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Causes of Early Death in Beardies

Renza T

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
8
My bearded dragon, Gin, died last night, and he was only a year old. I took him to the vet this week on Thursday this week to see if there was any impaction, as he hadn't been eating that much and had been sleeping a lot. They said he was fine. I didn't get a second opinion, as I thought he was just brumating because I'd read that it could happen in summer. Fast forward four days, and he's dead, and I don't know why. As far as I know, I was raising him right. He had UV and a heat lamp, he was being fed 3-5 hoppers twice a day until he stopped eating as much last week, the sand in his enclosure didn't seem to be giving him any impaction, and he was given water regularly. I really have no idea how he could have died after a year. He looked fine on the outside. Does anyone have any insight as to how this could have happened? I need to have closure as to how this happened for my own peace of mind and in case I ever decide to get another bearded dragon sometime in the future, so I don't make the same mistakes.
 

averyhanna_

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Messages
336
Location
Cleveland, Ohio
hello. i am so sorry for your loss! he went too soon. oftentimes there’s nothing you could’ve done.

sand in his enclosure is risky as there is also a possibility of impaction. we’re you supplementing him? did you have a tube UVB light?

again, it’s very possible you did nothing wrong. you seem like a very caring beardie parent. sending hugs xx
 

Renza T

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
8
Thanks for the support :)
I was going to replace the sand with corn kernels on the day he passed, and I always dipped the hoppers in calcium when feeding him. As far as I know, he wasn't impacted by the sand, because I couldn't feel anything in his abdomen. He did have a UV light, but I hadn't changed it at all since I got him in October last year, so that might have been the reason. It at least seems the most likely.
 

HoomanSlave

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
Messages
691
Location
Hogwarts
I'm so sorry for your loss. It's frustrating to not have the answers you want.
Did you keep any live plants in your enclosure? Where did you get your beardie? Was your UVB light inside the tank or on top of it?
From the sound of it, it could have been not changing the light. Again, I'm sorry for your loss. If you want to be certain, you could get a necropsy. Try not to be too hard on yourself.
 

averyhanna_

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Messages
336
Location
Cleveland, Ohio
Thanks for the support :)
I was going to replace the sand with corn kernels on the day he passed, and I always dipped the hoppers in calcium when feeding him. As far as I know, he wasn't impacted by the sand, because I couldn't feel anything in his abdomen. He did have a UV light, but I hadn't changed it at all since I got him in October last year, so that might have been the reason. It at least seems the most likely.
i don’t know much about corn kernels, but it may cause impaction as well if ingested, especially in a smaller dragon. a cheap and easy to clean substrate is paper towel, but you could also use reptile carpet or tile! tile is great because it keeps their nails filed down and is also easy to clean.
 

Renza T

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
8
The bulb was inside the tank and I got him from a reptile shop near my house. A necropsy might have been an option before but he's already been buried, and he was already in rigor mortis when I found him. At this point, he's probably already started decomposing.

I'm not really sure where to find tiles, but hopefully I will be able to get some for if I ever get another. Thanks!
 

Ferrent

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
3
I'm so sorry you lost your little one.

For future reference, if you do get another and you want to use tile, you can find tile at any home improvement store in the flooring section. You might even be able to find large slate tiles in the landscaping supplies which are really good at absorbing heat and staying warm from what I've heard.
 

Thomas J sobczynski

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
40
My bearded dragon, Gin, died last night, and he was only a year old. I took him to the vet this week on Thursday this week to see if there was any impaction, as he hadn't been eating that much and had been sleeping a lot. They said he was fine. I didn't get a second opinion, as I thought he was just brumating because I'd read that it could happen in summer. Fast forward four days, and he's dead, and I don't know why. As far as I know, I was raising him right. He had UV and a heat lamp, he was being fed 3-5 hoppers twice a day until he stopped eating as much last week, the sand in his enclosure didn't seem to be giving him any impaction, and he was given water regularly. I really have no idea how he could have died after a year. He looked fine on the outside. Does anyone have any insight as to how this could have happened? I need to have closure as to how this happened for my own peace of mind and in case I ever decide to get another bearded dragon sometime in the future, so I don't make the same mistakes.
they don't really need water, humidity is bad for dragons. What was the night time temperature?


Sand is no good,
 

winall

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
11
Did you give him any vegetables or any other bugs or worms? They need a variety of food.
 

Renza T

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
8
I gave him lettuce every day, and occasionally mealworms along with the hoppers. I fed him blueberries and strawberries as treats, too. I'm not sure what the night temperature was, but the heat lamp was on 24/7.
 

HoomanSlave

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
Messages
691
Location
Hogwarts
I gave him lettuce every day, and occasionally mealworms along with the hoppers. I fed him blueberries and strawberries as treats, too. I'm not sure what the night temperature was, but the heat lamp was on 24/7.
You don't need a lamp on at night as long as your house doesn't get below 65 fahrenheit. The light it emits is bad for them because their pineal eye can still sense it.
 

Jenny caddell

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
1
My bearded dragon, Gin, died last night, and he was only a year old. I took him to the vet this week on Thursday this week to see if there was any impaction, as he hadn't been eating that much and had been sleeping a lot. They said he was fine. I didn't get a second opinion, as I thought he was just brumating because I'd read that it could happen in summer. Fast forward four days, and he's dead, and I don't know why. As far as I know, I was raising him right. He had UV and a heat lamp, he was being fed 3-5 hoppers twice a day until he stopped eating as much last week, the sand in his enclosure didn't seem to be giving him any impaction, and he was given water regularly. I really have no idea how he could have died after a year. He looked fine on the outside. Does anyone have any insight as to how this could have happened? I need to have closure as to how this happened for my own peace of mind and in case I ever decide to get another bearded dragon sometime in the future, so I don't make the same mistakes.
It sounds as you took very ,very good care of him. And I'm just telling you my opinion and I'm not being a know it all or trying to be hatefull. In my honest opinion I would have to say the substrate "the sand". Just my opinion! I'm very very sorry about your loss. Don't give up on dragons thow .
 

Thomas J sobczynski

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
40
I gave him lettuce every day, and occasionally mealworms along with the hoppers. I fed him blueberries and strawberries as treats, too. I'm not sure what the night temperature was, but the heat lamp was on 24/7.
You need to know the temperatures using a digital thermometer. If your temperatures aren't right day and night time then that could be what caused the death. Daytime basking bulb should be on 12 hours a day. With the uvb bulb. Daytime basking temperatures for younger dragons should be in the 90s. Night time temperature should never go below 70 degrees.
 

Silver dragons

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Messages
540
Location
Ohio
My bearded dragon, Gin, died last night, and he was only a year old. I took him to the vet this week on Thursday this week to see if there was any impaction, as he hadn't been eating that much and had been sleeping a lot. They said he was fine. I didn't get a second opinion, as I thought he was just brumating because I'd read that it could happen in summer. Fast forward four days, and he's dead, and I don't know why. As far as I know, I was raising him right. He had UV and a heat lamp, he was being fed 3-5 hoppers twice a day until he stopped eating as much last week, the sand in his enclosure didn't seem to be giving him any impaction, and he was given water regularly. I really have no idea how he could have died after a year. He looked fine on the outside. Does anyone have any insight as to how this could have happened? I need to have closure as to how this happened for my own peace of mind and in case I ever decide to get another bearded dragon sometime in the future, so I don't make the same mistakes.
Hello, could you post a picture of his enclosure?
 
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