Respiratory infection?

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Rosedawn

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My fiancé and I just got our 2mos old baby beardie a few weeks ago from pet smart. After having her a few days I didn’t think she was as active as a healthy beardie should be, so I started researching and watching videos of sick vs. healthy beardies nothing came up all my searching showed was that she was in her adjustment period. I knew this wasn’t the case something just told me she was sick the only question is with what. After thinking it was maybe Impaction,but her tummy wasn’t hard an she went the next day; then possible brumation, since she wasn’t interested in eating much and wanted to just stretch out with her “sexy leg” but her stress lines kept getting darker an darker unless I was holding and petting her. I’ve made sure she’s stayed hydrated and eaten. Today I noticed she had a runny nose. I have the recommended bulbs for her tank. Her temps are:
-basking spot 100-110
- hot side 89-97
- cool side 75-85
 

EllenD

Gray-bearded Member
Hello Rose, welcome to the forum! Congrats on your first Dragon, they can worry us to death, lol.

Can you please post some photos of both her and then of her entire set-up and her lighting? That can help us advise you any husbandry changes you may need to make. Her temperature zones look like they are all within the correct ranges, so that's excellent.

I can ease your mind of a few things you mentioned: First of all, the markings on their bellies that are commonly referred to as "stress lines" are not anything of the sort. I don't know how that ever got started, but they have nothing to do with stress or anything else, other than they are just markings on their bellies, just like they have markings all over the rest of their bodies. And the reason that they darken and then lighten or go completely away, just like the rest of their body colors are constantly darkening and lightening, is because they do this purposely to attract more light and heat. So when they are in their tanks and under their lights, they will darken themselves to absorb as much of the light and heat as they can, but when they are taken outside of their tanks where there are not lights, they will lighten back up to their normal colors, because there isn't any light or heat to absorb. You'll notice that if you put him in a sunny window, outside of his tank, he'll darken there also. That's because he sees the light and feels the heat, so he wants to absorb more of it...and the markings on their bellies just darken and lighten right along with the rest of their bodies. Perfectly normal and not stress-related at all!

Also, Bearded Dragons never ever brumate as babies or juveniles. Usually they have to be well over a year old to go into even a partial brumation. Although there are some dragons that will go into brumation as young as 9-10 months old, that's extremely rare and they are usually well over a year old when they do this. Some never ever go into brumation, as it's not necessary in captivity, as the reason they do it in the wild, or at least the "accepted" reason why they do it in the wild, is to deal with harsh winter conditions and as a way to get through that time period. But a young baby or juvenile will never go into brumation, that's certain. Usually when a young baby or juvenile dragon becomes extremely lethargic or stops having any appetite, 99% of the time it's due to inadequate type of UVB light or too short a daily photoperiod under both their bright white Basking Bulb and their UVB tube (should both be on for at least 13-14 hours every day). Usually though, it's due to an inadequate type/brand/strength of UVB light, or having the UVB light mounted too far away from the basking spot or obstructed by something, usually a mesh lid to their tank.

If you can let us know what type of UVB light you're using (brand, model, wattage, and "type", meaning long tube, compact (regular lightbulb shape), or coil/spiral), we can ensure that you have both an adequate UVB light for a bearded dragon, and that it's mounted appropriately.
 

Rosedawn

Member
Original Poster
Thank you for the welcome and yes they can but it’s because they’re so wonderful we want to provide the best care possible!? I’ll start by saying she is temporarily housed in a 10 gal tank we are getting the right size after Christmas. Her basking light is 75w, white by zoo Mets her uvb isn’t coiled but not round either it fits in a regular light socket but is like a stick also 75w same brand. It is above her mesh top which I recently learned that was bad for MBD so I understand I need to fix that immediately but to hook it inside the tank will not allow to be 6in away would leaving the top off be okay? She still has a appetite an eats 2xday they are dusted with calcium + d3. I didn’t know that about the ”stress lines” that’s going to be hard to not say lol but definitely eases my mind I’m not sure if I have a picture of her entire setup as it is now but I’ll send the ones I have
 

Rosedawn

Member
Original Poster
I know that her basking lamp is pretty far away but with it any closer than that her temps change and her rock goes up to over 125 degrees so I would rather keep it at a distance that keeps the temperature right
 

EllenD

Gray-bearded Member
The problem isn't the basking light, it's the UVB light...they don't make a UVB light that is a "75 watt" UVb light, so you need to double check what it is. It should say the brand/model/wattage right on the bulb...either way it's a compact/coil UVB bulb that is not only way too far away from him (really way too far away and not set up over the Hot Side of the tank), but also it's being obstructed by the mesh lid, which is blocking another 40% of the UVB light on top of it being too weak to being with, being a compact/coil bulb...but honestly, if it is actually a 75 watt bulb, it's not a UVB light anyway...

So any way you cut it, he's not getting any UVB light at all...
 

Rosedawn

Member
Original Poster
My mistake it’s a 13w 5.0 they didn’t have a 10.0 and pet smart said that with a 10 gal the 5.0 would be fine but at the time we didn’t know all they cared about was the money
 
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