Puffing up? Im a little worried!

[MarianaL87]

I dont mean angry/threatening puffing up. I would love nothing more than Brian to be chubbier/meatier, but Brian is puffing up at odd times.

You know when your beardie is in the water and they puff up like a balloon? To help them float ? Well ive caught Brian puffing up that way under his basking light...It worried me to no end. I thought maybe he had eaten too much and was really bloated so i took him out quickly to see if i could comfort him and in moments he "deflated". I left me so puzzled...This is really worrying me.

Anyone experience this?

 

[ScooterBlenny]

How long has this been going on? I wouldn't be worried if it is just for today. My beardie seems to morph into different shapes every time I look at her! Sometimes she looks kind of thin, sometimes she flattens out under her light, sometimes she looks like a lil chubby-chub.

 

[fresnowitte]

I'm sorry that your beardie is worrying you.
Just a thought but could he not be preparing for a shed?
They will do this to stretch the skin as they try to bust out of it.

 

[MarianaL87]

How long has this been going on? I wouldn't be worried if it is just for today. My beardie seems to morph into different shapes every time I look at her! Sometimes she looks kind of thin, sometimes she flattens out under her light, sometimes she looks like a lil chubby-chub.

Ive only noticed this today...And im constantly watching him.
I guess im just a little paranoid...Ive been having such a hard time with him on other health aspects that if i see anything different i get so worried.

Ive just got him a good uv bulb and i guess i just expected everything to go perfectly with it over night.

 

[MarianaL87]

I'm sorry that your beardie is worrying you.
Just a thought but could he not be preparing for a shed?
They will do this to stretch the skin as they try to bust out of it.

Very possible...although he has already shed quite a bit around that area...Im expecting more of a tail shed now...His tail is almost white in color and his colors are very muted on his tail.

 

[renich]

I guess im just a little paranoid...Ive been having such a hard time with him on other health aspects that if i see anything different i get so worried.

Ive just got him a good uv bulb and i guess i just expected everything to go perfectly with it over night.

what are the other health problems you've had?

 

[MarianaL87]

I guess im just a little paranoid...Ive been having such a hard time with him on other health aspects that if i see anything different i get so worried.

Ive just got him a good uv bulb and i guess i just expected everything to go perfectly with it over night.

what are the other health problems you've had?

(Well i have certainly percieved them as health problems)

Brian is about 3 mths old and roughly 6and a half inches long - snout to tail.
And feeding him has been like pulling teeth...I have always feared the worst with him. When i first brought him home, i waited almost 3 days for him to make a bowel movement - worrying me sick thinking he might have had an impaction.

(now he poops everyday and very pleasing quantities)

But he has gone almost 3 days aswell without eating when i first got him. You can imagine my state. His apetite has improved but it is still nowhere near where it should be.

It is 1:30 in the afternoon where i am and i think i have only been able to feed him a good 4 crickets so far...Plus some salad.

Just little worrisome issues...That happen to be ongoing. I am hoping that within a week or two of being under his new mega ray that his lethargicness will disappear.

 

[renich]

i can totally relate and understand your concerns. my hubby and i became beardie parents as an impulse buy. bernie was just too cute. when we got home and started reading more about caring for our little one, we become instantly overwhelmed and freaked out to say the least.

couple of questions come to mind:
1. what kind of lighting do you have?
2. what are your temps?
3. are the crickets larger than the space b/w your beardie's eyes?
4. what substrate do you have?
5. i see he is 3 months old, have you had him for 3 months?

 

[starhead86]

Have you tried checking the temps in your tank? If its a little cooler than he wants he may be puffing up to create more surface area to absorb heat? If he's cold this could be why he's not eating that much. Good luck!

 

[MarianaL87]

i can totally relate and understand your concerns. my hubby and i became beardie parents as an impulse buy. bernie was just too cute. when we got home and started reading more about caring for our little one, we become instantly overwhelmed and freaked out to say the least.

couple of questions come to mind:
1. what kind of lighting do you have?
2. what are your temps?
3. are the crickets larger than the space b/w your beardie's eyes?
4. what substrate do you have?
5. i see he is 3 months old, have you had him for 3 months?

1)I have just recieved my mega ray 3 days ago.

2)My temps right now are 110 in the basking area, and in the 70's in the cool side.

3) No, the crickets are just big enough to be bite sized, no larger.

4) I USED to have mulch (bad advice) now i have paper towels.

5) I have no had him for 3 months, just over one month now, actually. But the breeder i had bought him from said he was around that age.

But regardless - i read here about owners feeding their bearides as much as they can eat in a certain minute time frame and several times a day, it has always saddened me that mine takes almost 20 hrs to eat half a dozen

 

[renich]

it sounds like you are taking very good care of him. it could be a combination of things. one being, relocation stress. after a month, he should be coming out of it soon.

another is shedding, as fresnowitte mentioned. bernie slows down eating during a shed.

and catching up on uvb. since you installed the mega ray a couple of days ago, it may be a matter of time before his appetite picks up. they need the uvb to help digest their food and get enough vitamin d in them.

yikes! mulch. glad to see you fixed that.

the only thing i would change based on your response below is that i would bump up the cool side to be between 80-85 degrees.

 

[MarianaL87]

it sounds like you are taking very good care of him. it could be a combination of things. one being, relocation stress. after a month, he should be coming out of it soon.

another is shedding, as fresnowitte mentioned. bernie slows down eating during a shed.

and catching up on uvb. since you installed the mercury a couple of days ago, it may be a matter of time before his appetite picks up. they need the uvb to help digest their food and get enough vitamin d in them.

yikes! mulch. glad to see you fixed that.

the only thing i would change based on your response below is that i would bump up the cool side to be between 80-85 degrees.

Thank you very much for your input!
Let me tell you...Its been a rough start. I really hope he'll come out of it soon because it has taken its toll on me. There have been times i very seriously worried about finding him deceased in the aquarium from lack of nutrients. When he sleeps, i sometimes have to nudge him a bit to see if i get a reaction just to make sure hes alive. Im just a worrier that way.

One things for sure, if his appetite doesnt improve soon...as in within a few weeks, hes definately going to see a doc. There just has to be something wrong with him.
His poop looks great but ill see to it that he has a fecal exam done.

 

[renich]

it's always a good idea to take them to the herp vet. do you know of one in your area?

something that came to mind, what are you using to check your temps?

lol..they pretty much are dead to the world when they sleep. that is when we cut the nails on ours.

is he active during the day?

 

[MarianaL87]

it's always a good idea to take them to the herp vet. do you know of one in your area?

something that came to mind, what are you using to check your temps?

lol..they pretty much are dead to the world when they sleep. that is when we cut the nails on ours.

is he active during the day?

I use a digital thermometer to check my temps. As for his activity...not too much. He'll change positions every now and then...Climb down from his tree and chill in the cooler side for a few min and go back to his basking area...But hes not much for running around or anything. He just likes to sun himself most of the time. He does like to run/swim around in his baths, thats for sure. He likes to on occasion run after his crickets instead of being hand fed...

Thankfully i do know a nearby vet clinic that specializes in exotics, i am very confident in them helping me out when i feel its time.

 

[renich]

sounds good. keep us posted on his status. i wouldn't wait a couple of weeks though. if you are genuinely worried, a herp vet appt. will help you both out!