Help with Stubbs Please

[Harley D]

Hi all,

Well today was not a good day for our family, we woke up Stubbs and he was shaking and gasping for air....we tried picking him up and he as so lethargic and not responsive, his eyes where closed and was breathing very heavily so that his sides where caving in, we placed him back in his Viv under his UV light and let him warm up a little, he was so week he kept falling off of his rock. Well by this time we where all in tears and not thinking clearly, my daughter got the spray bottle and wet her fingers and placed it on his mouth and he started licking it up....as the day has progressed he is looking better, he has started walking around and is breathing normal.....he had a bath yesterday and ate his greens yesterday and about 20 crickets....what could this possibly be??

Oh and to boot our vet is on vacation...and his substitute was unavailable for an appointment...nice eh ??

Any advise welcome!! as we are so worried about the little guy !!

 

[crypticdragons]

Hi all,

Well today was not a good day for our family, we woke up Stubbs and he was shaking and gasping for air....we tried picking him up and he as so lethargic and not responsive, his eyes where closed and was breathing very heavily so that his sides where caving in, we placed him back in his Viv under his UV light and let him warm up a little, he was so week he kept falling off of his rock. Well by this time we where all in tears and not thinking clearly, my daughter got the spray bottle and wet her fingers and placed it on his mouth and he started licking it up....as the day has progressed he is looking better, he has started walking around and is breathing normal.....he had a bath yesterday and ate his greens yesterday and about 20 crickets....what could this possibly be??

Oh and to boot our vet is on vacation...and his substitute was unavailable for an appointment...nice eh ??

Any advise welcome!! as we are so worried about the little guy !!

How old is he? How long is he?

Are crickets the only insects you are feeding him? The first part of your post sounds significantly like how they act when they are choking. Gasping, shaking, and limp body would seem to be indicative of choking. Is this the first time this has happened (to your knowledge)? What are the temps like in your setup? How close to bedtime was it that he ate the 20 crix? I know its a lot of questions im just trying to ascertain what it could be as im not sure just this second. Maybe someone else has more help.

 

[Harley D]

Hi Brian,

He is 6 months and 12 inches long....yes crickets are the only insects we are feeding him, and yes it did look like he was choaking but he had just woken up from his sleep, he ate about 4 hours before bedtime, this is the first time he has ever done this, his basking is 95 and the rest reads about 82, our place does not reach under 70 during the night as all his lights are off..

Thanks
Laurie

 

[lexi]

Hi Brian,

He is 6 months and 12 inches long....yes crickets are the only insects we are feeding him, and yes it did look like he was choaking but he had just woken up from his sleep, he ate about 4 hours before bedtime, this is the first time he has ever done this, his basking is 95 and the rest reads about 82, our place does not reach under 70 during the night as all his lights are off..

Thanks
Laurie

Basking should be over 105F for a baby... some even suggest 115F. I would raise the basking spot temp, if you can, because even if it's due to illness raising the temps should help. Could also be a respiratory infection if the temps have been too low for too long.

 

[crypticdragons]

95 is low for the basking site. How are you measuring your temps?
im not sure why he would have been choking. I honestly am at a bit of a loss on it I wish i was of more help.

Have you noticed an clicking/popping when he breaths? Any excess mucus?

 

[Harley D]

We have 2 digital thermometers one on either side of the tank, what should I raise the temps to??

There is no mucus...nor any issues with his breathing in the past, no clicking nothing of the sort....

We are just letting him rest and keeping it quite for the time being so nothing stresses him out, we are supposted the hear from the vet tomorrow afternoon.

 

[crypticdragons]

105-110 is a great range for youngins. So if you can raise the temp 10 degrees or so you would be sitting perfect.

what is his substrate?

 

[Harley D]

Done, I will lower his light in his Viv some which will bring up the temps, I have slate tile in his tank....his previous owners had sand, but he has been with us for about 4 months now so I knew it wasn't possibly that....

Brian thank you sooo much for your help....it is appreciated more than you know !!

 

[crypticdragons]

i messaged another member when they log on they will have a link to this post waiting on em. Maybe they will have more info. I appreciate your thanks but i havent helped much. I hope we can get this figured out.

 

[Harley D]

Hi Brian,

He is 6 months and 12 inches long....yes crickets are the only insects we are feeding him, and yes it did look like he was choaking but he had just woken up from his sleep, he ate about 4 hours before bedtime, this is the first time he has ever done this, his basking is 95 and the rest reads about 82, our place does not reach under 70 during the night as all his lights are off..

Thanks
Laurie

Basking should be over 105F for a baby... some even suggest 115F. I would raise the basking spot temp, if you can, because even if it's due to illness raising the temps should help. Could also be a respiratory infection if the temps have been too low for too long.

Thanks Lexi, sorry I missed this post when reading through....I am going to raise his temps and keep my fingers crosses..

 

[renich]

Hey, Laurie. What a scare! This is an off the wall question, but is stubbs ready to shed his beard? When a beard shed occurs, you can find a dragon doing these antics in the morning.

I agree that a dragon 6 months old should have basking temps around 110F and the cool side around 85F.

 

[ladyknite]

I'm inclined to think your first impression was correct. Choking. This would involuntarily cause shaking.

Considering the posts recently regarding temperatures, I'd say they found your best solution. This should clear up the problem.

If it occurs again, or if you have any issues, post back please.

 

[Harley D]

Good Morning all,

Yes he is sheding and around his face, every morning he does his breathing antics...but nothing like this..

I have raised his temps and are now reading 115 in his basking area, my daughter was up all night with him and actually got him to eat some and drank some more water.

Looking back now I totally believe he was choking on something, maybe a piece of skid or something else, I have no idea....but my goodness how close did we come to loosing him !!!

Happy Valentines Day to all !!

Take Care
Laurie

 

[crypticdragons]

I'm inclined to think your first impression was correct. Choking. This would involuntarily cause shaking.

Considering the posts recently regarding temperatures, I'd say they found your best solution. This should clear up the problem.

If it occurs again, or if you have any issues, post back please.

thanks for the input gina. I wasnt sure if I was possibly on the right track or not.

 

[Harley D]

Re: Help with Stubbs Please **Update**

Hello everyone,

Just letting you all know that Stubbs got a clean bill of health, it seems that he was choking on something, the vet figures that he tried to eat a piece of his shedding skin and that it got lodged in his throat some how, no signs of any infection nor issues with his breathing....Yeah !!!

He did say that thanks to my daughter Stubbs is here today.....and yes I am a proud mom of a 14 year old !!

His temps are up and eating greens and crickets just as normal, oh and under that ugly gray skid came out this wonderful colour of orange.....he is turning out to be quite the handsome man...who knew !!

Again thanks to all, even for just the reading...and sometimes that helps more.

Take Care
Laurie

 

[renich]

Laurie, that is great news! I'm sure you are very proud of your daughter.

As for Stubbs, tell him to stop eating his skin and look for crickets instead!

 

[renich]

Just checking to see how Stubbs is doing. Any repeats on the choking behavior?