I have been posting on here for years on and off, and i have given out lots of info to the best of my knowladge. Now, though, i am calling in the favor. I am asking for help with my bearded dragon.

I have had her since she was basically out of the egg. She was on of the smallest in the tank of babies, so she was one of the unfortunate; she had her front legs and tail bitten off. I took her from the petstore i worked at years ago and i nursed her back to health, hand feeding her for weeks and tending to her wounds. Later on in her life, i realised that i had been oversupplementing her diet with calcium. When i noticed that she was passing crystals in her urates i held back on the calcium and only gave it to her in small doses 1-2 times a week.

I have always had the correct lighting on her, and her cage temps have been ideal.

Now that she has been getting older, though, i have noticed some changes. I am worried.

Since it has been getting colder now (i live in the northeast) she has been slowing down on her eating. That has been normal for the past few years. But lately, she hasnt been acting right. She seems to be trying to deficate often...but only in small ammounts. From time to time she strains. (I am worried about prolapse). She has also been flipping over...she is wide and flat and her tail is short. With no claws in the front she cant get herself upright. She stayed like that all night once....my husband found her the next morning.....she was barely breathing. There are no seizures, but from time to time before she tries to poop her tail will twitch a bit.

She has been drinking alot of water lately, but not eating veggies.....maybe that is why?

For the past 2 or 3 days she has been displaying her 'distress colors'.....when she is mad or hurt she turns bright yellow.

Just a few minutes ago, i was giving her a warm water soak, hopeing she would deficate...maybe pass what she can't (not substrate, she is on carpet) maybe hair from me?

anyway, i was massaging her legs (rear legs...she relies on them for balance as well as moving around due to her front feet being gone. I noticed that she has a bump. it feels like it is on her muscle. My husband mentioned that it could be a hernia due to her flipping over and struggling. I dont know.

I upped the wattage and output of her strip light....she is in a 30gal breeder, so she is close to her strip. I had a 5.0 in there, i upped it to a 10.0 that i just got. I have been changing them out every 6-8 months so there should be no real issue there. And her insect diet is gut loaded and varied. She still gets supplements with d3.

I'm not sure what to do. There is no real qualified reptile vet close to me....the one i took my iguana to years ago told me that she was the best looking one she has ever seen, but then tried to load me up with a bunch of crap that wasn't right...

please help. I love my baby. Indie has been a good friend to me for years and i don't want her in any pain. Much thanks, jen.



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"Brains for dinner, brains for lunch. Brains for breakfast, brains for brunch. Brains for every single meal; why can't we have some GUTS?"-Misfits



1.0 ball python- Azazel

0.1 creamsicle corn- Pandora

0.1 motley ghost stripe corn- Raven

0.4 leos- Boji, Sanjae, fae and Kodama

0.1 beardie- Indie

1.1 crested gecko- Jubeh and Inari

0.1 leucistic texas ratsnake-Ojo

1.0 whites tree frog- Sifaka

0.1 Transe pecos rat

1.0 (?) Senegal chameleon

1.0 Ruthven's X Thaeri king- Kemushi

0.1 pacific parrolet- Mishka

1.1 cats- Cairo and Oberon

0.0.4 crab people

1.0 Husband (hes my favorite, but i dont let the 'kids' know that. )

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