Reduced activity and darker Help!

[ckingy94]

Hi all.

Nipp has been ever off the past week or so. Doesn’t seem interested in basking barely interested in his food. Will only eat a small amount every day at the moment. Sometimes nothing at all.

He’s sleeping most of the day and is very lethargic. Seems to be going a dark colour on his back and belly has a few dark marks on it.

Really getting worried as to what to do with him as I can’t get him eating properly.

Tempratures are at 40 degrees Celsius under basking light and at 26 in the cool down end.

I don’t know if he’s Ill or trying to brumate but I’m really getting worried about him.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Chris

 

[PatsyB]

How old is he?

 

[ckingy94]

I was told he was 4 months when I got him so would make him coming up to 8 months now

 

[ckingy94]

He’s seemed a little better last couple of days has had more food over than last few days but still seems very lethargic and will bask minimal amounts sleeping very early

 

[Janelle]

What is your lighting setup? UVB brand? Tube or coil? How old is the UVB? What’s his diet?

 

[ckingy94]

Hi thanks for the help.

It’s a 3ft reptile systems T8 10% witch is around 4 months old. UVB tube covering most of the enclosure.

Basking light is a reptile systems Basking solar spot 100w witch is again 4 months old.

All controlled by a habistat 2 channel thermostat. Basking temperature is a constant 39.5 centigrade and cool down aria of 26.5

He’s eating a mixture of collord greens such a broccoli with asparagus and some cabbage. But then that will change every few days dependant of the stock in my shops. He will have a small amount of mango 3 tines a week in his salad. Then is eating locusts and crickets once a day as much as he will eat in around 10 minutes. Can be between 10 and 25 bugs at a time.

He’s seeming much better today after a bowl movement has been out basking all day. Seemed to be hiding under the same hide witch has been moved out for now.

I’m a new owner and just want to make sure he’s okay and I’m caring for him right

 

[Janelle]

I'm not familiar with the brand reptile systems, but that all is sounding good. Do you have the UVB underneath the screen, with nothing in between? WIth a t8, you want no mesh (and never glass or plastic) between the beardie and the UVB bulb. I think that at 8 months, they still should be eating insects twice a day. I'm glad he's seeming better today. It's funny how nervous they can make us!

 

[ckingy94]

The UVB has no cover just the plain bulb mounted at the front of the viv. Setup was sold to me by his breeder so all seems okay with that.

He’s just a little up and down recently. Like today he’s off his food again. He’ll eat if I feed him but not interested in chasing them himself.

I just hate it when he’s not his usual self makes me think I’m doing something wrong!

 

[Janelle]

I’m sorry! Someone with more experience here may have better answers for you. I hope you get it figured out!

 

[ckingy94]

No worries at all. Hopefully I work it out soon. He’s had another day where he just isn’t interested in his crickets again. He’ll barely take food out my hand. Looks like a trip to the vets is coming

 

[Janelle]

What kind of substrate do you have in his tank?

 

[ckingy94]

He’s on reptile carpet at the moment I know they’re not great for hygiene so it comes out and gets washed every week I’ve a couple of them I swap in and out for cleaning.

 

[ckingy94]

This was him a couple of days ago when he had eaten properly but just doesn’t seem interested in feeding today. He’s ate a fair amount of salad while I’ve been in work this morning

 

[Janelle]

Poor little guy. He's so cute! Reptile carpet is fine, just making sure he's not in sand or bark or anything loose.

 

[PatsyB]

Go to the website beautiful dragons.com and look up the nutrition chart. Broccoli, cabbage, asparagus aren't the greatest foods to feed. Try to find leafy greens, collards, turnip, mustard, dandelion are all real good staples to use. Squashes are good too and fruits should only be as an occasional treat.

 

[ckingy94]

Oh bluddy hell. Didn’t realise I wasn’t feeding him the best of greens. He does go mad for grated butternut when he gets some of that. Will look into changing his greens up.

He seemed much better today. Wouldn’t go near crickets but smashed through his locusts. Is it possible for him to have just gotten fed up with crickets cause he just isn’t bothered by them at all anymore. Used to go nuts for them!

Thanks for your help. Il check out that for his foods now and head to the shops later to see what I can find. U.K. supermarkets are seemingly useless for salads

 

[Janelle]

They get bored and picky and moody. He may turn up his nose at locusts next time and only want crickets. They’re like moody toddlers!

 

[PatsyB]

I was just going to say that! They do get bored with one food. Variety is the key with these guys, keep them guessing.