sistersludge92
Bearded Dragon Egg
- Messages
- 6
- Location
- Pennsylvania
Hello all. I have been a little concerned with my bearded dragon for a little bit now, but can't tell if I am worrying for no reason or not.
It all started two weeks ago when he started breathing a little heavier than normal and doing what I was calling a "hiccup" or "cough." I immediately thought he had a respiratory infection, but there was no sign of abnormal mucus... there was none coming out of his nose or eyes, and I also didn't hear any popping or clicking noises while he breathed. (He did this before a couple of years ago, and I took him to a vet, and got no answers. Eventually he stopped.) So that was two Sundays ago that it started up again. Also, around this time, I noticed he was beginning the shedding process on several parts of his body. I made a vet appointment for him last Thursday, this time went to a different vet, and was successful with this trip. The vet told me that he was probably constipated and that bearded dragons cannot hiccup or cough, so the motion I have seen him do was more of a gag. The vet came over and massaged his stomach and not even 10 seconds later he let out a massive poop. He told me that Bun might need a little change in his diet - I was mostly feeding him collard/mustard/turnip greens, butternut squash, the occasional diced up apple, and then superworms here and there. He suggested that I give him more bugs and that I order this special bearded dragon diet off this website called Mazuri - which I did, it's in the mail on the way to me now. He also told me that he needs some more exercise and to put some more things in his enclosure for him to climb on, but other than that he seemed to be in pretty good health.
So we got home and I was instantly so relieved My boyfriend and I went out to this massive pet store near me on Sunday and got him some new stuff for his vivarium. We were using paper towels as substrate, but decided to give the green "carpet" material a try to save us some money on paper towels and so his floor in his tank wouldn't get soggy when we spray him off. We got him a hammock and a new log to climb on, and then have bought him crickets. We have been giving him crickets once a day since we took him to the vet and he's been enjoying that.
However, he has not pooped again since we went to the vet five days ago now. The skin he's shedding is finally starting to peel off, and I feel bad for him because he is obviously very itchy and uncomfortable. Here's the part where I'm worried - last night I got home from work, around 2am (I am a bartender and that's why I get home so late) and saw him sitting kinda puffed up. He started to do his gag thing a little more again, it sounded like a little louder of a squeaky/wheezing noise though. He was also itching his head like craaaazy (that's the area where most of the shedding is occurring) and definitely seemed like he couldn't get in a comfortable spot to sleep. He eventually stopped, got comfortable, and slept through the rest of the night in what seemed like a comfy spot for him under his bridge which is also located under his heat light. The entire time he was doing this, his beard was not black at all and his colors seemed normal. Of course, I was freaking out because I have seen him do this noise before but not this loud or this often, and it was so early in the morning there was really no one I could call or nowhere I could take him. I called my 24 hour vet referral line which really didn't do much - the lady said the doctor on duty really didn't know anything about exotic breeds and couldn't tell me anything without seeing him.
This afternoon, I have his lights on and he has not done the gagging/wheezing, but has still been scratching here and there. I see a lot of the skin on his actual face has come off, but there's still a good bit of skin on his beard that needs to come off. He still has not pooped, but aside from all these things he still seems like his normal self. He is alert and active, and definitely sitting there watching what we're doing. Occasionally he will poof his beard out and his body out real big, but I am assuming this is him trying to get some of that skin off? I am just really confused as to why he's doing all this, I feel like a terrible pet owner and feel like I've done something wrong. I've never had this happen to me with any of my other beardies. I might also add that I had one of my beardies pass away this past Christmas Eve due to old age. I almost feel like I might be a little too paranoid sometimes because I recently lost one? But at the same time I just am a worrier, and don't wanna see anything happen to my little guy.
My UVB is 10.0 Zoomed Reptisun. I use 100w white light heat lamp in his tank which I believe is Zilla, and then his night light is a deep purple and that is 150w also from the Zilla brand. I have them both on in his tank right now to keep him warm... I have a stick on thermometer right under the lights that says it is 100 F in there but am concerned that the temperature is off? I am considering bumping his day light up to 150w in there too so it's warmer for him but am not sure if that's the right thing to do. At night the thermometer reads that it is about 85 F. Not sure about the humidity in there.
Sorry if this post is scatterbrained and unorganized, but I have been so worried about him especially after last night's episode, then I am confused because he seems fine today aside from the scratching and itching? If anyone could provide me with some answers/ideas, it would be much appreciated. Thank you so much everyone.
It all started two weeks ago when he started breathing a little heavier than normal and doing what I was calling a "hiccup" or "cough." I immediately thought he had a respiratory infection, but there was no sign of abnormal mucus... there was none coming out of his nose or eyes, and I also didn't hear any popping or clicking noises while he breathed. (He did this before a couple of years ago, and I took him to a vet, and got no answers. Eventually he stopped.) So that was two Sundays ago that it started up again. Also, around this time, I noticed he was beginning the shedding process on several parts of his body. I made a vet appointment for him last Thursday, this time went to a different vet, and was successful with this trip. The vet told me that he was probably constipated and that bearded dragons cannot hiccup or cough, so the motion I have seen him do was more of a gag. The vet came over and massaged his stomach and not even 10 seconds later he let out a massive poop. He told me that Bun might need a little change in his diet - I was mostly feeding him collard/mustard/turnip greens, butternut squash, the occasional diced up apple, and then superworms here and there. He suggested that I give him more bugs and that I order this special bearded dragon diet off this website called Mazuri - which I did, it's in the mail on the way to me now. He also told me that he needs some more exercise and to put some more things in his enclosure for him to climb on, but other than that he seemed to be in pretty good health.
So we got home and I was instantly so relieved My boyfriend and I went out to this massive pet store near me on Sunday and got him some new stuff for his vivarium. We were using paper towels as substrate, but decided to give the green "carpet" material a try to save us some money on paper towels and so his floor in his tank wouldn't get soggy when we spray him off. We got him a hammock and a new log to climb on, and then have bought him crickets. We have been giving him crickets once a day since we took him to the vet and he's been enjoying that.
However, he has not pooped again since we went to the vet five days ago now. The skin he's shedding is finally starting to peel off, and I feel bad for him because he is obviously very itchy and uncomfortable. Here's the part where I'm worried - last night I got home from work, around 2am (I am a bartender and that's why I get home so late) and saw him sitting kinda puffed up. He started to do his gag thing a little more again, it sounded like a little louder of a squeaky/wheezing noise though. He was also itching his head like craaaazy (that's the area where most of the shedding is occurring) and definitely seemed like he couldn't get in a comfortable spot to sleep. He eventually stopped, got comfortable, and slept through the rest of the night in what seemed like a comfy spot for him under his bridge which is also located under his heat light. The entire time he was doing this, his beard was not black at all and his colors seemed normal. Of course, I was freaking out because I have seen him do this noise before but not this loud or this often, and it was so early in the morning there was really no one I could call or nowhere I could take him. I called my 24 hour vet referral line which really didn't do much - the lady said the doctor on duty really didn't know anything about exotic breeds and couldn't tell me anything without seeing him.
This afternoon, I have his lights on and he has not done the gagging/wheezing, but has still been scratching here and there. I see a lot of the skin on his actual face has come off, but there's still a good bit of skin on his beard that needs to come off. He still has not pooped, but aside from all these things he still seems like his normal self. He is alert and active, and definitely sitting there watching what we're doing. Occasionally he will poof his beard out and his body out real big, but I am assuming this is him trying to get some of that skin off? I am just really confused as to why he's doing all this, I feel like a terrible pet owner and feel like I've done something wrong. I've never had this happen to me with any of my other beardies. I might also add that I had one of my beardies pass away this past Christmas Eve due to old age. I almost feel like I might be a little too paranoid sometimes because I recently lost one? But at the same time I just am a worrier, and don't wanna see anything happen to my little guy.
My UVB is 10.0 Zoomed Reptisun. I use 100w white light heat lamp in his tank which I believe is Zilla, and then his night light is a deep purple and that is 150w also from the Zilla brand. I have them both on in his tank right now to keep him warm... I have a stick on thermometer right under the lights that says it is 100 F in there but am concerned that the temperature is off? I am considering bumping his day light up to 150w in there too so it's warmer for him but am not sure if that's the right thing to do. At night the thermometer reads that it is about 85 F. Not sure about the humidity in there.
Sorry if this post is scatterbrained and unorganized, but I have been so worried about him especially after last night's episode, then I am confused because he seems fine today aside from the scratching and itching? If anyone could provide me with some answers/ideas, it would be much appreciated. Thank you so much everyone.
