Possible parasites? (everything is fine now, as of mid sept)

[mazais]

So in mid. August Mazais' appetite started decreasing. At first,she stopped eating her greens. I thought "maybe she's just bored of them" or something like that. So I wasn't worried. Then, about 2 wks later, she stopped eating as much crickets as usual. And then, I left for a family vacation to Canada. (I didn't choose! My mom made me)! So before i left Mazais ate about 50 crickets. But my grandpa, who was taking care of Mazais and Baltumins said that Mazais didn't eat anything on the first day I was away. Then, on the second day she ate 4 crickets, on the third, she ate 5 mealworms, on the fourth she ate like 5 crickets and a few superworms. ( yes in know, My grandpa tried a lot of insects)! Then, when I came back, I started force feeding her. I've been doing that for about 2 wks now I believe. So, she's been getting food into her, so that's good. She's been acting pretty much normal except for the last 3 days (since the heat wave here in massachussetts). For the last few days she's been sleeping on and off during the day. Otherwise she's alert, not lethargic. And when I take her out of the tank she's really active. Ok, so she poops every day, and her poop isn't solid solid if you know what I mean, but its not even close to diarrhea. It doesn't reak, but it smells unpleasant. But isn't poop supposed to smell bad?

Temps: hot side, 95-105 during the day, 90 at night, cool side, 80-90 during the day, at night 75-80.
UVB: reptisun 10.0 tube bulb, spanning the whole tank. 5 months old. (Will replace in October)!
Calcium/multi vit: cal every other day, multi vit twice a week.
Feeders: mealworms, crickets, and occasional wax worms
Greens: spring mix salad, carrots, occasional baby lettuce.
Fruits: occasional strawberries, and rasberries.



So I thought at first that she may be going into semi brumation, but she's only a year old (almost EXACTLY a year old)! And it's only September.
So, then I thought of parasites. I'm prob getting a fecal done this weekend, but I just wanted to know what you guys thought


Thanks!

 

[Jaskotch]

I think getting a fecal is the first step.
My dragon went into brumation @ 8 months, and in June. Basically, he's slept the summer away! So don't discount that possibility... but first thing is to rule out parasites.

 

[mazais]

Does she look sickly in this video? :? It was taken this morning. Mazais is the smaller beardie. But don't worry, they are about the same size, (Mazais is 1cm shorter that Baltumins). Also, Mazais looks smaller right now b/c of her not eating as much as she used to. But please don't talk about how i shouldn't keep beardies together. They get along great. They have NEVER fought.


http://youtu.be/Bhwx2cXSzpk

 

[mazais]

Well Mazais just goes to sleep during the day in her hide, (but not all day), and when I take her out she's awake. Maybe she's a light brumator if you know what mean. She just lightly sleeps in her hide I guess. :?

 

[mazais]

I brought the poop to the vet for a fecal today, I should be getting results tommorow.
Oh, and please reply! Only one person replied!

 

[Jaskotch]

she does not look sickly. sorry though, doesn't look like an appropriate environment for two beardies. rule out the parasites, then you need to address the environment, which may be causing stress that you are not seeing... also sorry i'm the only one replying....

 

[mazais]

Why isn't the environment appropriate? It's a 40 gal tank, a basking rock, newspaper as substrate, food bowl, water bowl, repti hammock, hide, heat bulb, UVA bulb, (since the red heat bulb doesn't give out much UVA) 2 repti suns, right temps. I think it's a appropriate environment! Do you think the tank is too small? Well, it might look like that in the vid. But it's not. They have plenty of room to roam.

 

[destiny1998]

Hi . A grown beardie needs a 40gal minimum by its self. Beardies are territorial and do not need to be housed together period. You can get a way bigger terrarium and divide it. Also one usually dominates the other. That's why one is smaller than the other as one usually eats most of the food and hogs the basking by laying on the top of the other one. And get rid of the red light. Beardies need to cool down at night and they need complete darkness to sleep.

 

[Jaskotch]

Why isn't the environment appropriate?

Well if you read what I said, I said that doesn't look like an appropriate environment FOR TWO. Basically, what destiny1998 said.

 

[mazais]

First off, I feed them separately, so nobody can hog food. I also turn the red heat bulb off at night. I just prefer red heat bulbs over white ones. And they are almost a year old. And yes, they are a little small for their age. Make that very small. But that's because first off, they BOTH have tail nips, which take away about 2 inches of their length, so without the nip they would be 14 inches. And yes, 14 inches is STILL small for their age. They might of had small parents, their growth might of gotten stunted at some point, I'm not sure. Also, the bigger one does NOT dominate the little one. I would have separated them if I had seen that. But I haven't. They have been together pretty much all their lives. They are clutch mates, I bought them at petsmart , where they where together, and since then they have been together. They show no signs of aggression what so ever.

 

[Jaskotch]

Well, I guess everything is just fine then. So what is the point of your question? Nobody here can tell you whether or not your beardies have parasites, they can only provide their opinion of what they see. Have them tested, and take it from there.

 

[destiny1998]

You need to do what's best for your beardies and that means seperate. Just because they are from the same clutch does not mean they need to be together. I have a friend that just rescued a baby cause 4 of them were together in the same tank and same clutch and the pet store owner came in one moring and found body parts and blood everywhere. One just went crazy for whatever reason so just saying that just because they are from the same clutch and just because they have lived together their whole life does not mean something horrifying won't happen. Also they need a white basking bulb the red makes it look like it dark to them all the time. You can use a regular household bulb.

 

[Mistyck]

As for looking sick, No, she doesn't. She looks stressed. You have them housed in too small of a tank for both of them. Just because you don't see domination doesn't mean that it's not happening. They're your dragons to do with what you want, but you're not doing right by them by housing them together, having them in a tank big enough for ONE dragon, and having a red light on them. But do what you want. Wouldn't surprise me if she had parasites, and if she has parasites, then the other one probably has them as well.

They aren't a LITTLE small for their age, they're a LOT small for their age.

Just because they're clutch mates doesn't mean that they won't turn on each other. But like I said, they're yours to do with what you will... Good luck.

 

[mazais]

How can you tell if beardies are stressed? She doesn't have any stress marks or anything. And from now on, I will take advice from nicer people. Like my friend, who owns 4 beardies, and a reptile shop that he has owned for 36 years. He also helped me treat my budgie for scaly mites, and now she's all better, gave me advice on on how to treat the bacterial infection that my beardies HAD a few months back, gave me a lot of good care advice for my budgie, my guppies, and my beardies, and, who also said that as long as the beardies aren't showing any signes of aggression towards each other, I can house them together. And he said that as long as they get enough exersize, (which they do! I let them run around the living room for about 30 min a day) they can be housed in a 40 gal tank. And yes. They are undersized. I know! But, they are almost a year old, and almost fully grown. So, for 2 UNDERSIZED fully grown beardies a 40 gallon tank is big enough. And, I'm only in 6th grade, and my dad wont spend another $400 on another tank if they aren't showing any signs of aggression, or dominance. And no, I can't save up. I don't get an allowance or anything.

 

[Mistyck]

If you get such great advice from others, then why come here asking questions? You don't listen to advice, or want to take it, so what exactly is your point of making a thread?

By all means, do what you want with your dragons. They're yours to do with what you want.