Week Old Hatchling Sold from Pet Store

[joannr24]

Hi,

I just joined this forum and am hoping for some guidance on a situation.

I am new to Beardies. I bought my first a couple months ago and he has flourished. Growing like a weed and eats right out of my hand.

I got a second Beardie today that is in his own aquarium next to my first one. I saw him hatch last week and this week he was for sale. At first the owner said he wanted to keep them a few more weeks but then he said he knew I'd be a good home so he sold him to me. I asked him if that was ok, especially leaving his buddies and he said he'd probably thrive on his own. This guy owns a reptile store so I figured well he knows more than me and I took him home today.

This afternoon I have been googling week old bearded dragons and have read that this was a bad idea. Unfortunately, he is now home with me and I fear the stress of returning him to the pet store might be too much and he probably would just get sold again.

Here is my setup:

** 40 gallon Exoterra tank
** 100 Watt Power Sun on one side that gets the tank to just under 100 degrees.
** Cave on cool side which stays around 85 degrees.
** I have small crickets for him to eat and greens sitting at the bottom. I have special gut loading stuff for the crickets given to me by a reputable reptile vet we have in town.
** I have a small pool for him -- very shallow with little rocks if he got stuck.
** I bought Organic Squash baby food in case he needs it.

We are about fifteen minutes from the store. I took him home in a tupperware container. He was probably away from his friends for 30 minutes and I thought he was dead when we got home. He was barely breathing and pretty lifeless. I put him up on the perch right under the power sun and in about ten minutes his head was moving around and his breathing was back to normal. The rest of today I have left him alone and he is perched up on the branch under the power sun.

Is there anything special I need to do to keep this little guy alive? I feel so bad for him and I think returning him to the pet store is not a good path given that they might sell him again tomorrow.

Also, am I fighting a losing battle here to? I just want to be prepared. I am by no means a reptile expert so all advice would be greatly appreciated and hopefully I have some chance of keeping this cute little guy alive.

Thank you in advance.

joAnn

 

[AHBD]

Hi Joann....was he lively at the store when you bought him ? If he was in good health, a short car ride [ unless he became overheated ] would not harm him. If he had some sort of trauma, there will be problems. Things to do....drip water daily on his snout to get him to drink, twice a day is good at that age. Keep the cage furniture to a bare minimum. Easier for him to see his food and not be overwhelmed. See if he's interested in eating, at one week he may not be a great eater yet,he may even get scared of the crix at times, so shake the crickets up for a minute to daze them [ and coat them with calcium dust ] so they crix will be dazed from the shaking and easier to catch. You can drop the crix close to him, just a few at a time until he establishes an eating pattern.

 

[joannr24]

Thank you for your reply. Yes, he was lively and went after the crickets right in front of me and ate two. That is why we chose him. Currently, I have one water ramp bowl, one food bowl, one fake cactus and one cave.

Is that too much?

Thank you again

 

[AHBD]

That sounds O.K. Sometimes it's best to start them in a smaller tank, but your set up sounds good for him. If he starts hiding at any point, take the cave out because it can encourage shy behavior.

 

[joannr24]

Great News!! I came home today and he looked really active. I offered him crickets and he wasn't interested, so I soaked him for ten to fifteen minutes in lukewarm water. When I got him out he attached himself to my hand and didn't want to get off. So I hung out with my hand up on the perch under the light. Then I had my mom bring over some fruit flies I just bought for him and he ate them and with passion!! I was so excited. Then I finally got him off my hand and went and got him a pinhead cricket pinched between tweezers and he took that too!!! Yay!!! WhenI spoke to my vet today who is a reptile specialist he said he thought he would be fine as long as I only fed him pinhead crickets and soaked him every other day for a month.

I am so excited. I really hope he makes it. He is an adorable sand fire and his name is Hercules! :mrgreen:

 

[AHBD]

That's great ! Sounds like things are getting off to a good start, he should do just fine with the proper care.