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I think my beardie is dying...help

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ibreathe4u

Bearded Dragon Egg
3 Year Member
Messages
3
My beardie is about 6 mths old & we have had him for about a month & a half. He has always been a good eater & very active but the last week or so he has not wanted to eat. He won't eat anything at all. He has also become very lethargic, he doesn't move around much & keeps going underneath of his branches & always has his eyes closed. The past two days he has been laying in his water dish which I've never seen him do before. Tonight I noticed that he is looking like his skin is too big for his body (kinda dehydrated looking) and it's purplish colored around his eyes. I tried to make him eat some veggies but he wouldn't. The only thing that we have changed is we got some meal worms for him (which I've since learned we shouldn't have given him, which makes me mad because the stupid pet store told me to give them to him) but I don't know if he actually ate any of them. I've never seen him eat them. I don't know what to do. I don't want him to die. Please any help is appreciated.
 

TheVirus

Bearded Dragon Egg
3 Year Member
Messages
248
Hey,

Sorry to hear about your dragon. Sounds like you got husbandry issues. If you could give a run down on your husbandry I can help. Beardies soak in water dishes to try and stay hydrated. You probably have him in a open top or screen top enclosure. I would also think your basking temp and sight is not very good. A vet visit is always a good idea, but if you don't fix whats lacking in your husbandry, your animal will just get sick again. Good luck.
 

ibreathe4u

Bearded Dragon Egg
3 Year Member
Messages
3
Thank you for your advice. Sadly, by the time I got home this morning from work Spike had died:( Could you explain what you mean by husbandry issues? I'm not sure I understand the term. He was in a tank with a screen top, but I had 2 thermometers and the tank was between 80-90 degrees. We are hoping to get a new beardie because we really loved the little guy but I want to be sure that everything is right before doing so & obviously I can't trust anything the pet store people say.
 

TheVirus

Bearded Dragon Egg
3 Year Member
Messages
248
Hey,

Sorry for your loss.

Poor husbandry is probably the number one cause of death in captive reptiles. Housing, feeding, temperature, hydration.

I'd be willing to bet your dragons death was caused by poor basking temps. Ambient temps are air temps. Dragons like it from 75-100 and everywhere in between. Basking temps are surface temps. You should place a rock or piece of wood under a light bulb. The light bulb will warm the object up and your dragon will lay on it. Basking temps should be a minimum of 115* and should be measured with a infrared temperature gun.

Research is a good starting point, then setting up an enclosure, then getting the animal. Best of luck!
 

Fidget Midget

Bearded Dragon Egg
3 Year Member
Messages
37
Hey,
Sorry about your beardie :(
I'd suggest using a rock instead of wood. Rocks retain heat better, warm their bellies, and help them digest their food. Don't get a "heat rock" though because they can burn your beardies.
 
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