Urgent advice needed on sick and injured dragon!

[EmilySanderson]

So I'm back, finally. Beardie was at the vet for about 4 days and in that time gained 60g!!!!! I wonder how much of that is fluid vs food weight?

I'm still worried though. He just seems to sleep all the time, only moving to go from the basking side to the cool side of his tank, and he has a black beard most of the time. I keep waking him up to try and get him to drink or eat something, but I'm finding it so hard to find out just how much a beardy needs to eat or drink on a daily basis.

I think some of his bad eating habits is that he's pretty much only been fed on crickets for his entire life, or that's the impression I get any way, so when I show him little pieces of red pepper, or I tried some skinless apple yesterday Beardie looks at it like it's just part of the furniture or something.

Why is he so lethargic? Why isn't he eating or drinking yet, unless I force him to? What am I doing wrong, or does he need to go back to the vet for a few more days?

 

[Luvthemanimal]

Did they do a stool sample?

 

[EmilySanderson]

I don't think so. And now I'm even more concerned because I came to check on him this morning and I think he might have diarrhoea. And he's black, not just his beard but down his sides too. =(

 

[EmilySanderson]

He keeps sleeping with his head propped up on his water bowl. At the moment his chin is resting in it....

When I touch him, to pick him up or see how warm he is, he's quite....squishy. As in, there seems to be space between his skin and his body. It almost feels like a bag with water in. That's not normal is it?

 

[Luvthemanimal]

Have you tried a warm bath and massaged his belly? Should make him poop....

 

[EmilySanderson]

Beardie's losing weight again. I weighed him earlier and he's down to 247g....don't know what I'm doing wrong but his beard is permanently black.

 

[holly_coch]

The owners of him obviously haven't taken care of him properly and have just lumped him on you, it's probably just long term health problems that have just progressed from previous neglect from owners, you're doing everything possible, make sure that he is getting enough heat, say 12 hours a day! Are you able to feed him crickets Sprinkled in calcium power? The nutrition would be good for him... Yeah probably try give him a bath in the sink in luke warm water to help his muscles and bones and maybe ease the pain he is in!

 

[EmilySanderson]

I bought some crickets this morning, just some small ones because it was the medium ones that chewed him to bits. I also saw some large wormy things when I was at the pet....place. Not a pet store, just an area in a general store. I think the box said zophobas on it? The store has everything marked in German so when people talk about phoenix worms and super worms I kind of need to find the German or Latin name for them....

I've also noticed that Beardie has a slightly crooked spine, which Youtube has shown me is a sign of long term calcium deficiency.

I'm really worried that he's going to die and I can't do anything about it. =(

 

[Devildoc]

Zophobas are superworms that is the Latin name for them

 

[Devildoc]

Hermetia illucens Latin for Phoenix worm

 

[Beardielizzy]

You are by far the BEST thing beardie has ever had in his life ! You have given him such a better life in the short time you have had him and you are not even looking for a pat on the shoulder ! All you care about is beardies well being ! I have tears in my eyes reading all this ! Obviously he has made huge progress since you have been nursing him back to good health ! But I think when you got him he was already sick and you didn't know it ! People really need to do their research and know how to care for these animals before they have them and it sounds like his family didn't know what the hell they were doing ! Sorry for being so blunt but seriously no heat light ! They are desert animals ! Well I agree with everyone ! U def need to keep him ! You got him back to great health he would most likely die without you ! You should be so proud of yourself and your mum should be too ! Good luck and please let us know how beardie is ! Are u able to post a picture of beardie ?? And beardie would probably love a hug hold him to your chest

 

[Noella]

Give him a lot of love. Hold him and show him you love him even if he's a sick bearded dragon. Bearded dragons need comfort when they're like this. Talk to him. Don't be afraid to talk to him. He needs your love most of all and he will really know you're there for him. Calcium Def leads to MBD. Here's what to do. If you can, buy some liquid calcium and give it to him. Or take him to a vet for an injection of liquid calcium. Dust his crickets and greens more too. He needs calcium and calcium with D3.


Even when Allie was dying, I was there for her. Giving her mouth to mouth, trying to give her medicine a chance, and spending the entire night with her. I slept with her. Spent several months just sitting, talking, feeding, dosing her, never losing hope for her, and giving her lots of love. I did everything I could for Allie to save her life.

Here is Allie and I sleeping together when she was sick.

I did a pizap image of Allie sitting at the Rainbow Bridge. Of course, her tail wasn't cut off.

A picture of Allie sleeping on me in her blankets.

 

[EmilySanderson]

I'm so sorry you lost Allie. =(

I like to have Beardie on my lap, or resting against my shoulder, with my hand supporting him if he needs it. I give him little hugs and kisses on the top of his head.

He ate two meal worms today, on his own. I also pushed some little pieces of red pepper on him which he begrudgingly chewed.

Do you think I should go back and get some super worms? Would they be better for Beardie, as they have a higher ratio of flesh to chitin? Do you think he might be up to eating them? (sprinkled with calcium of course)

 

[PatsyB]

Super worms are much better than meal worms. They come in 3 different sizes so you should be able to find a size that is appropriate for him.

You are taking much better care of him than his owners have or will, you are a good person

 

[diegothediggy]

Yeh supers r betta than meals.

 

[misskatie]

Not to sound like a complete creeper but where do you live Emily??? Fingers crossed here in the states

 

[EmilySanderson]

I live in Luxembourg, in Europe. Hence things being in German half the time. =P

 

[misskatie]

Sorry lol didn't see that... I was gonna say I started a dubia roach colony and if you were here in the states i would be more than happy to send you a few hundred for free

 

[EmilySanderson]

Update!!

Beardie seems to be holding steady at around 240g, and his injury is healing nicely. =)

My only concern is that the scales around the wound site seem to be not healing so well. Is it because of the antibiotic ointment is keeping them moist?

 

[jarich]

Scales dont really heal, they just get sloughed off. Sort of think of it like you would your hair or fingernails. As long as the skin beneath them is healing, that is what you are looking for.