Spike has been really lazy...

[Digzar]

For the last few days my beardie has been really lethargic and not eating very much, is it possibly brumation? He has all the necessities and its really starting to concern me.

 

[diamc]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear that Spike is worrying you. Could you fill us in on his setup? What UVB are you using and how old is it and at what distance, what wattage basking bulb and is it a white or colored bulb, what is the size of the tank, what type of thermometer are you using, what are the temps, what type of substrate on the bottom of tank?

Also, could you fill us in on his age, what he's been eating, when he had his last poop, how often you've been using calcium & vitamin supplements? How are you keeping him hydrated?

Sorry for all the questions, but the answers would be helpful so we can rule other things out before the conclusion of brumation is decided.

 

[Digzar]

I made a few phone calls and figured out that he wasn't getting sufficient water, my house gets very dry so he was dehydrating so I had to make sure to mist him 1 or 2 more times a day until I find a means to increase the humidity to the appropriate level.

 

[PuffPuff11]

A dry atmosphere is what they need.... you do not want to increase the humidity in his cage it can cause respiratory problems.
The humidity in his cage should be no higher than 40%
He just needs to be hydrated in means of eating plenty of vegetables and either drinking water or taking a bath.
Most beardies dont drink water from a bowl so the best thing to do would give him a bath in body temperature water 97. Make sure his vent (where he poops from) is under water, they absorb water from their vents, but make sure its not too deep and you have to watch him to make sure he doesnt drown, they can swim but just like people not all do.

 

[diamc]

Hi, PuffPuff11 is right, you shouldn't mist him in his tank as high humidity can cause an upper respiratory condition. Do you know what the humidity is in his tank? For proper hydration, bathing is a good idea, be sure to test the water temp by the inside of your wrist & to place something like a washcloth or small towel down in the sink or container to help him feel more secure & to keep him from sliding around. A 15 to 20 min bath is very beneficial, but make sure his vent area is right down in the water for proper hydration. You could also mist his greens with water and even offer drinks of water or diluted 100% juice (no sugar added), diluting with 1 part juice to 4 parts water. You can put drops on his nose for him to lick off. Bathing 3 to 4 times a week is very helpful & also helps with shedding and offer drinks like mentioned daily will also help.

If you could answer the questions that I posted in my first post, it would be very helpful as certain things can cause dehydration so would be best to rule things out. Please keep us updated on him.