Is He ok? Abandoned Bearded Dragon

[LilyKyrie]

I am a dog walker and was recently asked to take care of a clients dogs while they are on vacation for the week. When I got to the house the first day I saw a small note asking if i could turn the bearded dragons lamps off at night and on in the morning. When discussing what was needed for the dogs previously the owners never mentioned a bearded dragon I was not given any instructions to feed or water the bearded dragon either. I took a look at him and noticed that he had no food or water and when I contact the owners they told me they had some carrots and lettuce I could give him if I wanted.

I ended up going to the store and getting him some butternut squash, collar greens, a bit of cilantro, some fresh lettuce and bell peppers. I have never had a Bearded dragon and I am not sure how much I should be giving him or if he’s in good or bad condition I would really love some advice on how to take care of him

 

[Bluesky1019]

I am a dog walker and was recently asked to take care of a clients dogs while they are on vacation for the week. When I got to the house the first day I saw a small note asking if i could turn the bearded dragons lamps off at night and on in the morning. When discussing what was needed for the dogs previously the owners never mentioned a bearded dragon I was not given any instructions to feed or water the bearded dragon either. I took a look at him and noticed that he had no food or water and when I contact the owners they told me they had some carrots and lettuce I could give him if I wanted.

I ended up going to the store and getting him some butternut squash, collar greens, a bit of cilantro, some fresh lettuce and bell peppers. I have never had a Bearded dragon and I am not sure how much I should be giving him or if he’s in good or bad condition I would really love some advice on how to take care of him

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Oh wow this poor thing, he definitely does not look healthy! There are a lot of great people who can help on this forum so I would wait for them but he definitely seems malnourished and dehydrated! The salad you made sounds great! If you have a water mister try misting his salad or put some water on his snout and see if he licks it off, I would also make sure his food isn't in big chunks. Are they feeding him any bugs?

 

[Skybug]

not giving them a water dish is pretty common , most dont drink standing water, poor guy, if you can put the veggies on a plate, so hes not eating sand that’d be great… if there’s any pet shops near by you can get him some bugs there, he looks old enough to be eating any kind, he does look thirsty, if you feel comfortable enough to pick him up, you can put his snoot under the faucet and he might drink, what kind of lighting does he have? Two light bulbs? Or one heat bulb and a long bulb? And do they have supplements for him?

 

[Sadie]

Obviously the owners could careless about the dragon going on vacation not caring about his well being- the salad looks good but the squash should be shredded - the pieces are a little too big and could cause impaction (the butternut) and he does need insects crickets or dubia roaches -- I would move him to a different container like a plastic tote or something to feed those on - sand is a bad substrate and eating too much of it will cause impaction - I can only guess what kind of lighting they are using ------ he should have NO coils for a UVB but a long tube fixture properly placed and distanced -- a bright white basking bulb that keeps temps 95-100 taken w/ a digital probe thermometer --- these things I have just mentioned are the MOST important things in that tank and will keep this dragon alive and healthy -- w/ out them he will get sick and suffer -- I applaud you for taking the time and caring to see what is best for him - and the owners are not what is best for him --- I realize the dragon is not yours but something should be done because this dragon is basically doomed w/ out the proper lighting and care - and he is not getting if from these people ---- please ask if you need more help but please do what you can for him

 

[Skybug]

Id ask them if they can reimburse you for anything you buy, he’s probably gonna need all brand new lighting 50$-90$, and new “substrate” either tile or shelf liner.

 

[LilyKyrie]

Oh wow this poor thing, he definitely does not look healthy! There are a lot of great people who can help on this forum so I would wait for them but he definitely seems malnourished and dehydrated! The salad you made sounds great! If you have a water mister try misting his salad or put some water on his snout and see if he licks it off, I would also make sure his food isn't in big chunks. Are they feeding him any bugs?

They said they feed him bugs once every two weeks. I was going to try and get him some crickets with maybe some calcium powder on them

 

[Sadie]

They said they feed him bugs once every two weeks. I was going to try and get him some crickets with maybe some calcium powder on them

Depending on the uvb will depend on the calcium-- he needs insects every 2-3 days not weeks - the dragons health is at stake here- incorrect uvb no calcium absorption will lead to severe mbd possibly neurological issues

 

[LilyKyrie]

Obviously the owners could careless about the dragon going on vacation not caring about his well being- the salad looks good but the squash should be shredded - the pieces are a little too big and could cause impaction (the butternut) and he does need insects crickets or dubia roaches -- I would move him to a different container like a plastic tote or something to feed those on - sand is a bad substrate and eating too much of it will cause impaction - I can only guess what kind of lighting they are using ------ he should have NO coils for a UVB but a long tube fixture properly placed and distanced -- a bright white basking bulb that keeps temps 95-100 taken w/ a digital probe thermometer --- these things I have just mentioned are the MOST important things in that tank and will keep this dragon alive and healthy -- w/ out them he will get sick and suffer -- I applaud you for taking the time and caring to see what is best for him - and the owners are not what is best for him --- I realize the dragon is not yours but something should be done because this dragon is basically doomed w/ out the proper lighting and care - and he is not getting if from these people ---- please ask if you need more help but please do what you can for him

Thank you I will definitely cut it up smaller. I may ask them if I can have him. They have two bulbs I will see if I can get pic of them they are on one side of the tank. When I first found him he had no lights on at all and the house was around 68-70 degrees so I just left them on and turned them off at night because that’s what I was told to do. I was thinking about trying to get him some crickets and maybe some calcium powder I’m worried about his feet.

 

[LilyKyrie]

Id ask them if they can reimburse you for anything you buy, he’s probably gonna need all brand new lighting 50$-90$, and new “substrate” either tile or shelf liner.

What should I do with him while I am changing it?

 

[LilyKyrie]

not giving them a water dish is pretty common , most dont drink standing water, poor guy, if you can put the veggies on a plate, so hes not eating sand that’d be great… if there’s any pet shops near by you can get him some bugs there, he looks old enough to be eating any kind, he does look thirsty, if you feel comfortable enough to pick him up, you can put his snoot under the faucet and he might drink, what kind of lighting does he have? Two light bulbs? Or one heat bulb and a long bulb? And do they have supplements for him?

Should I mist him or just his greens. They have no supplements but I am happy to get him any he needs. They have two bulbs but he only gets bugs once every two weeks. I don’t mind picking him up I’m just worried about his body condition and his feet. His toes seem super long and his nails are long as well

 

[LilyKyrie]

Depending on the uvb will depend on the calcium-- he needs insects every 2-3 days not weeks - the dragons health is at stake here- incorrect uvb no calcium absorption will lead to severe mbd possibly neurological issues

What is ubv. What kind of light should he have? I’m going to the pet store later today.

 

[Sadie]

What should I do with him while I am changing it?

Put him in a plastic tote- his nails need trimmed badly and his feet themselves don't look too good-- I would get some textured NON adhesive shelf liner cut to size of the tank-- but what's priority is that uvb - is it a coil looking bulb in a dome? If it is they are the worst- you need this for a UVB a 24" fixture https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/zoo-med-reptisun-t5-ho-terrarium-hood.html w/ this bulb 22" https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/zoo-med-reptisun-10.0-uvb-t5.html these people sell very fast so if you can I would get this ordered ASAP---
I am going to have someone look at his feet and get some advice on them ---- in the mean time he needs that UVB and to be kept hydrated -- rinse the greens before serving and he will get hydration thru them --- the insects need to be gut loaded before feeding them w/ greens / what ever the dragon is eating crickets will pretty much eat -- make sure they are hydrated and that would be things like carrots squash etc -- feed them at nite --- then when you feed them in the day or morning they are gut loaded -- please let me know what you plan so I can further help you especially w/ the UVB

 

[Sadie]

What is ubv. What kind of light should he have? I’m going to the pet store later today.

Please see my post ------------- you need a bright white basking bulb that keeps temps 95-100 taken w/ a digital probe thermometer petco or petsmart have them it would be a Zoo Med -- and the UVB that I posted - most pet stores do not carry the fixture I posted

 

[LilyKyrie]

Put him in a plastic tote- his nails need trimmed badly and his feet themselves don't look too good-- I would get some textured NON adhesive shelf liner cut to size of the tank-- but what's priority is that uvb - is it a coil looking bulb in a dome? If it is they are the worst- you need this for a UVB a 24" fixture https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/zoo-med-reptisun-t5-ho-terrarium-hood.html w/ this bulb 22" https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/zoo-med-reptisun-10.0-uvb-t5.html these people sell very fast so if you can I would get this ordered ASAP---
I am going to have someone look at his feet and get some advice on them ---- in the mean time he needs that UVB and to be kept hydrated -- rinse the greens before serving and he will get hydration thru them --- the insects need to be gut loaded before feeding them w/ greens / what ever the dragon is eating crickets will pretty much eat -- make sure they are hydrated and that would be things like carrots squash etc -- feed them at nite --- then when you feed them in the day or morning they are gut loaded -- please let me know what you plan so I can further help you especially w/ the UVB

Ok thanks. I am going to the pet store soon and I will do what I can. I am a dog sitter so I don’t really know anything about reptiles but I will do my best. It’s definitely one of the domed ones with a coil light so I will look at what they have at the pet store. I am only supposed to be watching the animals for a few more days so I don’t think I would have time to order things unless they owners decide to give him to me. I have named him Thorin because they never named him.

 

[Sadie]

Ok thanks. I am going to the pet store soon and I will do what I can. I am a dog sitter so I don’t really know anything about reptiles but I will do my best. It’s definitely one of the domed ones with a coil light so I will look at what they have at the pet store. I am only supposed to be watching the animals for a few more days so I don’t think I would have time to order things unless they owners decide to give him to me. I have named him Thorin because they never named him.

What a shame-- let me know what you find -- NO ZILLA NO THRIVE- They are not good brands!

 

[LilyKyrie]

Update. I went to the pet store and got him some things. I don’t have much money I am just hired pet sitter but I did get him some crickets,( also food and a container for the crickets) and some supplements. I got him some sort of gel for nutrition and hydration. I also got him some flowers to put oh his food. I cut up his food in smaller sizes and I made sure to mist it with water. I also included pictures of his thermometer and pictures of the lights he had. I wanted to get him new lighting and new substrates but I didn’t have the money.

 

[Skybug]

His toes are fine, banged up but ive seen worse,…they bend and do weird things, he definitely needs his nails cut though, please listen to sadie about the lighting, its the most important thing, he can “survive” with his current uvb but he will not live very long with it, “coil”/compact uvbs either offer way to much uvb in a concentrated stream or little to none at all, they cause eye issues and dont prevent MBD, try to be tactful as possible when asking if you can have him, possibly show them this forum, it’ll show you care that you went to such an extent for their dragon, they’re easy to care for when some simple research is done… so in the meantime tie a string around his leg and take him outside to get some natural sun, give him the crickets with calcium and spray the salads, dont spray him we dont want any other issues developing, do they have a shop vac? Vacuum out ALL THE SAND please, that needs to go too , he’s probably eating it to get minerals, thats very bad, we need him to poop too , next one take a pic and show us, im hoping they give you him, you seem like a caring person.

 

[Sadie]

Update. I went to the pet store and got him some things. I don’t have much money I am just hired pet sitter but I did get him some crickets,( also food and a container for the crickets) and some supplements. I got him some sort of gel for nutrition and hydration. I also got him some flowers to put oh his food. I cut up his food in smaller sizes and I made sure to mist it with water. I also included pictures of his thermometer and pictures of the lights he had. I wanted to get him new lighting and new substrates but I didn’t have the money.

Please get a digital thermometer -- like this https://www.petsmart.com/reptile/en...um-digital-thermometer-14914.html?cgid=500202
he needs correct basking temps 95-100 -- the coil UVB is going to kill him-- they are NO good and it wont matter wont what your feeding for calcium hes not going to be able to absorb it to prevent the illnesses hes going to develop from lack of --- take him out in the sun in a plastic tote NO GLASS for 15 minutes per day --- direct sunlight / partial shade --- do this everyday that you have him -- you can educate the people that own him but at this point its probably useless --- they dont seem to care about setting up proper care for him so I really dont know what to say except offer to take him
this is the response I got about the feet for someone who knows more about it than I do

Ask if they could get a video of the dragon walking. The reason I mention that is because the toes can be bent in weird positions anytime a dragon is sitting but if they stay like that all the time they may have been broken at some time. Broken toes aren't usually a problem and the owner just has to make sure to have proper lights + calcium. Is the dragon housed alone ?

If none of this is corrected the dragon will become sicker and sicker and die a horrible death ---

 

[Skybug]

Please get a digital thermometer -- like this https://www.petsmart.com/reptile/en...um-digital-thermometer-14914.html?cgid=500202
he needs correct basking temps 95-100 -- the coil UVB is going to kill him-- they are NO good and it wont matter wont what your feeding for calcium hes not going to be able to absorb it to prevent the illnesses hes going to develop from lack of --- take him out in the sun in a plastic tote NO GLASS for 15 minutes per day --- direct sunlight / partial shade --- do this everyday that you have him -- you can educate the people that own him but at this point its probably useless --- they dont seem to care about setting up proper care for him so I really dont know what to say except offer to take him
this is the response I got about the feet for someone who knows more about it than I do

Ask if they could get a video of the dragon walking. The reason I mention that is because the toes can be bent in weird positions anytime a dragon is sitting but if they stay like that all the time they may have been broken at some time. Broken toes aren't usually a problem and the owner just has to make sure to have proper lights + calcium. Is the dragon housed alone ?

If none of this is corrected the dragon will become sicker and sicker and die a horrible death ---

His toes are straight in all the pictures except for the ones where his feet are up against the glass, why are the dragons nails that color though? They’re almost orange.

 

[Sadie]

His toes are straight in all the pictures except for the ones where his feet are up against the glass, why are the dragons nails that color though? They’re almost orange.

Not sure about that it could be just the coloring she didnt say anything about the color - are you able to get a video of the dragon walking - you can record on you tube then post the link on here