New Care taker nervouse sleeping not eating.

[Charlies caretaker]

Hi all my wife and I purchase a adult bearded dragon from a private seller. The dragon is not eating. Just sleeping for two days now. The tank tem its about 90 degrees in the warmer section of the tank. Charlie is not close to the lap. I have read we need more heat so I will be going to the store as soon as I can to get better ligting... but even when I take Charlie out of the tank she appears to sleep. I have read about the hybernation is this what Charlie may be doing? Any help would greatly be appreciated.

 

[corrine]

Could be a number of things. Temp are kinda low they should be about 100*f on the hot side and about 85 on the cool side. To get temps up you can use a regulare house hold bulb. Wattages will depend on how big your tank is, how far away the light is and the temps in your home. How are you measuring temps? A temp gun or a digital thermeter with a probe are the most accurate ways. Do you have a uvb light? If so what kind is it?(tube or coil, and what brand?) She is most likely experinceing relocation stress, which is normal after just getting her home. Just keep handling to a bare minimum and keep offering food.

 

[Charlies caretaker]

The thermostate is sucktioned cup to the window made by Zilla. This was one of those package type things from Petco. The UV light is a 20watt coil light. I have alos put on the the (red) or the night time lamp to try and get the tank warmer. ... Thanks for the note about handeling we were not sure. I have veen putting crickets in there and taking them out at night. I have also tried some wet type food that smells like pinapple. This is very confusing and scary on what to do.

 

[Beardie_Mommy3991]

Calm down Everything will be fine. Most likely it is location stress, but because you said Adult beardie, it could be trying to brumate (hibernation sorta) If the tank gets warmer, he should get more active. Also, coil UV bulbs are far inferior to the tube bulbs. Alot of folks will tell you they are harmfull to beardie's eyesight. If I were you, I would invenst in getting a Reptisun 10.0 tube UV bulb. Not to exspensive,a nd it can span the whole length of your tank, giving Charlie the UV he needs

Congratulations on the new family member, and don't stress too much.

 

[corrine]

First off I would recommend getting a reptiSUN 10.0 tube style light. The coil bulbs have been know to cause eye issues. You can purchase that bulb at petmountain.com for about $25. The therm you have also should be replaced with a digi with a probe or a temp gun. The round stick on ones only measure the air temp not surface temps which are important. As far as feeding, you said your dragon was an adult so 80% of her diet should be salads. And 20% bugs(protein). Some good staple greens are dandelion, collard, mustard, turnip. You can also add veggies to make it more appealig. You can try butternut squash, bell peppers, and green beans. They can also eat fruit on occasion. When my dragon goes through a salad strike usually raspberries do the trick.

 

[zebraflavencs]

Let's see... two years old, riiight ? Had the previous owner mentioned anything about this animal sleeping a lot as of late ?
This could be a combination of a few things. Parasites, which mimic Brumation (hibernation for reptiles).
The lighting/temps.

Okay, you got the suggestions for better uvb as well as a better thermometer. Might I also suggest a trip to your local herp vet ( we have listings to help you find one) and get an exam done ?
The exam ( complete with fecal sample if you can obtain that) will either rule out or include parasites.
Once you have those results, then you can make an educated decision in the case of brumation.
Hope this helps out.

 

[Charlies caretaker]

I really appreciate the responses. This is the best message board I have ever joined. So I did speak to the old owner and she said that she believes it was starting burmation before we purchased it...Whew I think... OK does anyone know anything about Burmation? I noticed that you should give your bearded dragon a bath to clear there stomach and to try and make them poop.. But I also read that I should not bother while burmating. Doh if the dragons stress was not high you should see my blood pressure...LOL.. But seriously will she come out of it looking for food? How do I know she is looking for food. I guess she will be active? I also was wondering is the bath a good idea and what temp do they get bathed at.. Thank you all again for the great advice and direction.

 

[zebraflavencs]

Remove all proteins from the diet feed only salads. 3 weeks should be good.

No need to bath if you include moisture ridden greens in the salads.. Or if you offer water bowls.
Yes, you can use romains, even iceburgs for hydration.. but in moderation.. just a little bit goes a long way.

Once "charlie" passes all proteins ( poop will change to totally green) get that fecal exam.. If that is clear, then allow him to lay himself in place of choice.. and let him sleep.
Hope this helps out.