what is up with my bearded

[lpdjstitch]

i dont know why i have to play with his crickets in front of his face to get him to eat them i heard coil uvb bulbs hurt their eyes is that why i have to play with his food he is younmg too like 6 inches if that he likes to eat every other day is that ok he poops everyday i just hope he grows eating like this if someone can help me awnswere these i would thankfull

 

[Embee]

i dont know why i have to play with his crickets in front of his face to get him to eat them i heard coil uvb bulbs hurt their eyes is that why i have to play with his food he is younmg too like 6 inches if that he likes to eat every other day is that ok he poops everyday i just hope he grows eating like this if someone can help me awnswere these i would thankfull

Your beardie is under a coil then, yes? Indeed, coils have been associated with eye issues, and other serious health problems. In addition, they emit low and inconsistent levels of UVB that do not properly stimulate proper appetite and growth. The following is a thread/with link you might find informative:

[ Invalid URL Removed / p= t=65424 f=1 ]

I suggest that you turn off the coil bulb IMMEDIATELY before it can cause any further damage. For now, he'll need some time to heal from the coil and using just the basking light will be fine (if not preferred) for awhile. In the meantime, please look into obtaining a ReptiSun 10.0 TUBE great price here: http://www.petmountain.com/product/reptile-fluorescent-bulbs/504983/zoo-med-reptisun-10.0-uvb-bulb.html You can buy a reptile fixture, or likely find an inexpensive fixture at your local hardware store.

If you would be so kind as to answer the following questions...

How long have you had your dragon, and how old is he?

What is the size of your dragon's enclosure?

How much does he eat, when he eats? Do you use calcium and vitamin dust?

What are the temps in the tank (basking, ambient and cool side), and what are you using to gauge those temps?

What type of substrate are you using?

Ok, we'll go from there...

Thank you,
Em

 

[LJean]

Poor baby beardie. I hope his appetite picks up soon. Baby beardies should be eating 2-3 times daily. It could be the light you are using affecting his appetite.

How long have you had him for?

 

[lpdjstitch]

thank you for getting back to me i didnt think noone was going to. ill see if i can awswere these questions if i remember them all. i dont know how old he is i had him for a month i got him from a pet store, i found out they got them from a breeder i talked to the breeder. i tought the coil is bad ill turn it off right away i hope he can go a week with out uvb caint do it this week i wish i could i feel bad all my fault but i have a problem with that i have a 20 long i got a fixture to put over but its the same size as the screen i wont have room for his basking bulb (there is room for air) he used to eat alot no problem soon as i brought him home now i have to play with it i didnt feed him yesteryday not being mean i wanted to test to see how hungrey he would get. today he ate like 5 i dont uderstand he poops everyday. i got gauges in there 3 of them 2 probes and 1 reg gauge. basking always 106 right on his fravorite spot then on the cool side his other favrorite spot 80 im lost i dont know why hes doing this he shed 4 days after i got him im scared im going to loose him

 

[lpdjstitch]

oh i forgot one yes i do dust the crickets with both i know i do everything to make him happy but it doesnt seem to happen

 

[Menolly]

Okay, how big is your dragon and how big is the tank you are using?
What light are you planning on getting?
Try letting him at least sit by a window so he is gettin a little sunlight.

How's he doing?

 

[Embee]

thank you for getting back to me i didnt think noone was going to.

You're welcome, and thank you for answering my questions. It makes it so much easier when we know some things about your dragon, and his/her enclosure.

i dont know how old he is

Ok, but he is about 6 inches then, so a baby, yes? You've had him how long (i.e., how long was he under the coil light)?

i tought the coil is bad ill turn it off right away i hope he can go a week with out uvb caint do it this week

Good that you turned the light off. How long has it been off now? Dragons can go without UVB for a week. In fact, after being under a coil, it's good to give your dragon a few days off from UVB altogether before installing a new one. Just keep his basking bulb going for now.

i have a problem with that i have a 20 long i got a fixture to put over but its the same size as the screen i wont have room for his basking bulb

Hm, I don't have any immediate ideas about what to do here. It's a 20 gallon long? Is there any way to rig the basking bulb up, like on a lamp stand? I can email you a link to a decent one if you like. Other than that, perhaps a quick post in the "enclosures' forum might render you some expert advice? I'm sure it isn't an uncommon problem. However, it sounds like the fixture you got is pretty big. I bought a "reptile type" fixture for my 15 gallon, and it laid well across the back of the screen and I was able to just squeeze my basking bulb in. It is very important that he has both, so if I think of anything else, I'll be sure and let you know.

he used to eat alot no problem soon as i brought him home now i have to play with it i didnt feed him yesteryday not being mean i wanted to test to see how hungrey he would get. today he ate like 5 i dont uderstand he poops everyday.

This is a VERY typical scenario of what happens with insufficient UVB. Dragon seems fine at first, eating great, and then, as the days or weeks roll by, the appetite wanes, they sleep more, and then begin to shut down. I've noticed in my short time here however, that the coil bulbs seem to accelerate this situation more quickly than some of the other undesirable bulbs. It sounds like he is eating 'just enough' to keep pooping, however if he keeps going like this, the poops will diminish as well. Continue to dust (5 meals per week for calcium, 1-2 with vites) as well.

i got gauges in there 3 of them 2 probes and 1 reg gauge. basking always 106 right on his fravorite spot then on the cool side his other favrorite spot 80 im lost i dont know why hes doing this he shed 4 days after i got him im scared im going to loose him

It sounds like you have a digital with probe, great. Ideally, temps in the tank should run 105-110 basking, 85-90 ambient, about 80 for the cool side. You temps look to be ok.

For now, continue to offer food as you have been. Also, you want to make sure that your dragon stays hydrated. When is the last time you bathed him. Try a nice baby warm bath, up to shoulders for 15-20 minutes. As much as once per day is fine. You can also try a little jarred chicken baby food, mixed with a little water, and place a dab on the end of his nose... and see if he'll lick it. This will give him some good protein and a little extra hydration.

I understand how stressful this can be. We'll do everything we can to help your dragon. At this time, I'm going to alert a moderator to look over your situation. The moderators are very experienced and knowledgeable and will be able to give you more detailed advice on how to proceed right now, with your ailing dragon.

One last question,have you perhaps ever had a fecal done for him? To check for parasites? As he is pooping everyday, it might be wise to collect a sample and drop it off with a vet (pretty standard stuff, and typically an inexpensive test).

When you have time, if you could answer the couple of questions (in italics) I've asked and please, keep us posted on how your dragon is doing.

The best, and hang in there,
Em

 

[Embee]

Wanted to let you know, that I've put an email into 'moderator' Vicky (vickson420).

Hang in there,
Em

 

[vickson420]

Hello
Em has done a very good job guiding you so far.Its great that you turned off the uvb coil ligt and he will be fine without it for a week as he needs a fewd days without it to allow his eyes to heal.On the temps are you laying the probe directly on the basking surface to get those temp readings?If so your basking temp is fine.Can I aske what size crix are you offering?Also you said you were dusting them,right?Can you tell me exactly what your using to dust them?

Onto the enclosure.The fixture you have for the basking bulb is a 10 inch clamp lamp which covers the one side of the 20 long,am I correct?If so you will want to buy a 24 inch flourescent fixture and lay it on an angle as close to the other fixture as you can.If possible can you post a pic of the enclosure?

 

[lpdjstitch]

wow you guys are so much help you dont understand how thankfull i am. lets see first i feed him small crickets, oh i talked to the pet store about the coil he said he read alot into that to he never had a problem. im so lost everyone says yes its bad no its bad. he doesnt sleep alot he runs around all day hes happy the pet store guy said somthig about he might have been eating so good. that was a very weird awnswere to me this guy is the head boss man at the pet shope so i prob wont be going there nomore. oh one more q. i think i might have to much light i have the uvb wich is off now and the basking light wich is bright i doint know if that was to much light for a 20 long is it? should i get a ceramic bulb would that be better? and when i put the light fixture (for the long uvb light tube im getting) there is no room no way no how for a basking bulb i can get a small one but the wattage would be so low he wont get his heat and i think it would burn the light fixture its next to too wouldnt it? and yes i will try to get a pic on here as soon as possibale when i figure out how to i will try to tonight please hang in there. thats all i can think of right now at the moment

 

[vickson420]

Lets get the pic and we shall see what happens with how to go about setting it up.There is no problem here with too much light they actual need bright white light so you ok there.a basic clamp lamp can hold up to 250F watts if its ceramic so I dont think you will have too many issues arranging it.Most of us here use 20 longs for the babies until they get big enough for the larger enclosure.

As for the pet shop yes most of them by the "coil is safe"pitch from their vendors and they dont want to lose buisness but the truth is all coils are crappy ranging from poor UVB emissions and decay rate to dangerous and damaging depending on the brand but either way you cut it they are not worth using.

 

[lpdjstitch]

im sorry but im not understanding how to upload pics on here

 

[vickson420]

Thats ok.The easiest way is to open a photobucket.com(free) account then upload the pics there.After you rdone uploading the pics there just copy and paste the IMG code located under the pic and paste it here where you would normally type a comment(in the text body).

 

[Embee]

Here's some direct links, if it helps:

First set up an account at http://www.photobucket.com
Just click the "Register Now" button and follow the instructions.

Then watch this demo:
http://www.globalpunkreview.com/bd/pic_upload.html

Em

(Thanks again, Vicky) :mrgreen:

 

[Embee]

oh i talked to the pet store about the coil he said he read alot into that to he never had a problem. im so lost everyone says yes its bad no its bad.

I totally understand your confusion and frustration here. When I first read (somewhere else on the web) that our Zilla compact UVB light was known for causing issues with beardies, I was really confused, and frankly, mad, as the pet store had recommended it to us. *sigh* I was in a bit of denial about it at first to be honest, that light and fixture cost $52! :shock: I really wanted to just look the other way, but when our beardie's appetite was diminishing, and then she started to retire earlier and earlier each day, I knew something wasn't right. I found bd.org about that time, and did some reading of my own. I found more than enough evidence through the many threads dealing with the very same issues we were having, their beardies also having been under the suspect UVB lighting (be it coil, compact or some of the less desirable tubes). The evidence was just too vast to ignore. I practically ran over the entire household in mad dash to the enclosure to flip the switch on that light, for good. I installed a ReptiSun tube about a week later, and beardie was different within hours, eating more, sleeping less. It was such a relief!

I'm truly glad to see that your beardie is still full of energy. You're very tuned into him, noticing important changes, and that's what any beardie would want in a dragon-parent! And, it gives you the opportunity to make some key changes to his environment before his low appetite has a chance to slow him down, or affect his growth too much. Making changes in time makes all the difference. Like Vicky said, pet stores, at the end of the day, are a business, the bottom line of which, is making money. Sad, but true.

Hope you can figure a good way to get the two lights to fit!

The best,
Em