For the past few weeks, my 2 year-old male lizard has not been eating but sleeping most of the day. The width of his tail has even started to shrink and his stomach is sinking in. He also has diarrhea. My female has become the aggressor in the cage and seems normal. I feed and care for them the same. I don't know what's wronge and any suggestions would be appreciated.
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I think my breadie is sick!!
grayzzz
Jun 27, 2003 12:02 AM
Replies (3)
somegirl
Jun 27, 2003 12:11 AM
if he's getting picked on, that could be the problem from what ive read. perhaps the crickets are too big for him, temp too low, etc.
but im sure the fine experts here will have better explanations and suggestions than this novice 
gixer
Jun 27, 2003 12:12 AM
Take stool samples from both dragons with ya. If the female is not showing signs but has been in there with him while he's been sick that long, chances are she might come down with the illness.
CheriS
Jun 27, 2003 04:37 AM
The female is picking on his him and that is stressing him out, stress out a reptile and their bodies produce more emzynes that encourages more reproduction on coccidia. Coccidia in low levels is thought to be a normal part of a bearded dragons digestive system and not harmful in minimal amounts.
But, when they become stress or otherwise ill, their immune system that keeps the coccidia in balance goes crazy, producing emzynes that makes the coccidia mass reproduce and running the dragon down more, creating mre stress.
Remove the stress and get a fecal to the Vet, even if he does not have coccidia, the stress alone is running him down and making an opening for other complications.
Make sure he is in a basking area several hours a day between 95-100F, he needs this heat for his system to digest food properly and to boost his own immune system.
You can also give him some watered down pedialite or gatorade to rehydrate him fast. use an eyedropper and place some on the tip of his nose, if he will not drink that, lower the side of his lip gently and place a few drops there, once he has a taste, most will usually start licking...... Ours favorite flavor is Strawberry-kiwi, none of them refuse it.
Soak him also to get fluids back in him, you can even soak him in the pedialite. rinse at the end of the soaking
