Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have..well I used to have a baby water dragon . Well yesterday I was away all day, so I went to my reptile room last night to feed them all and my little baby was there dead. Every bone in his body was showing, and his eye sockets were even sunken in . Don't get me wrong, I feed them everyday, all my lizards, just the day before he was fat..well, i mean healthy fat. I don't get it! How can they change in a matter of a day, just like that? I think it's parasites. Well, I have bearded dragons in the same room, and multiple other lizards, the dragon's cage was on the other side. Everyday each lizard takes a turn running around the room. Can the parasites spread that way if they are on the carpet? Thanks, I don't want this happening to my other babies. It's just so frustrating! I'm so depressed right now. Thanks for your help in advance.

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Julie

Waterdragons unlike most other reptiles, require a lot of water intake and soaking it up through their skin. They can dehydrate very fast, in a matter of hours if it is warm and can look emanciated when that happens.

For future info, they need to have some type of water in their enclosure that they can climb into when they want. Ours go outside during the day and inside at night, with a tub to soak in during the day and a large bowl in the enclosure at night. They spend probably 25% of their time in them.

Sorry you lost your dragon. Waterdragons need indeed a lot of water. But when a reptile dies they ehh I dont quite know how to say this in English, shrink very quickly and their eyes indeed fall in, I noticed this with a lot of lizards. If you want to know the cause of dead I would take him to the vet for an autopsion (uhhhm dont know if I spelled this right), this way you'll have some reassurance. If its mite, you can see them sitting neer the eyes and the armpits and folds your dragons have.
Cindy

Thanks everyone. I'm new to water dragons, I had no idea they could dehydrate so fast. I feel horrible. I took it's bowl out to soak it and I thought I could put it in when I got back. Ugh, that makes me so mad. No matter how much you research there's always something out there to get ya. I'm gonna try again, and now I've learned. Thanks again, it means so much to me that I can come here and talk to all of you.
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Julie