Hello all

[NurseRatchet]

Hello all. I know it's polite to make introductions before asking questions, so here goes. 42yo nurse, proud mom of one teenage boy, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 4 fish aquariums, 1 ball python, 1 corn snake, 1 Leo, 1 creastie, 1 cave gecko.
I've been keeping bearded dragons for about 30 hours now. I'm just a beardie foster mom trying to save some lives and was hoping this might be a place to find some friendly advice from experienced keepers

 

[Sadie]

Hello all. I know it's polite to make introductions before asking questions, so here goes. 42yo nurse, proud mom of one teenage boy, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 4 fish aquariums, 1 ball python, 1 corn snake, 1 Leo, 1 creastie, 1 cave gecko.
I've been keeping bearded dragons for about 30 hours now. I'm just a beardie foster mom trying to save some lives and was hoping this might be a place to find some friendly advice from experienced keepers

They need correct surface basking temps of 95-100 for 6 month old and up taken w/a digital probe thermometer - NO coil UVB's or colored bulbs off white basking bulbs or yellowish bulbs and NO daytime bulbs -- you want a solid clear bright white basking bulb - UVB needs to be a long tube fixture not all UVB's are the same I can recommend 3 good ones -- these are the main things for a dragon to be healthy - they need a good diet of fresh salads every day w/ a good staple insect 2-3 times per week for an adult - babies up to one year every day - calcium D3 will be determined by age and the UVB being used -- along w / vitamins w/ beta carotene -

 

[NurseRatchet]

Thank you Sadie. Here's my dragon story. Friend picked up 4 babies. I don't know what heat or light they had. They were in a 40g, a hide and water dish, single 5inch done light in a corner unknown bulb. I saw them Sunday night and they looked half dead. I came over Monday with a box of goodies I had available at home - a load of cork to build up a basking platform, another hide, grape vine and faux plant for enrichment, and a zilla mini uvb bulb since it looked like they might not have any. When I got there, one had already died. Instead of setting up their tank with my meager leftovers, I ended up coming home with the living three. They are a few weeks old.
Two have improved. I have no local reptile vets, nearest is a little over an hour away.
I spoke with online vet. I have been soaking twice a day for 15 min in warm 80f dechlorinated water, offering xs dubias and fresh chopped organic washed pesticide free salad mix of collards, kale, and beet leaves, with dash of carrot and squash. Dusting all with repti-cal calcium with D.
No one has touched salad. #1 has perked up, climbing, basking, eating dubias, very attentive, poops, skin color has darkened, no twitching. #2 is also more attentive, skin darker, less twitching in back legs, less flat and lumpy looking, finally ate a single xs dubia today. #3 scares me. Pale, minimal response, flat, uncoordinated movement (but moves back legs now which it hadn't been), not eating, will drink during soak.
Please don't judge this part, I'm working with what I had and spent about $300 on what I didn't. They are in a 20g long, humidity 30-37, lite misting in morning and evening due to hydration concerns. 75w clear basking bulb. Warm side ambient 82f, cool side 77. 4inch under tank heater thermostat set to 80 in case they seek warmth at night. Multiple hides and basking areas at multiple heights. Basking temp depending on elevation 90-107f.
I'm looking for what uvb tube fixture and bulb to purchase. All my critters are shade dwellers with supplemental uvb only. So I've got the zilla mini dessert dweller on one side of basking bulb and 5inch dome thrive dessert bulb on the other for now.
Waiting for delivery of electrolyte soak and critical care herbivore and carnivore to arrive but soonest delivery is 3/20 for soak, 4/2 for supplements. I hit up 4 local vets and a vet er trying to get some sooner, but no one sees reptiles.
I read on here I could use pedialyte 50/50 dilute as soak for now?

 

[NurseRatchet]

Just throwing this out into the universe. I usually preach to let your pets thrive, not just survive. Ive got to go back to work tonight and the next few. Anyone who reads this, I'll settle for survive for now. Cross your fingers and toes that #3 will survive the night. Picking up pedialyte on the way home in the morning for him/her

 

[Sadie]

Just throwing this out into the universe. I usually preach to let your pets thrive, not just survive. Ive got to go back to work tonight and the next few. Anyone who reads this, I'll settle for survive for now. Cross your fingers and toes that #3 will survive the night. Picking up pedialyte on the way home in the morning for him/her

Make sure you water it down - how are you giving that? Is the dragon really dehydrated?

 

[NurseRatchet]

The dragon is unwell. Per texting vet, could be MBD, poor husbandry, dehydration. She suggested the critical care supplements and electrolyte soak. since I cant get my hands on any for days, I thought I could try the pedialyte 50/50 with dechlorinated water at 80f for a soak for 15 min in the morning when I get home

 

[Sadie]

The dragon is unwell. Per texting vet, could be MBD, poor husbandry, dehydration. She suggested the critical care supplements and electrolyte soak. since I cant get my hands on any for days, I thought I could try the pedialyte 50/50 with dechlorinated water at 80f for a soak for 15 min in the morning when I get home

If you can drink your water you don't need special water- the uvb and surface basking temps are crucial - you didn't say what you were using for a uvb - surface basking temps need to be on par and w/ a sick dragon a ceramic heat emitter should be used at night to keep ambient temps around 80 it will help w/ the immune system

 

[NurseRatchet]

Uvb mini zilla low profile desert bulb one side of basking light, thrive uvb desert bulb on other side o basking bulb. I know I need a long tube one, 20 inch to cover 3/4 of length. Can you tell me which fixture and bulb. The options are overwhelming. I have the two bulbs for now, better than the nothing that they had, but not good enough yet

 

[Sadie]

Uvb mini zilla low profile desert bulb one side of basking light, thrive uvb desert bulb on other side o basking bulb. I know I need a long tube one, 20 inch to cover 3/4 of length. Can you tell me which fixture and bulb. The options are overwhelming. I have the two bulbs for now, better than the nothing that they had, but not good enough yet

Shut the uvb off it's doing more harm than good - this is why he is sick - I am gonna post 3 good uvb's- for a 40 + gallon tank you want a 24 " fixture
this one comes w / a 5.0 bulb you want the bulb I post for this fixture
Zoo Med https://www.petmountain.com/product/zoo-med-reptisun-t5-ho-high-output-terrarium-hood?variant=40651 this bulb 22" https://www.petmountain.com/product/zoo-med-reptisun-t5-ho-100-uvb-high-output-bulbs?variant=40630 or this one can be found at Pet Smart - you want the 24 watt w/ the 12% bulb

https://www.petsmart.com/reptile/environmental-control-and-lighting/light-fixtures/arcadia-reptile-prot5-uv-b-kit-65058.html?cgid=500114&fmethod=Browse

or this one you will need to change the bulb out to the one posted above
Sunblaster Nano Tech you want the 2 ft or 24" fixture
https://hydrobuilder.com/sunblaster...mp.html?opts=eyJhdHRyaWJ1dGU5MDEiOiI2NjEwIn0=
when you get the UVB please post back on here I will help you get it placed for the tank and distance your screen on the tank will determine where it goes ---
how is the dragons eating going? Is he eating at all ?

 

[NurseRatchet]

Bulbs are off- on a timer. I don't believe the bulb is the problem as they were sick with no uvb and one death bf I took them in and 2 have improved since. They ate on a 20gallon long. It's what I have available. I will purchase tube bulb but need for 20 long, not 40. Thank you for advice

 

[Sadie]

Bulbs are off- on a timer. I don't believe the bulb is the problem as they were sick with no uvb and one death bf I took them in and 2 have improved since. They ate on a 20gallon long. It's what I have available. I will purchase tube bulb but need for 20 long, not 40. Thank you for advice

Then you need to get the zoo med and use the bulb that comes w/ it- the 5.0 it needs to unobstructed and directly above the basking decor 6-8 inches- if the dragon is not too far gone you will see a difference in the behavior and health - I cannot stress this enough - I see more dragons die under incorrect uvb

 

[NurseRatchet]

Awesome. Will get tomorrow. Basking areas range from 6 to 9 inches from bulb currently. Thank you again.

 

[NurseRatchet]

Uvb long set up. Multiple basking heights. Floor 12 inch distance, with multiple elevations , nearest being 6 inch from light.

 

[Sadie]

Uvb long set up. Multiple basking heights. Floor 12 inch distance, with multiple elevations , nearest being 6 inch from light.

Ok you want the 10.0 bulb not the 5.0 bulb -

 

[NurseRatchet]

Crap

 

[Sadie]

Crap

Lol

 

[NurseRatchet]

I have to go to work. Am I better off setting up the 2 desert bulbs I had again, or use this for a day?
Sickest one sipped from pedialyte soak in morning and ate half a mushed xs dubia from finger after I squished strawberry juice on the roach mush.
Ate three xs dubias I flipped on back in reach of him. One mostly liquid stool, but that's maybe better than no stool?
Still no coordination of limbs but has better control of head today

 

[Sadie]

I have to go to work. Am I better off setting up the 2 desert bulbs I had again, or use this for a day?
Sickest one sipped from pedialyte soak in morning and ate half a mushed xs dubia from finger after I squished strawberry juice on the roach mush.
Ate three xs dubias I flipped on back in reach of him. One mostly liquid stool, but that's maybe better than no stool?
Still no coordination of limbs but has better control of head today

How many do you have? No use the 5.0 for now --- then get the 10.0 the coils if that is what you have are NO good - the 5.0 is better -- hes eating that is great --- just make sure the distance is what I posted 6-8 inches NO obstruction

 

[NurseRatchet]

The reptisun long uvb. 1 basking bulb. 2 coil uvb bulbs that i replaced with the 5.0 tube. 3 baby beardies. 1 20g long tank. 1 under tank heater.

 

[Sadie]

The reptisun long uvb. 1 basking bulb. 2 coil uvb bulbs that i replaced with the 5.0 tube. 3 baby beardies. 1 20g long tank. 1 under tank heater.

Ok please dont use the under tank heater --- get a CHE ceramic heat emitter --- since some of them are not well its best to keep them separated --- for your 20 gallon tank I would get a 60 watt bulb but this would be trial and error thing -- you dont want the ambient tank temp over 80 at night --- how long do you plan to have the dragons - they cant stay together ---- you will end up w/ injured dragons and as they get older its a BAD idea to have them together -- do you have any picking on one particular now ?