Rescued a beardie and I need help

[KarrieRee]

Is it possible she’s just too dehydrated to sit in 95-100 degrees for two hours? I got the thermostat working better and she stayed within those parameters but after an hour and a half in was getting pale and more lethargic. I put her on the cool side and gave her a ten minute bath and she still looked terrible. I decided I had to try the subcutaneous fluid. I injected just 2 ml. I’m supposed to do 6. She didn’t flinch. I think she was sleeping when I did it. Her color got immediately better. I put her back on the warm side but turned off the basking light and put the ceramic heater on instead. The UVB light will of course stay on all day. The temp is just under 95. Her color looks really good right now. I think I’ll continue with the subcutaneous fluids and try to slowly increase to 6ml.

I would do this slowly as you said- but only do the 2 at a time- so over a coarse every couple of hrs -

 

[JulesD]

I would do this slowly as you said- but only do the 2 at a time- so over a coarse every couple of hrs -

That sounds good. My hurdle was feeling like it made her feel bad but today proved it doesn’t have to. I think it will help all around with pooping and feeding.

It’s supposed to be every other day. I wonder if I do less more frequently like you said. Or 3 every day.

 

[JulesD]

I just gave her another 2 ml. She looked like she needed it. It seems to be really helping.

 

[JulesD]

I’m looking at other enclosure set ups and my uvb is a 32” tube in a 36” fixture and the tank is 48”. If she’s on the cool side she’s still covered by uvb. Is she maybe getting too much?

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

That is great to hear she is doing so much better! So she was dehydrated somewhat?
I hope that she continues to improve for you. Keep us posted on her progress.

Tracie

 

[JulesD]

Hello,

That is great to hear she is doing so much better! So she was dehydrated somewhat?
I hope that she continues to improve for you. Keep us posted on her progress.

Tracie

I actually thought she was going to die yesterday. That’s why I tried the subcutaneous fluids. I was just happy she responded well to it. When the vet did it she would get so pale and would be like that for hours. She’s really lethargic but her color is good.

I’m completely new to this but I believe she is so dehydrated that basking under the higher temperatures for long periods is too much for her right now. If she’s only eating 1/2 ml at a time will one hour of basking be sufficient for digestion?

 

[KarrieRee]

I actually thought she was going to die yesterday. That’s why I tried the subcutaneous fluids. I was just happy she responded well to it. When the vet did it she would get so pale and would be like that for hours. She’s really lethargic but her color is good.

I’m completely new to this but I believe she is so dehydrated that basking under the higher temperatures for long periods is too much for her right now. If she’s only eating 1/2 ml at a time will one hour of basking be sufficient for digestion?

No two - three hours

 

[AHBD]

Hi there, thought I'd jump in after reading about this poor girl. An hour of basking after such a small meal is O.K, 2 is preferable but if she's wanting away from the high temp. then let her. Don't bathe + soak her so often unless she's dirty, that will not hydrate her and is not good for a sick dragon.
I didn't see any pics of her, can you post a few ? How much does she weigh ? It's good to hear that the scab is coming off her stomach. !

 

[JulesD]

Hi there, thought I'd jump in after reading about this poor girl. An hour of basking after such a small meal is O.K, 2 is preferable but if she's wanting away from the high temp. then let her. Don't bathe + soak her so often unless she's dirty, that will not hydrate her and is not good for a sick dragon.
I didn't see any pics of her, can you post a few ? How much does she weigh ? It's good to hear that the scab is coming off her stomach. !

Thank you so much. I will send pictures but be warned she’s so skinny and dehydrated. I rescued her about a month ago and sadly I made her worse by overfeeding her, not having the right temperatures as I scrambled for a week getting her enclosure set up, and allowing a perfect storm for impaction. She has made some strides forward and had gained some weight but then Sunday she was regurgitating/throwing up food again. She regurgitated food on Tuesday as well even though I had only given her 1/2 ml of pumpkin baby food. Both times happened around 2 hours after being in the hot basking area which is why I’m wondering if it’s too much for a dragon that’s dehydrated. I was given subcutaneous fluid and syringes for home care but only started doing it yesterday. Every time she had it done at vets office she would get so pale so I tried to do it orally instead. But she looked so dehydrated yesterday that I decided I had to do it. I went slowly only doing 2 ml at a time every couple hours and she responded really well each time. So I will continue that every other day.

She started at 340 grams when she first arrived. Two weeks later she was at 310 bc of the over feeding/vomiting/not eating. She lost more weight then went back up to 311 before the recent round of throwing up. However she also pooped four days in a row so that caused some weight loss as well. Yesterday was an all time low of 289 but she’s back up to 294 today.

If her bottom half is at 98 degrees but her top half is only at 93, is that enough for proper digestion?

How often would you bathe her?

Thank you!

 

[AHBD]

O.K, 300 grams is not TOO low unless she's over 21" in length. It IS thin but not incredibly. I would stop meds. and be VERY careful with any supplements because any or all of those might contribute to the vomiting. My heart goes out to her [ and you ] for what she's going through.
A bath maybe once a week if she's not irritated by it and if she drinks. Just an inch or so of lukewarm water for 5-10 min. at most. Keep her basking temp. in the mid to upper 90's, cool side no more than 80. Night temps. around 75-78 at most.

 

[JulesD]

O.K, 300 grams is not TOO low unless she's over 21" in length. It IS thin but not incredibly. I would stop meds. and be VERY careful with any supplements because any or all of those might contribute to the vomiting. My heart goes out to her [ and you ] for what she's going through.
A bath maybe once a week if she's not irritated by it and if she drinks. Just an inch or so of lukewarm water for 5-10 min. at most. Keep her basking temp. in the mid to upper 90's, cool side no more than 80. Night temps. around 75-78 at most.

Thank you!

Does that include sprinkles of calcium? Manuka honey?

Also, she just passed a massive poop I’m hoping that helps things. It was half white half brown and almost like hard rubber.

 

[AHBD]

Poop alert = good news ! Now you can back off the excess of natural laxatives. Can you dedicate an old food processer to grind up a mix of insects + greens by chance ? Nice + watery to provide hydration as well. Of course it would nedd to be sanitized scrupulously each time. Oh and yes to calcium + raw honey.

 

[JulesD]

Poop alert = good news ! Now you can back off the excess of natural laxatives. Can you dedicate an old food processer to grind up a mix of insects + greens by chance ? Nice + watery to provide hydration as well. Of course it would nedd to be sanitized scrupulously each time. Oh and yes to calcium + raw honey.

I’d do anything for this little girl. I’d probably buy a brand new food processor for her.
But for the moment I feel like I have to be cautiously optimistic, what about turkey baby food and mustard greens or sweet potatoes to see how she handles those first?

So sorry - do you mean yes she can have calcium and raw honey OR yes those supplements can also contribute to throwing up? lol. Thanks!

 

[AHBD]

The honey + calcium are good. I'm not sure about the turkey baby food, if it's very low sodium maybe.

 

[JulesD]

I know this probably sounds so dumb but she doesn’t move much - If the temperature by her head and upper body is 97-99 but the temperature around her abdomen is around 93, will that be adequate for digestion?