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***bearded dragon stressed,help please***

  • 27-01-2011 10:25pm
    #1
    miss_shadow
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,446 ✭✭✭


    Hi, hope someone out there can help us.

    We have a near enough 2 year old beardie, had him since 4mths old roughly, had no problem with him up until now, he has been healthy and grown properly with no worries.

    Then I noticed one day he turned very black. Checked the lights,changed the substrate, nothing seemed to work. His feeding habits started to change, he has slowly gone off eating his crickets but this could also be due to him being sick of them or that he is eating less because he is nearly fully grown and feeding habits change.

    Got him a new big vivarium, a few more fake plants and a new heat light. But he seems to be getting more stressed!

    Stress signs/symptoms include:

    -Scratching at the side of the tank
    -Not eating live crickets
    -Turning black
    -Staying in the same spot for long periods

    So anyone out there that may have a clue?

    I'm going to ring a vet specialised in lizards tommorrow and do all I can to help the little guy, need as much info as I can.


Comments

  • #2
    Dutchology
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 475 ✭✭Dutchology


    Hiya,

    Firstly, a few questions.

    What size is the tank? What substrate are you using? Have you changed your UV bulb to a new one in the past 6 months? What temperatures have you got in your warm & cold end exactly?

    Certain substrates can cause impation that can lead to your beardie feeling very ill, a decline in feeding and ultimately, if not sorted out by a vet (recommend John Bainbridge in the Dundrum area) could lead to its death.

    UV bulbs need to be changed every 6 months as the bulb will still be working, but the output of UV is virtually nil and means that the beardie can not metabolise its calcium and leads to MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease), which again needs urgent veterinary treatment.

    As a beardie ages, they generally shift to a greater intake of veg to crickets, some take a disliking to crickets and prefer locusts or roaches. Have you tried locusts to see if they spark more of an interest. Some even make a preference between brown and black crickets.

    Is he a definite male? If he is, he may be ready to breed at this point and looking for a lady friend (I would not recommend getting him one though).

    Many beardies do not eat much during the winter and brumation could be the cause of the decline in his appetite and spending time hanging out at one end of the tank and perhaps trying to get away from the heat.

    If it is a female, she could have the same issue, but could have a belly full of eggs that she is looking for a place to lay - if this is the case, provide her with a nest box (plastic tub big enough for her to get into and dig) with pure peat moss or similar to lay her eggs. You may be able to feel eggs inside her if you gently palpate her belly....

    Sorry about the essay, just trying to list out all of the possible causes that I can think of off the top of my head.

    All the best,

    Milca


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