SOS baby beardie doesn't seem okay!!

[cydneejasmine]

After frantically searching for answers I decided that I would make an account and try to get more specific help!

My baby beardie was supposedly born on August 28th, makng her 2 months now- I don't belive it but I'm not sure- she's only about 4-5"

I have had her for a little over a week now- shes been eating dubia roaches and small meal worms( I know terrible decision-thank you petco employee :evil: ) She doesn't poo often and when she does they are pretty solid- I try to give her water constantly and she will drink a few drop 2x a day.

Long story short since I am panicing and don't know what to do- I believe she may have impaction from the mealworms. She hasn't poo'd in 2 day, I've tried massaging her belly and giving her some olive oil but today when I tried to bathe her, she drank lots of water- after the bath I put her in her cage and she looked like she was gagging and gasping for air.I took her out after letting her warm up and saw her scratch at her tank for the first time. She has been really dark in color the last day or 2, she seems to lighten up when I take her out of her tank. I am currently using the Powersun bulb in a 20 gal.

She is now making almost a popping noise and gasping for air, could this be respiratory infection or having to do with the water she drank in the bath?!
PLEASE HELP!!

 

[VenusAndSaturn]

She is probably 2 months. Can you post pictures of her tank? The mealworms could be a reason, and she could have possibly chocked on the water by drinking too fast, ive never had one my beardies choke on water but its possible. Also what are the basking spot temps and cool side temps. Along with humidity. Just give me an overall thing of the tank in case you cant take pictures. Though i wouldn't be too worried about not pooping for two days, usually my 7 month old poops everyday but my two adults poop maybe every other day or every two to three days but there is no possibility of impaction for them.

 

[cydneejasmine]

I’m still new to this, not sure how to post pics. Her powersun light is about 5” or so from her basking spot. My thermometer stopped working conveniently 2 days ago, I’m waiting on my new one from amazon so I wish I could tell you. I’m most concerned about the clicking noise she makes every one in a while while breathing. I am looking for new lighting currently because I feel the Powersun may not have been a good choice. She never really leaves the basking area

 

[cydneejasmine]

Also, she had only 1 dubia before I left to work this morning and I haven't fed her since because I've been so worried that she has impaction. Is it safe to feed her tonight? I would just feel terrible if I keep stuffing her full of food and water and she can't poo

Edit- I have noticed some small pieces of her skin starting to peel- could shedding have any effects on this?

 

[VenusAndSaturn]

https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/#list Upload the image and then hit the thing that says "XIMG". For beardies i'd honestly recommend uvb reptisun t5 HO 10.0 tubes along with the mercury vapor bulbs. Though for 20 gallons i wouldnt recommend Mercury vapor bulbs since they could possibly over heat a tank. Before it broke what was the temp? And also whats the substrate? Shedding can be annoying for beardies but possible, i know when they have shed on their beards they puff them up trying to break it. It could be a respiratory infection if theres a clicking noise.

 

[cydneejasmine]

I use reptile carpet. I do have a beanie in there because I worry she gets cold at night and I always put her in there before bed and I wake up and she’s still in there unless she’s come out early to bask which is unusual. I do worry about the strings/fabric of the beanie though. I agree that it could be a respiratory infection. What are the causes, symptoms, and treatments for this?

 

[VenusAndSaturn]

I myself has never dealt with a repertory infection so i really only know very limited things on it. Though causes would be higher than 60% humidity and too cold of temps, so most likely humidity. Though the reason shes gagging etc is probably from drinking too much water or something, your tank looks fine, the bulb your using probably needs to be switched with a 75 watt and then a strip light. I honestly dont trust MVB's too much, the idea of heat and uvb seems risky to me i guess. Im using a mvb for my new tegu, but its not a powersun, its a solar glo 160 watt which she loves. And i might switch heat bulbs out for a lower wattage one for my beardies, most likely when i get my two adults a larger enclosure than 40 gallons.

 

[kingofnobbys]

After frantically searching for answers I decided that I would make an account and try to get more specific help!

My baby beardie was supposedly born on August 28th, makng her 2 months now- I don't belive it but I'm not sure- she's only about 4-5"

>>> 4-5 inches long for a 2 month old , a bit small.
how much does she weigh in grams ?

I have had her for a little over a week now- shes been eating dubia roaches and small meal worms( I know terrible decision-thank you petco employee :evil: ) She doesn't poo often and when she does they are pretty solid- I try to give her water constantly and she will drink a few drop 2x a day.
<<< hard dry poos ==> dehydration
<<< cut the mealworms , they are not suitable feeder insects for hatchling beardies , suitable sized dubia (( which are gut loaded with calcium rich leafy greens & carrot) and dusted with calcium powder) are fine.
See viewtopic.php?f=76&t=234999&p=1807834#p1807834
and viewtopic.php?f=18&t=237167


Long story short since I am panicing and don't know what to do- I believe she may have impaction from the mealworms. She hasn't poo'd in 2 day,
<<< 2 days is between poos is not an issue, I don't intervene until it's been 7 days.
I've tried massaging her belly and giving her some olive oil but today when I tried to bathe her, she drank lots of water- after the bath I put her in her cage and she looked like she was gagging and gasping for air.
<<<< there is a chance she may have aspirated some bath water , this is bad for a hatchling.
Keep her warm 24/7 (between 30 degreeC and 35 degreeC) this will help dry her lungs out , and when she's really relaxed and sleepy , set up her bed so her head is lower the her bottom, this will help drain any aspirated water from her lungs (beardies can not cough).
I took her out after letting her warm up and saw her scratch at her tank for the first time. She has been really dark in color the last day or 2, she seems to lighten up when I take her out of her tank. I am currently using the Powersun bulb in a 20 gal.

Temperatures
Daytime
>> at basking spot ?
>> in warm zone ?
>> in cool zone ?
and how are you measuring these ?
Overnight ?


wattage of the Powersun MVB , and how far is it from the basking spot ?
She is now making almost a popping noise and gasping for air, could this be respiratory infection or having to do with the water she drank in the bath?!
PLEASE HELP!!

 

[kingofnobbys]

I’m still new to this, not sure how to post pics. Her powersun light is about 5” or so from her basking spot. My thermometer stopped working conveniently 2 days ago, I’m waiting on my new one from amazon so I wish I could tell you. I’m most concerned about the clicking noise she makes every one in a while while breathing.

<<< are you seeing any mucus in her nose and mouth , bubbles in nose and mouth ?
<<< if not , the occasional click is not an issue - they all seem to make occasional clicking sounds when breathing.

I am looking for new lighting currently because I feel the Powersun may not have been a good choice. She never really leaves the basking area

<<<< visit the nearest pet shop and pick up one of these : mount it UNDER THE MESH LID
and buy one of these : a PT2224 ie
http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/compact_top.php
and a 26W UVB200
http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/reptile_uvb200.php

Need to mount this so the basking spot is no more than 8 inches from the 26W UVB200 compact.
This will be OK for your UV light source in such a small viv.

If your money can be stretched ; even better are a 12%UVB T8 or T5HO tube in a reflector hood, again mounted UNDER the mesh lid.

See this for working out distances for different UV compacts and tubes : viewtopic.php?f=34&t=235611

AND

visit a hardware shop and buy a colorless domestic 38Par incandescent or halogen spot globe (a 70W to 80W will be fine ---> your new basking globe IF the MVB you have is too hot for your tiny viv.


BUT


if the dragon is always dark in the viv , it's most likely too cool and trying to warm up.

You need digital thermometers like this : https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1-LCD-Digital-Temperature-Thermometer-Fridge-Freezer-Aquarium-Fish-Tank-Reptile/172452294173?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140107090050%26meid%3D2f7042e06fbf49ef8ed29ef34ebfc083%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D391259141696

 

[AHBD]

Hi there, it sounds like she just drank too fast, they will choke + gag at times even as adults. If she ate today, [ I guess that would be yesterday ] that's a good sign ! Just be sure the roaches are smaller than the space between her eyes, and yes you can let her have a few more, but not late in the evening. Her shedding can also affect her appetite as well. Watch to see if she continues to gasp or make popping noises, but hopefully it was just a one time thing from too much water too quickly. Keep up the drops of water on the nose, all my many babies I raised drank that way.

You have a really nice set up, glad to see no hammock, but good climbing branches instead !

 

[cydneejasmine]

Good good morning everyone! I woke up and she’s still alive and alert, she even ate 2 Dubaias. I ran to Petco because th reptile store is too far for me to get to before I have to go to work. I temporarily got the Zilla 18” T8 slimeline fixture and a 75W basking bulb. Temps are reading only just about 100 degrees. Would it be safe to keep the Powersun on along with the T8 while I’m at work today or could that cause too much UVB exposure? Or would it help at all to put the basking light in a bigger light fixture- an 8.5” instead of a 5”? I have the fixture currently resting in the opening since I don’t have time to attach it to anything and my screen lid pulls out towards me.

 

[AHBD]

No, that wouldn't be too much uvb since the Zilla is not that strong of a bulb. And you have to check to see if the fixture has a clear plastic shield on it in front of the bulb, that blocks all the uvb.

 

[cydneejasmine]

It did actually have a clear plastic shield which I was irritated about, I took a screw driver and removed it. Now there’s no covering and it has a reflector behind the bulb