I Think my beard is is poorly

[JodieStevie]

Hiya, I’ve had my bear die for nearly 2 years now and in the last few days I’ve noticed he has become a little under the weather and seems to have lots weight?
he also seems pale but I thought this was due to shedding, he is a citrus so he is normally orange and yellow. He is normally over the moon and so
excited to get is live feed and even his veggies and fruits however atm it seems like a chore to eat, I have changed his live food and veggies regularly to try and Entice him but nothing seems to work!

I read to take a water bowl out as it can cause respiratory problems and try to change his bedding to a grass carpet which I’m in the process of doing.

I have read so much and even been to pets stores but they always contradict each other!!!
Other beardie owners please help!!!

 

[Skybug]

U need to get him to a vet asap! His spine is showing! This wasn’t a sudden weight loss this was a decline, please go over your setup and post more pictures of his setup AFTER you schedule an appointment for him, what kinds of lights does he have ? (Coil bulbs are bad and cause eye problems) What kinds of bugs does he eat? (If he’s getting only crickets, they are a dirty feeder and could of givin him a parasite) please get him to drink some water and some kind of veggie purée, or baby food with low suger it might be easiest for him, (put a little on the tip of his nose) he looks very sick please get an experienced, licensed vets opinion this needs to be addressed very soon , we can only help with your setup and give advice, he needs a vet or he will die , im sorry for my bluntness but this did not happen over night , if you love him you’ll do the right thing please dont let this go on any longer i cant stress this enough.

 

[JodieStevie]

U need to get him to a vet asap! His spine is showing! This wasn’t a sudden weight loss this was a decline, please go over your setup and post more pictures of his setup AFTER you schedule an appointment for him, what kinds of lights does he have ? (Coil bulbs are bad and cause eye problems) What kinds of bugs does he eat? (If he’s getting only crickets, they are a dirty feeder and could of givin him a parasite) please get him to drink some water and some kind of veggie purée, or baby food with low suger it might be easiest for him, (put a little on the tip of his nose) he looks very sick please get an experienced, licensed vets opinion this needs to be addressed very soon , we can only help with your setup and give advice, he needs a vet or he will die , im sorry for my bluntness but this did not happen over night , if you love him you’ll do the right thing please dont let this go on any longer i cant stress this enough.

This has been over the last 5-6 days, I have been there to carefree him my mum is doing it however she rings me all the time to discuss him and check things etc and she rang me the other day to say he was looking very well and then has gone down hill from there, in a previous conversation I have found out I had the wrong lighting as that’s what I was told via the pet shop I got him from. I don’t feed crickets as much as one bit him before. He has mealworms, calci worms and small roaches along with his kale/spinach/cabbage etc and the occasional fruit as a treat (blue berries bananas and water melon)
I have had him for nearly two years (March) and he has been a perfect weight and perfect up until recently.

 

[Broly]

Often beardies are suffering and deteriorating slowly due to insufficient lighting, incorrect feeding, the wrong schedules, and poor care in general, and they don’t always show signs straight away but your beardie looks in an extremely bad way. It’s heartbreaking to see. We can sit and list the set up that you need and the changes you need to make but your beardie needs a vet ASAP or he will die. They may even suggest putting him down if they don’t think he can be bought back to good health. Try to look for a specialist and get him there as soon as possible. You can keep him warm when transferring him to the vets in a few ways, if you Google something as simple as ‘how to keep bearded dragon warm on the way to vets’ then suggestions should come up.

 

[JodieStevie]

Often beardies are suffering and deteriorating slowly due to insufficient lighting, incorrect feeding, the wrong schedules, and poor care in general, and they don’t always show signs straight away but your beardie looks in an extremely bad way. It’s heartbreaking to see. We can sit and list the set up that you need and the changes you need to make but your beardie needs a vet ASAP or he will die. They may even suggest putting him down if they don’t think he can be bought back to good health. Try to look for a specialist and get him there as soon as possible. You can keep him warm when transferring him to the vets in a few ways, if you Google something as simple as ‘how to keep bearded dragon warm on the way to vets’ then suggestions should come up.

I feel so shitty! He was absolutely fine and his energetic self a week ago I got sent a video of his weekly bath time and he was lovely life

thank you for the advice, yes it’s heartbreaking!!

 

[Broly]

I feel so shitty! He was absolutely fine and his energetic self a week ago I got sent a video of his weekly bath time and he was lovely life

thank you for the advice, yes it’s heartbreaking!!

I’m not doubting that you and your mum care for him and you were under the impression that he was happy and healthy but what we’re seeing is an extremely unwell dragon and it’s likely the husbandry has been off and mistakes have been made (by no means am I trying to make you feel bad, we all make mistakes and they’re not the easiest of creatures to care for!).
If you want you can add additional photos of his set up or let us know what UVA/UVB he’s has and for how long (you said it was incorrect before - this has probably caused lasting damage), how long are his lights on each day, what temperatures are you getting on the basking spot and cool side each day and what are the temps at night? How are you taking the temp? Do you have a hygrometer? How were his poo’s and wee’s before he was poorly? Can you add any pics of when he was healthier?
Not to bombard you with Q’s but if you take him to the vets and are able to bring him back home we can make sure everything is set up for him going forward. And maybe point out what’s gone wrong.

But honestly, the most important and urgent thing is getting him to a vets.

Try not to feel too shitty now, try to just do what’s best now you know!

 

[JodieStevie]

I’m not doubting that you and your mum care for him and you were under the impression that he was happy and healthy but what we’re seeing is an extremely unwell dragon and it’s likely the husbandry has been off and mistakes have been made (by no means am I trying to make you feel bad, we all make mistakes and they’re not the easiest of creatures to care for!).
If you want you can add additional photos of his set up or let us know what UVA/UVB he’s has and for how long (you said it was incorrect before - this has probably caused lasting damage), how long are his lights on each day, what temperatures are you getting on the basking spot and cool side each day and what are the temps at night? How are you taking the temp? Do you have a hygrometer? How were his poo’s and wee’s before he was poorly? Can you add any pics of when he was healthier?
Not to bombard you with Q’s but if you take him to the vets and are able to bring him back home we can make sure everything is set up for him going forward. And maybe point out what’s gone wrong.

But honestly, the most important and urgent thing is getting him to a vets.

Try not to feel too shitty now, try to just do what’s best now you know!

I’m not blaming you in anyway! You are helping, I feel like such a prat that I have listened to idiots that I believed to be professionals as that was pet shop owners are pet to be

I was talking to a thief lady on here and it turns out I had had the incorrect lighting since day one! I was told I needed a UVB bulb which I purchased at the pet shop as they advice these were the “best ones” but turns out it was just a 100w basking light so for nearly 2 years (and the time he was at the shop) he has had no UVB lighting

his pops are normals dark an occasional yellowish tint and the end if it fresh and a bit of mealworm shell nothing out of the ordinary (i think)

I have a digital thermometer that registers at 36C during the day 12 hours and then 20C at night 12 hours from 9am-9pm the light is on and 9pm-9am the light is off however he does have a heat pad under a hide on the hottest part of the tank (I was told this I needed for night time)

 

[Broly]

Ok, there’s a lot going wrong, you’ve been advised poorly. Pet shops are notorious for poor advice because essentially they’re just trying to make sales.

The heat pad is no good, they can burn beardies bellies as when they sit on them they may be too hot but won’t feel it so won’t move. They need their heat from above. If his enclosure is 18 degrees c or lower in the night you can get what’s called a Ceramic Heat Emitter, it’s gives off heat from above like a bulb but doesn’t give off any light (beardies need it dark and quiet in the night time).

Correct UVA and UVB are vital and he’s not had them which is why he’s so, so poorly now. Obvs I’m not a vet or a professional so I wouldn’t be able to say if he make a recovery or not. But he will be suffering from MBD along with other ailments and illnesses no doubt. Without the UVA & UVB beardies can’t even process their food properly. They also need a good schedule when he comes to supplementing calcium, vitamin D3 and other multivitamins, again a lot of this is potentially useless if they’ve not got sufficient UVA and UVB.

I don’t want to just bombard you with info if there’s no changes you can make right this minute. The vets appointment is very important!

 

[JodieStevie]

Ok, there’s a lot going wrong, you’ve been advised poorly. Pet shops are notorious for poor advice because essentially they’re just trying to make sales.

The heat pad is no good, they can burn beardies bellies as when they sit on them they may be too hot but won’t feel it so won’t move. They need their heat from above. If his enclosure is 18 degrees c or lower in the night you can get what’s called a Ceramic Heat Emitter, it’s gives off heat from above like a bulb but doesn’t give off any light (beardies need it dark and quiet in the night time).

Correct UVA and UVB are vital and he’s not had them which is why he’s so, so poorly now. Obvs I’m not a vet or a professional so I wouldn’t be able to say if he make a recovery or not. But he will be suffering from MBD along with other ailments and illnesses no doubt. Without the UVA & UVB beardies can’t even process their food properly. They also need a good schedule when he comes to supplementing calcium, vitamin D3 and other multivitamins, again a lot of this is potentially useless if they’ve not got sufficient UVA and UVB.

I don’t want to just bombard you with info if there’s no changes you can make right this minute. The vets appointment is very important!

Thank you for your help!
Not to play the victim but I’m only 22 and honestly crying my heart out I feel so awful!!

I rang my vets but they can only fit us in on Saturday (nearest exotic/reptile vets near me) even after explaining the issue.

mince I have taken him there to see what they say I need to change his whole set up and get the right equipment!

the heat may is coming out right now!

can I ask a favour, would you be able to post any links to bulbs, lighting etc for what I need?
Thank you x

 

[Broly]

Thank you for your help!
Not to play the victim but I’m only 22 and honestly crying my heart out I feel so awful!!

I rang my vets but they can only fit us in on Saturday (nearest exotic/reptile vets near me) even after explaining the issue.

mince I have taken him there to see what they say I need to change his whole set up and get the right equipment!

the heat may is coming out right now!

can I ask a favour, would you be able to post any links to bulbs, lighting etc for what I need?
Thank you x

What size is your vivarium currently?

I’d love if someone with more long term beardie experience could chime in because I’ve never had to deal with or advise on a beardie this poorly.

I can recommend everything you need for a beardie from the knowledge I have but again, I don’t know what’s best for such a sick beardie!

 

[JodieStevie]

What size is your vivarium currently?

I’d love if someone with more long term beardie experience could chime in because I’ve never had to deal with or advise on a beardie this poorly.

I can recommend everything you need for a beardie from the knowledge I have but again, I don’t know what’s best for such a sick beardie!

It is 4ft 5in

 

[Broly]

4ft wide? And how high is it and how deep is it?

 

[JodieStevie]

Yeah 4ft wide and 2 ft deep

 

[JodieStevie]

4ft wide? And how high is it and how deep is it?

Sorry my measurements are great

length 4ft
Width 2ft
Depth 2ft

 

[HoomanSlave]

Sorry my measurements are great

length 4ft
Width 2ft
Depth 2ft

A 34-inch tube light (with a 36-inch reflector fixture) is adequate for your enclosure. You can use a Reptisun or Arcadia bulb, both are relatively inexpensive and high-quality.

 

[JodieStevie]

A 34-inch tube light (with a 36-inch reflector fixture) is adequate for your enclosure. You can use a Reptisun or Arcadia bulb, both are relatively inexpensive and high-quality.

Yeah I have them ready to order just wanted to check!
So as of a night time do I take his day bulb out and put in the heat emitter?

 

[HoomanSlave]

Yeah I have them ready to order just wanted to check!
So as of a night time do I take his day bulb out and put in the heat emitter?

Yep, or you could get a separate fixture/dual fixture for the heat emitter. It's up to you!

 

[Broly]

You may not need the Ceramic Heat Emitter if your temps are remaining 20degrees or warmer in the night but it’s worth getting one if you can. If a beardie is this sick it may actually require a higher temp through the night than your average beardie but I’m not 100% sure. If you’re fitting the other bulbs etc you may as well add a whole new ceramic lamp holder and bracket for CHE whilst you’re at it!

Get two timers too for your UVA & UVB plugs so that each morning and evening you / your mum does not have to remember / set alarms to turn lights on & off. This will make things easier for you guys.

You need to remove that substrate and clean out the enclosure but again I don’t know how best to handle such a sick beardie whilst doing so. When you do get that substrate out, you can use paper towels for now. They are safe and cheap and easier to remove / replace to keep clean.

 

[JodieStevie]

You may not need the Ceramic Heat Emitter if your temps are remaining 20degrees or warmer in the night but it’s worth getting one if you can. If a beardie is this sick it may actually require a higher temp through the night than your average beardie but I’m not 100% sure. If you’re fitting the other bulbs etc you may as well add a whole new ceramic lamp holder and bracket for CHE whilst you’re at it!

Get two timers too for your UVA & UVB plugs so that each morning and evening you / your mum does not have to remember / set alarms to turn lights on & off. This will make things easier for you guys.

You need to remove that substrate and clean out the enclosure but again I don’t know how best to handle such a sick beardie whilst doing so. When you do get that substrate out, you can use paper towels for now. They are safe and cheap and easier to remove / replace to keep clean.

Thank you so much for all the advice!

we have a vet appointment today now! So once they see him we can no more, the vet has been reassuring and made me feel better.

I have ordered a new bulb and hood and a few other things based or all your advice and the vets.

thank you x

 

[Skybug]

Jodie it’s important to know going forward if he turns around he might be stunted and will need special care, i dont know what kind of substrate that is (ive read certain woods cause irritation) it might be beneficial to put him on newspapers so its more sterile, hes not gonna have energy to run down bugs so baby food with low sugar or veggie puree (kale carrot, leafy greens, etc. if you can crush up some bugs very finely into it that would be great(dont feel bad for the bug, crush its head first) you might have to syringe feed if hes too weak, im sorry if i came off rude in my initial post , i was just shocked at his state, i do have a good amount of experience with sick animals , but hes in a rough state, he either needs pain killers an xray blood work done a fecal test or anything else they can provide, we need to rule out parasites first, even if he had a perfect setup a week ago he might of still degraded to this state i find it hard to believe he lost 200 grams in six day but i wont press that anymore cause that not conducive to helping him get better, right now all you can do for him is get his setup right, get him lots of veg from the store, give him fluids and veggies puree so he doesn’t have to waste energy chewing, warm baths might make him feel a little better right now (dont give anymore than 3 a week) , hes gonna have a long road to recovery it may take him 2 months before he eats a bug , we really need the vet to give his opinion before we can move forward with care , try and get them to print as much as they can, its hard to pay attention to the vets when it’s your baby who is sick, please dont feel bad we all care for your bearded dragon so thats why it may feel like we’re jumping on you, i know everyone told you what lights to get and their advice is very valid! My only concern is if he hasn’t had proper lights for 2 years he might get a little shock from all the instant uvb , it might be smart to keep off his bar light uvb, and just go with a mvb(Mercury vapor bulb) they are 2 in 1 bulbs that offer heat and uvb uva it would screw in to were his current bulb is, see how other people feel about this and what you think , it might be better to have half his tank dark so he can escape the light if he so chooses(im not saying dont get the lights they recommend, you need them) just something to think about , you really should have all kinds of back up bulbs anyway, I really hope the vet has good news, your beardy can still live a happy life even if hes stunted , his very next poo please take a picture so i can see what we’re working with , lizards can be very hardy so please dont give up on him , keep track of his weight with a chart , weigh him in the morning after a poo and before bed, use a kitchen scale and in grams, we need his weight up thats goal #1 for right now, if you have any questions please do ask it’s important to stay informed even if it feels like a silly question.