Slice doesn't eat!!

[slices mommy]

He hasn't actually ate like normal since mid February. I wasn't concerned...he hasn't lost any weight. I provide him greens daily and offer him some form a bugs every day. He just closes his eyes. I've dropped like 20 cricket's in at one time and walked away. He just sat there with his eyes closed letting them climb all over him. He has pooped maybe 5 times since he stopped eating. I know something should still come out since he drinks water from the dropper every day. NOW the part that's really confusing...when he's in his tank he is all black under his chin(normally orange). When he's not in his tank he's fine..but still will not eat anything. The temps are between 100 and 105. I took out a part to his backboard over 2 weeks ago but he was already black before that. I even covered the glass with cardboard thinking maybe he was seeing his own reflection. I have tried Flucker's rept-boost twice since this all started. I wasn't going to worry if he wasn't losing weight but i'm leaving the 7th for a week and I really don't want to leave this on my friend to have to worry about while she takes care of the pet's. Any help will be appreciated!!

 

[slices mommy]

Also on April 29th was 1 year since I got him from the pet store so I'm sure he actually turned 1 in March sometime...maybe this is some kind of lizard puberty?!?!

 

[Mungi's Buddha]

It is quite possible at his age that he is brumating which is a natural thing that bearded dragons do and that is hardwired into their system. During brumation they go off food, tend to not bask and stay on the cool side of the enclosure and sleep a lot sometimes not waking up for weeks or even a few months at a time. Our Mungi is currently in his brumation cycle. As long as he was healthy before the cycle starts and you have not seen weight loss then he should be fine.
I will get you a link so that you can read up on brumation. Its a spooky thing for new keepers but a part of the bearded dragon experience.
That would be my guess giving the description you gave and as long as you have his enclosure setup correctly and following proper husbandry practices as well as providing proper nutrition.
Here is a good thread on our forums discussing brumation and in which Germ described perfectly how it should be handled in most cases.

http://www.beardeddragonforum.com/index.php?threads/is-my-beardie-brumating-or-is-she-sick.8270/

Hope that helps.

 

[slices mommy]

Ok so this is just the build up to brumation? This is insane!! I thought that might be it at first but he never went to sleep. He never actually goes to the cool side..but he goes under his little cave on the warm side. Sometimes he'll come out and lay on his rock with his beard all blacked out. I bought him a kiddie pool and put warm water in it. When I make bubbles in the water he starts drinking it like he's dying of thirst but I give him either a swim in the pool or water from his dropper everyday. It's Texas so it's been nice and warm so i've been taking him outside more. He just sits and relaxes. Do you think I should quit the activities and maybe he'll go to sleep. He just seems so mad about being in that tank I feel bad.

 

[Mungi's Buddha]

I wouldn't force any water into him with a dropper..and wouldn't soak him any more than once a week. If he is thirsty he will drink thru his vent while sitting in the tub anyway. They do that.
Blackbeard's can be caused by many different things tho. If he is only doing it in his enclosure then I would go thru your setup and double check that it is all correct.
You might also replace his UV bulb. If you have it mounted above the screen they only last 6 months max. If mounted under the screen they are good for a year.
If everything is good then that eliminates a setup issue.
Another reason for agitation and black bearding can be an impending shed too.
If you are still concerned I would recommend a vet visit for a check up or at least get them to do a fecal float to check for parasite issues.
Like I said earlier Mungi is in his brummation cycle currently...he mainly just takes lots of long naps and stays on the cool side of his enclosure but does get up for short periods. It effects different dragons different ways and when I read your post made me think of Mungi's cycle cause he acts similar in a lot of ways before and during brumation.
We handle his a bit different in that we leave his light cycles on because he only naps and never goes deep sleep. I do turn off the ambient light over the cool side of his tank but leave the basking and UV lights on their timed cycles so if he wakes and wants to bask its his choice much the same as we still offer salad each day and on live feeder days if he is awake will offer roaches. If he's snoozing we just wait till next live feed day a see if he is awake and wants them then. His choice
Hope that is of some help.
Enjoy your Tuesday!!

 

[slices mommy]

I don't force him to drink if we drip the water above him and sticks his tongue out to catch it...should I not do that? I will go get another UV bulb just in case. I have no clue if it's good or not. I throw some collards in there everyday...just in case he decides to eat. I offer him bugs everyday he just closes his eyes so I let it go. Obviously i'm just confused if he was sick he wouldn't perk up when he's not in his cage so that's why I haven't rushed him to the vet. Well i'll try a new light and see if that works. Thanks for all your help

 

[Mungi's Buddha]

No reason to feel confused One of the not so fun traits that bearded dragons have is their great ability to mask illnesses or injuries. That keeps their keepers on their toes because it makes it especially difficult to figure out what is going on with them.
Best thing to do in that case is to start eliminating possibilities and trying to rule out things.
Most problems that they can run into are caused by environmental issues so the first step is always to recheck their enclosure setup and make sure that temps, gradients, lighting cycles, etc are correct and working. Then review your husbandry schedule and methods are good. Next would be to look for any new sources of stress that may be effecting him. This could really be anything such as increased noise or traffic around his enclosure, too much handling, etc. It is important to remember that these creatures are not big fans of change and sometimes even small changes in their environment can throw them into a tizzy.
It's also important to know that when stress the first thing they do is go off food. Many creatures especially reptiles do this.
Once you go through everything and if you have eliminated possibilities then the next step is to do nothing and simply observe. That's the hard part but its also important to realize that as a keeper there is only so much we can do and that sometimes its best to just give the creature some room and let them work it out.
You said that you haven't seen any drastic weight loss which is a good sign because that is usually the warning flag we get that something serious is up. We weigh Mungi with a gram scale weekly and keep records of those weight specifically for that purpose and I believe it is a practice all keepers should do.
I mentioned taking him to a vet for a check up or having a fecal float test done. That is just another way of eliminating possibilities but be aware that unless your vet is a reptile specialist then its very easy for them to misdiagnose reptile issues.
At present my next step would be to sit back and observe your dragon. Change out that UV bulb and I would also move his hide to the cool side of his enclosure and keep his schedule consistent. I suggest moving the hide because hides kept on the hot side of an enclosure can become like ovens with the temp inside them actually being much higher than outside so if you are going to provide a hide it should always be placed on the cool side.
Hope this clears some confusion
Enjoy!

 

[slices mommy]

I made a few changes to the tank. I cut holes in the screen and dropped all the lights inside. Also bought a new UV bulb. I put a different hide in on the cool side. As of now the most he does is come out of his "OLD" hide and lay on his rock for a little bit then goes back under. He stays black now even when he's not in the tank. He pooped two days in a row in his tank and once the day after that in the tub. It's mostly urate with just a little bit of brown. He will not hold on to my shirt anymore or perk up in his window he just lays flat. Still no food so what do I do about calcium? Is what I do with the water in the dropper ok? I just drip it and he catches it with his tongue. If he's brumating at what point do I just turn lights off and leave him alone?

 

[Mungi's Buddha]

I think my next step would be to take him to your vet and have a fecal float done just to make sure he is clear of parasites and that there isn't any unseen issues going on.
If he checks out good then I might start looking at the possibility he's trying to brumate. Different folks handle brumation different ways. Some folks do shut down everything when their dragon goes to sleep for a few days straight. We don't shut things down with Mungi because his brumation is not deep sleep but instead he just takes a lot of naps and still wakes often to walk around or bask for a few minutes or nibble and then naps again.
Germ shuts everything down on his I believe but his do a deep sleep thing.
As far as his calcium when they brumate and go down for a deep sleep they don't need it. Their body goes into a kind of suspended animation where is doesn't burn calories or require water etc.
He does look quite agitated in the pics. They will do that when they are trying to sleep and are woken especially in brumation.
Go have him checked out just for your own peace of mind. It will be well worth the cost of a vet visit.
Enjoy and keep the updates coming!

 

[slices mommy]

Ok thanks! I had one more thing I keep forgetting to add...he doesn't gape anymore. Which he really doesn't bask either but it's 105 in that tank where the thermometer is and that's where he comes out and lays. He doesn't look up at the lights or ever open his mouth I will take him to the vet just thought i'd add that and maybe that would help figure it out.

 

[Mungi's Buddha]

Those are all good signs I think the vet visit will ease your mind too!
Keep us updated!
Enjoy!!

 

[slices mommy]

Thank you for all your help!...again