VENT DISCOLORATION-STRYKER NEEDS HELP!

[jings55]

Hi, Everybody,

My beardie Stryker is now almost 11 months old. I'm pretty sure he's a male. Anyways, my granddaughter has been resposible for baths the last couple of months, so I don't know when this happened, though I didn't notice it when I handled him last week.

He has a discoloration slightly around his vent that just looks like an outline around the vent and on the left side of his vent a brownish-red splotch that is the size of an adult's thumbprint. He seems a little sesitive when you touch it. it's not scraped or bleeding. It looks like dried blood, but there was no blood in his cage-though plenty of crickets he wouldn't eat. He eats mealies (I know, he shouldn't) He poops every other day or so. Sometimes in his bath. He gets a bath every 2-3 days and I always caution my grands to dry him off thoroughly, so there won't be any yellow fungus. I don't think it's fecal matter either. We keep a clean cage.

Does anybody have any idea what this could be?

I don't have the money for a vet visit right now. He doesn't seem to be in distress. He eats his mealies and salad. I did give him 2 blueberries the other day, but he's had them before. Could it be stain?

I need some advice and/or opinions because I'm worried now! :?

 

[PastelBeardie]

It would probably help if you could post a picture.

 

[jings55]

I know. I thought of that, but have have my granddaughter download pics first cause we have no room for any more. This might not be til tomorrow.

One other thing I thought of. He is not on sand. He is on a green cage liner by Zilla, I believe. Not the astro turf type. However, he's been on the same one since summer and we just spot clean it. It looks clean, but it's probably time for a new one. Have any of you ever washed one before in the machine successfully? Do you put it in the dryer? I can't afford a new one til after Christmas.

 

[Drache613]

Moved by Moderator from General to Health

 

[bunnyrut]

is he shedding?
Mr Dargon will get a pinkish hue to him when he has areas ready to shed. and when they get older they shed in patches.

for the carpet, i think putting it in the washer should be ok, although i would do the gentle cycle ( i don't have the carpet so i am unsure )
i wouldn't put it in the dryer though.

i know some people will have 2 of those, so they can change them out periodically and be able to wash one and use the other.

i personally prefer tile. it isn't too expensive, i bought mine for 68 cents per tile.
you can get it cut to fit perfectly or just buy enough to cover the area he walks around on. i have 8 in one tank and 4 in the other, the hides and basking logs cover up a lot of the floor. i line paper towels on the bottom of the tank and put the tiles on top.

it's so much easier to clean.

 

[jings55]

No, he's not shedding-though he weighed in 43 grams more than a month ago tonight, but he hasn't grown inch wise in two months. He's 16 1/2" long. I thought they only shed when they grew, but maybe I'm wrong! But, maybe when he does shed, the discoloration will go away.

I just hope it isn't a bruise of some kind or internal bleeding. My 10 yr old can be a little too inquisative, if you don't watch her. She has ADHD, etc, etc.

Later tonight, when I was holding him and she was suppose to be cleaning the whole cage/tank out, I went in to check on her and she was squeezing red ink out of a pen. This was after I saw the "stain " on him and wondered if that could be it, but it's kinda a brownishish-pink color.

Yes, I would like to get him 2 green liners.

I'm intrigued by the tiles. Where would you get them cut? I know we don't have the tools to do it. Would someplace like Lowes or Home Depot do it for you? Your talking ceramic or stone tiles, right?

 

[Esther19]

In my town, Lowe's will cut them, but Home Depot won't. Tile is so much easier. I grouted mine in.

 

[bunnyrut]

i got mine at home depot, lowes has them too, and they cut them there.

i have the ceramic ones that are rough on top (for gripping!), they also have slate and other rocks that you can use. a bit more pricey and heavy though.

i picture will help determine it what the mark is.

just keep an eye on him and note any changes in behavior. i know they tend to have a black beard when they are in a lot of pain.

and i can't say if him flinching when you tough him there means anything b/c both of my beardies don't like it when i touch that area. they will kind of jump away while screaming "BAD TOUCH!"


and going to the vet might mean that they will want to take an x-ray, and that will be pricey.

 

[daner923]

Are you sure about 43 grams? That seems extremely low for a 16 1/2 inch dragon. My 5 1/2 month old is 14 inches and 175 grams, and most average adults on here seem to range from 350-600 grams. Is he really that thin, or was it a typo or perhaps the scale you are using isn't working properly? As far as the splotch, I'm not sure, and I think it will be hard to diagnose without photos.

I have tiles in my tank - Home Depot has a bunch of different shapes and sizes precut for slate tile. I am using ten 6"x6" tiles in my 20 gallon tank now, and when i upgrade (soon I hope!), I plan on getting some 12"x12" ones. I think they also had some 12"x6" ones.

 

[jings55]

Yes, it was a typo of sorts. He weighs 278 grams-up43 grams from a month ago. Sorry!
I know he's still a light weight, but he was a slow starter because I got the wrong info from the pet store on how much to feed him daily. For months he was getting like 5-10 crickets a day!!! I started weighing him the end of May, when he was 4 months old and finally figured everything out and he started gaining weight in August! I felt so stupid! And yet he's as sweet as can be to me and holds no grudges for nearly starving him to death.

 

[daner923]

That's good to hear - 278 sounds more reasonable! :lol: Hopefully when you can post some pictures someone will have some idea. Have you tried giving him a longish bath and gently rubbing that spot? If it's just a stain, it may come off in the warm water with just a little rubbing. If he is missing scales there or it looks raw, maybe just bathe him, but don't rub. I'm really not sure what it is, but I don't think a bath/light rub will do any harm.

 

[jings55]

Thanks! We did give him a 20 min bath tonight and nothing washed off. There are no scales missing. I will try to get pics tomorrow, well, later today! Good night!

 

[jings55]

Hello!

Bad news. The discoloration turned darker. More brown. But it did not get larger.

I have a pic of it now attached.

I looked through one of my handbooks and it could be a zillion things, but mites and a bacteria infection come to mind.

But I hate to say this, but I'm not ruling out that my 10 yr old stuck something in his vent and he is internally bleeding or bruised. Does anybody think that's what it looks like? Of course she says she didn't.

Last night Stryker didn't finish all his mealies-which he relishes. Tonight he only ate some. He ate half his salad yesterday, which is normal. But i think he appetite isn't the best. And I don't think he's starting to go through bruxation, though I've never experienced it.

Also, he's had a tail nip since I got him at 3 1/2 months. It's turned darker and so hasn't some of his tail. I'm afraid he may need it taken off.

But mostly, I'm afraid he will die before I can aford to take him to the vet after the 25th, when we get paid.

Can anybody be of any help or have any suggestions? Please.

 

[jings55]

I'm sorry, I can't remember how to print the photo out from photobucket.

I copied the URL, but no pic appeared. I hope you can use it to see the picture.

Maybe someone can tell me what I'm doing wrong.

 

[daner923]

I'm honestly not sure about the tail. It doesn't look great, sadly. However, you shouldn't feed mealworms - they can cause impactions, and aren't very nutrititious. An impactions may account for the decrease in appetite.