Parasites?

[timbalan]

Hi ive had my beardie now for 5 weeks and he hasnt gotten any bigger. Only 6 in and 13.6 g. Only shed once and not a real big eater. Id say hes about 3 1/2 months old. So i naturally notice somethings not right he should be simewhat bigger than when i got him so i took a stool sample to my vet a low and behold hes full of parasites. They gave him a dose of meds and gave me a dose to give him in 2 weeks. Than im suppose to bring in another stool sample. My questions are how do i prevent this or at least try to. And how should i go about cleaning his tank? when should i clean it? Before i take him back to the vet,now or after i know hes gotten them out of his system? any advise would be nice thanks in advance. Tim and vinnie.

 

[Luvthemanimal]

All beardies have a form of parasites from what my vet has told me as I am going threw this too.

Stress causes them to flair up and also feeding dead insects can cause it.

I use newspaper as substrate and anytime there's poop on it which is daily I change it out and I clean the tank completely 2 times a month.

So hopefully that clears it up with my girl.

Good luck keep us posted.

Cheers.

 

[timbalan]

Ya i knew they always had some but she said he was loaded with them. I use paper towel as substrate also. I pick it out when he poos on it. Im assuming hes had them since i got him but not sure. He does seem a bit more stressed in his tank im not sure why tho. He gets real bright when i bring him out of his cage so im guessing he just wants to be out all the time.lol. I try and let him out once or twice a day for about 20 to 30 min. Then he thinks hes super lizard and wants to run all over but hes still a little small for that.. I guess i was just curious if i should clean his tank real good right after i know hes clean of parasites.

 

[atochats]

Every week or at the very least every two weeks I take everything out, scrub it with 10% bleach and a scratchy pad (rocks..branch and hide) and wash the reptile carpet with antibacterial soap. I clean the bare bottom of the tank with the bleach solution and paper towels. Maybe this is overkill... but I've been told most dragons have some sort of worms most of the time, it's just a matter of how many. I think you're right he's prolly had them since you got him
Some ppl do yearly wormings as routine care or even twice a year.

 

[timbalan]

Ok ya i just cleaned everything with a bleach solution about a week and a half ago. I planned on doing it at least every 2-3 weeks anyway. The deworming is cheap enough ill do it at least once a yr. Try to set it up the same time i get my dogs her shots so i wont forget. Kinda nice when the vet is only a 1/4 mile from me.

 

[timbalan]

Ok so today when i got home vinnie was walking around i tossed in some crickets and all seemed normal. Then i noticed that he had both eyes closed and head down usually when i walk in the room he moves but this time he didnt. I picked him up and sat on the couch put him on my chest and he didnt move for about 20 min. Anytime i take him out within 5 min hes running around the couch checking everything out, sat there for 20 and he never moved or opened his eyes. Didnt even look at the dog when she walked over. All which is not normal. So i tried to give him a bath to see if he would wake up but no eyes still closed he went right to the bottom didnt try to swim or fill up with air. Again all not normal. I messed with him a little in the water until he started to swim and hold his air so he would float but still his eyes didnt open for more than a couple seconds. I also tried holding him upside down which usually he would be freaking out if i tried to hold him like that but he didnt move or open him eyes the hole time he was upside down. I just had him in the vet for parasites they gave him some meds yesterday so is this maybe a reaction or symtom of some kind? I very very worried. It just kind of came out of the blue

 

[Luvthemanimal]

This worries me as I have to start mine on meds tomorrow...... For parasites also.....

 

[timbalan]

The meds i was givin is called ivermectin. What is it u have to give yours? and im not sure if this is the cause or not but its the only thing ive done different

 

[Luvthemanimal]

I get meds tomorrow. Vet needs to weight him.

I will let you know

 

[timbalan]

Ok. Ya mine only weighted a little over 13 grams so he didnt get but about .01ml mixed with 1ml of water but thats for 3 doses. That was the only way they could mix it right so we shall see what happens the next couple days. Im gonna call them tomorrow and see if theres any side effect or anything. Maybe it just makes him sleepy.

 

[Luvthemanimal]

Keep us updated.

I will tell u what vet gives me tomorrow. For my guy.

All I know is its. 3 different types of meds.

One is everyday for 5 days
Another is once now than 14 days later
Than another once a week for 3 weeks.

I forget what type of worms my guy has but I will update that also.

 

[timbalan]

She never said what kind mine had either she just said he was loaded. She did let me look in the microscope tho. He had a dose yesterday and has to have another in 2 weeks so hooefully it clears up otherwise im gonna take him to an actual reptile vet. The one by my house is just a normal vet but they do fecal exams too so i just went there for an initial fecal exam

 

[Luvthemanimal]

Yea mine specializes in reptiles and exotics. So I'll let you know what I get

 

[timbalan]

My rep vet is about 40 min from me and its about -7° outside so i didnt want to go far

 

[Luvthemanimal]

O I hear Yea it's - 20 here with windchill but wrap em up in warm towel good to go.

 

[timbalan]

Ya the wind chill is another story.lol just nuts. Going to bed now so we shall see what tomorrow brings. I did check on him before i went to my room and hes sitting on his stick basking and gaping so maybe its a good thing and his color looks good also. Fingers crossed

 

[Luvthemanimal]

Hopefully he's all good.

 

[timbalan]

He still isnt opening his eyes much. Only a few seconds at a time. I havent seen him move today either except up a couple inches on his basking stick. He is sitting there gaping id assume to regulate body temp? his color is still good and he just shed his whole body today when i gave him a bath. Still wont even open his eyes in the water but i just held him and gave his back and belly a good rub. He did swim for a couple seconds but stoped and closed his eyes again. I pretty much had to force him to drink a syringe full of water just to be sure he stays hydrated.im adding a couple pics so you can see what i mean about his eyes.

Usually if i hold him like this he does everything he can to get on top of my hand but nothing just sits there with his eyes shut.



This is just a pic when i put him on my leg just sitting there with his eyes closed.



Any thoughts? He will open them just doesnt keep them open.

 

[Luvthemanimal]

Does he eat?

Are his eyes always closed?

 

[timbalan]

He hasnt eatin today i think he ate a couple crix yesterday. He hasnt pooped since the poop i took into the vet a couple days ago. Im gonna go get some babyfood and try to syringe that to him to see if it will perk him up. No he has never kept his eye closed like this. There closed id say 90% of the time since yesterday afternoon. He does open them if i go ny his tank and make noise but only for a couple sec. He was fine when i came home from work yesterday. This started about 5pm or so i noticed when i went to give him a bath.