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Beardie breathing - normal?

Dwaggie

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
21
hey all!

i noticed a few days ago, that my beardie (she's 5) sometimes "gulps" down air, often taking a big breath right after.
since i'm new to beardies, i'm not sure this is normal behavior.
i made a video to try and show it, and you can kinda see what i mean at around 0:13 seconds into the video, and near the end of the video
after that, you can see her taking bigger breaths (once my hand is out of the shot again, sorry about that)


she's been kept on playsand all her life, and i've been keeping her on it, too, since i got her (2 months ago), but i'm preparing to switch it out for linoleum... stuff. not tiles, but the sheet stuff (like this: http://www.parkett-naturbaustoffe.de/images/Linoleum/Linoleumbahnen.jpg )
so...
does this look normal/okay? or do i need to do something?

there is no sound in her breathing at all. she only hisses at me in the mornings
she's also become SUPER grumpy/stressed in the morning, and i haven't yet figured why that is.
her beard will be black, and she even had stress spots on her belly today. usually, when i take her out and let her sit on me / pet her a bit, it quickly smoothes out and she'll turn back to her normal color and relax

i'm not sure these things are related.

as for general info:
i add calcium and vitamins to her veggies/bugs every other feeding
she's on sand
she has a ceramic heat lamp basking spot (the lamp will be on 24/7, because i can't keep up the temperatures otherwise) and a... long tube light thing for UV lights / daylight tube bulb thingamabob which is on during the day
she's got some cork bark, rocks and a paper maché climbing rock / cave as a hide (it's sturdier than it sounds)
when i'm at home, i let her roam in the appartment, since she can't escape,
when the weather is fine, i put her leash on and let her roam on my balcony to bask or stare at stuff :)

she has regular poops, about once a day, they look normal from what i've seen normal poop is supposed to look like.

i can't think of anything else to add, if needed, just ask!

i'm happy for any reply! :)
 

Hdrydr31

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That is pretty interesting, doesn't really look like she's in distress really but she does take some big breaths .... Some gulping is normal they will often do it before they poop, or when they are stretching out their skin to shed, or when in a bath to add flotation lol and to make themselves look bigger.. But she's not doing it in the ways that you would expect.. Have you had her checked by a vet? it might be a good idea to see if she may have a little upper respiratory issues in the works.. The fact that she is black bearding might also be telling you that she doesn't feel well could also be why she's grumpy..

I'm glad your removing the sand just many things can go wrong with it and it really harbors bacteria and smells..Be careful of the linoleum doesn't have adhesive or anything that would "gas off" fumes if heated.
 

PatsyB

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My oldest girl does this gulping air swallowing when I touch her back, it's like I tickle her or something. It's fine.

How are you taking her out of her tank? If you are picking her up from overhead, she may think you are a predator, hence the black beard. I agree with what Hdrydr31 said about the linoleum I also want to add, you want to use something that has traction so that they can walk. If your linoleum is slick he won't be able to grip. Most people use slate tiles or untreated ceramic tiles.
 

BeardedHippy

Bearded Dragon Veteran
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it might be worth changing those bulbs if your not sure how long they have been in use for? They do lose their efficiency after a time, not sure about those ceramic things though. I think I would add a halogen basking lamp, use that to heat during the daytime and use the ceramic thing on the night. You might have to buy a thermostatic controler though if you dont have one already.
 

Dwaggie

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
21
sorry for the late replies

"How are you taking her out of her tank?" the tank is on ground level, so i usually sit down and am basically eye-to-eye when i reach for her. then i slide my hands under her from both sides (one under her front legs/head and one to basically sit her onto my palm) she'll usually start flailing for a second or two, until she realizes i'm not dropping her (she does this no matter how i pick her up, but she calms real quick, she never avoids or runs from being lifted)

the daylight bulb is only a coupld months old, but i'm already saving up to get a whole set of new bulbs, for my geckos as well (heat + light, to have some for when one of them breaks)


another thing that's happening right now is, that she's having mushy an/or runny poop. i do have a vet appointment next week, but i'm hoping it's still only because she's in mid-shed.
this is my first beardie and her first shed with me, so i'm still learning how it affects her.
overall, she's alert and clear-eyed, but lazy. i wouldn't call it lethargic, since she'll watch her surroundings attentively and will eagerly dash forward to catch a roach.
however, she hasn't taken to wander the appartment in a few days, and will sit wherever she finds a comfy enough place, when i take her out.
still doing the gulping and "smacking" with her mouth occasionally, but that's what i'll see the vet for :)

i'm not getting any smarter about her colors.
she'll be rather dark/partially black when in her enclosure, even with the temps being around 35-45°C in her hot corner, pale down when i take her out to hold and cuddle her, and darken again when i sit her down outside her tank.
could that also be due to the shedding?
 

PatsyB

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They darken their colors in the tank when they are under the UVB light, it just means they are soaking in the UVB. You'll notice she'll do it when you take her outside too.

Glad you got a vet visit coming up, the poop really needs to be checked. Runny poop is a sign of parasites so it's best to get it taken care of right away.
 

Dwaggie

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
21
hey all!
i went to the vet earlier than expected :)
my beardie is alright
she does have a bad case of worms, but the doc said it's nothing to worry about
she got a mouthfull of medicine goop, and i have to give her a bit of medicine daily for about 10 days, but then he said she should be a-ok :)
the tip of her tail will be amputated, but only with a local anaesthesia
he wasn't sure if it was anything infectuous or "only" because of bad blood supply or what, but i guess it's better safe than sorry and losing half an inch off her tail shouldn't bother her too much. it won't be a big wound.
he also said she IS a bit chunky, but it's still alright, i will have to cut down bugs to once a week,
which i'm sad about, but i'll get over it ;)
(basically it means i'll have to..iunno.. kill? give away? the superworms and mealworms i have, because my geckos won't eath supers (too big) and they won't be worms forever....)

OH!
can i, technically, fill them up with good food one day, wait a day to let the food settle into them, then freeze them?
it'd be less of a waste
(i'm trying to go for dubia roaches mostly, which are easy to keep and don't smell... and don't become beetles :b )

uhm...
another thing he mentioned was that her... jaw bones? or tongue bones, down in her beard to the side of her face, aren't connected properly, which, so he explained, are a genetic thing, that comes from inbreeding.
it's not a problem for her, but i can't give her big food anymore (so, no more adult roaches)

in general, it's been two days since her appointment, and i think she's already feeling a little better.
her poop has become a bit more solid (she still pooped on me, again) and she's started moving around a little more :) which i really enjoy seeing

all in all, she'll need a bit of medical attention, but she's gonna be okay, nothing that can't be easily fixed.
 

PatsyB

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You can't freeze bugs to use later, it just kills them. Meal worms aren't good for beardies any way. I would leave a bowl outside and let the birds eat them.

That's interesting about her jaw bone, glad to know it's not going to really affect her.
 
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