Sick Bearded Dragon? Please Help

[inglelc971]

My 4 year old bearded dragon is acting mildly lethargic with a very black beard. The rest of him is very pale. We are very concerned and wanted advice from people familiar with beardies. He is our first and only dragon and we’ve had him since he was a baby. When he was very young he had coccidia but we took him to the vet and got him medicine. It is 78 degrees on his cool side and 92 on his warm side.

 

[KarrieRee]

My 4 year old bearded dragon is acting mildly lethargic with a very black beard. The rest of him is very pale. We are very concerned and wanted advice from people familiar with beardies. He is our first and only dragon and we’ve had him since he was a baby. When he was very young he had coccidia but we took him to the vet and got him medicine. It is 78 degrees on his cool side and 92 on his warm side.

He does look ill and either in pain or distress w/ the black beard -- please tell me what your using for a UVB- a coil or tube ? I cant see it in the pic- your basking temps are 92 is that being taken w/ a digital probe thermometer? If not please get one- you want surface basking temps of 95-100- please stick ons are inaccurate- No coils should be used for a UVB they are inadequate -- you want a long tube fixture like a Zoo Med 24" for a 40 + gallon tank - Zoo Med ReptiSun T5 HO Hood this will come w/a 5.0 bulb please get the 22" Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB T5 HO or you can look for this at your Pet Smart if you have one
24" Arcadia ProT5 12% UVB Bulb With Hood
Distance and placement will be determined by your screen on the tank ---

 

[inglelc971]

He does look ill and either in pain or distress w/ the black beard -- please tell me what your using for a UVB- a coil or tube ? I cant see it in the pic- your basking temps are 92 is that being taken w/ a digital probe thermometer? If not please get one- you want surface basking temps of 95-100- please stick ons are inaccurate- No coils should be used for a UVB they are inadequate -- you want a long tube fixture like a Zoo Med 24" for a 40 + gallon tank - Zoo Med ReptiSun T5 HO Hood this will come w/a 5.0 bulb please get the 22" Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB T5 HO or you can look for this at your Pet Smart if you have one
24" Arcadia ProT5 12% UVB Bulb With Hood
Distance and placement will be determined by your screen on the tank ---

We use a power sun mercury vapor lamp uvb/heat lamp combo 75 watt. He has a 4x2x2 zen habitats enclosure we keep at 78-80degrees on his cool side and 90-93 degrees under his basking light. We feed him Dubai roaches which we started breeding when we got him

 

[Timbo11386]

We use a power sun mercury vapor lamp uvb/heat lamp combo 75 watt. He has a 4x2x2 zen habitats enclosure we keep at 78-80degrees on his cool side and 90-93 degrees under his basking light. We feed him Dubai roaches which we started breeding when we got him

I have the same set up but I believe the minimum temp is 95 for basking I believe could be an issue but not completely sure I have a 2 year old beardie and learning still but I say basking for adult is 95- 105 degrees but your cool side seems good tho.

 

[xp29]

Thats not hot enough also the mercury vaper bulbs are not as good as the long tube. You really should add on to your setup

 

[KarrieRee]

We use a power sun mercury vapor lamp uvb/heat lamp combo 75 watt. He has a 4x2x2 zen habitats enclosure we keep at 78-80degrees on his cool side and 90-93 degrees under his basking light. We feed him Dubai roaches which we started breeding when we got him

Temps are not high enough please adjust to 95-100 taken w/ a digital probe thermometer and please get the long tube UVB fixture ---most MVB are not adequate for UVB and depending on the brand not at all --- MegaRay are the most recommended on this forum-- they are also need certain distance and placement as well depending on the wattage- and if they are on the screen the UVB is also blocked

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

It definitely looks like he is in distress, with that black beard & all. Does he have a tail injury, or
is that just how it is in the picture?
How many dubia do you give him weekly?
The Zoomed Powersun is a nice bright light & has a decent UVB output. I would recommend
adding a Reptisun 10 T5 tube alongisde of the Powersun MVB for a stronger UVB output. How
close is the Powersun MVB to him?
As Karrie suggested, the basking temperatures do need to be a bit higher for him, just a few degrees
would be helpful.
While he isn't feeling well, try to keep him a little warmer overnight right now to help boost his system.
Keep us posted on him.

Tracie

 

[inglelc971]

Hello,

It definitely looks like he is in distress, with that black beard & all. Does he have a tail injury, or
is that just how it is in the picture?
How many dubia do you give him weekly?
The Zoomed Powersun is a nice bright light & has a decent UVB output. I would recommend
adding a Reptisun 10 T5 tube alongisde of the Powersun MVB for a stronger UVB output. How
close is the Powersun MVB to him?
As Karrie suggested, the basking temperatures do need to be a bit higher for him, just a few degrees
would be helpful.
While he isn't feeling well, try to keep him a little warmer overnight right now to help boost his system.
Keep us posted on him.

Tracie

Today he seems a touch more active and actually grabbed a Dubai roach and ate it!! I’d say he eats 2-3 medium sized Dubai roaches each day. He has never been good at eating his greens. I offer fresh greens each day and leave them in his tank. I’ve been giving him water daily with a dropper instead of just leaving his water dish in his tank so he is drinking and eating. I’ve also been putting him in a warm bath for 10-15 min each day. He is releasing the white substance while in the bath. I believe it’s urate?Has pooped a small amount in the bath as well. Yesterday he had a very watery/white BM. Still pale with dark beard all day. He has always been very chill by nature. We are going today to get the UVB tube you suggested to increase his uvb. His MVB is about 12” from his basking spot. Should I lower it to increase the temp or just replace it all together with a basking lamp?

 

[inglelc971]

Hello,

It definitely looks like he is in distress, with that black beard & all. Does he have a tail injury, or
is that just how it is in the picture?
How many dubia do you give him weekly?
The Zoomed Powersun is a nice bright light & has a decent UVB output. I would recommend
adding a Reptisun 10 T5 tube alongisde of the Powersun MVB for a stronger UVB output. How
close is the Powersun MVB to him?
As Karrie suggested, the basking temperatures do need to be a bit higher for him, just a few degrees
would be helpful.
While he isn't feeling well, try to keep him a little warmer overnight right now to help boost his system.
Keep us posted on him.

Tracie

He eats around 3-4 medium sized Dubai roaches each day. Greens are a big struggle but I give them to him daily. He nibbles them a little. I’m going out today for the UVB tube addition. I will keep him warmer thru the night as you suggested as well.

 

[inglelc971]

I have the same set up but I believe the minimum temp is 95 for basking I believe could be an issue but not completely sure I have a 2 year old beardie and learning still but I say basking for adult is 95- 105 degrees but your cool side seems good tho.

Hello,

It definitely looks like he is in distress, with that black beard & all. Does he have a tail injury, or
is that just how it is in the picture?
How many dubia do you give him weekly?
The Zoomed Powersun is a nice bright light & has a decent UVB output. I would recommend
adding a Reptisun 10 T5 tube alongisde of the Powersun MVB for a stronger UVB output. How
close is the Powersun MVB to him?
As Karrie suggested, the basking temperatures do need to be a bit higher for him, just a few degrees
would be helpful.
While he isn't feeling well, try to keep him a little warmer overnight right now to help boost his system.
Keep us posted on him.

Tracie

Yes he does have an old tail injury

 

[inglelc971]

My 4 year old bearded dragon is acting mildly lethargic with a very black beard. The rest of him is very pale. We are very concerned and wanted advice from people familiar with beardies. He is our first and only dragon and we’ve had him since he was a baby. When he was very young he had coccidia but we took him to the vet and got him medicine. It is 78 degrees on his cool side and 92 on his warm side.

Pictures of our Viserion(Vizzy) healthy

 

[KarrieRee]

He eats around 3-4 medium sized Dubai roaches each day. Greens are a big struggle but I give them to him daily. He nibbles them a little. I’m going out today for the UVB tube addition. I will keep him warmer thru the night as you suggested as well.

When you get the new UVB please post on here and tell me what you got- I will help you place it for your tank - the screen is going to determine where it will go-- you can replace the MVB for a regular basking lamp - Flukers Zoo Med Repti basking Exo Terra and Arcadia Halogens are good

 

[xp29]

Please cut back on the baths. Every day is way to often. At best you will dry his scales out, at worst he won't completely dry and could develop bacteria under his scales.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

It sounds like he is feeling a little better right now. At least he did eat some, too. Were you able
to find one of the tube bulbs also?
It's hard getting them to eat their greens on a regular basis but definitely keep trying!
He looks happier in those pictures too. Keep us posted on him.

Tracie