Whistled breathing, stumped on stuck shed

[Lelu01_]

Hello again, I’m posting here to give some updates on Suzi and for advice as I’m so stumped on her behalf. I got her a 120 gallon enclosure! Gonna be doing a DIY and assemble her Reptisun UVB HO tube bulb inside as well as her Heat bulb so that way it wont be on the mesh anymore. Vet saw her twice now and she pooped twice this week, while I was holding her. She’s being given baytril/enrofloxacin, eye drops and critical care along with flukers multivitamins which is given twice a week orally. She’s moving more, she refuses to eat still. She whistles out her nostrils when she’s stressed from me handling her. One nostril shed came out last month but one nostril still hasn’t shed, hence why I think she’s like this. My vet did a test on her poop with everything negative. Her lungs and heart sounds good, but even he is stumped and wondering if it’s all from the shed or something more. In three weeks he’s gonna see her again and if she isn’t gaining any weight then he’s gonna want me to see another exotic vet in the area he recommended for a second opinion. I’ve been misting her everyday and soaking her every two days. I’m hoping once I get her moved into the new enclosure with more stuff to rub her nose on then maybe she’ll start to feel better. She does try to rub her nose on things so I know she’s trying to get something off. The enclosure I got her is a New Age Pet Ecoflex reptile habitat enclosure. Everyday I also been using the heat gun, with her hot side being 96.9 degrees under the bulb where she likes to sit and her cool side being 80 degrees. I feel like all of this is from improper husbandry from the last owner and I’m doing everything in my power to correct it all. Is there anything else I can do? Does her nose look even close to a shed?

 

[KarrieRee]

Hello again, I’m posting here to give some updates on Suzi and for advice as I’m so stumped on her behalf. I got her a 120 gallon enclosure! Gonna be doing a DIY and assemble her Reptisun UVB HO tube bulb inside as well as her Heat bulb so that way it wont be on the mesh anymore. Vet saw her twice now and she pooped twice this week, while I was holding her. She’s being given baytril/enrofloxacin, eye drops and critical care along with flukers multivitamins which is given twice a week orally. She’s moving more, she refuses to eat still. She whistles out her nostrils when she’s stressed from me handling her. One nostril shed came out last month but one nostril still hasn’t shed, hence why I think she’s like this. My vet did a test on her poop with everything negative. Her lungs and heart sounds good, but even he is stumped and wondering if it’s all from the shed or something more. In three weeks he’s gonna see her again and if she isn’t gaining any weight then he’s gonna want me to see another exotic vet in the area he recommended for a second opinion. I’ve been misting her everyday and soaking her every two days. I’m hoping once I get her moved into the new enclosure with more stuff to rub her nose on then maybe she’ll start to feel better. She does try to rub her nose on things so I know she’s trying to get something off. The enclosure I got her is a New Age Pet Ecoflex reptile habitat enclosure. Everyday I also been using the heat gun, with her hot side being 96.9 degrees under the bulb where she likes to sit and her cool side being 80 degrees. I feel like all of this is from improper husbandry from the last owner and I’m doing everything in my power to correct it all. Is there anything else I can do? Does her nose look even close to a shed?

She looks terrible- what is going on w/ the eyes? The whistling could be from the one plugged nostril - is she losing weight? Where is the UVB right now? Inside the tank or top of screen? How long have your had her? I would get 2 digital probe thermometers and get a surface basking temp -- IR guns are good but not as accurate like the probes -- I would get her temp bumped up a little if you can to around 102 or so -- what kind of basking bulb are you using? Brand please --- are you using any colored bulbs in the tank? No this doesnt look like shed to me -- she looks so off colored and like she does not feel good -- has she been sporting any black beard

 

[Lelu01_]

She looks terrible- what is going on w/ the eyes? The whistling could be from the one plugged nostril - is she losing weight? Where is the UVB right now? Inside the tank or top of screen? How long have your had her? I would get 2 digital probe thermometers and get a surface basking temp -- IR guns are good but not as accurate like the probes -- I would get her temp bumped up a little if you can to around 102 or so -- what kind of basking bulb are you using? Brand please --- are you using any colored bulbs in the tank? No this doesnt look like shed to me -- she looks so off colored and like she does not feel good -- has she been sporting any black beard

She closes them when I take a picture. She’s always had a dull color I’m not sure why, I’m assuming from the lighting. She already has a probe in the enclosure in her hot side. I do have another one and I’ll place it in the cool side. She keeps one eye closed for awhile along with the other one sometimes but it has been improving. No there hasn’t been any black beard. Also my room is large and doesn’t have proper lighting. What’s in her enclosure now is what came with her besides the light setup. I’m well aware of the conditions which is why I am fixing it all and putting her in a new enclosure. UVB: Reptisun 10.0 T5 HO 24 watt lamp with a Exo Terra Intense Basking Reptile Spot Lamp 100 W bulb. It’s all on top of the mesh but that’s why I’m doing a DIY in the new enclosure so it can all be inside, I know the mesh blocks off some of the UVB. I’ve had her for 4 1/2 months. She was doing a lot better and started eating when given to me, even the color improved especially after getting her a new light setup but this is all happening recently. Yes she’s losing weight because she’s refusing to eat. She was like that when I got her then she finally started to eat and gain weight and once the shedding issue occurred she stopped eating again and is now losing weight. I also just got a harness so I can take her outside on my shoulder for a few minutes for some sunlight.

 

[Lelu01_]

No colored bulbs. The dust is from the calcium I put on her food I just haven’t cleaned it today yet.

 

[KarrieRee]

No colored bulbs. The dust is from the calcium I put on her food I just haven’t cleaned it today yet.

Ok so till you get her moved please unobstruct the UVB ---- do this now-- she isnt getting enough UVB - I would place it directly above her around 13 inches --- this could be the whole issue but we need to start there --- they will stop eating if they are not getting enough UVB

 

[Lelu01_]

Ok so till you get her moved please unobstruct the UVB ---- do this now-- she isnt getting enough UVB - I would place it directly above her around 13 inches --- this could be the whole issue but we need to start there --- they will stop eating if they are not getting enough UVB

Ok thank you for the advice, I’ll get some stuff together to do that right away

 

[AHBD]

Hi there, it sounds like you've been taking great care of her and absolutely putting together a nice spacious enclosure and trying to figure out what the breathing problem is. It very well could be the blocked nostril, might even be a bit of mucos backed up as well. You can stop the misting , if it's a bit of shed it will work itself out or you can try gently to dislodge it, emphasis on gently.
Have you tried hornworms for her ? Sometimes the color and nice slow movement gets beardie's to break their hunger strike. She might get her appetite back once she can breathe better.
Keep up the good work !

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

I agree, her tank is nice & large for her. If you are using the Reptisun 10 T5 tube, if you place it
inside of the tank just be sure it's 10 or so inches from her, alongside of her basking light.
A lot of them lose their appetites when they are having trouble shedding, but, especially with her
nostril having problems with shedding. She probably can't breathe well which affects her too.
The hornworms are a great option, she should like them.
Let us know how the vet visit goes.

Tracie

 

[Lelu01_]

Hi there, it sounds like you've been taking great care of her and absolutely putting together a nice spacious enclosure and trying to figure out what the breathing problem is. It very well could be the blocked nostril, might even be a bit of mucos backed up as well. You can stop the misting , if it's a bit of shed it will work itself out or you can try gently to dislodge it, emphasis on gently.
Have you tried hornworms for her ? Sometimes the color and nice slow movement gets beardie's to break their hunger strike. She might get her appetite back once she can breathe better.
Keep up the good work !

Thank you! She loves horn worms! But she won’t even eat those right now. I do have her in the new setup! I got some items and I plan on getting more to make it more of her liking UVB is also now inside

 

[Lelu01_]

Thank you! She loves horn worms! But she won’t even eat those right now. I do have her in the new setup! I got some items and I plan on getting more to make it more of her liking UVB is also now inside

 

[Lelu01_]

Thank you! She loves horn worms! But she won’t even eat those right now. I do have her in the new setup! I got some items and I plan on getting more to make it more of her liking UVB is also now inside

Hello,

I agree, her tank is nice & large for her. If you are using the Reptisun 10 T5 tube, if you place it
inside of the tank just be sure it's 10 or so inches from her, alongside of her basking light.
A lot of them lose their appetites when they are having trouble shedding, but, especially with her
nostril having problems with shedding. She probably can't breathe well which affects her too.
The hornworms are a great option, she should like them.
Let us know how the vet visit goes.

Yes, I posted a reply with two photos the setup and the UVB inside, hope you’re able to view it I have her in there now

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Yes, I can see the newly posted pictures, thanks! They look very good with the UVB mounted
on the inside of the tank.
How is she doing today? Keep us posted on her progress!

Tracie

 

[Lelu01_]

Hello,

Yes, I can see the newly posted pictures, thanks! They look very good with the UVB mounted
on the inside of the tank.
How is she doing today? Keep us posted on her progress!

Tracie

Took her awhile but she’s finally exploring around her enclosure, which I expected that since it is a new space. Tried offering hornworms but she wouldn’t eat them, she would close her eyes or try to run away. Hoping her appetite will come back soon since I have the UVB mounted inside now.

 

[KarrieRee]

Took her awhile but she’s finally exploring around her enclosure, which I expected that since it is a new space. Tried offering hornworms but she wouldn’t eat them, she would close her eyes or try to run away. Hoping her appetite will come back soon since I have the UVB mounted inside now.

Make sure the distance for the UVB is around 12-15 inches I would go w/ 13" w/ the basking decor directly under it --- it wont take long for the appetite to come back if the UVB was effecting it -- its hard to tell w/ the cold weather - a lot of them slow down in the winter time w/ appetite so just keep offering the food --

 

[AHBD]

Looks great ! Hopefully her appetite will return soon. You can try just letting the hornworm crawl around near her on the floor and it might catch her interest.