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RE: Force Feeding??

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Posted by: PHLdyPayne at Tue Jun 8 20:16:58 2010   [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by PHLdyPayne ]  
   

I wouldn't get into force feeding just yet. As you just changed his environment on Friday, it may take a few days for him to get settled again. Concentrate on feeding him well cut loaded crickets and other healthy insects.

You can use an eye dropper to offer water, no need to get a needless syringe. Just drop the water near the corner of the mouth and he should lap it up after a few drops. A small amount of water will work into his mouth even by just getting the side of his mouth wet. The scales act very good to channel the water into the corners of the mouth and the dragon can just open his lips a little to let it inside.

Get yourself a scale as was suggested before, and weigh your dragon. This is a far more accurate way to measure changes in weight than just guessing. A vet check would be a good idea too. I know you did a fecal earlier yourself, but this still doesn't substitute for taking him to see a professional who can do blood work, take x-rays, weigh him and do a physical examination to see what other possible causes of your dragon's lack of appetite. Perhaps he has a partial blockage in his intestines from the sand he was housed on before, or something completely different.

To get him to eat some greens, you can try edible flowers, like hibiscus, pansy's, clover or even dandelion flowers (rinse well and don't use any which have been or may have been exposed to chemicals (ie store bought plants almost always have some sort of spray on them..so best to use well established plants from home. For dandelions, collect where you know there hasn't been any spraying for insects, herbicides etc.)

double check temperatures as well, though I do remember you posting the basking spot was 110F with ambient of 90F (or at least that is what i think you meant with '110 and 90F' which you posted in an earlier thread below).

There are commercial omnivorous/carnivorous meals out there which when mixed with water, can be used as a sort of force feeding mixture. As force feeding is extremely stressful...I don't recommend force feeding. Better to get a vet install a feeding tube if things become that far gone. However with the mash, you could try offering it in a spoon or eye dropper and see if you can encourage the dragon to lap it up willingly.
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PHLdyPayne


   

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