Concerned about my new adopted beardie

[Abyss]

I got her on Saturday her owner was not giving her what she needed. Examples are... Calcium in her water! Fed only super and hornworms, the heat lamp she gave me wasn't even working and no idea how old her UVB was. She had her in a 18x18x24 Eco terra. She had some type if coco husk and Eco earth substrate.

She said she was a year old but seems very small...

I still have her in the 18x18x24, I'm going to be trying to build my own enclosure within the month. I'm feeding her dusted crickets with calcium d3 and just bought some Repashy superitive vitamin supplement I will be dusting them on off days when not dusting calcium.

I bought 2 new appropriate lights for her and she seemed to gain more appetite with them, she eaten around maybe 10-11 crickets per day so far and I've hand her only a few bits of veg/salad per day but she doesn't seem interested.

I re-scraped her viv and put down the blue shop paper towel and tried to give her a shady spot but it has to be beside the hot spot.

The way I have it set up is back right, large Eco terra cave she likes to bask I with a digital probe type thermometer for an aquarium, but it seems to work fine for now, I duct taped the probe right to her hotspot.
It's giving me at the hottest a reading of around 100 but that when I haven't opend the cage ins while it takes some time to heat up. The enclosure is high that's why I'm assuming it takes a bit to heat up.

To the left of that hot spot I used a huge large leafed fake plant to provide shade for her as a cool spot I don't have a thermo for that spot yet but I assume its around 80.

At the from of the viv in front of the basking spot is a UVB resting in the canopy in one of the Eco terra square lights resting on top, I know it should be inside but it's the only thing I can do ATM until I can build the proper enclosure. Money is super tight ATM until the end of the week and around the 20th.

Under the UVB at the front is the food fish and beside that on the left is the water that is never touched I'm thinking about removing it she was drinking just by me spraying her head 3x day anyways and it takes up room.

Since yesterday she has been eating a bit whenever I put crickets in her viv but she hasn't been basking at all and sleeping slot during the day, she sits on the cool spot and isn't moving much just resting. She will open her eyes and look at me but that's about it.

She has peed yesterday, but hasn't pooped since at least Sunday. She didn't bask much at all yesterday only for a fee hours. I gave her a quick bath yesterday in lukewarm water for about 10 minutes and held her, she seemed a bit more alert then and seemed a bit lighter in color but then I put her back in her viv and she went to the cool side got under the paper towel and went to sleep.

Since this morning she has been napping all morning, I've had the lights on since 8 and she hasn't moved at all.

I usually wait until about 9:30 to feed her, I wait an hour and a half after turning the lights on so she can get warm. I'm hoping she gets more active when input some crickets in but I'm concerned.

I'm making an appointment with a local reptile vet this month. For a checkup but its $50 I don't have ATM.

I've tried to make her situation as better as I can in the short time I can with the funds I have at the time.

I'm feeding her a handful of crickets 2x day and putting in fresh salad 2x day that she never touches really.

If there is any advice you can give me please do. She seems to have a pleasant attitude when I hold her she lets me pet her and touch her everywhere I really love her do much already but I'm concerned and new to beardies.

Any advice?
I've read about brumation is this what's happening? Or is she stressed from changing owners and routines? Is she recovering from being malnourished? So many questions...

 

[gilliesexotics]

Hi, it is hard to point a finger at what is going on here as there could be so many different issues. My first guess is that she is brumating. During this time she doesnt need lights. Ambient room temps in the 70's is great. during this time and truly for the rest of her life. Be sure to soak her once a week in warm water up ot her arm pits. Do this for about 10-15 minutes. You may dip your finger in the water and place some drips on the tip of the nose to run down the lips to spur drinking. When your weather turns. turn back on your lights (April/May).

 

[Abyss]

I put in crickets and she woke up and are a bunch, she basked for a few hours again but then she's back to that spot napping.. Should I wait turning off the lights until I see a vet I'm booking an appointment for the next few weeks coming.

 

[river-7]

Hi; I would maybe she is just adjusting to a new home and new owner-watch her close and see what you notice and mark everything down for your vet when you take her. Best of Luck with your baby and Welcome to BDF-river-7 Ps= try and get your lights to the right temps as that will help her too. Best of luck.

 

[PatsyB]

You should be using calcium without D3. Also, he's a little guy get that basking temp up to 110-115 degrees. Don't worry about him not eating his salad, a lot of beardies don't take to salad right away but still offer it.

 

[Abyss]

I can't get the light temp right until I get a shorter enclosure they had her in a 18x18x24 I got new lights that were stronger but I can't seem to get the temp past 93degrees.

I'm talking to someone that lives closely he's going to be making me a 4foot enclosure with the works, I'm having to holdout until then.

I'm going to the vet tomorrow morning. There are tons of things I'm going to ask her.

I've had her up and walking but her movement seems strange to me.. I don't think dragons are supposed to move like that. She's moving like her hind legs don't work right. It troubles me and I hope it's something not to severe.

I love her do much already, I turn the lights of when she's basking at night like tonight...
I look back into her enclosure a few minutes later and she's curled up on the little piece of material 'blanky' I have laid out for her. She's so sweet and pleasant all the time and she truly looks like the sweetest thing on this entire earth when she's curled up sleeping like that... So far it's my favorite thing to see

Everywhere I've been reading says I should be using calcium with d3... Why should I not have the d3, the bulb I have is a small UVB cfl, and I've heard the screen of the Eco terra filters most if the UVB out.

 

[PatsyB]

They are easy to fall in love with! I hate being away from mine and think about them while I'm at work all day. Right now Dexter is sitting on the couch behind me watching tv! She is pretty spoiled!

You'll want to get her on a light schedule usually about 12-14 hours of daylight 10-12 lights out. They like to be on a schedule. Try to feed her around the same times too. I've read too that some dragons don't like their tank decor moved around because it stresses them, they like consistency. When you get your lighting a fluorescent tube light is better than the compact light. A compact or coil bulb doesn't give off the right amount of UVB that they need. I have my UVB light on top of my tank and I've seen other people do it to, I think it's okay as long as your beardie can get 6-10" from it, you just might need to change the bulb a little sooner than six months.

As far as the Calcium with D3 goes, the belief is that they get enough UVB from the light itself that there is no need to supplement. But given the fact that you are using a CFL maybe it's a good idea to use it.

With the temperature is there anything you could put under her basking spot like some bricks or some wood that would get it a little closer to the light? At least until you get her new enclosure?

 

[Abyss]

I could put something there but seems like she can't move her back legs well she sort of hobbles, I'm not sure if its because she's been in a all enclosure her whole life, been malnutritioned or why but she can only have her basking 'rock' on a certain angle or she can't get up on it. I'm worried if I place more under it that she won't be able to mount up to it.

So scared at what the vet will say and do worried, I'm even worried about putting her in the basket I plan to being her in and if she's warm enough! It's cold and snowy here ><

 

[PatsyB]

How long is she going to be in the cold to go to the vet? If you have a hot water bottle you could fill it with hot water and wrap it real good with a towel make sure it doesn't get too hot to burn her and it should be able to keep her warm enough. I did something similar last week. I had to walk my cat to the vet so I have this microwaveable stuffed animal called a "snuggle buddy" and I put it in with her to keep her warm it seemed to help.

It's probably a good idea not to feed her right before the vet so she doesn't have any undigested food sitting in her cold belly.

 

[PatsyB]

Oh and good luck at the vet. Don't worry, think happy thoughts! It might not be as bad as you think.

 

[Abyss]

Thanks PatsyB you've been a great help. I'm pretty sure she might have MBS... Hopefully it's something we can work on fixing. I'm going to look for a hot water bottle now to bring with me and good idea about not feeding her, so concerned she hasn't pooped since the day I got her (Saturday).

I have a list of 13- questions I'm writing out to ask her, she's going to be bombarded! Lol hopefully I hear back from the guy I'm getting to build my enclosure today too.

Ill just be relieved when I know what's up with her, although scared it might cost alot, I don't have much disposable income ATM bring a stay at home mom my hubby works.

Fingers crossed for my love Isis. She really needs the expert advice! Ill keep this thread posted with the good/bad news. Ttys

 

[PatsyB]

You named her Isis??!! That's the name of my cat that I took to the vet last week!

It's good you wrote down your questions. Sometimes it gets so overwhelming going to the vet that we forget important things we wanted to ask. Good luck. Not all beardies poop every day, it's normal for them to go a week without pooping. Let us know what happens today!

 

[Abyss]

Wow ok good that is a bit of a relief then about the pooping, makes an easy to clean enclosure! Lol

Yes I love Egyptian mythology and being as she loves to bask in the sun, why not give her a name after a sun goddess

Got my water bottle ready just letting it cool for 30min. So it's not too hot then ill warp it in a towel hopefully that will be good for her.

 

[river-7]

Hi; I am soo glad she is going to the vet . Please let us know how she is when you return good or bad. -river-7

 

[river-7]

Abyss; Sorry and welcome to BDF. river-7

 

[Abyss]

Thanks for the welcome. I'm not much for intros on intro pages lol

Took her to the vet and I'm pleased. She said that she doesn't looks as bad as some beardies she has seen but did notice her legs and said she has really low mussel mass in her hind legs, either due to no excercise because of the small tank or not getting enough nutrients because she wasn't fed well by her previous owners.

She said that she has the potential to grow tons more and estimated she wasnt a year old but closer to around 8-9 months and said with care she should fatten up and get a lot larger

I told her my situation with not being able to feed her crix after this batch I have and she said that as long as I'm feeding her a mixture and variety of types if worms thst she should be find with that, she also said that the extra fat content might be good for her to develop the hind mussels a bit, any nutrients is good considering her condition.

I told her she wasn't eating the salad and she told me to just keep on trying to feed and entice her with it and it might take even a year to start wanting more greens.

She told me to dust with calcium d3 because I have such a distance from the spiral UVB and the tank so it wouldn't hurt and that I should dust vitamins every other day, do basically switch off.. One day calciumd3 next day vitamin.
Until she shows major signs of weight gain and complete nutrition back.

I can't wait to get her new enclosure and have her gain weight!!!

She even pooped in the container as soon as I arrived thank goodness I had her on a piece of material and not just the towel, man that stuff reeked more than my 1yr olds diarrhea lol!! She said its normal for them to go poop every 2-3 days but said a week is pushing it and if its a week they might be a bit dehydrated.

I might ask her if I can have a fecal test done because we didn't do one but I'm going to wait on it a few months I don't want to stress her anymore for a while.

I'm going to be taking her out if the viv for 30m a night for excercise and 30min straight basking raising her basking rock so its closer to the 100 degree mark each day.

Very hopeful for my girl Isis and thanks for the support and advice everyone

 

[river-7]

Good show; Glad you got her to the vet; as for her salad my idea is to put a worm under the salad and when it moves it will catch her interest hope this helps you a bit-river

 

[diegothediggy]

Aw so glad shes ok. I got mini meal worms for Diego as a treat n he loves them they r quite fatty so great idea for wanti. To fatten up ur bd xx

 

[PatsyB]

Glad she is going to be okay!