Reptile & Amphibian Forums

A couple of weeks ago I noticed my beardie was losing weight and very weak. Started feeding him by sryinge with baby food/vitamins/pedialyte several times a day. Switched the baby food from squash to chicken...started resisting the syringe and chasing crickets. Was doing really well, eating some greens (never did before) and at least 12 crickets a day. All of a sudden, he's stopped eating again and becoming lethargic. I caught it much earlier this time. Only 1 day without eating before I started syringe feeding him. So, back to the sryinge. ANY thoughts on WHY he is doing this??? (fecal came back neg. a couple weeks ago.) Do I have an anorexic lizard or what? By the way, this is a small beardie...about 5 inches with tail. Had him since sept. and he's only shed once...within a week of getting him. Poops 1-2 times per day. Todays-a little more runny than usual.

Get a fecal done. I suspect parasites. We really can't give an exact problem from just words or pictures --- a vet would have to look at him and do a fecalto get to the bottom of it.
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0.0.1 Bearded Dragon (Zeo)
0.2.0 Leopard Geckos (Vienna, Chomps)
1.0.0 Golden Retriever (11 Years)

He just stated that the fecal came back negative, so if there were parasites it would have shown then.

And I have been experiencing this same thing with my adult beardie. She is *extremly* inactive. She likes to crawl under in her cave and not come out.

She does however seem to be eating regularly, just SUPER inactive. When we first got her she refused to eat, we fed her through a syringe and she picked up. She still chases crickets and eats he greens and carrots though. So im not to worried yet im guessing she is just a lazy lizard or it is because of the winter months?

Anywho keep us/me updated on this. Im interested in seeing why they go off feeding like that.
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2.0 Ball Pythons
0.1 Leucistic Texas Rat
0.1 Kenyan Sand Boa
1.1 Bearded Dragons
0.0.1 Albino Ornate Pacman Frog
0.0.1 Ornate Pacman Frog
2.0 House Cats

And a partrige in a pear tree...

>>A couple of weeks ago I noticed my beardie was losing weight and very weak. Started feeding him by sryinge with baby food/vitamins/pedialyte several times a day. Switched the baby food from squash to chicken...started resisting the syringe and chasing crickets. Was doing really well, eating some greens (never did before) and at least 12 crickets a day. All of a sudden, he's stopped eating again and becoming lethargic. I caught it much earlier this time. Only 1 day without eating before I started syringe feeding him. So, back to the sryinge. ANY thoughts on WHY he is doing this??? (fecal came back neg. a couple weeks ago.) Do I have an anorexic lizard or what? By the way, this is a small beardie...about 5 inches with tail. Had him since sept. and he's only shed once...within a week of getting him. Poops 1-2 times per day. Todays-a little more runny than usual.

a fecal sample can be taken and show nothing but there is actually a parasite. I think it depends on how much of the sample was used. There may be parts of a fecal that are loaded with parasites and parts with nothing.

Also, what are your temps? Both basking and cool side? When he poops does it look like undigested material? Even 12 crix a day is way to little for a beardie that small. There is definitely an issue here you need to address.

What kind of light do you have for him?

Any supplements being used?

What size enclosure?
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Rob

"a fecal sample can be taken and show nothing but there is actually a parasite. I think it depends on how much of the sample was used. There may be parts of a fecal that are loaded with parasites and parts with nothing."

He is correct. I would also make sure temps are up. If it continues, you may want to consider bloodwork to rule out any other problems. A baby should want to eat more. How many times a day are you offering food. My four month old will only eat about 10-15 crickets at one sitting, so I feed him twice a day and sometimes three times a day.
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Stacey

Took him to the vet this am. Second fecal was neg. Dr. said possible adenovirus. Too little to give injections to (plus not enough muscle mass from "starving", so I have to give him antibiotics orally. Still feeding by syringe, but vet was happy with his 1/2 teaspoon feeding this am. Doing that at least 2x daily. Previously, he would eat 12-15 crix in am and ~6 in pm. Always gave him as many as he would want in a 15 minute period. Odd thing was, this last time he stopped eating, he was very full...visibly. Vet said engorging isn't good either. What is the happy medium? I want him to eat as much as he can to get his weight back up. Will not eat fruits, veggies, and only 1 bite or 2 of greens (if I'm lucky).
I am concerned about the heat situation at night. I don't think my 150 wt ceramic is keeping it hot enough...went down to 70 in the basking last night.
Set up- 55 gallon on cabinet stand, 160 wt Mercury Vapor on 8 hour timer, 150 wt ceramic on thermostat. Flourescent light on "cold" side-timer for daylight hours when the MV is OFF. Ceramic stays off during the day, but is on the entire time the MV bulb is off. Temps during the day...basking ~103, "cold" side is about 80-82. Night time...dropped to ~70 last night in the basking spot...according to the thermometer I have. Should I get an under tank heater for the pm's? Smething? Heat tape? No more room for another heat lamp for evenings ( red etc.) Suggestions??
ANother curious thing...been finding him asleep in his water dish...COLD!! Move him to his basking branch...moves off and goes to the floor. Slept on the floor last night...odd. Not doing much basking on the perch, but on the floor/sand.

Unless it gets cooler than 60 at night do not supplement night time with heat. Try to read his behavior. If he's in the water at night or on the floor that tells you he wants the cooler air. Give him the cool air as it is beneficial to healthy bd's. I know it's difficult to understand this but it's fact!

Do not get an under tank heater as I have read beardies do not have heat receptors on their bellies.

I'm not sure if you are the one who posted earlier you are using the infrared heat at night but STOP using it unless you see temps below 60 degrees!

Also, are you using a digital thermometer? The dial type thermometers bite really bad!! They are extremely inaccurate and you can check this by going to where they sell them. Look at the entire stock and see how many different readings they are indicating.

Good luck!!
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Rob

A 55 gallon is WAY to big for a 5 inch beardie unless it iis sectioned off, another possibility is if you have changed something major in his enclosure.