Please help me

[ForTheLoveOfLizzie]

I need help

I have a rescue beardie that I found on the road and fell in love with.
She has a 40 gallon tank. She has lights on a timer for day and heater at night
She chooses to hang out at about the mid 80 temp even though she has basking temp that is about mid 90
I try to feed her greens each day which she does not touch
She eats a few crickets a day
And a few phoenix worms a day
I bathe her EVERY DAY
SHE HAS NOT POOPED IN 13 days!!!!


I am freaking out. Seriously. WHAT is UP with that? She is brummating or something? She sleeps most of the day and does not fully explore her habitat.

UGH.

Advice ?

thanks

 

[ForTheLoveOfLizzie]

<a href="http://s1179.photobucket.com/user/nvmroz/media/20140910_184726_zpsymtyfbgs.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x393/nvmroz/20140910_184726_zpsymtyfbgs.jpg" border="0" alt="lizzie on mac photo 20140910_184726_zpsymtyfbgs.jpg"/></a>

 

[ilovebeardies]

Give her a nice soak in the bath that usually helps stimulate a bowel movement. Plus could be dehydrated if you found it on the road which would cause a lack of appetite and lethargy.

 

[ilovebeardies]

Turkey baby food works as a nice appetite stimulant as well. Is this a baby or adult beardy?

 

[ForTheLoveOfLizzie]

thanks!

Well I found her about 2 mo ago. I bathe her every day. I don't know her actual age but when I found her and took her to vet they said possibly just under a year. Anyone's guess. I have been reading up on her and I have concluded she may be working into brumation. I will sert her up to see vet tomorrow and take her baths to once a week and not push the food issue. We shall see. I gotta admit..she looks plump and as if she has not lost weight

 

[Tyler_Vance]

If you can kick up the basking heat to the low 100 to 110. Also you say light on a timer, UVB? If so how old is the light. Try and bring her outside for a few. Maybe put her in a container she can't get out of and let her soak in some natural UVB. I've seen people make little pools out of tubs that have a rock in there so they don't have to be in the water but so they can soak while getting sun that may help

 

[ForTheLoveOfLizzie]

Thank you I know I can work on that basking temp. Though I think if the princess could get on hammock it would more than meet that need...but ok I will work on this.
The light is reptisun HO t5. I went full out on this girl. It is a brand new bulb as of 2 mo ago. Prior to that I had only had dogs ...i still have those and they are males. Lizzie is the Princess. LOL. I have carpet substrate as well. I love your suggestion of a pool outdoors with rock. Too bad now temps are in low 70's ugh. I have taken her outdoors on my shoulder on warmer days and she just comes alive outside of habitat whether on my carpte on bathroom while i take a bath or on landing running around or in front of house. She definitely perks up.

 

[Tyler_Vance]

I don't know much of the HO T5 I have the reptison 10.0 that stretches across the Vivarium. One step at a time I would increase the heat see if she gets a bit more active. Phoenix always climbs my fan and sits on top looking out the window haha. Good luck let me know

 

[jarich]

Found it on the road?! Wow, there are so many times I think that all animals should require a license, but I digress. Looks like she wasnt out in the wild for too long though, still pretty good body definition.

I agree, definitely get that basking temperature up to around 105 to 110F. That should help with bowel movement and metabolism. Can you post a picture of the enclosure? Just want to see how you have your lighting set up. Glad to hear you went ahead and got the HO T5s, thats great! And that you were able to get some time with it outside in natural light too.

I would recommend you find a reputable reptile vet and go in for a check up though. They can do a xray and see if there is any blockage at all or if there are other problems (if its a female, its possible there are also eggs). If you have the finances, go for a full blood work analysis too. That can give you other indicators of health issues.

When you bathe it, does it drink at all?

 

[ForTheLoveOfLizzie]

Thank you so much for your reply.

I know. On the street. Seriously? I have to confess - I have never been a "reptile" person. It took quite a bit for my nephew and i to figure out a way to "contain" her that night on advice of my friend the vet. We managed to do so without being fatally injured by the dragon LOL. Then I tried to find her people. Then I tried to give her away. Then I became her social worker- fully suspicious of the capabilities of anyone who was interested in her. And then I just gave up and kept her.

I think I am the lucky one. She allowed me to find common ground with old friends I never knew had reptiles. Allowed me to meet new friends with vast knowledge. And she has taught me a lot about dragons. I am still learning.

Her enclosure picture. I just took temps- cool side about 74. Under hobbit tree - a favorite spot- about 76. Under log on right about 80. On hammock 85 ? On drift wood 93.
I think what I am gonna do is switch the hot spot light to back top grill so that it is more directly over log and hammock. And put strip light in front.

Also included random Lizzie Glamour shots.

She has already had a full check up when I found her. She was a ok. But I have been reading about brumation and I think we are heading there. So I plan to take her in one more time cause this no poop for 13 days is driving me nuts. I want my active happy beardie back!!! LOL

 

[ForTheLoveOfLizzie]

OH in the bath...she drank a few times. Lately ....nope.

 

[ForTheLoveOfLizzie]

In fact. This is her sleeping right now next to me as I type.

 

[ForTheLoveOfLizzie]

Took her to vet. He suggested I feed her small crickets. (????)
He also did xray which was normal and he will send it to me later
And he did blood work

Has not eaten a single cricket.

But he also suggested I keep giving her daily baths as i have been. He did not think she was brumating.

 

[ForTheLoveOfLizzie]

Well, things are looking better....sort of?

Lizzie still very picky eater. Not eating much for past two weeks. 1-2 crickets , 1-2 phoenix worms and no greens. Daily baths are our routine.

Took her to vet. Xray normal. Blood work pending. he said she looked well.

I added vitasand to habitat and swapped out the 100 w bulb for 150w one. Basking temp site now ...well...a little hot. 135 lol. SO i dangled it from stand and I will recheck. But as soon as I put her in habitat she basked and vented. Then I let a pheonix fly in habitat and it did not last 5 min. She waited, pounced and boom. IT WAS CRAZY! I was sad about all the wasted phoenix worms but now I am looking forward to just letting them turn to flies and letting her hunt them!

 

[RaidenMarshall]

I think vitasand was the wrong way to go, simple playsand would have been much better (is the better option for sand really). What greens are you offering? And she sounds like she's doing great otherwise!
I'd also really really fix the temps immediately

 

[ForTheLoveOfLizzie]

Play sand is? At the risk of sounding dense- seriously I don't know. The only sand I ever played in was the one at the beach in PR growing up so I never purchased sand. The temps are fixed. Sort of. The basking spot seems a bit warm still- I think I got it down to 107 ish. cool side is 79. Well if the consensus is play sand I can always change it or wait till i have to get rid of this one and use it next time.

Lizzie has had a GIGANTIC poop today which made me exceedingly happy. Her labs were all ok too. Now if she just would have more appetite. For greens I rotate Collard greens, mustard greens, chard and put in some blueberries or green grapes. Sometimes bananas sometimes kale and spinach. Today she ate two wax worms which is really not good for her at all- and lets face it- gave it to her so I am to blame. I am still feeling scared that she is not eating though she is probably JUST FINE and is not eating cause she may just not be hungry or may be she had to get rid of a huge poop. Or maybe I have just spoiled her with crickets and phoenix worms and certainly I only give her these wax worms sparingly.

What else? I think I am probably just ill at ease cause I am new at this and kind of just found myself needing to learn so much so soon.


She appears to be having a grand ol time burrowing around and exploring.

Also- Does anyone have good ideas for live edible plants I can introduce into her habitat?

Thank you guys!!!

 

[jarich]

Temperatures sound fine now. I would recommend switching to the normal play sand when you change it out. Not only is it safer, it's about a tenth the price.

As for the plants, I've not found many that hold up
well to the abuse of the lizard. Grasses are about your best bet in my experience. You can also use hen and chicks, but mine got beat up pretty quickly. Aloe also works and is edible.

 

[PatsyB]

Play sand is sold at hardware stores or home improvement stores. It's for children's sand boxes etc. You could get a 50 pound bag for like 6 bucks.

 

[ForTheLoveOfLizzie]

Ok. Vita Sand has been evacuated and returned to store for store credit (yay). I found about 30$ of additional stuff she absolutely needed so I actually spent more money. LOL


new set up. Temp at basking spot is finally 105! Now if she would only eat.

 

[jarich]

Looks great! Give it a few days to acclimate to all the changes and Im sure she will get hungry.