A little concerned about my beardie’s health

[Pankake]

Hello! Im new on this forum, however I thought that it might be good to ask real people about my concerns. Honestly, I might just be paranoid about this, but I am worried that my beardie may be a little sick.
I have noticed some mild symptoms that include: slightly more saliva than normal, more gaping, and some thin eye crust. All of these symptoms I’ve noticed are very very mild, and almost unnoticeable but I still worry easily about my boy.
I looked up some of these symptoms and I found that these can be symptoms of respiratory infection or something similar, but my beardie has shown no signs of lethargy, decreased appetite, or wheezing that are usually characteristic of RI’s.
A little backstory about my beardie is that he has had no history of illness, he just turned four years old, and he is in a 40 gallon breeder tank. He is on a loose substrate (I bought the sandy substrate before I knew it was bad for beardies and I got stuck with it for a while but I’m aiming to get him on a mat or tile soon), he has had no impaction problems and he is a healthy weight but slightly on the chunkier side. He has a wonderful appetite and he loves to climb and run around when I take him out of his enclosure. Most of his diet is a freeze dried mix of fruits, veggies, and insects that I rehydrate with water, however I also give him fresh foods to give him a good variety.
He has a 100 watt daytime basking bulb, and a reptisun UVB bulb that covers about half of his enclosure. He also normally has a nighttime ceramic bulb, but I have been having difficulties with my dome lamp so for while he has been sleeping in the cold (but when I say “cold” I mean room temperature of low 70 degrees rather than the low to mid 80’s that he’s used to). Both daytime bulbs are relatively new, within the last several months or so.
I think that I may just be overreacting about his condition since mostly he seems healthy and well, but I get worried when he gapes more often and when he seems to drool slightly. Anything will help!

 

[Sadie]

Hello! Im new on this forum, however I thought that it might be good to ask real people about my concerns. Honestly, I might just be paranoid about this, but I am worried that my beardie may be a little sick.
I have noticed some mild symptoms that include: slightly more saliva than normal, more gaping, and some thin eye crust. All of these symptoms I’ve noticed are very very mild, and almost unnoticeable but I still worry easily about my boy.
I looked up some of these symptoms and I found that these can be symptoms of respiratory infection or something similar, but my beardie has shown no signs of lethargy, decreased appetite, or wheezing that are usually characteristic of RI’s.
A little backstory about my beardie is that he has had no history of illness, he just turned four years old, and he is in a 40 gallon breeder tank. He is on a loose substrate (I bought the sandy substrate before I knew it was bad for beardies and I got stuck with it for a while but I’m aiming to get him on a mat or tile soon), he has had no impaction problems and he is a healthy weight but slightly on the chunkier side. He has a wonderful appetite and he loves to climb and run around when I take him out of his enclosure. Most of his diet is a freeze dried mix of fruits, veggies, and insects that I rehydrate with water, however I also give him fresh foods to give him a good variety.
He has a 100 watt daytime basking bulb, and a reptisun UVB bulb that covers about half of his enclosure. He also normally has a nighttime ceramic bulb, but I have been having difficulties with my dome lamp so for while he has been sleeping in the cold (but when I say “cold” I mean room temperature of low 70 degrees rather than the low to mid 80’s that he’s used to). Both daytime bulbs are relatively new, within the last several months or so.
I think that I may just be overreacting about his condition since mostly he seems healthy and well, but I get worried when he gapes more often and when he seems to drool slightly. Anything will help!

The cool temps at nite are good - you dont want the tank dropping below 65 at nite --and 80"s at nite is too warm-- not sure about the drooling tho - can you take a pic of him when he does this - anything coming out of the nose ? Any popping or crackling noises your hearing? Is he wheezing? When does he drool only when hes gaping? What is the humidity in the tank?

 

[HoomanSlave]

A 40 gallon tank is too small for an adult beardie to live comfortably. 75 gallons is a better minimum size, but 120 gallons is ideal (or the equivalent size).
You can get a non-adhesive rubber shelf liner online for $10 and use it as a cheap and easy to maintain substrate.
You don't need a CHE at night, his tank is warm enough at night without one. 65-70 degrees at night is a good temp.
Does your beardie ever get live insects? Freeze dried bugs have less nutrition than live ones, and canned bugs are full of preservatives. All fruits, veggies, and greens should be served fresh.
Please post a photo of your setup when you have the time.

 

[Pankake]

The cool temps at nite are good - you dont want the tank dropping below 65 at nite --and 80"s at nite is too warm-- not sure about the drooling tho - can you take a pic of him when he does this - anything coming out of the nose ? Any popping or crackling noises your hearing? Is he wheezing? When does he drool only when hes gaping? What is the humidity in the tank?

I don’t have any pictures of the drooling because he doesn’t have it all the time, and I have heard no popping or crackling and no wheezing at all. And he drools typically when he is basking or right after he has woken up, but not necessarily when he is gaping. I’m also not entirely sure that “drool” is quite the right word to explain whats happening, because there is no dripping or stringy saliva it is just a very small “blob” of saliva right around the corners of his mouth. It is also not discolored or smelly, just regular looking saliva.

The humidity in the tank is dry, but I don’t know the exact level because my hydrometer has recently stopped working. There is no water dish in the tank because he never drank from one anyway and I give him regular baths which he drinks from, as well as plenty of water in his food which he also enjoys. (I am also very careful to make sure he dries off completely after each bath to make sure he has no risk of scale rot or similar problems.)

 

[Pankake]

A 40 gallon tank is too small for an adult beardie to live comfortably. 75 gallons is a better minimum size, but 120 gallons is ideal (or the equivalent size).
You can get a non-adhesive rubber shelf liner online for $10 and use it as a cheap and easy to maintain substrate.
You don't need a CHE at night, his tank is warm enough at night without one. 65-70 degrees at night is a good temp.
Does your beardie ever get live insects? Freeze dried bugs have less nutrition than live ones, and canned bugs are full of preservatives. All fruits, veggies, and greens should be served fresh.
Please post a photo of your setup when you have the time.

I am aware that 40 gallons is on the small side, and I have been wanting to get him a larger tank for a long time however I am limited by space and money. To make up for the smaller setup I take him out of the tank often so he can climb and run around and he can stretch out completely while he is in the tank as well. I am also aware that freeze dried foods have less nutrition than fresh so I do feed him live insects and fresh foods as well to mix up the variety. I will try post a picture of the whole setup fairly soon as well.

 

[Sadie]

I am aware that 40 gallons is on the small side, and I have been wanting to get him a larger tank for a long time however I am limited by space and money. To make up for the smaller setup I take him out of the tank often so he can climb and run around and he can stretch out completely while he is in the tank as well. I am also aware that freeze dried foods have less nutrition than fresh so I do feed him live insects and fresh foods as well to mix up the variety. I will try post a picture of the whole setup fairly soon as well.

As long as your getting him out thats good -- they do like to explore and sit on chairs or couches to look out LR windows as well --- just remember since your limited to space when getting him a new tank you need floor space not height so if you haft to keep him in the 40 gallon for now till its right for you to get a new one-- but the getting him out is good -- and the diet I would limit the canned jarred or frozen stuff and feed mainly fresh the dried stuff tends to dry them out quite a bit

 

[Brian Lee Evans]

I have had mine for a year and a half hes about 16 inches. I feed kale and carrots every 2 days the super worms and crickets twice a month. He will eat 30 large crickets in one day. Never gave him water only bath once a month. Hes in a big aquarium. He sleeps and basks most of the time. Never had any issues. He does try to climb the glass sometimes

 

[HoomanSlave]

I have had mine for a year and a half hes about 16 inches. I feed kale and carrots every 2 days the super worms and crickets twice a month. He will eat 30 large crickets in one day. Never gave him water only bath once a month. Hes in a big aquarium. He sleeps and basks most of the time. Never had any issues. He does try to climb the glass sometimes

Please feed salads daily and crickets every other day... Just because you haven't had issues yet doesn't mean they aren't developing. His salads should be more than just kale and carrots-carrots are too sugary to be fed every day. He needs a variety of greens and veggies in every salad, every day. He isn't "trying to climb the glass", he is glass surfing because something in the tank is stressing him or the tank is too small.

 

[Brian Lee Evans]

Please feed salads daily and crickets every other day... Just because you haven't had issues yet doesn't mean they aren't developing. His salads should be more than just kale and carrots-carrots are too sugary to be fed every day. He needs a variety of greens and veggies in every salad, every day. He isn't "trying to climb the glass", he is glass surfing because something in the tank is stressing him or the tank is too small.

My tank is 6 ft long

Please feed salads daily and crickets every other day... Just because you haven't had issues yet doesn't mean they aren't developing. His salads should be more than just kale and carrots-carrots are too sugary to be fed every day. He needs a variety of greens and veggies in every salad, every day. He isn't "trying to climb the glass", he is glass surfing because something in the tank is stressing him or the tank is too small.

Please feed salads daily and crickets every other day... Just because you haven't had issues yet doesn't mean they aren't developing. His salads should be more than just kale and carrots-carrots are too sugary to be fed every day. He needs a variety of greens and veggies in every salad, every day. He isn't "trying to climb the glass", he is glass surfing because something in the tank is stressing him or the tank is too small.

My tank is 6 ft long 2ft high he gets kale , cilantro, carrots, worms, and ctickets i have three 6 foot iguanas. Been raising lizards for over 20 years. Thanks for the advice though. I could pribably know more about them than u

 

[Impawsible_Squad]

Brian, just because you have more experience doesn't mean you actually know more. HoomanSlave is completely correct. When beardies get older, veggies are much more important to them. They should be eating a salad of collards, kale, turnip greens, butternut squash, sweet potatoes or some others and a smaller amount of insects every day to every other day. How's your lighting? That may be why your beardie is glass surfing. They usually do that when something is stressing them out in the cage. We're just trying to help. Don't make it a competition or compare your knowledge to others.

 

[Emilia Thuet]

My tank is 6 ft long


My tank is 6 ft long 2ft high he gets kale , cilantro, carrots, worms, and ctickets i have three 6 foot iguanas. Been raising lizards for over 20 years. Thanks for the advice though. I could pribably know more about them than u

Don't get on Hooman when he is only trying to help. He is correct they should be feed salads everyday and some sort of feeder every other day. The lack of nutrition could explain why he is so small, if he is a male he should be closer to 20" easily. Like anyone else on this site would agree on you should try and change his feeding plan because it isn't healthy for him. Here's a website for their diet: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/bearded-dragons-feeding
You can find other ones too and they should also be bathed once a week or they can get dehydrated quickly. No beardie glass surfs for a good reason, their is something wrong and he is trying to communicate that to you. Everyone on this site is here to help and no one is attacking you, so do try and consider the advice we are giving. Thank you