What's going on with my beardie

[Cityloop]

Hi!

Our beardie is 8 years +, had lack of apetite for at least three weeks. He didn't defacate for at least 2 months. Beardie was not moving much for the last 7 days, he did defacate 3 times in the last 3 days. For 3 days, he has black beard, moving rarely and not opening the eyes often. Is there anything we can do to help this poor creature?

Thanks, Sandra

 

[Cityloop]

Sorry for the title, it's wrong. It has nothing to do with 'eggs'.

 

[Sadie]

Hi!

Our beardie is 8 years +, had lack of apetite for at least three weeks. He didn't defacate for at least 2 months. Beardie was not moving much for the last 7 days, he did defacate 3 times in the last 3 days. For 3 days, he has black beard, moving rarely and not opening the eyes often. Is there anything we can do to help this poor creature?

Thanks, Sandra

Please do not put him on his back - they can't breath- please pull the water dish - please go over your uvb coil or tube how old is the bulb - what are your surface basking temps and how are you getting them ? Digital probe thermometers are the best

 

[Cityloop]

Please do not put him on his back - they can't breath- please pull the water dish - please go over your uvb coil or tube how old is the bulb - what are your surface basking temps and how are you getting them ? Digital probe thermometers are the best

Hello, thank you for your advice. I took the beardie out of the terrarium just to see the back: if there are any lumps, discoloration or anything unusual. We never had a thermometer. The bulb is pretty new, 3 months old.

 

[Sadie]

Hello, thank you for your advice. I took the beardie out of the terrarium just to see the back: if there are any lumps, discoloration or anything unusual. We never had a thermometer. The bulb is pretty new, 3 months old.

What kind brand and bulb ? Coil or long tube fixture - surface basking temps are extremely important- this is what starts digestion - please get 2 digital probe thermometers zoo med makes them - found at PetSmart or Petco - these things I am asking about are critical for your dragon

 

[Cityloop]

What kind brand and bulb ? Coil or long tube fixture - surface basking temps are extremely important- this is what starts digestion - please get 2 digital probe thermometers zoo med makes them - found at PetSmart or Petco - these things I am asking about are critical for your dragon

It is a ProRep 40W. The dragon used to sit under this one 90% of the time. There's a long tube at the top of the terrarium but he never goes there. Interestingly, when he was on his normal behaviour, I observed he liked to sit in water like the photo shown.

 

[Sadie]

It is a ProRep 40W. The dragon used to sit under this one 90% of the time. There's a long tube at the top of the terrarium but he never goes there. Interestingly, when he was on his normal behaviour, I observed he liked to sit in water like the photo shown.

Ok so we need to get surface basking temps to 95-100 - you need a 24 watt Arcadia pro T 5 w/ a 12% bulb immediately - found at PetSmart - if you don't have a pet smart let me know I will post 2 more uvb's that you will need to order-one of them-- please work on this now-- then we are going to work on getting food into him

 

[Cityloop]

Afternoon update: is there anything I can do to help him? He's still breathing. I hope it won't be his last night.

 

[Sadie]

Afternoon update: is there anything I can do to help him? He's still breathing. I hope it won't be his last night.

He needs correct lighting as posted above w/ the temps--- I dont know what is wrong w/ him but w/ the incorrect UVB and not knowing what the surface basking temps are in the tank I am not sure what to tell you --- hes stopped eating because lack of incorrect surface basking temps and UVB--- I am surprised he has lasted as long as he has to be honest -- how long have you had him and has he had this lighting all his life --- is he walking ok climbing ? He needs food -- please make up a slurry of greens mustard collard turnip or kale make it a soupy consistency and see if he will lick or feed by syringe -- SLOWLY - he needs the correct lighting NOW -- temps as well

 

[Cityloop]

He needs correct lighting as posted above w/ the temps--- I dont know what is wrong w/ him but w/ the incorrect UVB and not knowing what the surface basking temps are in the tank I am not sure what to tell you --- hes stopped eating because lack of incorrect surface basking temps and UVB--- I am surprised he has lasted as long as he has to be honest -- how long have you had him and has he had this lighting all his life --- is he walking ok climbing ? He needs food -- please make up a slurry of greens mustard collard turnip or kale make it a soupy consistency and see if he will lick or feed by syringe -- SLOWLY - he needs the correct lighting NOW -- temps as well

Hi! Thank you again for helping us. He was a happy lizard on Valentine's day this year. Please see the picture. We will see how he is tomorrow and consider buying the lights if he is still with us. We had him for 8 years + and he had the same light for one year.
There was one accident that worried us and according to our research he had a stroke. It was shortly before Christmas 2022. He was moving his head rapidly from left to right with open mouth. After that he had black beard, unresponsive for at least an hour. But he recovered quickly and the next day he was his normal self.

 

[Sadie]

Hi! Thank you again for helping us. He was a happy lizard on Valentine's day this year. Please see the picture. We will see how he is tomorrow and consider buying the lights if he is still with us. We had him for 8 years + and he had the same light for one year.
There was one accident that worried us and according to our research he had a stroke. It was shortly before Christmas 2022. He was moving his head rapidly from left to right with open mouth. After that he had black beard, unresponsive for at least an hour. But he recovered quickly and the next day he was his normal self.

He may be too far gone to save -- I can only recommend what will help --- if hes been w/ out UVB for this long I am surprised hes alive --and even then I dont know if its going to be enough to pull him back - his femoral pores are plugged and need attention --- at this point I dont think soaking him in a betadine solution is recommended w/ how ill he is -- by tomorrow he may be gone as the correct surface basking temps and UVB are what he needs the most to start the healing process -- he should be under a heat emitter at night to keep what immune system he has left for him to regroup -- the shaking of the head sounds like he was choking -

 

[Cityloop]

Next morning update: our beardie passed away Thank you for your help Sadie, lots od great advice for our next dragon when we get one.

 

[Sadie]

Next morning update: our beardie passed away Thank you for your help Sadie, lots od great advice for our next dragon when we get one.

I am so sorry --- your dragon has been sick for a long time and it is a normal for a dragon to hide the illness its instinct for them to do this - but the things I posted for you to get is absolutely imperative that you have ---- he lasted longer than I would of thought w/ out correct basking temps and no UVB -- correct surface basking temps start digestion and the UVB helps process the calcium they need for the growing and the bones and preventing major illnesses along w/ MBD which is a horrible disease - please disinfect the tank w/ some F 10 found on Ebay its a vet disinfectant will kill pretty much anything in the tank --- also I recommend NO loose substrate - babies lick and eat everything and will cause impaction - you can get some textured NON adhesive shelf liner cut to the size of the tank insects cannot get underneath and its easy to clean -- for future reference - again I am so sorry about the dragon -