Reptile & Amphibian Forums

ok so i went to check out my beardes after thier lights went out and i noticed something very strange.

first lemme say something. yesterday i noticed that it looked like she wanted to "throw up" she had her mouth open and she seemed to be gagging almost.

today when i got home and opened the cage to clean out the stool i noticed her vent was open a little bit and there was some stool stuck to it, i took her out cleaned off her vent and the stool and put her back in, she was moving around fine and shes been eating fine.

now tonight she looked very odd. her eyes were half open and she wasnt moving at all. i took her out and held her in my hand and she felt like dead weight. the only times she responds is when i flip her on her back or put her in warm water. i felt around on her belly and i could feel her ribs but nothing that would make me thinkg shes impacted. i didnt feel anything solid anywhere, it all feels nice and soft and even.

i called my local herp vet and he says he doesnt really know what it could be, possibly some kind of infection or something.

she has no tremors or anything of a ceisure kind of thing.

someone please help me im desperate and i dont want to lose her but honestly it doesnt look like shell make it thru the night.

Sorry. I wish I could help. But, I really have no ideas short of the usual husbandry questions. It would certainly help knowing how big and old she is. I hope she made it through the night and that you will be able to get her to the vet today. Please let us know what his/her diagnosis is how your dragon is doing.

I looked up your past posts and saw that she was about 2 years old. I don't know about the "throw up" part but is it possible that she laid eggs? I may be reaching here but it may explain the vent partially open thing, but I have never observed this. What I have observed though is that after the dragons are exhasted and very dehydrated and generally lay flat on something with their eyes half closed. I use an eyedropped to drip water on the tip of their noses until they stop licking it. Generally takes a few minutes.

Dragons do open their mouths real wide sometimes with their beard inflated and then move their head around sometimes. Could this be what you observed? They don't do it for long. Just seems to me they are stretching or something.

Definitely get it to the Vet, ASAP.

It sounds like its dehydrated. Severe dehydration can cause impaction, which could explain the open vent and gagging.

While waiting to go to your Vet appointment I would try an eyedropper of water like BDlvr suggested. Give it as much as it will take & when it stops, wait a few minutes and offer more.

Soaking is also good but the eydropper will work faster. Plus, when they're weak like you described, soaking has to be done carefully. Water level up to the bottom of the armpits with a small rock or something for it to lay its head on in order to keep it from drowning. They can't hold their heads up for very long at a time when they're so weak, plus, they get relaxed.

BDlvr may also be onto something with his laying eggs comment. I've never witnessed this so I don't know if it can cause exhaustion to the point of your dragon's condition or not. And I also don't know if the presence of feces is common during egg-laying. I don't see any connection between the gagging but I suppose its possible that it could be connected to exhaustion.

I'm thinking (guessing) dehydration. Severe dehydration. Please keep us informed. By doing so not only will you help spread knowledge to us, hopefully we can use that knowledge in the futre to help someone else.

Hang in there & best wishes!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American