Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Thanks to all who replied to my post last week. Things have been up and down since I've last posted. Yesterday i felt like I was getting Caveman's environment stabilized. After getting a digital thermometer and and an ESU UVB (florescent that screws into an incandescent socket) and
trying 40 and 60 watt basking bulbs, I felt that the 60 watt bulb was the better deal. Although both the 60 and 40 watt bulb have an extreme hot spot, it is in a very narrow area and caveman keeps himself out of that area and in an area that is 105 degrees (although he moves farther out away from the hotspot occasionally). After having the 40 watt in for a couple of days, he seemed more active and ate several small crickets yesterday when I put the 60 watt bulb back.
The cool end of his tank is in the low 80s and I have a under tank heat pad that keeps his enclosure around 74 degrees when the lights are off.

He threw up last Wednesday or Thursday and I was worried, but he recovered and I ordered some 1/2 inch crickets (they are actually smaller) after seeing what a larger cricket and perhaps too many mealworms could do to him.

Well today, with the 60 watt, he seemed less active, I couldn't get him to drink (by misting or dribbling water on his nose) or eat anything. Now he is hanging out in what seems to me to be kind of a strange position on his driftwood, as you can see in the photo below.
Do they just have off days, or should I be worried?
I haven't had him soak since we brought him home, should I do that? Thanks for any info!

Lisa
mom of:
several adult and baby box turtles
1 five lined skink
2 dekay snakes
3 toads
2 mantids
1 cat
3 dogs
2 rabbits
1 cockatiel
2 juvi humans

I'd give him a soak. I know vomiting can cause severe dehydration, which can be deadly. (See my post below for info on my current hydration crisis) Mine doesn't like to drink from misting or anything so I give him soaks. Not sure about the position, but is he still eating and basking? Or in that fixed position always?
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0.0.1 Bearded Dragon (Zeo)
0.2.0 Leopard Geckos (Vienna, Chomps)
1.0.0 Golden Retriever, Rocky, 10 years young

Yes, I read your post. Caveman threw up what looked like
a mass of partially digested crickets and mealworms, as well as some romaine lettuce I had given him the night before. He hasn't eaten any greens since then.

I only give him molted mealworms although I am being especially careful to give him small ones and not too many.
I just checked on him and he was still in the position, although he has now moved since I spritzed him (he did drink a little) and he ate 2 mealworms, but didn't seem interested in chasing crickets. He did "relieve" himself this morning and I keep finding his poop in the same spot and, this spot where he is assuming this strange position is right over the area where I am finding the poop, so I am wondering if he feels like he needs to go?

Lisa
mom of:
several adult and baby box turtles
1 five lined skink
2 dekay snakes
3 toads
2 mantids
1 cat
3 dogs
2 rabbits
1 cockatiel
2 juvi humans

>>
>>Thanks to all who replied to my post last week. Things have been up and down since I've last posted. Yesterday i felt like I was getting Caveman's environment stabilized. After getting a digital thermometer and and an ESU UVB (florescent that screws into an incandescent socket) and
>>trying 40 and 60 watt basking bulbs, I felt that the 60 watt bulb was the better deal. Although both the 60 and 40 watt bulb have an extreme hot spot, it is in a very narrow area and caveman keeps himself out of that area and in an area that is 105 degrees (although he moves farther out away from the hotspot occasionally). After having the 40 watt in for a couple of days, he seemed more active and ate several small crickets yesterday when I put the 60 watt bulb back.
>>The cool end of his tank is in the low 80s and I have a under tank heat pad that keeps his enclosure around 74 degrees when the lights are off.
>>
>>He threw up last Wednesday or Thursday and I was worried, but he recovered and I ordered some 1/2 inch crickets (they are actually smaller) after seeing what a larger cricket and perhaps too many mealworms could do to him.
>>
>>Well today, with the 60 watt, he seemed less active, I couldn't get him to drink (by misting or dribbling water on his nose) or eat anything. Now he is hanging out in what seems to me to be kind of a strange position on his driftwood, as you can see in the photo below.
>>Do they just have off days, or should I be worried?
>>I haven't had him soak since we brought him home, should I do that? Thanks for any info!
>>
>>Lisa
>>mom of:
>>several adult and baby box turtles
>>1 five lined skink
>>2 dekay snakes
>>3 toads
>>2 mantids
>>1 cat
>>3 dogs
>>2 rabbits
>>1 cockatiel
>>2 juvi humans
>>

is that sand as a substrate? If so I think he may be too young to use sand as of yet. It may impact him.

Also, I think he is too young for mealies as well. Those can cause the same type of problem.

That aside, I do think they have good and bad days but he looks real thin and I would think a bad day for him is probably going to be a lot worse than a bad day for a healthy beardie.

Good luck with him.
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Rob