• Hello guest! Are you a Bearded Dragon enthusiast? If so we invite you to join our community and see what it has to offer. Our site is specifically designed for you and it's a great place for Beardie enthusiasts to meet online. Once you join you'll be able to post messages, upload pictures of your dragons and enclosures and have a great time with other Bearded Dragon enthusiasts. Sign up today!

11 year old beardie concerns

johara246

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
2
Hello all!
I have a beardie I have had for almost 12 years now! he has been with me since i was 11, he inspired me to start rescuing beardies, and have rescued and rehomed 14 since! he started my passion and he means the world to me! the past year he has started to really slow down, I know 12 is pretty old for a beardie, and its just kind of the natural order of things. the past month he barely opens his eyes, and moves a few inches maybe once every 3 days . i soak him every few days to keep him hydrated, as he doesn't really move enough to drink anymore, i have tried and tried and tried and have not been able to get him to eat really anything for the past month, I've been supplementing with critical care to keep enough food in him to keep him going at least. now his cage and lighting temps are locked down perfectly as they've always been. hooked to a thermostat, with plenty of UVB. here is the question i have been having trouble coming to terms with. should i keep assist feeding? with rescues i assist feed, because i hope and know they can get better, but with him, hes 12 years old, and i think at this point im keeping him barely going for my sake, because it to hard to think about the inevitable. his age is really getting him, hes always been a healthy prime example of a healthy beardie, he would do educational shows, and he's just been the best all around lizard i could have ever asked for, but i know he has no chance of going back to that, because he is not sick, and this is natural , and i know if i wasn't assist feeding, he wouldn't be here. so my thing thats been all over my mind, should i keep assist feeding and hope he just keeps on barely holding on, or should i just let nature take it place.

Thank you in advance for your replies!
 

johara246

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
2
I really dont know on this one --- have you had him into the vet for a check up to see if there is anything really going on --- and yes 12 is old for a dragon-- I would go to this forum and ask there - people on that forum might have some ideas or better advice there on what they think --- www.beardedragon.org

Yes i have, they couldn't find anything out of the ordinary ): they said they beleived it was just age
 

JumpinJellyfish

Juvenile Dragon
Messages
319
Hello all!
I have a beardie I have had for almost 12 years now! he has been with me since i was 11, he inspired me to start rescuing beardies, and have rescued and rehomed 14 since! he started my passion and he means the world to me! the past year he has started to really slow down, I know 12 is pretty old for a beardie, and its just kind of the natural order of things. the past month he barely opens his eyes, and moves a few inches maybe once every 3 days . i soak him every few days to keep him hydrated, as he doesn't really move enough to drink anymore, i have tried and tried and tried and have not been able to get him to eat really anything for the past month, I've been supplementing with critical care to keep enough food in him to keep him going at least. now his cage and lighting temps are locked down perfectly as they've always been. hooked to a thermostat, with plenty of UVB. here is the question i have been having trouble coming to terms with. should i keep assist feeding? with rescues i assist feed, because i hope and know they can get better, but with him, hes 12 years old, and i think at this point im keeping him barely going for my sake, because it to hard to think about the inevitable. his age is really getting him, hes always been a healthy prime example of a healthy beardie, he would do educational shows, and he's just been the best all around lizard i could have ever asked for, but i know he has no chance of going back to that, because he is not sick, and this is natural , and i know if i wasn't assist feeding, he wouldn't be here. so my thing thats been all over my mind, should i keep assist feeding and hope he just keeps on barely holding on, or should i just let nature take it place.

Thank you in advance for your replies!
That's a very personal and difficult decision to make, but I'm thinking if the feeding isn't causing him stress, maybe continue with it until it seems right to stop. If it appears to be bothering him more than helping, that's when I'd stop and allow nature to take its course. In any case, good on you for getting him to nearly 12!
 
Top