New, sick babies. Two Scary, sleepless nights

[randisjoy]

I have always wanted a bearded dragon and I just had a couple fall into my lap that really need help, especially one. The second one seems to be undernourished but pretty good. She's alert and pretty active and ate very good yesterday. She (Blazer) seems to be slightly malnourished and dehydrated.

The VERY sick dragon (I named him Pilot) was COMPLETELY white yesterday. He was and still is not moving. He's just too weak. I visited a friends home and was so saddened by what a saw. This was several months ago and he was white but not all bones like he is now. The next time I went to visit the family I asked to see him & he was absolutely fine. They said they just fed him a few days in a row (aren't you supposed to feed them EVERYDAY?!! ) This past week I was there again and was so mad at myself for not asking if I could care for them sooner because what I saw was frightening. Seeing my concern, they asked if I wanted the two of them. I think they were happy to not have the responsibility. (they were their children's responsibility who did not do a good job at all. Shame on the parents for letting this happen!! ) My daughter & I went over there yesterday to bring them home. I need to be sure I have gotten good advice in the set up and that I am doing everything I can to save Pilot's fragile life. These other people had them for several years in a set up that didn't supply enough heat. The dragons only had a reptile heating pad (which doesn't seem to put out much heat at all!) and one long fluorescent tube stretched over them both. I've brought both bearded babies back to my home and bought a 40 gallon breeder critter keeper. I put them in together, which I wasn't to sure of. First, I was thinking it was very scary because if one is sick and the other isn't, I don't want to end up with two sick Dragons! Also, because the "healthy" (I say that loosely because she is very skinny but is alert and eating on her own) but she's is a little ball of fire compared to him & I didn't want her to hurt him! I was told they were separated a few yrs ago when they were babies because there was mysterious wound that showed up on the little one and they were worried the bigger one (now the sicker one) did it. All the pet stores I've spoken with encouraged me to put them together. The sicker ones symptoms seem to be from being very dehydrated and malnourished (besides the mysterious white color which NOBODY has a clue) so I'm really thinking/hoping there's nothing to catch. I'm also thinking his color has to do with not enough heat? In the car on the way to my home, my daughter kept him close to her on her arm to warm him up. By the time the 10 minute ride was over, he already had a little bit of his color back. I've invested quite a lot (for me at least!)in hopes of turning this little guy around. I don't think he's had sufficient heat (or food!)so I got a mercury vapor light. Even though it has both types of light, I'm still going to stick the long fluorescent on there during the day. Can't hurt, right? The mercury vapor light is 125 watts (exo terra solar glo). Also, for extra heat, I stuck the two little heating pads under the hot side. I hope that's OK? Last night was the first night they were here. I bought a 75 watt black bulb to keep them heated overnight. I read a good temp for the night can be as low as mid 60's but with them not being 100% and especially Pilot (whom I scared is very close to dying I wanted to take no chances. Do I have the right idea or even though he's so sick, would he fair better in the lower night temp? I also keep my home very airconditioned. The temp during the day has been 85-88 or so. Is that high enough? Last night it was about 70 with the 75 watt black bulb. I guess that will be OK for when they're healthy? I was uncomfortable with it because of their health though so today I went out and bought a 100 watt ceramic heat bulb for the night hours. (I guess from what I've read on here, the stick on therm that I'm using (one on each side stuck down 3/4 of the way closer to the bottom) is unreliable? What kind is it that I need and where should I look for it?

I put the new ceramic heat bulb on tonight. I had just fed Pilot the emergency Flucker's (which I really hope I am doing right!!? I described how I'm doing it a paragraph down. Sorry I'm all over the place here!) so, because I fed him right before turning out the lights, I put the black bulb on too (the box said it helps with digestion) Well, I just went over there and noticed Pilot managed to move away (a very little bit) from the black bulb (I had it right over him), so it must of been too much and I unplugged it. The temp read about 84 degrees so I'll see what it goes down to --{update-hours later it's barely 80 degrees}--All I know is this morning and through the night(I woke up several times in the night to check him. I really was so worried I couldn't sleep) he looked all white again and I was really scared I was going to wake up to find him gone. This whole thing is so stressfull. I want him to pull through!

I cant find his symptoms of the white on the internet at all. I'm not even sure if it's that important anymore and that maybe he just needs nourishment and heat?? He has gotten a lot of his gray/brown back except his head is still pretty white (I can give these updates because I've been at this forum for HOURS straight! . Does anybody have any ideas of what I can do to "bring this little guy back to health? I'm so scared for him.

Yesterday, when I got him home & saw he had NO strength to even try & eat, I went to the pet store and got Flucker's Repta Aid-an emergency aid to feed him with a syringe. Is anyone familiar with this? Directions say only feed them 50% of RDA for the 1st-4th days. I was told he is about 3 years old which makes him an adult? Directions said to give 6cc of warm water with 12 teaspoons of the Aid. So, for 1/2 amount I still gave him the full water but only 6tsps of the product. Even with just the 6 tsp instead of 12, it was SO SO thick that I ended up adding more water. He seemed to be a bit better but ONLY immediately (for a min or two)after feedings yesterday. Today, hmm, I guess. His color is much better today though. I did try to make it thicker and follow the directions to a 'T', but after I finished half the syringe tonight, my gut told me to go add a bit more warm water, so I did. Is it supposed to be so thick or am I reading the directions wrong?
He has opened his eyes today. A VERY little bit and it takes great effort. Yesterday he opened them for a split second right after I fed him and put him back in his home. He is really, really weak. It's hard to feed him while looking at his very sick face. His eyes almost look black and blue and they are "sunken in" too. He's just so sweet and fragile I hope I'm doing everything I can for this little guy!! Any suggestions would be SO appreciated.

Thanks SOO much,
Randi

 

[FaaFaa]

OK I don't know a lot about all of this. Here is what I can tell you. You need to use a digital probe thermometer if you aren't already, they are VERY accurate so you can be sure of your temps. Your daytime temps need to be about 100-101ish so the 85ish where your sitting right now is too cold during the day. At least I think that is what you said it was. As a rule of thumb you want to cut off evening feeding 2 hours BEFORE you turn off your lights this way they can properly digest their food. As far as the look of the dragons how about posting a few pics of them? That will help the more experiened people on here give you the right advice. You might also want to take the time to describe your set-up completly on here too. Have you thought about going to the vet? You can find a good herp vet at http://www.herpvetconnection.com Other questions you might want to answer on here for the experts... Have you been bathing them? What are you trying to feed them? How old are the dragons? If you are unsure of the age how big are they(nose to tip of tail)?

I wish you the best of luck and I commend you for taking on these 2 babies. Blazer and Piolt are lucky to have found you. This site is amazing and very helpful, you will get a ton of help here.

 

[isabelleandpaul]

Hi, I am new to beardies too, and I had a sick baby. I think what really helped him was force-feeding baby food twice a day and bathing two-three times a day in electrolyte for 20-30 minutes (I used Exo-Terra electrolyte and vitamin D3 liquid supplement, the only thing available at my pet store for dehydration). The bath was easy, my dragon did not move much. After the bath, he seemed a little more alert and awake for some time. Eventually he kept getting stronger.

So I suggest the bath for your sick dragon (however my dragon is wisdom is still very limited!).

Good luck!

 

[randisjoy]

I have the Fluker's Liquid Vitamin Electrolyte Supp (it says for all reptiles though )

It's to spray on their food but the store said I can spray on them too. I wonder if I can add this to the bath water as well ??

Thank you for your reply!!!!!

 

[joeyb504]

i'm not really ood at advice but you coul message mrs barbara she knows a whole lot her name here is
fresnowitte

 

[randisjoy]

Thank you, Joeyb504. I just sent her a message!!

 

[FaaFaa]

Maybe this topic should be mover to the ER page, it may get a little more traffic and a lot more experience!

 

[randisjoy]

Thanks. It is under the ER with picrues now , as well. Please, any advice. I can't lose him.
Thanks,
Randi