URI?

[Sabrinaquast]

Hey! I have 2 beardies and one of them is showing signs of a URI. I keep both their enclosures exactly the same. I'm in Utah so I never have any kind of high humidity, I actually struggle to get to to chill over 10%. She's been open mouth breathing and her beard is moving with the breaths...so it's a bit exaggerated. I've noticed some discharge from her mouth, her nose has been plugged from shed so I thought maybe it was that but those plugs are now out and she's still having the issue. Also started coughing yesterday. My question is, how long can a uri be there? I bought my male from an actual breeder, however the female was bought from a chain pet store by a family member who quickly realized she couldn't handle taking care of her so she gave her to me.

Could she have been sick this whole year that I've had her? Probably not but hey, worth asking.
I made her an appointment for 3 days from now, I'm hoping I haven't waited too long to have her be seen

 

[KarrieRee]

Hey! I have 2 beardies and one of them is showing signs of a URI. I keep both their enclosures exactly the same. I'm in Utah so I never have any kind of high humidity, I actually struggle to get to to chill over 10%. She's been open mouth breathing and her beard is moving with the breaths...so it's a bit exaggerated. I've noticed some discharge from her mouth, her nose has been plugged from shed so I thought maybe it was that but those plugs are now out and she's still having the issue. Also started coughing yesterday. My question is, how long can a uri be there? I bought my male from an actual breeder, however the female was bought from a chain pet store by a family member who quickly realized she couldn't handle taking care of her so she gave her to me.

Could she have been sick this whole year that I've had her? Probably not but hey, worth asking.
I made her an appointment for 3 days from now, I'm hoping I haven't waited too long to have her be seen

You have the dragons separated correct? UVB is extremely important --- NO coils please and the long tube fixture should be properly placed and distanced for the screen and bulb your using--- low humidity can cause shedding issues and RI's as well or so I have read --- optimal humidity is 40-50% but usually I recommend nothing under 20% or over 70%-it should be placed on the center back wall of the tank- for it being that low are you using a analog or digital probe hygrometer? analogs are usually not very accurate -- I would get a CHE going if shes not feeling good for night time temps to around 80ish -- place it on the center of the screen for your tank -- this will help w/ the immune system-- then if the humidity is what you say it is I would get a humidifier placed next to the tank

 

[Sabrinaquast]

You have the dragons separated correct? UVB is extremely important --- NO coils please and the long tube fixture should be properly placed and distanced for the screen and bulb your using--- low humidity can cause shedding issues and RI's as well or so I have read --- optimal humidity is 40-50% but usually I recommend nothing under 20% or over 70%-it should be placed on the center back wall of the tank- for it being that low are you using a analog or digital probe hygrometer? analogs are usually not very accurate -- I would get a CHE going if shes not feeling good for night time temps to around 80ish -- place it on the center of the screen for your tank -- this will help w/ the immune system-- then if the humidity is what you say it is I would get a humidifier placed next to the tank

Yes! Sorry should have clarified, they are in separate tanks and in the year I've had them they've never been introduced, my boy is kind of a butthead. I was using just the basic gauge and that always read 10%, it goes up when I mist them, which I do morning and night, but then goes back down to 10. I have switched to a digital reader and that says the same thing. I use the same digital one in my snakes enclosure, seems to work really well.

So just to clarify, should I be lowering their temps when I turn out there lights for bed?

 

[Sabrinaquast]

You have the dragons separated correct? UVB is extremely important --- NO coils please and the long tube fixture should be properly placed and distanced for the screen and bulb your using--- low humidity can cause shedding issues and RI's as well or so I have read --- optimal humidity is 40-50% but usually I recommend nothing under 20% or over 70%-it should be placed on the center back wall of the tank- for it being that low are you using a analog or digital probe hygrometer? analogs are usually not very accurate -- I would get a CHE going if shes not feeling good for night time temps to around 80ish -- place it on the center of the screen for your tank -- this will help w/ the immune system-- then if the humidity is what you say it is I would get a humidifier placed next to the tank

 

[KarrieRee]

Is the screen on the tank a fine mesh? If so it needs to be unobstructed - brand and bulb please? The digital has a probe? How old is the uvb? No lights on at night- 12 hrs on and 12 hrs off- che's are heat and no light

 

[Sabrinaquast]

Is the screen on the tank a fine mesh? If so it needs to be unobstructed - brand and bulb please? The digital has a probe? How old is the uvb? No lights on at night- 12 hrs on and 12 hrs off- che's are heat and no light

The UVB has just been changed, I replaced them last month. The brand is Aiiccio, just off Amazon the probe is connected to a thermostat so I can control the temp. I do use CHEs for both dragons, those are just zilla ones. The thermometer is just Velcroed inside the tank. And the top is a metal screen and not obstructed by anything.

 

[KarrieRee]

The UVB has just been changed, I replaced them last month. The brand is Aiiccio, just off Amazon the probe is connected to a thermostat so I can control the temp. I do use CHEs for both dragons, those are just zilla ones. The thermometer is just Velcroed inside the tank. And the top is a metal screen and not obstructed by anything.

I recommend you change the UVB bulb out to a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 or a Arcadia 12% 24 watt bulb--- those are the ones recommended on this forum and are very good bulbs-- the surface basking temp is extremely important -- so that probe should sit on the spot where the dragon sits for basking - it does not need to stay there but that is the most accurate way to get that temp - so your UVB is in the tank? it needs to be directly above a piece of basking decor -- 12-15 inches

 

[Sabrinaquast]

I recommend you change the UVB bulb out to a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 or a Arcadia 12% 24 watt bulb--- those are the ones recommended on this forum and are very good bulbs-- the surface basking temp is extremely important -- so that probe should sit on the spot where the dragon sits for basking - it does not need to stay there but that is the most accurate way to get that temp - so your UVB is in the tank? it needs to be directly above a piece of basking decor -- 12-15 inches

Yeah it's above the basking spot. It pretty much covers the length of the tank. And ft he probe is placed where she sits, so that's correct. I do have 10.0 t5 UVB, just not that specific brand, so I'll change that.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

As Karrie is suggesting, it is very important to switch out the UVB light either the Arcadia or the
Reptisun versions of the T5. They are well tested & have a much higher quality of UVB production.
Most of the other brands are made in China & oftentimes made with lower quality glass so the UVB
emission isn't very good.
So, if she is having issues such as breathing or respiratory issues perhaps, that can also be brought
on by insufficient UVB lighting & or temperatures, too.
Are you able to keep her warmer overnight?
Let us know how things go at the vets.

Tracie

 

[Sabrinaquast]

Hello,

As Karrie is suggesting, it is very important to switch out the UVB light either the Arcadia or the
Reptisun versions of the T5. They are well tested & have a much higher quality of UVB production.
Most of the other brands are made in China & oftentimes made with lower quality glass so the UVB
emission isn't very good.
So, if she is having issues such as breathing or respiratory issues perhaps, that can also be brought
on by insufficient UVB lighting & or temperatures, too.
Are you able to keep her warmer overnight?
Let us know how things go at the vets.

Tracie

We went to the vet today and she has two different parasites, I can't remember the ones she said exactly, one of them is a worm, so she's on two different meds. She also has an infection in her mouth, her gums are receding a bit....I was unaware that they need their teeth cleaned kind of like we do in a way with a q tip now during bath time to get rid of build up. She also suggested I get a humidifier for the room she is in, so I'll be picking one up tomorrow.

 

[Sabrinaquast]

She was 100% not amused with the vet