Brumation or sickness?

[Morrisnfia2]

Hi!
I’ve had my beardie for over 4 years now. Never had any major issues when it comes to food. However, recently he has stopped eating. Not even his favorite crickets make him excited! He also has been less active... reminds me a lot about how he acts when he wants to brumate. But the temperature in his terrarium has remained roughly the same throughout the whole summer! He usually brumates around October when it’s colder. Should I be concerned or help him go to sleep?
thanks beforehand!

 

[Skybug]

Can you go over a your care for us so we can rule out the typicals, lighting, diet basic care, the more descriptive the better, please absolutely NO COIL/“compact” uvb bulbs, these are usually the #1 issue with dragons, pictures would help too… of the dragon his enclosure, his “screen top” etc.

 

[Skybug]

These are some of the things i use , (they’re have the reptisun light) but the arcadia is a good light too, make shure his vitamins arnt expired.

 

[Morrisnfia2]

Ill send photos as soon as I’m back from work! Now I can describe his diet. I hand feed him every day since he was little. Of course I then leave a bowl of fresh vegetables and sometimes fruits for the rest of the day. He rarely eats on his own, that’s why I continue to hand feed him. He eats 15 crickets a week (which I powder with the same calcium that you have, and also vitamins). But I also sometimes (1-2 a week) mix in some dried crickets and mealworms in his salad.

 

[Sadie]

Ill send photos as soon as I’m back from work! Now I can describe his diet. I hand feed him every day since he was little. Of course I then leave a bowl of fresh vegetables and sometimes fruits for the rest of the day. He rarely eats on his own, that’s why I continue to hand feed him. He eats 15 crickets a week (which I powder with the same calcium that you have, and also vitamins). But I also sometimes (1-2 a week) mix in some dried crickets and mealworms in his salad.

The UVB and the basking temps are what control the behavior and over all health of the dragon- once we get the lighting and the basking temps figured out then we can move on from there -- so post what your using for the UVB and where it is in the tank how old the bulb is and the basking temps what are they and how are you taking them?

 

[Morrisnfia2]

The UVB and the basking temps are what control the behavior and over all health of the dragon- once we get the lighting and the basking temps figured out then we can move on from there -- so post what your using for the UVB and where it is in the tank how old the bulb is and the basking temps what are they and how are you taking them?

Here is the enclosure

 

[Morrisnfia2]

Also the temperature on the baking spot is 40*C and the cooler side is about room temperature ~23*C

 

[Skybug]

Also the temperature on the baking spot is 40*C and the cooler side is about room temperature ~23*C

Try for 35*C it may be to hot, You need to get rid of the red bulb anyway, the red its bad for their eyes , they have better eyesight than us (sometimes lol) , please order the basking bulb but a lower wattage i pictured above , and your uvb isn’t offering enough either, to keep your dragon happy and healthy hes gonna need a lighting upgrade.

 

[Skybug]

Also…. What critter lives on top of the enclosure? O.0

 

[Morrisnfia2]

Try for 35*C it may be to hot, You need to get rid of the red bulb anyway, the red its bad for their eyes , they have better eyesight than us (sometimes lol) , please order the basking bulb but a lower wattage i pictured above , and your uvb isn’t offering enough either, to keep your dragon happy and healthy hes gonna need a lighting upgrade.

Huh, I’ve heard that they can’t see the red light. So if I understood it right, I need to to get a ~75W bulb for the baking spot, and change the uvb.
so what should I do with my dragon? Try to feed him as much as possible and not let him sleep?
also I have African land snails on top, since it’s warm next to the light

 

[Sadie]

Please get a long tube fixture pictured above that Skybug posted --- the coil is a health hazzard and will eventually kill your dragon - the red bulb will cause long term eye damage --they have a eye on top of their head for predators colored bulbs disrupt sleep as well dragons like it cool 65-75 F and dark to sleep it metabolizes their system -- please get rid of both -- the sand I would get I would get rid of as well --- that can cause impaction and health issues as its not very sanitary - bacteria will / can harbor in it ---- when you get the new UVB please post what you get so it can be properly placed and distanced -- I would recommend a 24" fixture and I would think about upgrading your tank here soon as well -- full size dragons need a 75-120 gallon tank ---- how are you getting basking temps I dont see any gauges -- sitck ons are inaccurate the best way to get temps is a digital probe thermometer -- IR guns are good but do not read off the hammocks

 

[Skybug]

Awn snails, that’s pretty cool . id go with a 75w and see what happens, does he get any fruit? And yes, the coil uvb is BAD it offers uvb in a concentrated stream or little to none at all, if it doesn’t kill ur beardy it’ll blind it for sure, you want a long tubular uvb so the ray can be spread throughout the enclosure.

Huh, I’ve heard that they can’t see the red light. So if I understood it right, I need to to get a ~75W bulb for the baking spot, and change the uvb.
so what should I do with my dragon? Try to feed him as much as possible and not let him sleep?
also I have African land snails on top, since it’s warm next to the light

 

[Morrisnfia2]

Awn snails, that’s pretty cool . id go with a 75w and see what happens, does he get any fruit? And yes, the coil uvb is BAD it offers uvb in a concentrated stream or little to none at all, if it doesn’t kill ur beardy it’ll blind it for sure, you want a long tubular uvb so the ray can be spread throughout the enclosure.

Alright! Thank you very much!

 

[Morrisnfia2]

Please get a long tube fixture pictured above that Skybug posted --- the coil is a health hazzard and will eventually kill your dragon - the red bulb will cause long term eye damage --they have a eye on top of their head for predators colored bulbs disrupt sleep as well dragons like it cool 65-75 F and dark to sleep it metabolizes their system -- please get rid of both -- the sand I would get I would get rid of as well --- that can cause impaction and health issues as its not very sanitary - bacteria will / can harbor in it ---- when you get the new UVB please post what you get so it can be properly placed and distanced -- I would recommend a 24" fixture and I would think about upgrading your tank here soon as well -- full size dragons need a 75-120 gallon tank ---- how are you getting basking temps I dont see any gauges -- sitck ons are inaccurate the best way to get temps is a digital probe thermometer -- IR guns are good but do not read off the hammocks

 

[Morrisnfia2]

Please get a long tube fixture pictured above that Skybug posted --- the coil is a health hazzard and will eventually kill your dragon - the red bulb will cause long term eye damage --they have a eye on top of their head for predators colored bulbs disrupt sleep as well dragons like it cool 65-75 F and dark to sleep it metabolizes their system -- please get rid of both -- the sand I would get I would get rid of as well --- that can cause impaction and health issues as its not very sanitary - bacteria will / can harbor in it ---- when you get the new UVB please post what you get so it can be properly placed and distanced -- I would recommend a 24" fixture and I would think about upgrading your tank here soon as well -- full size dragons need a 75-120 gallon tank ---- how are you getting basking temps I dont see any gauges -- sitck ons are inaccurate the best way to get temps is a digital probe thermometer -- IR guns are good but do not read off the hammocks

Understood! So what should i use instead of sand?

 

[Morrisnfia2]

And What should i do with my sleeping dragon?

 

[Skybug]

And What should i do with my sleeping dragon?

You can put down paper towels or cut up paper bags (i prefer this, they hold poo better) (i dont think ur sand is an issue) (but if he eats it , it definitely needs to go) , and im thinking its the lighting, he’s probably getting NO uvb and thats why he’s lethargic and sleeping, once the new lighting is here he should bounce back, in the meantime, take him outside if its warm for 15-30 minutes for some sun, this’ll help him transition to his new lighting when it gets here.

 

[Sadie]

You can use some textured NON adhesive shelf liner-- cut to the size of the tank-- when you get the UVB please post back on here and I will help you get it placed- they have certain distance and placement

 

[Morrisnfia2]

Thank you all! I’ll do my best!

 

[Julee1971]

Hi!
I’ve had my beardie for over 4 years now. Never had any major issues when it comes to food. However, recently he has stopped eating. Not even his favorite crickets make him excited! He also has been less active... reminds me a lot about how he acts when he wants to brumate. But the temperature in his terrarium has remained roughly the same throughout the whole summer! He usually brumates around October when it’s colder. Should I be concerned or help him go to sleep?
thanks beforehand!

Replace the UVB asap. All UVb lights need replacing every 6Mnths or the Beardie will have no energy, unable to walk or eat, weak bones, MBD and then death. Please also make sure u have the long UVb light the best is reptisun 10.0 T5 and make sure he has a hideaway.