Stryker is sick!

[jings55]

Hi! Stryker just turned 5 on 1/27/17. (HATCH DATE)

He is very strange. Hardly ever eats. Only has 1/2 dozen Supers once a week. Alot of times he leaves them to die.

Gets a bath every week or two. Sheds all the time. Rarely poops, except in bath usually.

Today he got a short bath. My husband takes care of him now. Right afterwards, he pooped all over himself and the cage. I did not see it. Then right after he pooped, he looked dead and had his mouth gaping open. Then he changed his color to a dull milky yellow/beige. And he has a black beard, which he often has now. No it is not a shed, I am sure.

Reading a few articles on this site, they mention stress and temperatures. Well, we don't have thermometers.
I pulled out an old temp gun, but I don't know how to use it. I tried pointing the red dot near Stryker and got a temp around 77*F. Don't know if that was right.

So, I moved his log/cave more to one side to make a cool side and moved his driftwood to the other side with the dome light. He has a Hallogen 72 watt bulb. Like an old style bulb. AND he has the UVB STRIP LIGHT FOR A 40 Gallon tank. It is about 6 months old. I order it yearly. He only gets about 5 hours of darkness most days. At night the light is off, there is no heat source.

Today, I also gave him a large reptile dish full of SPRING WATER, though I have heard not to give him any water in his cage due to humidity and the fact that they mostly drink from their rear.

He is not getting the Replical or Herptivite. He refuses to eat the worms if they are dusted. Not fond of crickets. Usually let's them die or land on him. Oh! And he won't eat veggies or fruit though he did as a baby.

I know this describes a lot of poor husbandry. I don't know how to fix it and make him better. He has never hibernated.Now, a couple of hours later, some of his color/pattern returned on his back. He finally closed his mouth almost all the way. His eyes open and close. He moved slightly. Still black bearded. Still has not shown any interest in his worms. I don't know what to do. Can you help? I don't want him to die. I am quite fond of him.

Thanks, Joanne

 

[GlassesTho]

It will definitely take a more experienced beardie owner than myself to help you out fully, but I can offer at least one small piece of input: They don't drink from their rear! You can use something like a plastic eyedropper and put drops of water on his nose for him to lick/drink and see if he's at least interested in some hydration.

 

[jings55]

Ok. I will do that. But the last time I used a glass eye dropper, he bit it and broke it.

 

[AHBD]

That sounds very serious, something going on internally possibly to make him so sick. Can you get him to an experienced reptile vet ? Once they lose their bowel control , turn pale + black beard they are VERY ill. You say his basking temp. was 77 ? Can you get him a higher watt bulb ?

 

[jings55]

The reptile vet is closed on Sundays. Plus I think the Replicon is in town this weekend. Money is tight right now. This vet does not take Care Crédit, last I checked. But they are knowledgeable. Brought my gecko to them, but he died anyways.

Yes, we can change light bulbs. What do you suggest? I will tell you that I run hot and cold and therefore, so doesn't our room. South Carolina weather has been very changeable this winter.

I can call the vet and see what they say. I don't know if he will last til Monday. He is just draped over his log looking dead. ( He 's not).

He looked alright all week, except that his sides were sunken in. I kept telling my husband he needed a bath but it was put off.

What do you think could be wrong?

 

[diamc]

Poor guy, sounds very sick. Did you say his temp was 77 when checked with a temp gun? Would be a good idea to use the gun and hold it about 2" from the basking spot to see what it reads there.

There could be a lot of things going on, wouldn't wait to get him to a vet. Would be a good idea to take a PLASTIC medicine dropper and offer him drinks on his nose while he is in a bath, he may even put his head down to get a drink.

Did you say he only gets 5 hrs of darkness a night or did I misunderstand?

Please act quickly, he is crying out for help. Good luck.

 

[jings55]

I thought I posted a reply. Don't know what happened.

I thought he was dead Twenty minutes later, I see his sides moving/breathing. I take him out and syringe him some water. Most of it goes on me. Then I lay down and pet him. He is unresponsive. Almost an hour later he takes a huge deep breath and he is obviously breathing. His mouth is slightly open. What is going on?

On 2nd thought, I think he is molting.

It is past time to put him to bed and shut the lights off. I am afraid he will die. I think he got warmed up on me.

Tomorrow another bath and more water by syringe. Monday the Vet.

 

[AHBD]

I'm really sorry that Stryker [ and you ] are going through this. I hate to sound fatalistic but it does not sound good. Hope for the best but realistically, be prepared for the worst.

 

[diamc]

I agree, what you're explaining that he is doing, does not sound good, the unresponsiveness, taking huge breaths and the mouth being slightly open.

Were you able to make any changes with the lighting and did you check to see what the basking surface temp was with the gun held about 2" away from it?

When he's in his tank, is he just laying on the bottom?

 

[jings55]

Yes. Last night after I held him I put him in his cage around midnight. My husband turned the lights on this morning. I slept in. Well, I found him at 3pm unresponsive on the floor of his cage. I cannot figure out if he is dead. He is not stiffy and very warm. Mouth is slightly open with dried saliva? On one side. One eye is half closed. Still black bearded. Tail is plump but stomach is sunken in. Wouldn't he get cold and stiff? Could he be in hibernation? I honestly don't know. I hate that he might have died. He just turned 5. I thought Beardies lived 10 to 15 years or longer. What did I do wrong? Temp gun is reading 107.5 two inches from his face. I don't know if hubby changed the light bulb. I doubt it. Like I said Stryker is warm and limp. I am besides myself. Should I try a bath? Help!

 

[AHBD]

No, this is not brumation. So sorry to hear it, but he is either dying now or is dead. The body would be warm from the lights. No way to tell exactly what happened unless you have a necropsy done. My sympathy to your family.

 

[jings55]

Ah! Thank you for clarifying. I will shut off his lights and we will get him a box. So many things could have been the cause. No, I am not going to have him cut up. I loved him too much.

I will try to talk my husband into getting another baby which I will care for. He does not want another.

Thank you for your caring consideration. Stryker would thank you, too. About two weeks ago I took tons of pictures of him. At least, I have them to remember him by. He was a handsome sweetheart. I can't figure out how to attach a pic, it has been so long...God bless his leathery little soul. RIP Stryker. Mommy loved you.

 

[AHBD]

Poor guy, I'm so sorry. If he doesn't move or breathe I'm afraid he's gone. You can try putting him on his back to see any response or in the water but even then he's really in the death process.

Whenever you're ready you'll decide whether to get a new baby, it does make us feel better if we have the means and can care for another critter.

 

[jings55]

Thank you. I am now sure he is gone.

This pic was taken over a week ago. He was blackboarding alot, but it would go away. Was that a sign of illness then? Sorry, the pictures rotated on me.

 

[AHBD]

Aw, sweet boy....So sad for your Stryker. Something was going on but it can come on quickly. He may have had a serious virus or even cancer. Cancer is for some reason somewhat common in beardies. Bu these are only guesses, no way to know.