Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, Over the last couple of months I have had 3 adult bearded dragons die. The first one was not eating for a few weeks and then I found her dead bloated like a tennis ball. The second one did not eat for about a week,and I found her dead and when I lifted her up some thick liquid came from her mouth. The third one that died the next day had not eaten for atleast a couple weeks and found him dead. I have three more and two of them seem to be ok. I have one that has thrown up after eating a couple times. I have talked to the big breeders and some say it might be parasites. I was wondering if anyone else has any suggestions on what it might be. What are some airborn diseases that can affect my other reptiles? Please give me as much information as you can. I know I need to take my other animals to the vet and i'm going to, but I would like to know some more in depth information that not all vets know.

Thank you very much
mike

There really isnt any way to say for sure what is going on. There are alot of factors that could be involved.
Where did they come from?
How is your husbandry?
Have they been in contact with each other?
are they in new enclosures or are the recycled from someone else?
I work in a vet hosp and i know there are alot of things that can factor into illness.

I would say if you lose another one (i hope you dont) that you have a necropsy done to see if they have something that spread throughout your colony.

Hope this helps,
Shannon

You need to have a necroscopy done and pay the extra to have a check done for adenovirus (I'm not saying that's what it is but it's worth checking).

Sean
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Heart Mountain Herps

Why are you waiting to go to the vet?

have you done fecals?? parasites are relatively easy to find. Just curious...if you have lost so many in such a short time why haven't you been to the vet yet?
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0.1 Veiled - Luna
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta
1.0 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.3 Mad. Hissers (2 died ;(
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha

Chameleon Help & Resource Info

There are many virus that can wipe out an entire collection of bearded dragons. Respiratory infections, viruses such as adenovirus and several other things. Containminants in the enviroment may do this as well.

Best thing to do, as others already suggested, is take fecals and the remaining dragons you have to a vet for a full examination and blood work.

Some background on your dragons would be helpful. When did you get them, was there a new addition not long ago. Were the ones who died recently housed together? Individually in the same room or rack? Any changed in the home (ie new paint, spraying in area etc?)
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PHLdyPayne

Hi, Thank you for all the replies. I did get a new female and I do think she is the main cause of all the deaths. She was the second one to die. The ones that died were together when I was breeding them so they have been in contact. I have one that was in contact with the male when they were breeding, but she has been doing very good. So im pretty sure that the new female was the cause of all this. And the reason I haven't gone to the vets yet is time and money, but next week I am.

thank you very much
mike