Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey guys haven't been on here in awhile, just got promoted to management and boy I don't have much time anymore. Well one of my little girls is not doing so well. This started about 4 days ago. Shes just not really eating anymore, she drinking just doesn't seem to want to be bothered with food anymore. I feed a variety of food, gut loaded crickets, pellets, veggies, she gets all her vitamins and multivitamins. She is about 3 months old. All she wants to do is sleep. she digs and sleeps underneath the sand. I've taken her to the vet and they can not find a thing wrong with her, did a fecal and everything. I mean when I take her out of the cage shes alert, bright eyes not sluggish or anything. I take her out to give her a bath to make sure she is staying hydrated. I didn't think babies went into brumation this young? The temps are 115 at the hottest part and 74 at the cool end of the cage and it the middle its about 90. Has anyone else had this happen to them? I don't know what to do or what I can do if the vet can't even find anything wrong with her. Any advice I would appreciate!!

D

With the temps in the hottest part of your cage are you measuring the air temperature of the basking surface temp? If you're measuring the air temp as being 115 it's probably too hot at the basking spot.

How long have you had her? Did she ever bask? Did she constantly gape while basking?

Has anything in her environment changed recently? Sometimes something minor will change and stress a young beardie out bad enough to cause a lack of appetite? For instance if you have a red shirt hanging on the back of a chair in her view that wasn't there before it can cause problems. I know it seems kinda ridiculous but I've read about things as minor as that have caused problems before.

Has she pooped lately? Are the crix you're feeding no bigger than the space between her eyes?

What kind of sand do you have her on?

How much (# of crix) are you feeding her?

What is your supplement and feeding schedule?

Provide this info and it will help a lot in trying to figure out what's going on. I do not think beardies that young are supposed to brumate so there is probably an issue that needs to be corrected.
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Rob Talkington

>>With the temps in the hottest part of your cage are you measuring the air temperature of the basking surface temp? If you're measuring the air temp as being 115 it's probably too hot at the basking spot.
>>
>>How long have you had her? Did she ever bask? Did she constantly gape while basking?
>>
>>Has anything in her environment changed recently? Sometimes something minor will change and stress a young beardie out bad enough to cause a lack of appetite? For instance if you have a red shirt hanging on the back of a chair in her view that wasn't there before it can cause problems. I know it seems kinda ridiculous but I've read about things as minor as that have caused problems before.
>>
>>Has she pooped lately? Are the crix you're feeding no bigger than the space between her eyes?
>>
>>What kind of sand do you have her on?
>>
>>How much (# of crix) are you feeding her?
>>
>>What is your supplement and feeding schedule?
>>
>>Provide this info and it will help a lot in trying to figure out what's going on. I do not think beardies that young are supposed to brumate so there is probably an issue that needs to be corrected.
>>-----
>>Rob Talkington

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Rob Talkington

The air temp is about 89 deg, the surface temp off the branch she is on is about 110-115. She has always been a great basker if that makes sense, never has had her mouth open when she basks. The food she is eating is never bigger then the space between her eyes. She use to eat about 25-35 crickets a day, plus her veggies she gets every day, and pellets stay in the cage at all times. I use a mulitvitamin once a week, and she gets her normal vitamins ever two days. Nothing in her cage has been changed. She is on play sand, has been ever since I got her. Never had an issue with impaction! She has all new blubs, uvb and uva. I know this doesn't matter but she is a pure blood sandfire, skin looks like blood, she is so beautiful. She is one of my best dragons, and has always had a bit of an attitude towards me, always blows her throat at me and hisses, its kinda funny something so little trying to attack me! But she hasn't even done that these past couple days. She getting thin on me! She is about 9 inches 32 grams. I just don't know what is going on with her? Ever since I got her she was always a kinda shy dragon like would only eat if I left the room, but like I said shes not doing that now. But she still has strength, she runs around after I give her, her bath. Its like all she cares about now is digging and sleeping!!

D

D

Here's what I would do. I'd make sure to get a fecal to the vet ASAP. In the meantime I'd keep her well hydrated. I'd also take some pellets, mash them up with some of the vitamins and water and make a paste. I'd feed this to her with a syringe. Just take some of the mixture and place it on her snout until she begins to lick it up. This will hydrate her and get some nutrition into her as well.

I'd be willing to bet you've got a parasite problem on your hands.

One thing you wrote that did confuse me is this:

"I use a mulitvitamin once a week, and she gets her normal vitamins ever two days."

What are the "normal" vitamins you mention you feed every two days? Out of curiosity what brand of both supplements are you using?
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Rob Talkington

What I meant by that is I give her Rep Cal calcium with d3 every two days, and I give her Rep Cal multivitamins once a week.

D