anyone on here have beardies? I need help.

[BrieannaRochea]

A few days ago I noticed that one of my baby bearded dragons wasnt eating. She didnt seem motivated at all. And the other two were growing much faster than she (not because of lack of food, I always give them pleanty). I tried taking out the others so she could have first dibs, but she still wasn't motivated. So I went out and bought some critical care for her http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753955. It seemed to be helping, but she still is not eating and she looks alot worse today . I'm calling my exotics vet tomorrow, which I guess I should have done that before now.. any ideas on what could be wrong? anything else I can do?

 

[3CsMommy]

What are your temperatures like? Have the other beardies been chasing her/intimidating her? What substrate are they on? What's their diet normally like?

 

[BrieannaRochea]

the temperaturatures are where they should be. no they havent at all, they are on paper towels. They are fed crickets and greens on a daily basis.

 

[3CsMommy]

If all they're getting is crickets and greens (which you didn't mention being gut loaded or dusted), especially if you don't have full spectrum lighting, I'd be worried about her vitamin and calcium levels. If you haven't heard from the vet yet, I'd get there soon. In the mean time, you might poke around here for some more concrete answers:

http://www.beardeddragon.org/bjive/index.php

(I've only babysat beardies, but it wasn't long term, and the substrate and chasing questions negated my first suspicions.)

 

[aznmexaggie]

I rescued a group of adult beardies and raised 4 clutches of babies (70 baby beardies!) a couple years ago. I had one or two out of each clutch that just didn't want to thrive.

I had 5 tanks set up for the baby beardies, each with a basking spot bulb to keep the basking spot (I used grapevine and burlwood for them to climb and bask onto) at around 100 degrees F and also had a fluorescent 8.0 full spectrum bulb so they could get the light necessary for vitamin D production. I started them on finely chopped greens (dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, etc.) sprinkled with calcium powder and also dusted the gutloaded 2 week crickets (I found pinheads were a little too small) with calcium every other day. I fed them twice to three times a day and was going through about two boxes of 1000 crickets a week. I had a shallow dish with water for them to drink but also misted them in the morning so they could lick the water droplets off. The substrate was paper towels... much easier to change and much safer than sand.

Of the beardies that didn't want to thrive, I had to make sure they were hydrated by dripping a water droplet onto the tip of their nose. Normally they would lick it off. I also would put them in a separate area to feed since the more aggressive siblings would get to the crickets first. I had one that also got very weak and I had to physically open his mouth and insert a dusted cricket which he would then chew and eat. I did this with greens also until he regained his health. The others just kind of sprang back on their own once I let them feed in their own area.

Good luck!

 

[Sparke]

How is that Beardie doing??

Colin

 

[Megan]

Has she went to the bathroom lately? If not, throw her in the tub in warm water, get her moving and swimming and she should use the bathroom, and at that point should start eating again.

 

[BrieannaRochea]

Sorry for the late reply. Dino (the beardie) died a few days ago. She passed away before my vet had given me a call back . She was going to the bathroom.. I really have no idea what was wrong. I did separate her from the other two (i hesatated at that, thinking that the new environment would stress her even more.. but at the same time i realized that animals speek a totally different language than humans, and that the other two may have been dominating her w/o me noticing it). She was pretty much just sitting around, listless. I miss her . Thank you for all your help.

 

[brittanycrystal]

Im sorry about your loss =[. As a heads up, when you're reptile isn't eating, I recommend pedialyte via syringe feeding, and a water solution of the vitamin dust you use for their crickets. Preferably one with vitamin c, calcium, and D3. If that happens in the future this will help stimulate appetite and keep your lizard going till the vet visit.

One of my old coworkers at the vet also recommended baby food, of course only a can with ingredients that your reptile can handle. I questioned the baby food theory, but it brought my mom's snake back when it had a serious case of mites.