My beard is really isn’t eating much

[Rebecca E]

He’s now over 2 years old. His weight is dropping. At the vet he was up to 434 grams last June. He went through his first odd brumation late October - early December where he would eat and then sleep for 3-4 days straight and then wake up and eat and go back to sleep for 3 days or so. I kept notes on all of it so I know sort of what to expect next time. By January he had stayed awake, eaten voraciously and was up to 469 grams. We did get 2 kittens around this time and we keep them away. At this point they have zero interest in him but the first few weeks definitely stressed my beardie out. Then i realized maybe some of my bulbs needed to be replaced etc. but he just really has no appetite. He will eat some salad and some worms once or twice a week maybe. I’ve read that sometimes they just eat less as they go into adulthood.

I’m trying to offer variations of foods to see if any peak his interest. He’s just not excited about food at all. His weight is also dropping. March 10 he was 442grams, April 2 he was 423 grams and today 410 grams.

I am concerned.

I have the Zika pro sol that include 3 6aatt tropical uvb/uva and houses 2 50watt day white mini halogens for day
I also have a long reptihome T5 39w 10.0 bulb
And a 100w teki zoo basking lamp
Hot side is 90 31% humidity and cool is 81 and 48%

See tank pic

 

[Sadie]

He’s now over 2 years old. His weight is dropping. At the vet he was up to 434 grams last June. He went through his first odd brumation late October - early December where he would eat and then sleep for 3-4 days straight and then wake up and eat and go back to sleep for 3 days or so. I kept notes on all of it so I know sort of what to expect next time. By January he had stayed awake, eaten voraciously and was up to 469 grams. We did get 2 kittens around this time and we keep them away. At this point they have zero interest in him but the first few weeks definitely stressed my beardie out. Then i realized maybe some of my bulbs needed to be replaced etc. but he just really has no appetite. He will eat some salad and some worms once or twice a week maybe. I’ve read that sometimes they just eat less as they go into adulthood.

I’m trying to offer variations of foods to see if any peak his interest. He’s just not excited about food at all. His weight is also dropping. March 10 he was 442grams, April 2 he was 423 grams and today 410 grams.

I am concerned.

I have the Zika pro sol that include 3 6aatt tropical uvb/uva and houses 2 50watt day white mini halogens for day
I also have a long reptihome T5 39w 10.0 bulb
And a 100w teki zoo basking lamp
Hot side is 90 31% humidity and cool is 81 and 48%

See tank pic

I have never heard of the Reptihome UVB - the basking lamp is it a solid clear bright white basking bulb? I see the fixtures and noticed one is a Zilla- is that a UVB if so is there a cover over the bulb? Your dragon was displaying semi brumation which is normal mine does the same thing sleep for a week or so come out bask sometimes eat and by screen eats a lot -- but yours losing weight is not good--- please get a fecal into the vet for testing NO enemas!!!!!!!!!!! As far as your lighting I would recommend getting a Arcadia Pro T 5 12% bulb I have two others I can recommend not all UVB's are of good quality and that Reptihome I have never heard of -- any cheap China made are poor quality bulbs --- you need your surface basking temps up to 95-100 taken w/ a digital probe thermometer - stick ons are good for ambient temps only - your tank looks nice but I would upgrade the UVB and make sure your using a solid clear bright white basking bulb examples are Flukers basking - Exo Terra Intense -- or Arcadia Halogen bulbs - they give off UVA and he needs this they go in domes - my guess hes got parasites for the losing of the weight but you need a test done for that --

 

[Rebecca E]

I have never heard of the Reptihome UVB - the basking lamp is it a solid clear bright white basking bulb? I see the fixtures and noticed one is a Zilla- is that a UVB if so is there a cover over the bulb? Your dragon was displaying semi brumation which is normal mine does the same thing sleep for a week or so come out bask sometimes eat and by screen eats a lot -- but yours losing weight is not good--- please get a fecal into the vet for testing NO enemas!!!!!!!!!!! As far as your lighting I would recommend getting a Arcadia Pro T 5 12% bulb I have two others I can recommend not all UVB's are of good quality and that Reptihome I have never heard of -- any cheap China made are poor quality bulbs --- you need your surface basking temps up to 95-100 taken w/ a digital probe thermometer - stick ons are good for ambient temps only - your tank looks nice but I would upgrade the UVB and make sure your using a solid clear bright white basking bulb examples are Flukers basking - Exo Terra Intense -- or Arcadia Halogen bulbs - they give off UVA and he needs this they go in domes - my guess hes got parasites for the losing of the weight but you need a test done for that --

Sorry that repti home is just a t5 uvb. In my long repti zoo 39w light. The basking i may need to increase to 150 w
I’ll also contact the vet.

 

[Rebecca E]

Sorry that repti home is just a t5 uvb. In my long repti zoo 39w light. The basking i may need to increase to 150 w
I’ll also contact the vet.

Where do they pick up parasites?

 

[Sadie]

Sorry that repti home is just a t5 uvb. In my long repti zoo 39w light. The basking i may need to increase to 150 w
I’ll also contact the vet.

Ok so the Repti Zoo fixture is ok you can use it but I would replace the bulb - you want a good quality bulb so either a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 or a Arcadia 12% + D3 bulb - those are really good bulbs - what are you feeding for a main staple insect? Crickets are nasty little buggers that can give parasites - dragons have a normal amount of parasites anyway its the incorrect surface basking temps and UVB that can prevent the dragon from being able to naturally keep them at bay -- so I would get a fecal done and go from there - too many of the parasites will cause weight loss - lethargy behavior - stools that smell so bad it makes you leave the room

 

[Rebecca E]

Ok so the Repti Zoo fixture is ok you can use it but I would replace the bulb - you want a good quality bulb so either a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 or a Arcadia 12% + D3 bulb - those are really good bulbs - what are you feeding for a main staple insect? Crickets are nasty little buggers that can give parasites - dragons have a normal amount of parasites anyway its the incorrect surface basking temps and UVB that can prevent the dragon from being able to naturally keep them at bay -- so I would get a fecal done and go from there - too many of the parasites will cause weight loss - lethargy behavior - stools that smell so bad it makes you leave the room

As far as carnivore items he’s not really been into Dubia or crickets so mostly large meal worms or super worms. He has an appointment with our vet first thing Monday morning day. Hopefully we get him back to normal soon.

 

[Sadie]

As far as carnivore items he’s not really been into Dubia or crickets so mostly large meal worms or super worms. He has an appointment with our vet first thing Monday morning day. Hopefully we get him back to normal soon.

No enemas at the vet please-- have you tried BSFL or silk worms? Both are staple insect feeders

 

[Rebecca E]

No enemas at the vet please-- have you tried BSFL or silk worms? Both are staple insect feeders

I just ordered some more BSFL and should have within a week
I ordered some before and they showed up tiny and he had no interest but hopefully the next round will be good. I have not tried silk worms but will see if I can find some. As per vet, I’m pretty sure ours does not do Enemas but i have confirmed with them not to. Thank you.

 

[Sadie]

I just ordered some more BSFL and should have within a week
I ordered some before and they showed up tiny and he had no interest but hopefully the next round will be good. I have not tried silk worms but will see if I can find some. As per vet, I’m pretty sure ours does not do Enemas but i have confirmed with them not to. Thank you.

Silk worms can be ordered online I have websites for those and bsfl should be large they have different sizes I can post websites for those as well

 

[Musicmanslady]

The thing with the superworms, the beardies love them sooo much that they start snubbing everything else. So you may have to back off on the supers for a bit. Mine gets supers (3)once or twice a week and about 7 or 8 medium dubias on the bug day in between. You can also give a hornworm once a week or so to provide hydration. They are not a staple worm but they do have some protein, are rich in calcium, and low in fat. Silkworms are fantastic but very very hard to find . Reptilian arts.com has them. Mine ignores bsfl but he is an adult..those I have tried putting on top of his greens. Watch his poops though, if the bsfl are coming through undigested, he is not getting any nourishment from them. Adults tend to swallow them whole. Adult dragons should only be eating insects/worms 2 or 3 times a week but leafy greens everyday are a must. Babies need bugs/worms every day and bsfl are wonderful for babies. Calcium dust all your bugs/worms except the bsfl and the hornworms. Also feed calcium rich greens like collards, mustard and turnip greens, arugula, and kale. Dandelion greens are great too. NO spinach..it interferes with their calcium absorption.

 

[Rebecca E]

Silk worms can be ordered online I have websites for those and bsfl should be large they have different sizes I can post websites for those as well

 

[Rebecca E]

Silk worms can be ordered online I have websites for those and bsfl should be large they have different sizes I can post websites for those as well

He ate probably 7 of the bsfl yesterday. I dropped him at the vet first thing this am. Made sure to say no enema. He did poop while there but vet tech did something where they couldn’t check for parasite. Vet said he hand him Parazol, (?$ 0.06ml and 4 drops of a wormer and some
Fluids under the skin and then he died. He called and told me my beard is is gone. Ima p confused. I’m heartbroken.

 

[Sadie]

He ate probably 7 of the bsfl yesterday. I dropped him at the vet first thing this am. Made sure to say no enema. He did poop while there but vet tech did something where they couldn’t check for parasite. Vet said he hand him Parazol, (?$ 0.06ml and 4 drops of a wormer and some
Fluids under the skin and then he died. He called and told me my beard is is gone. Ima p confused. I’m heartbroken.

What in the world????????????? There are so many questions I cant even begin to ask them all -- what was the dragons weight - do you have a recent pic of him? I am sorry I am in shock and please dont take it out of context and me thinking I am blaming you--------------- did they allow you into the exam room some do not-this is not the first time I have heard of dragons being dropped off and the next thing you know the dragon is dead -- was the vet a experienced one? It just sounds so random that the dragon just died - what was the dragons behavior before taking him in? I am flagging Tracie the vet tech on the board -- again I am so sorry this happened and I totally understand the confusion and the heart break

 

[Rebecca E]

What in the world????????????? There are so many questions I cant even begin to ask them all -- what was the dragons weight - do you have a recent pic of him? I am sorry I am in shock and please dont take it out of context and me thinking I am blaming you--------------- did they allow you into the exam room some do not-this is not the first time I have heard of dragons being dropped off and the next thing you know the dragon is dead -- was the vet a experienced one? It just sounds so random that the dragon just died - what was the dragons behavior before taking him in? I am flagging Tracie the vet tech on the board -- again I am so sorry this happened and I totally understand the confusion and the heart break

 

[Rebecca E]

He acted fine. I mean he’s been lethargic but not sleeping all day. He wakes up. He climbs up on his tree and hangs out under his heat lamp so I really don’t know. The vet said when he gave him fluids that he started about 20 minutes after that, opening his mouth and kind of clicking And maybe even sticking his tongue out a little bit almost like he was trying to puke up but the fluids were injected under his skin.

 

[Rebecca E]

He acted fine. I mean he’s been lethargic but not sleeping all day. He wakes up. He climbs up on his tree and hangs out under his heat lamp so I really don’t know. The vet said when he gave him fluids that he started about 20 minutes after that, opening his mouth and kind of clicking And maybe even sticking his tongue out a little bit almost like he was trying to puke up but the fluids were injected under his skin.

I’m sorry I can’t think straight he was 422 g. He had come down over the last few months from 469.

 

[Rebecca E]

I’m sorry I can’t think straight he was 422 g. He had come down over the last few months from 469.

Recent pic just a few days ago

 

[Rebecca E]

Recent pic just a few days ago

 

[Sadie]

Recent pic just a few days ago

I have sent Tracie the link to your post- his eyes are really orange so I am thinking color? He was not underweight he looked good weight wise- unless testing was done we won't know if there was something underlying here - liver kidney issues etc-- usually eyes can show that - but we need Tracie to address this I am hoping she can help you out better than i- this is so frustrating and heart breaking

 

[Rebecca E]

I have sent Tracie the link to your post- his eyes are really orange so I am thinking color? He was not underweight he looked good weight wise- unless testing was done we won't know if there was something underlying here - liver kidney issues etc-- usually eyes can show that - but we need Tracie to address this I am hoping she can help you out better than i- this is so frustrating and heart breaking

Thank you. Here’s a closer pic of his eye from the other day and from Jan