Not acting right

[George3]

HI i need some help i moved my bearded dragon and he showed some stress hes eating but she hasnt pooped in 3-4 weeks
What Should i do
Should i call vet or what

 

[crickest]

Hello there - sorry to hear about the dragon being off - there are a couple of questions that might help diagnose the issue. You said you had just moved your dragon and he might be dealing with some relocation stress, but it also sounds like there might be more.

How old is your dragon?
What size enclosure do you have your dragon in?
What type substrate do you have on the bottom of your tank?
Do you use UVB lights?
If so, Is it a coil, compact, fluorescent tube, or Mercury Vapor bulb?
What is the brand name and number of your bulb? Wattage (if MVB)?
How old is your UVB bulb?
How close can your dragon get to the UVB?
Do you use a separate basking bulb? What kind and what is the wattage?
What are the basking temps?
What is the cool side temp?
Do you take the temps with a stick on thermometer, a digital thermometer with a wire and a probe end or a temp gun?
What do you feed your dragon? Please be specific.
Do you use vitamin or calcium supplements? What brand(s)? How many days a week do you use each of them?
Do you bath your dragon? How often?

I know it seems like a lot, but its hard to diagnose what's happening when we aren't there. There are a lot of dragon savvy people on this board and I'm sure someone will be able to help you.

 

[George3]

My dragon is 3-4 yrs old
My aqarium is somthing like 100-150 gallons
my substrate is kind of like a finer gravle
Yes i do use a uvb buld its 18" and thats all i know
i use two basking bulb i think one is 100 and other 70
I Dont Know know diffrent temps
I feed him super worms, pear, carrot, snow peas, kahl. and stuff like but he nvr eats veggies
i know this sounds bad but no supplaments cuz he nvr eats veggies
yes i bath her once a week for 10mins

Thank you
please help me i dont want him to die

 

[spurlee01]

Hi,
It's very important that we know the temperatures. If it's not hot enough they can't digest well and if it's too hot they will quickly become dehydrated. You should get a digital thermometer with a probe. Leave the probe for 45 minutes to get an accurate read. We need to know the basking temps, warm side temps, and cool temps. Also, we really need to know what type of UVB bulb you have. It should say on the end of the bulb. Some bulbs are notorious for causing horrible problems. As for getting him/her to eat salad, you can try putting the worms in the salad. If you bury them in the salad he/she may see the salad moving and it may be more enticing. Gravel is probably not a good substrate. If it's small enough he/she could even possibly eat it, it is very possible your dragon has become impacted. I would start bathing her more often. Since she hasn't pooped I would bathe her daily in warm water up to her armpits. Often warm water can stimulate bowel movements. I have never dealt with impaction in a dragon so hopefully someone else can get on here and give you recommendations.
Hope this helps,
Sara

 

[jacqui778]

My dragon is 3-4 yrs old
My aqarium is somthing like 100-150 gallons
my substrate is kind of like a finer gravle
Yes i do use a uvb buld its 18" and thats all i know
i use two basking bulb i think one is 100 and other 70
I Dont Know know diffrent temps
I feed him super worms, pear, carrot, snow peas, kahl. and stuff like but he nvr eats veggies
i know this sounds bad but no supplaments cuz he nvr eats veggies
yes i bath her once a week for 10mins

Thank you
please help me i dont want him to die

Hi,

Based on the information, this could be a couple of things-- the first thing that came to my mind was impaction. A 'finer gravel' doesn't sound very safe to dragons, unless you're feeding him/her outside of the viv. He/She could have swallowed some and now be impacted. I would get this out of the viv, and replace it with regular paper towels until they pass a bm.

Did you buy the fixture and it came with a tube bulb? If so, was it the Slimline Fixture? It sounds like he/she is probably not getting sufficient UVB either, which could lead to problems in the future. I would recommend ReptiSun (not ReptiGlo) 10.0, which you can get online here (very first one): http://www.petmountain.com/category/466/1/reptile-uva-uvb-bulbs.html

As you can see, it is very cheap and they're even having a sale, so I bet you can get a great deal on a bulb, considering they sell for $40-$50 in the pet stores.

You also need to be monitoring your dragon's temps, which can be done with a digital thermometer with a probe end. I personally use this one: http://www.petmountain.com/product/reptile-thermometers/511260/zoo-med-digital-thermometer-for-terrariums.html

You need to get supplements in your dragon. If he/she will not eat veggies, you will need to purchase Squash babyfood from your grocery store, and add these two (I use them, and they're the best if you're looking for a low price): http://www.petmountain.com/product/reptile-supplements/105552/rep-cal-orginial-powder-calicum-with-vitamin-d3.html

I would mix it in well, and feed via syringe. A normal medicine syringe will do, and as much as he/she will eat. You can also mix in chicken babyfood for protein, and applesauce to help bowel movements.

You said you feed your dragon supers-- how long is he/she? Superworms can cause impaction in dragons less than 15''. Also, since your dragon needs veggies, here is a chart of what they should be fed. Mine personally adores collard greens. http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html

You should also bump bathing times to twice a week, for about 20-30 minutes, so he/she is properly hydrated. Do you mist him/her or offer a water bowl?

To check for impaction, massage gently down your dragon's sides from the armpit to the vent (where they poo). If you feel something hard and abnormal, try to move it towards the vent to help him/her pass it.

I hope this helps, and I certainly hope your dragon's health improves. Don't worry, he/she won't die as long as you start giving him/her proper treatment.

-- Jacqui (feel free to PM me, by the way)