Hi! So sorry! I read both threads and realized some of the comments I’d made weren’t for that thread, it was for this one. LOL. Took most of them out and meant to post here, and I see I hadn’t
Okay, long reply here
Okay, trying not to worry (that was one of them
)
I’d read so much about how they can asphyxiate, and how they can get URI, etc. I really panicked!
Since nothing ATM seems to be an “emergency” I’m going to defer the other thread back here, unless it becomes and emergency (God forbid). I don’t want to distract from emergencies. I was really thinking we might end up at an emergency vet clinic (I hate those! You rarely get someone “on” that knows what they are doing – even with cats and dogs – unless it’s a routine thing.)
I will NOT be spraying him again! They said they “love” being sprayed at Petsmart, so I thought they did. He seemed to like it the one day. But the day he started the gaping, he did not seem to like it. I do wipe everything down after I spray him (since the humidity is over 30% - was very bad this am! More about that in a minute), but I hadn’t thought about the carpet raising the humidity.
If I need to “mist” him for any reason, I’ll take him out of the viv and use the dropper as you’ve recommended AHBD.
Okay, was worried he may have had parasites. Given the “care” they are getting there, and how they don’t make sure people wash their hands before handling (even some of the employees go from one group to the next, without washing their hands), I was very concerned.
Well the other BD didn’t have what I’d consider “runny.” I don’t know what the fecal part looked like (I’ll have to ask hubby – or if there even was any and it was in fact all just bad diarrhea), but he “peed” a LOT of brown liquid in my hubby’s hand (and he’s got a pretty big hand). We were surprised that so much liquid came out of a critter so small.
I am worried about meds at his age. Well, I worry about them at any age. For my son I always researched everything before I gave it to him. I handn’t with our kitties as it was always basic stuff. But for our guinea pigs, I found out early on I had to do my research. Actually had a vet try to Rx penicillin! That’s toxic to Guinea Pigs.
Looks like I’ll have to learn a whole different world for our beardie. Hopefully, he won’t need any and will stay nice and healthy
I gave him a
bath, OnlyMediocre!
He hardly ate yesterday. When he wouldn’t eat for the first four hours, I began to panic and worry that it may have been connected and the gaping may have been more severe, as he gaped first think in the am (and hadn’t done that before). I don’t see him doing that this am.
I’ll definitely wait on the parasites. Anything I can do to bring down the possible count naturally would be better.
I took another look. I may have to change our lamp, again. The lamp goes across the entire viv, and won’t fit inside of it. What I am doing, after reading your post, OnlyMediocre, is sliding back his screen top, so the lamp isn’t being covered by the screen. I can’t leave it this way if I’m not here, though, because we have kitties
I’m trying to figure out if there is a way I can secure the lamp (with Velcro) so it can’t be knocked off, and the screen as well (it clips in so it can’t be opened, but I can’t use the clips if the frame is pushed back).
Whatever I do it has to be very secure. One of our kitties has recently taken quite a liking to him
They are like TV to each other. LOL. I’ll share that another time.
Hmmm? But still, don’tk now if it’s close enough, then… Just measured, his basking spots are about 8.5 “ to 9” from the
UVB light. He can get close if he wants to, but doesn’t that branch (height doesn’t seem to be the issue for him, as he went on the wire. Since he did that, we’ve been trying to find an appropriate vine for him to climb on.
I usually try to only patronize a couple of Pet Supply Plus stores as one particular manager takes in rescue critters and she really cares about the animals. But, we ended up at Pet Smart. The one young man was so nice, and said he had a bearded dragon for 10 years. I don’t think he lied, he really was a nice kid. But, I’m rather perplexed. Others I’d spoke to apart from him, knew nothing – and BSed their way through (I hate that, and had I not already become attached to this little critter, I would not have adopted a critter from there – they may have sold, but we adopted
I don’t view critters as property).
I’ve seen their tanks full of humidity – as you describe, they must have misted down the entire tank, as it was all hazed over. The thought now upsets me! At the time, I thought it was normal for them.).
We do get the crickets there, because checked two other stores, and PetLand considered “gut loaded” to be fish food! Another had no idea what “gut loaded” meant! I do see the orange cubes in with the crickets at PetSmart. But, we recently found a local reptile store, and when we can, we’re going there to patronize them, instead. They definitely gut load and the couple that own it were very nice
So, we’re going to patronize them as much as possible.
Dubia are too big for baby beardies, aren’t they? IOW, they don’t come small by any chance? LOL! Actually, I’m terrified of cockroaches! I know regular cockroaches can breed quick and can overrun a home. 8-O <look of horror> I imagine Dubai cockroaches wouldn’t be much different?
It’s a conundrum for me. LOL. On the flip side, I like crickets, and hate feeding them live. LOL. I actually hate seeing anything eaten live, but I hate seeing him hungry, so.
I’ve never been to a reptile show before. Sounds interesting. Although, if I saw a live mouse being fed to a snake, I might have the urge to “rescue” it. LOL. I love rodents
I’m glad beardies don’t *need* to have them.
I’m going to see when one will be in our area
I envy you, OnlyMediocre. Sounds like the community I’ve always wanted, and the type I wanted to raise my son in
Thank God he’s AMAZING despite the atmosphere here! Yes, Northern States can be very obnoxious. I was partly raised in a small town atmosphere, and never did adjust to the lifestyle we have here. <sigh> Although, not all of NY is like that. Where we have has been labeled the most obnoxious place in the US by some magazines and articles. LOL. And, now, it’s not Manhattan
Manhattan and certain NYC areas are hurried, but people are nice. I like the open air, though.
Onlymediocre":1nb3m1nc said:
Mine do the same thing theyll eat then let the roaches just crawl around and over them...Im like "ah, you know theres a roach on ur head right?" lol
LOL! That is SO funny! I had to tap the viv yesterday to get a cricket off his tail that paused a little too long. A couple of times he did jump when one was on his tail, so I think they tried to nip on those occasions, because typically, he will just sit there and literally let them walk all over him. That’s very odd to me.
I don’t know anything about a MVB. Never even heard of them before.
Well, today I’ll need to get a multivitamin, it seems
I just want to be sure to get a good one, as I know many of these companies do not provide the correct vitamins for the critters they are geared for. I’m not sure on the whole D3 matter, myself. It’s not a matter of not giving it at all, as far as I can see, but to be careful they don’t get too much, as it can be just as harmful as too little. So, <puzzled look> LOL.
Thanks! Will look into those heat warmers.
I definitely want to have those on hand!
The humidity is WAY too high today! I don’t know what is wrong. I was 70% at the end he sleeps at, as per the dial. The digital (at the basking end, but the light was off for the night), was up to 60%! After the light went on, it dropped to 22% at the basking end after 2 hours, and 45% at the cooler end.
I haven’t misted in the viv for 2 days, now.
Last night, I did turn off the A/C as it got rather chilly, and I was afraid it might get too cold in his viv (going to try to find that CHE today. I’m sitting here with a sweater on because of the A/C ATM. LOL. Turned it on when I saw the humidity was so high in the viv, and after his lights were on.
But, I’m going to try to find some sort of dehumidifier gels that are safe around cats (i.e., they cannot get into them).
Also, last night, I put a VERY LIGHT blanket around the tank (but NOT over the top), so that one of our kitties could not bother him at night. I used the blanket to stop the light from coming in. (I have to reply on another thread as someone gave a good idea for a curtain around it.). Plus, I did want to turn the computer back on (I’ll tell that story in a moment). I don’t know what the humidity was during the night, but it is 68% in our home ATM (we don’t have standing water anywhere. Humidity is high where we live for certain times of the year).
His stress marks were dark this AM, after the lights came on, and he woke up. He was in his little bed (but it was LOOSE) all night. I took him out and put him under the light, and pet him for a few minutes under the light. Maybe it was the humidity upon waking? IDK
Last night, when the lights went out in his viv, his stress marks went VERY DARK immediately following. He was upset. So, I did what I said
Too cute! (and I’ll have to share this on the other thread).
I picked him up, turned all but a distant light out, wrapped him in a blanket and pet him. He went out like a light! I’ve never seen a critter sleep so soundly! I held him for another 10 minutes. He was SO still, I had to make sure he was breathing. LOL. Took him into a lightly lighted area. He stayed out (and I thought my hubby was a deep sleeper. LOL).
When I lifted the towel (and it’s not a very loopy one), his little claw was stuck. So, I was afraid to leave him in that. I moved him to a little piece of a t-shirt, and wrapped it LIGHTLY around him (I’ll share a pick) and we placed him in his regular sleeping spot. He never moved!
So, I felt MUCH better that he fell asleep happy