Sickness or brumation?

[Kpb1990]

Hi, I adopted a 5 year old beardie last week and I am very new into having a bearded dragon but it is bothering me that he doesn’t move much, doesn’t want to eat, doesn’t want to drink water or anything. He is sleeping most of the time, when we come in the room he opens his eyes and looks at us for a few minutes then he goes back to sleep. The first days I had him I could tell he was malnourished, his pelvic bones were protruding, his legs were very skinny, his color was a dull brown greyish yellow color haha if that’s a color. So I read online that he could have MBD, (he came with a heating lamp but no idea if they had him with a uvb lamp or not)so I got him a uvb lamp right away to prevent mbd from getting worse. Anyways since he was not eating I started giving him some repta-boost and some calcium with vitamin D3 and 1ml of water per day. His tail, color and legs look way better now but his head pads are still a little bit sunken. He takes the food but doesn’t love it, he moves a little when I am feeding him but also his head trembles a little bit when he tries to look up. He has pooped everyday except for the first day I got him, his poop has been different all those times. The first time I noticed his poop it was all white solid, the second time he pooped the white and green but the white had a very faint tinge of orange or yellow, the other poops have been kind of watery but there was green and white no more yellow or orange. I am not familiar with the smell of healthy poops are they supposed to smell a little or not have any smell at all?

My big question is how long does it take for them to recover from dehydration or mbd? And how to know the difference between MBD and brumation? Can he be affected by both at the same time?
I would love to take him to a vet but since we just passed the holiday season, I really can’t afford it right now.

 

[AHBD]

I think he had a good owner at one point who took care of him but then he was left with a relative who didn’t know how to take care of him so I adopted him from her. She told me she was just feeding him lettuce, romaine lettuce. I am not certain she had a uvb lamp on him but as far I can tell he didn’t have one on. He was very malnourished when I got him and didn’t move at all. I can see he is recovering somehow but it’s just very sad to see him so weak. And that’s why I was wondering if he was sick or if he was starting brumation.

More likely is rundown from known and unknown health concerns rather than brumation. Still might rally pretty good with time and good care. He'll probably eat more insects as he feels better.

 

[Kpb1990]

Thank you guys I will follow your advice and i will keep you posted in a couple of weeks on how things progress with him. I appreciate the time you took to answer to my questions.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Keep trying with him. Go slowly with him as his system will take some time to normalize. How is he doing today?

Keep us posted on him!
Tracie

 

[Kpb1990]

Hello,

Keep trying with him. Go slowly with him as his system will take some time to normalize. How is he doing today?

Keep us posted on him!
Tracie

He is still just chilling, refusing to drink or eat on his own. I gave him a small dose of the oxbow yesterday, he is still not moving much he just opens his eyes every now and then and when he is away from the basking area he starts turning darker, almost black and he is always flat pancaking. Am I stressing him by feeding him or is he cold? I wonder if he wants to go into brumation and I am just stressing him by trying to feed him and hydrating him. But the thing is that he doesn’t move to a hiding place or away from the basking area on his own, he is barely mobile, and when he does he is very slow at it

 

[KarrieRee]

He is still just chilling, refusing to drink or eat on his own. I gave him a small dose of the oxbow yesterday, he is still not moving much he just opens his eyes every now and then and when he is away from the basking area he starts turning darker, almost black and he is always flat pancaking. Am I stressing him by feeding him or is he cold? I wonder if he wants to go into brumation and I am just stressing him by trying to feed him and hydrating him. But the thing is that he doesn’t move to a hiding place or away from the basking area on his own, he is barely mobile, and when he does he is very slow at it

What are your surface basking temps? They should be taken w/ a digital probe thermometer 95-100-- usually when they turn black they are trying to absorb heat ----

 

[Kpb1990]

What are your surface basking temps? They should be taken w/ a digital probe thermometer 95-100-- usually when they turn black they are trying to absorb heat ----

When he is basking he is not black, he is a nice yellow color but when he is near his food and water he turns brown and yesterday was a little black in his tail too. Temp showing in the thermometer close to his basking area is 95.

 

[KarrieRee]

When he is basking he is not black, he is a nice yellow color but when he is near his food and water he turns brown and yesterday was a little black in his tail too. Temp showing in the thermometer close to his basking area is 95.

Ok could be a mood swing -- next time hes showing the black post a pic of him please

 

[Kpb1990]

Ok could be a mood swing -- next time hes showing the black post a pic of him please

This is him right now, I guess he is a little stressed? under his belly he has the “stress lines”? I didn’t want to disturb him at all today but he is still showing the color and the lines. His tail is a little bit colder but his body is pretty warm, like a good temperature.

 

[KarrieRee]

This is him right now, I guess he is a little stressed? under his belly he has the “stress lines”? I didn’t want to disturb him at all today but he is still showing the color and the lines. His tail is a little bit colder but his body is pretty warm, like a good temperature.

I see some shed going on and it looks to be his coloring on his tail- still not eating on his own either?

 

[Kpb1990]

I see some shed going on and it looks to be his coloring on his tail- still not eating on his own either?

Not yet, and he fights more me feeding him with a syringe, I think that’s stressing him too

 

[KarrieRee]

Not yet, and he fights more me feeding him with a syringe, I think that’s stressing him too

More than likely- I would say stop but he looks so thin- and you don't want him losing anymore weight- hopefully w/ the correct surface basking temps and uvb he will start on his own - I would keep offering him his food and see if he starts on his own

 

[Kpb1990]

More than likely- I would say stop but he looks so thin- and you don't want him losing anymore weight- hopefully w/ the correct surface basking temps and uvb he will start on his own - I would keep offering him his food and see if he starts on his own

I am going to continue feeding him then and offering him fold and water as well. I am going to have him tested for parasites, hopefully after the holidays and that I get his results soon

 

[KarrieRee]

I am going to continue feeding him then and offering him fold and water as well. I am going to have him tested for parasites, hopefully after the holidays and that I get his results soon

Sounds good but NO ENEMAS!! Please take a fecal in - they can end in disaster -

 

[AHBD]

I am going to continue feeding him then and offering him fold and water as well. I am going to have him tested for parasites, hopefully after the holidays and that I get his results soon

It might be best to let him settle in and possibly gain a bit of weight before a vet visit. Poor Pancake looks pretty sad + stressed so let him get comfortable , give him a month and see how he does.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

That would be a good idea to wait just a short bit before getting a fecal done on him, to let his system
try to normalize from relocation stress. That alone will cause stress levels to elevate normal levels of
the worms & parasites.
I hope he starts to feel better soon. We are all pulling for little Pancake to get better. Please keep us
updated on him.

Tracie