Sick Beardie

[dirtbikechk]

My daughter has had her Beardie (Bill) since Feb. He's always been very active. We got him as a baby, he was only about 4 inches long currently about 5". Recently he has been VERY lethargic, sleeping a lot and not eating. He has always been very active so I'm not sure what's going on. He is in a 40 gal tank. I'm wondering if it's a lighting issue. We haven't changed anything since we got him but I have no idea what to do. Our vets are all slammed here so I feel like we're on our own. I've read so many articles that I finally decided to try coming to you all for help. Thank you in advance! I don't know how to post pictures or I would.

 

[KarrieRee]

https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ click on XIMG at the top of the message box then click on the pic it should post --
What are your basking temps and how are you taking them NO Stickons they are for ambient temps only
What is the UVB brand and bulb ? coil or tube ? Where is it at in the tank ? on top of screen or inside the tank --- those two things I asked are the MOST important thing in that tank
Karrie

 

[dirtbikechk]

https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ click on XIMG at the top of the message box then click on the pic it should post --
What are your basking temps and how are you taking them NO Stickons they are for ambient temps only
What is the UVB brand and bulb ? coil or tube ? Where is it at in the tank ? on top of screen or inside the tank --- those two things I asked are the MOST important thing in that tank
Karrie

Thank you, temps are 100 on the warm side and 90 on the cool. I'll buy digital today. I'm including pictures of the set up currently. But yesterday we had the uvb on top of the mesh. Also important to know that up until last night we didn't know we were supposed to turn all his lights off at night. So we also bought a ceramic for night time now.

 

[dirtbikechk]

 

[KarrieRee]

poor baby!!! Ok the coil I would get rid of all together the only coil that is iffy is the Reptisun 26 watt and I see you have the Exo Terra so I would ditch it- and replace w / this a 24" fixture w/ a reflector and a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 --- it can sit on top of your screen or go inside the tank but we can talk about that after you decide on what you want to do -- you can get the Reptisun 26 watt bulb if you like - you decide on what you want to do the Reptisun 10.0 tube is the best on the market at this time -
Next you need to get a digital probe thermometer the stick ons are not accurate - your basking temp needs to be taken where he sits - leave for 10 minutes and get the temp- temps need to be 105-110 I would get two of them one for each side of the tank --
He is gonna go thru relocation stress which is normal but he should NOT quit eating all together- what are you feeding him? The lighting needs to be in order for him to eat --- so w/ him not eating tells me basking temps are off and the UVB --- if you need help getting a UVB I can give you a website that has fast and good service
this is what you need https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/images/thumbnails/295/250/detailed/8/t5-ho.jpg
or this one https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/zoo-med-reptisun-t5-ho-terrarium-hood.html
and this probe you can also get this at petco or petsmart
https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/images/detailed/5/Digital_Thermometer.jpg
Karrie

 

[dirtbikechk]

poor baby!!! Ok the coil I would get rid of all together the only coil that is iffy is the Reptisun 26 watt and I see you have the Exo Terra so I would ditch it- and replace w / this a 24" fixture w/ a reflector and a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 --- it can sit on top of your screen or go inside the tank but we can talk about that after you decide on what you want to do -- you can get the Reptisun 26 watt bulb if you like - you decide on what you want to do the Reptisun 10.0 tube is the best on the market at this time -
Next you need to get a digital probe thermometer the stick ons are not accurate - your basking temp needs to be taken where he sits - leave for 10 minutes and get the temp- temps need to be 105-110 I would get two of them one for each side of the tank --
He is gonna go thru relocation stress which is normal but he should NOT quit eating all together- what are you feeding him? The lighting needs to be in order for him to eat --- so w/ him not eating tells me basking temps are off and the UVB --- if you need help getting a UVB I can give you a website that has fast and good service
this is what you need https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/images/thumbnails/295/250/detailed/8/t5-ho.jpg
or this one https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/zoo-med-reptisun-t5-ho-terrarium-hood.html
and this probe you can also get this at petco or petsmart
https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/images/detailed/5/Digital_Thermometer.jpg
Karrie

Thank you so much. Ok headed to town to get this stuff. He eats crickets and we've tried to find veggies he like but he doesn't seem excited about them. He was eating about 5 crickets a day.

 

[KarrieRee]

Here is a website for you for nutrition •
http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html ignore the kale thing is good to feed ---
also getting him to eat his salad will be a pain unless you happen to get a dragon that likes veggies - so w/ that in mind I can give you tips to get him to eat his salads --- let me know - you can order worms to entice him to the bowl you will need a glass or ceramic bowl they cant get out of and salads need to be fed first thing in the morning -- I can give you websites for the worms etc --- let me know what you get for the UVB so I can help you place it
Karrie

 

[dirtbikechk]

OK will do, how soon should we see improvement after we get this fixed?

 

[dirtbikechk]

will this work?

 

[KarrieRee]

NO COILS------------ that is a coil--- you need to get what I posted so it looks like your gonna haft to order it cuz all I am seeing is coils------------- he should start to eat as soon as the basking temps are 105-110 and you have the tube UVB I posted --- if its warm where you are 65+ degrees you can take him outside for direct sunlight for 15 minutes in a plastic tote or box NO glass -- 15 minutes NO longer if in a plastic tote they do heat up -- that 15 minutes will equal out to around 4 hrs of UVB --- but he needs his basking temps to be correct and his UVB is for him to absorb calcium prevents MBD amongst many other health issues ---
Karrie

 

[dirtbikechk]

NO COILS------------ that is a coil--- you need to get what I posted so it looks like your gonna haft to order it cuz all I am seeing is coils------------- he should start to eat as soon as the basking temps are 105-110 and you have the tube UVB I posted --- if its warm where you are 65+ degrees you can take him outside for direct sunlight for 15 minutes in a plastic tote or box NO glass -- 15 minutes NO longer if in a plastic tote they do heat up -- that 15 minutes will equal out to around 4 hrs of UVB --- but he needs his basking temps to be correct and his UVB is for him to absorb calcium prevents MBD amongst many other health issues ---
Karrie

OK gotcha, I will return it tomorrow. I did take him out to the natural sun light today for about 15 min. Should I do that a couple times since I'm removing that coil?

 

[KarrieRee]

Beardies sleep in the dark NO light - if your tank is dropping below 65 at nite the ceramic you bought is a Ceramic Heat Emitter -? It is not a colored bulb correct????????? What bulb is it a 100 watt 75 watt ? Lights should be on for 12 hrs and off for 12 hrs -- beardies like it cool to sleep so 65 or better to 70's is good ---- Yes 15 minutes out in the direct sunlight will do him good ---- did you get the probes for temps? If you can do it a couple times a day it wont hurt him -- might make him stressed different environment but it will do him good -- along w/ good basking temps------------ just do loose him he is very tiny
Karrie

 

[dirtbikechk]

Beardies sleep in the dark NO light - if your tank is dropping below 65 at nite the ceramic you bought is a Ceramic Heat Emitter -? It is not a colored bulb correct????????? What bulb is it a 100 watt 75 watt ? Lights should be on for 12 hrs and off for 12 hrs -- beardies like it cool to sleep so 65 or better to 70's is good ---- Yes 15 minutes out in the direct sunlight will do him good ---- did you get the probes for temps? If you can do it a couple times a day it wont hurt him -- might make him stressed different environment but it will do him good -- along w/ good basking temps------------ just do loose him he is very tiny
Karrie

Yes it is a ceramic heat emitter. Our house is usually above 65. Yes I bought probes. Looks like it's up to 90.9 on the cool side and 103.5 on the warm side so far. Thank you so much for your help. We don't want to lose him we have gotten very attached. I'll order the other lighting tonight so we can get it asap.

 

[KarrieRee]

Ok so let me know when it comes in and we can help you get it placed to where you want it w/ correct distances --- I am hoping he will eat w/ the outside UVB and the correct basking temps --- they are the most important thing in that tank -- he will need salads every morning as well --- here is a website for nutrition •
http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html ignore the kale thing its good to feed
If you need help on getting him to his salad bowl let me know you will need a ceramic or glass bowl -- I can give you websites for you to order silk worms dubia roaches and worms that Bill will like

Karrie

 

[dirtbikechk]

NO COILS------------ that is a coil--- you need to get what I posted so it looks like your gonna haft to order it cuz all I am seeing is coils------------- he should start to eat as soon as the basking temps are 105-110 and you have the tube UVB I posted --- if its warm where you are 65+ degrees you can take him outside for direct sunlight for 15 minutes in a plastic tote or box NO glass -- 15 minutes NO longer if in a plastic tote they do heat up -- that 15 minutes will equal out to around 4 hrs of UVB --- but he needs his basking temps to be correct and his UVB is for him to absorb calcium prevents MBD amongst many other health issues ---
Karrie

So the new light set up won't get here until Thursday. He does better when we take him outside in the sun of course. My question is this, we will be gone tomorrow all day and we won't be able to get him out in the sun. Should we at least put the cool back on top of the screen for some UVB just for the day?