Unusual behaviour, HELP!

[crickets4life]

Hello, my dear Puff is acting out of the norm and I need some feedback.

My setup: 80 gallons, basking temp 105-110, cool side 80ish, heat pad underneath (opposite end from basking area), pool, 2 cacti and a couple fake plants. For UVB I use an Exo Terra Repti Glo 10.0 40W 42" tube (The store owner sold me an Exo Terra Repti Glo 10.0 26Watt coil bulb and told me that with that bulb I only need to give 2 hours??? of UVB light per day... but then I find out that the coil lights are bad).

Diet: I've been buying medium crickets (about 1/2"), 3-4 meal worms a week, greens (kale, arugula, beet greens, red/green oak) but not a lot of fruit an veg other than that. I use a calcium supplement with D3 and pretty much always dust the greens and then I dust crickets about every other day.

He is almost 12 weeks old and I have have had him since he was 6 weeks... I bought him at a reputable pet store in town that specializes in reptiles and exotics...when I first got him and he settled in he would poop pretty much daily, they weren't solid or runny (somewhere in between), he'd eat 5-10 crickets twice a day...he seemed happy. After reading that coil bulbs were bad, I went and bought the Exo Terra Repti Glo 10.0 40W tube light and it almost seems like thats when things changed. He seems lethargic, closing both of his eyes quite a bit which he hardly did before, his poop is smaller and not as regular (every second day-ish)...he acts wierd, a couple times he has kind of pulled himself along on his belly or thrashes about and runs around like crazy. He has a fake plant that has broad leaves and LOVES to sleep on them all sprawled out, it's really cute...but the last couple nights he hasnt and while he usually likes to be partially hidden when he sleeps, right now he is out in the open sleeping with his face against the side of the glass.

We have been working on trust and I havent picked him up yet but petting is usually fine, now I dont want to disturb him incase he's in pain or something. He had a few crickets in there and he would just look at them and then a couple times he lunged and missed, which also isnt normal for him. He just finished shedding about 2-3 days ago so not sure if it's related...sorry for the novel but I need your best advice. I cant afford a vet right now so any help is really appreciated. Puff thanks you too!

 

[Buggsy]

im afraid two things that really stand out are first the reptiGLO, although a strip is still no good for beardies. Some people say they have used them for years with not issues (like pet shops) but i and many others have run into serious problems while using them, as i feel you are. Where in the world are you? For the US only the reptiSUN tube (similar name but much better bulb) is recommended (www.petmountain.com) or if in the UK the arcadia 12% (www.livefoods.co.uk).

Also the heat pad, beardies can only really sense heat from above, so heat pads can be very dangerous and are not recommended for this species. It takes them sooo much longer to realise they are overheating it is sometimes too late and they can get burnt. I would take this out asap, as they have been known to short out and overheat.

What are you using to measure you temps with??

I would take the tube back and ask for a refund, argue that its making him ill with PCK (photokeritoconjuctivitus, sorry im sure thats spelt wrong) and then spend it on a good bulb, or get them to order it in for you.

Although some pet shop say they are reptile experts they really arnt, i fell into the same trap, and although i still go there now and again for bits and bobs i never listen to them, in fact they ask MY advice when im there. Just browse the forum as there are many post on how to get the 'perfect' set up, and take everything with a pinch of salt until you have done the research.

 

[myzeak]

Also when you use the better UVB you do not need d3 in your calcium and the UVB should be on for about 12-14 hours a day like a regular day. If you are useing the type of thermomitor that sticks to the glass it could be as much as 20*f off so 105 can be 125 or 85. best to use a temp gun or a probe thermimitor.

 

[Buggsy]

well if you are using any strip, even the good ones you will still need calcium with D3, only the MVB were strong enough to make them synthesise their own, but the OP was using a strip. And yes it does need to be on a 12/14 hour cycle.

 

[crickets4life]

Where in the world are you? For the US only the reptiSUN tube (similar name but much better bulb) is recommended (http://www.petmountain.com) or if in the UK the arcadia 12% (http://www.livefoods.co.uk).

What are you using to measure you temps with??

i live on the west coast of Canada and I cant find ReptiSUN anywhere, ReptiGLO is everywhere... I checked out petmountain.com and it doesn't look like they fit a 42" fixture, only 36" and 48"...would it be better to use the coil light I have for a few days until I can replace it? Would it be better with no light at all or should I keep using the tube?

I measure temps with a digital thermo/hygro combo and have checked various areas of the tank by moving it around and leaving it for an hour or so in each spot. I'm stressing out about this, I dont want him to die or anything...in 6 weeks I have become super attached and like any new parent I freak out even about the little things (not that this is a little thing).

Any more info would be awesome, thanks everybody it warmed my heart to see so many responses when I woke up this morning!

 

[Buggsy]

Its good your using a good thermometer, but no UVB would be better, it should give his eyes a rest, it may be worth in that case investing in a different fixture, they come fairly cheap in local shops!

 

[zebraflavencs]

Check out Big Als online pet store.. They ship to Canada, AND carry the ReptiSun 10.0 Linear... around $40 US if I remember correctly.
Hope that helps.

 

[crickets4life]

**UPDATE- Puff is 100%!!! Thanks Buggsy and everyone else!

So I removed the Repti GLO 10.0 on Thursday morning and he started to slowly get better, and then by Saturday he was back to his old self...he's not missing crickets, thrashing about, closing his eyes, etc...I had to order a ReptiSUN 10.0 because finding one in this city was proving impossible but now its on its way.

 

[Buggsy]

Glad that he is on the mend now, you should really see a difference when you get the good UVB in there, and the rest until its delivered will do his eyes the world of good!