Reptile & Amphibian Forums

The last couple days my bearded dragon was slow and sluggish and not eating she was fine days before that. I went to check on the male and female today and the female wasn't breathing and curled up in the corner. I picked her up and shook her a bit but she was stiff. There was a fluid like substance dripping from her eyes and mouth when I pulled her out. I think she was about 1 1/2 - 2 years old. Pretty freaky thing I'm still in shock and not sure if I wanna get another female dragon. I talked to the pet store and they said to take her in for an autopsy to make sure she hasn't diseased or made my male sick. She had her clutch of eggs (12) on august 8. Could she of been binded up with some eggs still? I was feeding them romaine lettuce, crickets and superworms dusted as well as chopped carrots and beans. If anyone else has experienced this or has any info please contact me. Thanks
Aaron

is by a necropsy, but they are very expensive also, if your in a town with a University, you might want to check with them and see what they will charge.

But yes, I agree with the pet store and I would have one done to rule out anything that you male can aslo have or can spread to any others you might get.

It's hindsight now, so I won't ask, but when you have a female and male, its better to house them separately as the male will not leave the female alone in trying to bred. It's their natural instinct and in the wild the females can get away from them when she is not ready or recovered from being gravid. In a enclosure they can not.

12 eggs for a first clutch can be average, especially as young as she was, you did not say if you plan on hatching the eggs, and this would be another reason to have a necropsy done, it would rule out potential problems you might have with the offspring.

What are your enclosure temps? How often do you give calcium supplementation? Any chance she could have become dehydrated? Had you noticed her sitting with her mouth open alot? I do know that you should stay away from Romaine lettuce. That wouldn't have caused the death of the female, but to better provide for you male, you should feed greens such as collards, turnip greens, kale... lettuce is too water based and not sufficient in nutritional value. I would most definately take her in for a neocropsy (autopsy). Check out the earlier posts today on Adenovirus.