Brumation or parasites?

[OzzyTheBeardie]

Hey,
My dragon Ozzy is starting to prepare for brumation (at least I think so). He has been sleeping alot and eating very little in these past 3 weeks. So a week ago I took him to the vet to get tested for parasites because he had been outside alot at summer and ate outside bugs, dandelions and other stuff quite much. So we found out there were some parasite eggs but they hadn’t hatched yet so they gave him the medicine and we are supposed to give it again on the 9th and then for the last time on the 18th. The vet said that if he goes into brumation before we can give all the medicine to him, we should just let him. But I am still concerned for him, after the vet he has been even more slower and doesn’t even come out of his hide to go basking. I’m scared maybe the parasites and medicine did something bad to him? Or is it just that he really really wants to go into brumation? He is my first dragon ever and I’ve had him for 1.5 years. Last year his brumation lasted only 3 weeks and he went in November. So it’s scary that he now wants to go so early.. So can anyone share any thoughts on this? Should I let him just go sleep or try to keep him up to give the medicine or should I take him back to the vet? I just don’t want to do any mistakes to harm him or anything..

 

[Sadie]

Hey,
My dragon Ozzy is starting to prepare for brumation (at least I think so). He has been sleeping alot and eating very little in these past 3 weeks. So a week ago I took him to the vet to get tested for parasites because he had been outside alot at summer and ate outside bugs, dandelions and other stuff quite much. So we found out there were some parasite eggs but they hadn’t hatched yet so they gave him the medicine and we are supposed to give it again on the 9th and then for the last time on the 18th. The vet said that if he goes into brumation before we can give all the medicine to him, we should just let him. But I am still concerned for him, after the vet he has been even more slower and doesn’t even come out of his hide to go basking. I’m scared maybe the parasites and medicine did something bad to him? Or is it just that he really really wants to go into brumation? He is my first dragon ever and I’ve had him for 1.5 years. Last year his brumation lasted only 3 weeks and he went in November. So it’s scary that he now wants to go so early.. So can anyone share any thoughts on this? Should I let him just go sleep or try to keep him up to give the medicine or should I take him back to the vet? I just don’t want to do any mistakes to harm him or anything..

First of all how was the fecal gotten? Did they do an enema? If so those are bad - dragons do no do well having enemas too many risk of paralyzing the dragon ---hes probably stressed from having it --- if you haft to have it done again please take a fecal in --- also the count needs to be really high for the parasites to effect the dragon - all dragons have some parasites its when they become over loaded thats when it effects them - I dont know if giving the meds is going to kill the eggs - from what I under stand they haft to be active - my dragon had eggs and it did not effect him until they hatched --- and even then I was shocked he had them cuz he was showing no signs at all -- he was on two meds for 10 days - albon and panacur were the meds - you need to sanitize the tank after he poops did the vet say he would poop them out? If so you need to really clean that tank after he poops - I would use paper towels in the tank NO loose substrate other wise your not going to get rid of the parasite if he poops the eggs out - like I said I was under the impression they haft to be hatched --
next lets go over the lighting in the tank ---- its the MOST important thing in the tank -- NO coils NO colored bulbs NO heat rocks or mats and basking temps need to be taken w/ a digital probe thermometer -- you need a long tube fixture for a UVB -- Zoo Med Sunblaster or Arcadia Pro T 5 w/ a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 bulb for a 40 gallon + tank and 18 inches high or a Arcadia 12% bulb --- distance and placement of those UVB's is crucial --- this is what is going to keep the parasites in check so he can control them ---- you can get some Rescue or F10 found on Walmart.com website its spendy but its good and its a concentrate so it will last a long time or Zoo Meds Wipe Out ---- its good to have this stuff on hand -- if you need more help please ask

 

[OzzyTheBeardie]

First of all how was the fecal gotten? Did they do an enema? If so those are bad - dragons do no do well having enemas too many risk of paralyzing the dragon ---hes probably stressed from having it --- if you haft to have it done again please take a fecal in --- also the count needs to be really high for the parasites to effect the dragon - all dragons have some parasites its when they become over loaded thats when it effects them - I dont know if giving the meds is going to kill the eggs - from what I under stand they haft to be active - my dragon had eggs and it did not effect him until they hatched --- and even then I was shocked he had them cuz he was showing no signs at all -- he was on two meds for 10 days - albon and panacur were the meds - you need to sanitize the tank after he poops did the vet say he would poop them out? If so you need to really clean that tank after he poops - I would use paper towels in the tank NO loose substrate other wise your not going to get rid of the parasite if he poops the eggs out - like I said I was under the impression they haft to be hatched --
next lets go over the lighting in the tank ---- its the MOST important thing in the tank -- NO coils NO colored bulbs NO heat rocks or mats and basking temps need to be taken w/ a digital probe thermometer -- you need a long tube fixture for a UVB -- Zoo Med Sunblaster or Arcadia Pro T 5 w/ a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 bulb for a 40 gallon + tank and 18 inches high or a Arcadia 12% bulb --- distance and placement of those UVB's is crucial --- this is what is going to keep the parasites in check so he can control them ---- you can get some Rescue or F10 found on Walmart.com website its spendy but its good and its a concentrate so it will last a long time or Zoo Meds Wipe Out ---- its good to have this stuff on hand -- if you need more help please ask

The fecal was actually an accident at the vet. He was just having a check up but it was at the morning and he hadn’t pooped at home yet so he pooped on the vet table. So fresh poop for him to look. The poop had some yellowish little “balls” in it. The medication he got was Ponazuril. At home he doesn’t poop in his tank, we have trained him to poop in the bath so that’s never an issue. Ofcourse we clean his tank every week (take everything out, wash all the rocks and stuff separately and the cage walls and floor and so on). With lighting everything is just as it’s supposed to be. We don’t use any heatmats or different lights. (The cage was set up and built buy a reptile breeder who very well known here where I live(in Estonia/Europe). So he put all the right lightning and when we’ve needed to change it he has always come to our place to change.

 

[OzzyTheBeardie]

First of all how was the fecal gotten? Did they do an enema? If so those are bad - dragons do no do well having enemas too many risk of paralyzing the dragon ---hes probably stressed from having it --- if you haft to have it done again please take a fecal in --- also the count needs to be really high for the parasites to effect the dragon - all dragons have some parasites its when they become over loaded thats when it effects them - I dont know if giving the meds is going to kill the eggs - from what I under stand they haft to be active - my dragon had eggs and it did not effect him until they hatched --- and even then I was shocked he had them cuz he was showing no signs at all -- he was on two meds for 10 days - albon and panacur were the meds - you need to sanitize the tank after he poops did the vet say he would poop them out? If so you need to really clean that tank after he poops - I would use paper towels in the tank NO loose substrate other wise your not going to get rid of the parasite if he poops the eggs out - like I said I was under the impression they haft to be hatched --
next lets go over the lighting in the tank ---- its the MOST important thing in the tank -- NO coils NO colored bulbs NO heat rocks or mats and basking temps need to be taken w/ a digital probe thermometer -- you need a long tube fixture for a UVB -- Zoo Med Sunblaster or Arcadia Pro T 5 w/ a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 bulb for a 40 gallon + tank and 18 inches high or a Arcadia 12% bulb --- distance and placement of those UVB's is crucial --- this is what is going to keep the parasites in check so he can control them ---- you can get some Rescue or F10 found on Walmart.com website its spendy but its good and its a concentrate so it will last a long time or Zoo Meds Wipe Out ---- its good to have this stuff on hand -- if you need more help please ask

The fecal was actually an accident at the vet. He was just having a check up but it was at the morning and he hadn’t pooped at home yet so he pooped on the vet table. So fresh poop for him to look. The poop had some yellowish little “balls” in it. The medication he got was Ponazuril. At home he doesn’t poop in his tank, we have trained him to poop in the bath so that’s never an issue. Ofcourse we clean his tank every week (take everything out, wash all the rocks and stuff separately and the cage walls and floor and so on). With lighting everything is just as it’s supposed to be. We don’t use any heatmats or different lights. (The cage was set up and built buy a reptile breeder who very well known here where I live(in Estonia/Europe). So he put all the right lightning and when we’ve needed to change it he has always come to our place to change

 

[Sadie]

The fecal was actually an accident at the vet. He was just having a check up but it was at the morning and he hadn’t pooped at home yet so he pooped on the vet table. So fresh poop for him to look. The poop had some yellowish little “balls” in it. The medication he got was Ponazuril. At home he doesn’t poop in his tank, we have trained him to poop in the bath so that’s never an issue. Ofcourse we clean his tank every week (take everything out, wash all the rocks and stuff separately and the cage walls and floor and so on). With lighting everything is just as it’s supposed to be. We don’t use any heatmats or different lights. (The cage was set up and built buy a reptile breeder who very well known here where I live(in Estonia/Europe). So he put all the right lightning and when we’ve needed to change it he has always come to our place to change

Make sure there is reflector on the UVB fixture if there is no reflector and I have come to reply to post from the UK that most do not have reflectors on their UVB's and the dragons are not doing well --

 

[OzzyTheBeardie]

Make sure there is reflector on the UVB fixture if there is no reflector and I have come to reply to post from the UK that most do not have reflectors on their UVB's and the dragons are not doing well --

We do have a reflector

 

[Skybug]

We do have a reflector

Hello, can you tell me more about ozzy sleeping? And can u take a picture if possible, is he full on sleeping or is it kinda.. hes half awake? Are your temps in your country dropping?

 

[OzzyTheBeardie]

This is him right now. Usually he is in his hide like this, but he is like half sleeping I guess? He is in this position but eyes open. He is like closing them and opening them. Temperatures dropped suddenly yes. Summer we had very warm (25-30C) every day and now it’s raining all the time and like 9-14C.

 

[Skybug]

I think you should just leave him be, he looks perfectly healthy, hes definitely got enough stored weight, and regarding his tummy bugs, i think u should keep up the medication but id ask ur vet what their opinion is, you dont want the bug count to go back up while hes at a reduced energy levels.

 

[Sadie]

We do have a reflector

Ok what bulb are you using? T 5 or T 8? Distance and placement are different from these bulbs

 

[Earls MUM]

We do have a reflector

I'm from the UK and have a reflector.