Katyrose96
New member
- Beardie name(s)
- Kili (shmoogums)
I recently rescued a bearded dragon a few months ago as my first reptile. I was told I was getting a healthy beardie with the entire setup for relatively cheap. When I picked him up he was motionless and they said he's just lazy but he moves around during the day. He was in a very loud and hectic house with young children. I took him home and did as much research as possible. He is about 6 years old from what his previous owners said.
Right off the bat I noticed his enclosure was all wrong. Too small, all glass sides, one small 75 watt heat lamp, no basking spot, VERY DIRTY. I removed the vinyl flooring and it was about 1/2 deep on disgusting liquid and dead superworms. It seems that is all they fed him. He was not pooping often and when he did it was all liquid and smelled atrocious. I changed his diet thinking that would help to collard/arugula/dandelion greens with calcium plus d3 power daily and different veggies like carrots, peppers and occasionally a blueberry or two. (Rarely) His bowel movements remained the same. I added a second heat lamp and brought his hot side temp to 90-95, humidity 20-30, basking between 109-115, cold side 80 - 85, cold humidity stays around 40. He has 22" Arcadia 12% t5 ubv (brand new).
He recently stopped eating and pooping. Won't move at all. Absolutely refuses to bask. If I put him on his basking spot, he leaves within minutes and goes to one of his 3 hides. I took him to vet. They did xray and found out he is extremely constipated which was pushing on his lungs making it difficult for him to breath. They did enema and took a fecal sample. Positive for pin worms. I was given fenben dewormer and anti biotic "just in case". I have been syringe feeding him critical care omnivore. He had some normal poops and seemed like he was feeling better. Still not eating solid. Then last Saturday he began shaking constantly and hasn't stopped since. I took him to the vet the day it started. They said I need a blood test but it is 288 dollars and I have already spent so much money trying to save him. I have depleted my savings. He has been shaking/twitching constantly since then and now hasn't pooped in 5 days. He still eats syringe and I've been topping salad with bee pollen which he's eaten a few but very little of.
My question is what could this twitching/shaking be? It did not ever happen before I took him to the vet and I am at a loss. It is constant. It started in his tail and now I could be touching him or not and basically everything below the neck twitches. I could start my finger and head and run down spine, by the time I get to his neck his whole body is twitching. He also twitches when he is not being touched, constantly.
2cd question, the vet suggested meloxicam for pain for the rest of his life, or euthanasia. I obviously don't want either of these things for him, I want to rehabilitate him so he can get the chance at life that he deserves. This vet is not a specialist as it has proven very difficult to find an affordable specialist in my area.
Could the twitching be MBD or neurological? All of the videos online don't seem to match the same type of twitching that he is exhibiting. His head and arms do not shake but the rest of him does.
He is completely lethargic, will not eat solid food, has not pooped in days, barely opens his eyes, struggles to walk, does not like basking at all (always In his cold side of tank).
I know I need to get him retested for parasites again but other than that I am lost. I'm honestly devasted I feel like I've done everything I could possibly do and I do not want to let him die. Please help me
Right off the bat I noticed his enclosure was all wrong. Too small, all glass sides, one small 75 watt heat lamp, no basking spot, VERY DIRTY. I removed the vinyl flooring and it was about 1/2 deep on disgusting liquid and dead superworms. It seems that is all they fed him. He was not pooping often and when he did it was all liquid and smelled atrocious. I changed his diet thinking that would help to collard/arugula/dandelion greens with calcium plus d3 power daily and different veggies like carrots, peppers and occasionally a blueberry or two. (Rarely) His bowel movements remained the same. I added a second heat lamp and brought his hot side temp to 90-95, humidity 20-30, basking between 109-115, cold side 80 - 85, cold humidity stays around 40. He has 22" Arcadia 12% t5 ubv (brand new).
He recently stopped eating and pooping. Won't move at all. Absolutely refuses to bask. If I put him on his basking spot, he leaves within minutes and goes to one of his 3 hides. I took him to vet. They did xray and found out he is extremely constipated which was pushing on his lungs making it difficult for him to breath. They did enema and took a fecal sample. Positive for pin worms. I was given fenben dewormer and anti biotic "just in case". I have been syringe feeding him critical care omnivore. He had some normal poops and seemed like he was feeling better. Still not eating solid. Then last Saturday he began shaking constantly and hasn't stopped since. I took him to the vet the day it started. They said I need a blood test but it is 288 dollars and I have already spent so much money trying to save him. I have depleted my savings. He has been shaking/twitching constantly since then and now hasn't pooped in 5 days. He still eats syringe and I've been topping salad with bee pollen which he's eaten a few but very little of.
My question is what could this twitching/shaking be? It did not ever happen before I took him to the vet and I am at a loss. It is constant. It started in his tail and now I could be touching him or not and basically everything below the neck twitches. I could start my finger and head and run down spine, by the time I get to his neck his whole body is twitching. He also twitches when he is not being touched, constantly.
2cd question, the vet suggested meloxicam for pain for the rest of his life, or euthanasia. I obviously don't want either of these things for him, I want to rehabilitate him so he can get the chance at life that he deserves. This vet is not a specialist as it has proven very difficult to find an affordable specialist in my area.
Could the twitching be MBD or neurological? All of the videos online don't seem to match the same type of twitching that he is exhibiting. His head and arms do not shake but the rest of him does.
He is completely lethargic, will not eat solid food, has not pooped in days, barely opens his eyes, struggles to walk, does not like basking at all (always In his cold side of tank).
I know I need to get him retested for parasites again but other than that I am lost. I'm honestly devasted I feel like I've done everything I could possibly do and I do not want to let him die. Please help me
