Weird.????

[Aussiethedragon]

My baby bearded dragon Aussie has been with us for several weeks and doing fine.
The only thing is when I go to handle him he always acts like he is going to sleep in my hand.and when I put him back he just cinda lays where I put him and doesn't go up to bask or eat. I don't know if this is usual or what but please help

 

[KristineM]

Hi there! How often do you handle him? Do you bathe him often? I'm just wondering if he is used to being handled. My boy used to flatten out and "play dead" for the first couple days when we took him out for baths. It seems you should have had him long enough that he isn't frightened...you said everything else is normal, right? Eating, pooping? Temps, hydration?

 

[Aussiethedragon]

I handl him evry day and give him baths about twice a week. And he is pooping quite often one to two times a day.daly misting and water bowel always full.
TeMps are at 102 warm side and low 80 at cool side I just have no idea what's rong. But thanks for helping me

 

[KristineM]

I just want to make a suggestion...the water dish actually doesn't need to be in the viv. How old is Aussie? Bathing daily or every other day might be a better bet. Are you saying the basking SPOT is 102 or the warm SIDE? What are you taking temps with? Also, personally I don't feel that misting your dragon is necessary by any means. They absorb water through their vents. So, soaking beardies is best all around.

Is he acting lethargic at all? Looking dark? Sleepy? Your boy could be dehydrated or possibly too warm.

Are you using a digital thermometer with a probe on the end? A temp gun? Can you measure his humidity?

I'm only asking to see if maybe there is anything more going on here so you can catch it quickly. Let me know and keep us updated I'll be thinking of you!

 

[Aussiethedragon]

My little Aussie is very young about a month now. I'm taking temps with a regular thermometer with out a probe but it's on the side of his basking plat form and I move it to check els where. He is looking pretty dark but I think it might be the lighting that's doing that the lady at the pet store told me to get all these lights and fixtures but come to find out there all rong. He looks dropy and tired and not as alert as usual and his beard is droopy not stuck up to his chin. I going to give him a bath and se if he is dehydrated and try to get him to drink.THANKS A TON!!!
Ps I wil post a pic of him so you can look and se what's actually going on BUT
I dont know how to.THANKS KRISTINE M

 

[Tonja]

Do you have a uvb for Aussie? If so what type of uvb do you have for him. You really need a probe type thermometer for the basking spot as gauge <round stick on thermometers> can be as much as 20 degrees off up or down. For uvb its essential for his health and the reptiSUN 10.0 tube light is what you want or an arcadia 12%. Coil bulbs can make them lethargic, not want to eat and problems with absorption of calcium and eye problems. you can hang the ubv at the top inside back wall of the tank with command strips or heavy duty Velcro, I am mentioning this cause you didn't mention a uvb for him.

 

[KristineM]

I second everything that Tonja just posted. If you have a coil UVB you should turn it off. The temps are also VERY important. An Acurite digital thermometer with probe is $12 at Walmart and I got an infrared temp gun for around $10 online.

I'd start bathing him daily at this point. If he isn't looking or acting right he could be dehydrated and the UVB/temps could be harming him

It sounds like something I went through recently. Maybe you should PM diamc. She's a moderator and literally spent the last month bringing my boy back to perfect health.

Just a suggestion...but really worth it!

 

[Aussiethedragon]

I have a UVB but of course it is the dumb coil type. But if it's of wont it give him
MBD .andlayter to night I'm going by wallmart to pick up a temp gage. I rely
Starting to get woreyd his eys are closed tight and not running around
He did go to the bath room earlyr but it was just whight no poo I hope he is not
Clogged up.

 

[KristineM]

He will be fine (and much safer) if you turn the UVB off. The coil is no good. When can you get the Retisun 10.0 TUBE? When my beardie had some issues (getting too close to his UVB without us knowing) I shut ours off for a good three days. I was told by a moderator that he would be fine with it off for a week. Just keep the basking light on and all the temps correct.

If it makes you feel better, you can lay off the calcium dusting dusting while the UVB is out but I promise it is better to turn it off.

Keep him hydrated and make sure you get a good thermometer to get accurate readings of his temps. I know Drache613 always recommends tea bags to sooth their eyes but I am not positive of what kind or anything...wish I could help with that. I BELIEVE it is: Chamomile tea bags warmed and moistened to help if there is any swelling of the eyes and it should help sooth them. Also, a saline solution along with some unpasteurized honey on a q-tip can help daily. This is in case his eyes have been burned or are sore, causing discomfort.

For the pooping, I'd try either stage 1 baby chicken or turkey and baby squash if he's not eating well. If he's clogged up a bit I'd go straight for the canned pumpkin NO ADDITIVES. Not the pie filling junk. Just the straight canned pumpkin and see if he will eat some of that. It should move things along...also AGAIN with the bathing...I'd do 15 minute warm soaks daily right now. It will help get things moving along as well.

Keep us updated, hope that helped.

 

[Aussiethedragon]

I have the UVB off and he almost instantly perked up his head and loked around
But he went back to keeping them shut tight.i think his eyes are hurting pretty bad and on the tea bags do you drip warm tea on their eyes and head like a
Eye drop. But thank you for helping me today so mutch

 

[Aussiethedragon]

Oh and I'm geting the new NON COIL UVB for him probly Tuesday at the late ist

 

[KristineM]

I'm pretty sure you place the tea bags over the eyes. To be 100% PM Drache613 for "how" to do it. I ordered an ointment online from www.beardeddragon.co but it would take too long. I really think placing the warm chamomile tea bags on the eyes is what she suggests BUT I really do not want to be wrong.

Kinda wish someone would chime in here

You're doing wonderful. Keep that UVB off. We will figure out how to sooth his eyes and I'm sure things will be just fine! Your baby is lucky to have you!

 

[diamc]

I got your pm, thought I would respond here so everyone can see what I wrote.

Defintely keep the coil UVB off, sounds like he has developed photo-kerato-conjunctivitis which is from a bad UVB light. I've heard that it feels like there is sand or grit in their eyes constantly and that's why they keep them closed and why he is acting like he is asleep when you pick him up, he is uncomfortable. You could use the chamomile tea bags as Kristine suggested. Dunk the tea bag in some very warm water, squeeze it out and let it cool then lay the tea bag on top of the eye lid, it has a very cooling effect. There are a few other things you could use, Turtle eye drops that you would get at a pet store or Saline Eye Wash NOT the type used for contact lenses, the eye wash is what humans use to wash foreign bodies out of their eyes and you can get it at a drugstore, in the "eye" section.

Some pet stores don't carry the Repti-Sun 10.0 fluorescent tube but that's the ONLY one we recommend you getting from a pet store or you can order it online. Another brand which is actually superior to the Repti-Sun is the Arcadia brand which you can get from http://www.lightyourreptiles.com I highly suggest that you leave all UVB lights off for about a wk UNTIL you see him opening his eyes almost 100% of the time.

Here's some pictures of some reptiles suffering from P-K-C. http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapyphosphor.htm It's certainly NOT your fault that you were given the wrong info from the pet store, unfortunately, that happens quite often and I had the same thing happen to me years ago.

The AcuRite brand digital thermometer is great, it will give you both the basking and cool side temp at the same time as well as the humidity level. It should be in the area of the store where the outdoor plastic thermometers are, probably the garden center. Getting accurate temps is a must and the most important reading is the basking SURFACE them and the only way to get that is with either an infrared temp gun or a digital thermometer with long wire & probe end. If the temps are not right, it will prevent proper digestion so in turn can cause impaction.

What feeders have you been giving him and also what greens/veggies? When did he last have a normal poop?

You are trying very hard to get things perfect for him and we will be here to help you every step of the way. :wink:

 

[KristineM]

Of course...the turtle eye drops!! How could I forget?! They worked wonders for Batman!

 

[diamc]

Of course...the turtle eye drops!! How could I forget?! They worked wonders for Batman!

Kristine, you covered just about everything else, almost impossible to cover everything in a few posts. :wink: