Semi-skinny bearded dragon

[Tom23]

Hi everybody, I am new on the site but I would like to ask a question.
I adopted a bearded dragon about a year ago, she has always been healthy and has been getting leafy greens as well as dusted insect feeders.

I am only 16 but the money part is no problem for me. But I've been noticing that my beardie has 2 "dents" along her head, she has been brumating for the last 3/4 weeks so she isn't eating anything.

She just stays in her colder side of the terrarium (uvb and basking are still on for 6 hours a day)

I don't know if I should be worried or not since this is the first time I've seen her brumate. She is around the age of 3 and a half at the moment

 

[J4ckdaw-]

Hi everybody, I am new on the site but I would like to ask a question.
I adopted a bearded dragon about a year ago, she has always been healthy and has been getting leafy greens as well as dusted insect feeders.

I am only 16 but the money part is no problem for me. But I've been noticing that my beardie has 2 "dents" along her head, she has been brumating for the last 3/4 weeks so she isn't eating anything.

She just stays in her colder side of the terrarium (uvb and basking are still on for 6 hours a day)

I don't know if I should be worried or not since this is the first time I've seen her brumate. She is around the age of 3 and a half at the moment

If you could give us a full body picture that would be a huge help. If you are concerned with her weight, check it with a kitchen scale every 2 weeks and offer water each time you do that. She may just be dehydrated.

If she is, however, loosing weight you will have to take her in to the vet since it may be something medical.

 

[Tom23]

Will do when I get back home! She has had an parasitic infection before but we took her to a certified reptilian vet.

Still don't know why it happened

 

[KarrieRee]

Will do when I get back home! She has had an parasitic infection before but we took her to a certified reptilian vet.

Still don't know why it happened

What are you using for a UVB? Do I see a coil? If that is the case you need to get rid of it and replace w/ a long tube fixture-- a Zoo Med 24" w/a Reptisun 10.0 bulb or a Arcadia Pro T 5 w/ a 12% bulb 24 watt found at Pet Smart or a 24" Sunblaster Nano Tech w/ the Reptisun bulb posted above --- this could be a good reason shes not eating -- you want your tank on par w/ temps and UVB to rule out the not eating part - please get surface basking temps w/ a digital probe thermometer- its possible she is brumating but we want everything else on par w/ the tank to determine that - please post a pic of the dents and full body pic of her

 

[Tom23]

Here are the pictures as promised

 

[Chris.]

She looks quite normal to me. Could you mark the "dents" you are refering to?
In the picture it looks like you are using two mvb and one incandescent bulb, is that right? What temp do you have on the coolest point of the tank?

 

[xp29]

The fat pads on her head look a like thin, but her tail is nice and thick. I would recommen taking J4ckdaws advice and keep a record of her weight. If she is loosing weight gead to the vet.

 

[Tom23]

What are you using for a UVB? Do I see a coil? If that is the case you need to get rid of it and replace w/ a long tube fixture-- a Zoo Med 24" w/a Reptisun 10.0 bulb or a Arcadia Pro T 5 w/ a 12% bulb 24 watt found at Pet Smart or a 24" Sunblaster Nano Tech w/ the Reptisun bulb posted above --- this could be a good reason shes not eating -- you want your tank on par w/ temps and UVB to rule out the not eating part - please get surface basking temps w/ a digital probe thermometer- its possible she is brumating but we want everything else on par w/ the tank to determine that - please post a pic of the dents and full body pic of her

I have uvb, i am NOT using coils. I have 1 basking light, 1 uvb and 1 uvb/basking

 

[Tom23]

I will take a picture in a few minutes, thanks for your guys' quick responses. I am very grateful.

It could also be that I'm looking too much into it, due to her being semi neglected by her previous owner and being even thinner back then. I just want her to be healthy

 

[KarrieRee]

I have uvb, i am NOT using coils. I have 1 basking light, 1 uvb and 1 uvb/basking

Ok the brand and bulb of the UVB please and where is it placed? The screen on the tank will determine placement and distance -- how old is the bulb?

 

[Tom23]

Sorry for the late response, something came up.

Coldest side is around 20°C, Basking is 25W intense basking light from exoterra.
Around 4 months old


Uvb is 80w UV mercury vapor Lamp from reptech. Around 4 months old

The uvb + warmth lamp I don't know the brand of anymore.

 

[KarrieRee]

Sorry for the late response, something came up.

Coldest side is around 20°C, Basking is 25W intense basking light from exoterra.
Around 4 months old


Uvb is 80w UV mercury vapor Lamp from reptech. Around 4 months old

The uvb + warmth lamp I don't know the brand of anymore.

What are your surface basking temps? Are you getting the temp w/ a digital probe thermometer? For a tank that size I would hardly think a 25 watt bulb is going to get temps to 95-100 F for basking-- please change out the MVB if you want to keep that type of bulb to a Mega Ray MVB -quality is much better - you also need to get a back up UVB like one of the ones I posted earlier I can post a link for the UK to get this UVB--- your dragon has insufficient lighting in the tank --- please adjust as soon as you can --- MVB do not emit enough UVB rays if they are on a screen or height is too high - the farther away from the basking decor the less the UVB--- your dragon needs good UVB -- if you want to go to a regular basking bulb please get a solid clear bright white bulb like the Exo Terra Intense or a Flukers basking or a Arcadia Halogen bulb --- but you must have the digital probe thermometers to get accurate surface basking temps-

 

[Chris.]

Hey Tom,
I agree with Karrie. MVBs are good to use but you want a high quality one and also much higher output, like 125W (or if you only use one bulb in the entire tank 160W even).

20°C is fine for brumating but otherwise it's too cold. You want the cool side between 24°C and 30°C.

The basking spot directly under the mvb should be high 30s to mid 40s°C.

25W is not a basking lamp, at least not for a bearded dragon. That's maybe good for additional heating during the winter.

 

[Tom23]

The basking temp is usually around 39°C, but I was planning on getting a new one either way. Only thing I am wondering at the moment is why it is so important to get one right this second, because she is sleeping all day.

The heat etc is good in the tank besides that. (I'm from the Netherlands btw so my options are a little less than in the UK and the US)

Edit: It isn't 25W basking it is 50W, I don't know why I wrote 25. It's the exoterra intense basking one

 

[Chris.]

As mentioned, in MY OPINION she looks fine. Not sick, no mbd no nothing so no need to get hysteric. She will come out of brumation when she's ready and the temps rise again. Your initial question was about some dents but I don't see anything concerning, to be honest.

If you are looking into a new bulb, here in Europe (I'm from Germany) we use the ReptiZoo D3 Super Sun a lot, it's a good mvb for the price with really high uvb output.