Dizzy Dragon

[JenR]

I rescued this little guy and noticed that he is acting strange. He chases his tail, flips, stumbles, has a hard time focusing on food, whether it be greens or live. It's like he is off balance most of the time.
Click image to view video.

 

[Jp]

I'm guessing it's something neurological & shouldn't affect the offspring if you are planning on breeding this dragon.

 

[ajandj]

looks a little anxious

 

[richard]

some vets think tipping is linked to inner ear problems but is hard ti diagnose on a beardie. ive had a few. they take alot more time to raise but still make wonderful pets. you have to be very careful when giving baths. we raised lefty on phoenix worms until he got to be about six inches then moved to small supers as he couldnt chase crickets. as he got older the tipping faded abit but he still wasnt normal. he's about 12 inches long now and we found a loving home for him

 

[Bill]

did he do this in a biger feeding tank. Do you know what kind of light he was kept under.

 

[JenR]

He is worse in his regular tank. Just put him in the container so he could eat. I don't know what kind of lights he was under. Probably not the correct ones. When I fisrt got him he was't bad and now it seems like it is a bit worse. The people that I got him from said that he was a bit off balance.

 

[Bill]

We had one we rescued it had the head shakes after a month under our UVB and the proper feeding he cleared up no more head shakes

 

[ajandj]

you know, so many people get pets because of the WOW factor and don't do the research to know how to care for them. It took me not 10 minutes of research on the net and forums to know what heating, light, food etc. is required for these guys. (I did a lot more than 10 minutes research, i spent weeks so l would be totally prepared)

Do you need a license in the US to keep them? In Australia, we need a license and that takes a min of 3 weeks to come thru. So a beardie isn't a spontaneous buy. Although, once we have a license this allows us to buy things like death adders and crocs with no questions asked.

 

[Brett]

No we don't need a license where we are at. Some states do i believe. Some states like Florida are trying to ban all exotic imports i hope that never happens. The only thing we need a license for in ND is for venomous animals. Hell Ive been into reptiles for several years and still learn new things.

 

[ajandj]

It's amazing here. You pay $160AU for an advanced license and you can buy crocs, red bellied black snakes, taipans.. makes me shiver. (l have basic license so lizards, monitors, pythons that sort of thing)

 

[Brett]

I want to get get into venomous snakes, not sure if the wife would go for it. The only reason they require a license here is because one we have no venomous snakes in our state, and they want to make sure you know how to handle them and cage them properly so they dont escape or kill you.

 

[richard]

ok Brett, ive gotta ask......why?

 

[ajandj]

well that's good, at least you have to do a course there. Here, providing you can find a licesed breeded - we have reptile hotshop about 20 minutes from where i live (only just found that out). I was talking to our wildlife guy on friday and he told me the person in churchill has every known venomous snake in Australia. His collection is apparently extreme. All l have to do is go there. Show my logbook and license. Fill in the logbook with his details and pay for the reptile of my choice. Crocs snakes whatever. There are no courses to be done there are no housing requirements to abide by. If you are really unlucky, you may get a wildlife officer knock at your door and request to check things out, but that's really rare.

 

[Brett]

Ya that's kinda dangerous and Richard why you ask? Im a bit of a adrenaline junky, if it can kill me in interested. That really isn't the reason but it does add to the attraction. The real reason is because i love vipers and cobras the are beautiful creatures and would love to own some. There eyes almost hypnotise me which probably isn't good when handling them. Guess ive always just had a fascination with dangerous snakes. Oh and i take it back we do have diamond back rattlers in ND just not where i live. I caught one about 6 yrs ago almost 5 feet long 14 rattles.

 

[ajandj]

what do you mean by 14 rattles? Is that because they retain part of their shed?

 

[Brett]

yep there shed is what creates there rattle