put it right in but I am able to slide the mesh screen away from it and have it still on top of the tank but now with no mesh between it and the enclosure. Will that help?

 

[Buggsy]

Yes id do that, like i said any mesh will filter out the UVB. Hope he starts to get better for you!

 

[rebfeehan]

He refuses to stay over where the UVB is shining down.

 

[Buggsy]

Strange, have you got the temps all sorted now? I would just give it another day or two. It was the reptiSUN you got from the shop right, the 10?

 

[rebfeehan]

Strange, have you got the temps all sorted now? I would just give it another day or two. It was the reptiSUN you got from the shop right, the 10?

Yes it was. The temp is 105 in the basking spot.