Very Nervous... Please Help

[suikajusu]

little bit of trouble. I called 5 vet offices today and the only one that has a vet that works with bearded dragons is going on vacation for a week. awesome. still no poop, still no eating, and I'm also leaving for one day Saturday. I can have someone stop in to check on him while in gone but I guess that's what's going on right now

 

[jacody]

I know you're worried, but this is what I'd do.. if you can't get a sample to the vet tomorrow then give him baths each day, if he's still having diarrhea shorten them, aim for 7-8 minutes if you do one each day.. that'll keep him hydrated.. if he's still not eating try to offer a little dish of greens.. use shredded collard, mustard or turnip greens with a bit of shredded squash in there.. maybe he may take to it, but if you ever have a chance to get him to eat it on a regular basis doesn't hurt to try now.. hold a bunch up to his snout and let him smell it, place the dish in the cool end.... and leave him alone and see what happens.. you can also get unsweetened baby jar food, try apple sauce or even a chicken flavor and mix a bit if his calcium in it and offer it by a syringe (the kind with no needle that you use for kids medicines, if you can't find one in the pharmacy ask the pharmacist for a medicine dropper and he'll know what you mean).. don't force feed, but squeeze out a bit on the bottom of his snout where his mouth opens and he may lick it off, let him do that as much as you can.. if he does take a significant amount and still is having diarrhea lay off the bath that day so you don't over do it.. you can also in the meantime if you want him to eat, at petco they have calci-worms which are small, similar to the Phoenix worms I mentioned before, if they don't have them they may have wax worms which are small, if he does take to those don't feed too many as once his appetite comes back he'll be stubborn to go back to crickets.. try those things and just do what you can to make him comfortable til you can have a sample analyzed..

Gina

 

[suikajusu]

I found some unsweetened apple sauce and I got him to lick a tiny little bit off his nose atleast it's something. I left a dish of it in his tank and I will try to feed him more in a little bit. and I finally found a vet to see him in the morning! thank goodness

 

[jacody]

That's reassuring.. good luck, let me know how he makes out w/ the doc.. Have a good night..

 

[suikajusu]

so we're basically on a stable diet of baby food now he loves that stuff so I'm happy he's eating. the doctor said the runs are fine as long as he is pooping. he also said to lower temperatures and to soak boji for a couple hours because he's dehydrated. I ordered some phoenix worms to give him too. I'm leaving for the weekend and left my boyfriend in charge, so hopefully all goes well

 

[jacody]

He'll love the phx. worms, mine does too.. did you have a fecal run on him or talk to the vet?? Hope you have a great weekend..

 

[suikajusu]

oh yeah, I did! no parasites

 

[jacody]

That's awesome.. glad to hear because to get rid of certain kinds is awful..boiling/baking my logs, blah, blah.. take care..

 

[suikajusu]

This little guy has got me worried sick. He's still is not eating except for the baby food and still having diarrhea. I'm thinking it may be something I'm doing wrong with the bulbs? I'm using an exo terra UVB 150 coil and a 75 watt basking bulb. It's 83 on the cool side and 105 on basking. they are both on for 12 hours, from 9 am to 9 pm. I recently stopped leaving the basking light on at night because it was keeping him awake but it was not much before he stopped eating so it might have to do with that? He's getting so thin and he hasn't shown interest in anything I've offered him. The vet said he was perfectly healthy other than being thin and dehydrated. I've given him two hour long baths and that seems to help but still no appetite. I'm running out of options and I have so much time and money invested in him I can't give up until he's better

 

[diamc]

Sorry to hear that your little beardie is sick. We usually recommend feeding applesauce to help them poop but if he has diarrhea, I wouldn't feed him anymore of that. Would be better to feed him chicken or turkey baby food mixed with squash or sweet potato baby food. The meat will help get some protein into him. Would be good to try to get him to drink some water off of his nose too.

What type of thermometer are you using?

Unfortunately, the coil bulbs aren't good and can cause all sorts of health issues. Would be best to change to a Repti-Sun 10.0 strip fluorescent.

Definitely don't leave the basking light on at night as it will prevent him from sleeping. They need it cooler at night but since he has diarrhea, would be good to try to keep his tank temp at about 80 overnight. Do you have a ceramic heat emitter or a colored bulb? If you have a colored bulb rather than a CHE, that would work for now but make sure the bulb isn't shining in his face but that the light is to the back of him instead or wrap him in a washcloth or small towel or blanket so that the cloth lays loosely over his head to block the light.

Good luck, sure hope things turn around soon.

 

[suikajusu]

I read a few things about how bad the coil bulbs are, so as soon as I can tomorrow I'm going out and buying the reptisun 10.0 bulb. hopefully he's able to recover and that's what's been making him act so weird. I'm using a temperature gun and I do have a colored bulb.

 

[diamc]

Good that you will be getting the Repti-Sun 10.0 tube. Glad to hear you have a temp gun, would be good to hold it 2" from the area you're checking.

Does he still have diarrhea? Have you stopped the applesauce and are offering the meat & squash or sweet potato baby food instead?

 

[hiyakayt]

Can you upload a picture of the little guy for us?
How are his legs looking? are the bowed out to the side at all?
does his legs look like pop-eye ( the best way to describe it?)

I hope its not too late but I recommend the Mercury Vapor bulb for both UVA & UVB
for the basking spot.
the colored bulbs do nothing really it actually disturbs there sleep at night as like it would a human.

 

[suikajusu]

got the light all set up and running. I've been doing 20% chicken mixed with 80% squash babyfood with a little flukers calcium and d3 dust since Friday. he's still acting really lethargic but I still have some hope. if he would only eat live food...

 

[diamc]

the colored bulbs do nothing really it actually disturbs there sleep at night as like it would a human

The reason I suggested using the red light at night is because his immune system is compromised from having diarrhea and keeping his tank at about 80 overnight should help him out and better to use it than no heat at all. It's only temporary and as long as he is covered from the light so that it isn't shining in his face, it will help keep him warmer for now.