Slowing down - normal aging or sick?

[KrissyLeigh]

So over the past few weeks Skittles has eaten significantly less and is much less active. He will turn a year old june 15 - I'm not sure when they start slowing down?

He gets salad and worms in the morning, and I cut him down to 10 medium/large dubia a night - could he be holding out for more dubia?

His poo is a little loose - he had pinworms months ago, and it isn't like the poo when he had the worms. He was also eating a ton with the pinworms.

His husbandry hasn't changed, the uvb bulb is still good. He looks pretty healthy - see pic of him and enclosure.

I appreciate any feedback, we have a trustworthy reptile vet here I'm considering taking him too, but I can't do it until next month. We had to have emergency surgery for our dog, so I'm strapped for the month. And next month will be tight too. So he has an appointment for June, but I don't want to take him in if unnecessary.

 

[Mom of blazey]

Hmmm...mine are 10 & 7, I wouldn't say that they've "slowed" down, I offer them food everyday, they will usually eat every other day, they get crickets or superworms 2-3x a week with a good dusting of calcium and once a week of a beardie multi-vitamin. Is he drinking a lot of water? Trying to figure out what's up with the runny poo

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[Hdrydr31]

At around a year they are known to slow down on the eating side of things as they are coming out of that massive growing phase and that needs alot of fuel.. Once adults they typically get protein every other day to every 3dr day with salads being given everyday..
He looks fantastic! fat pads look good, tail base looks good, color looks good and his legs look good and he's got a good belly on him.. I wouldn't worry too much on him slowing down on the eating..
I would keep watch on his weight, keep an eye on the poop for sure..I just think he's becoming a sub adult and his dietary needs have slowed.
It would be good to have him checked in june just to make sure he is all good to go as you should have them checked before and after brumation. Being that he likely did not brumate being that he was too young he will likely this time around, and you want to make sure he's all healthy.

 

[KrissyLeigh]

At around a year they are known to slow down on the eating side of things as they are coming out of that massive growing phase and that needs alot of fuel.. Once adults they typically get protein every other day to every 3dr day with salads being given everyday..
He looks fantastic! fat pads look good, tail base looks good, color looks good and his legs look good and he's got a good belly on him.. I wouldn't worry too much on him slowing down on the eating..
I would keep watch on his weight, keep an eye on the poop for sure..I just think he's becoming a sub adult and his dietary needs have slowed.
It would be good to have him checked in june just to make sure he is all good to go as you should have them checked before and after brumation. Being that he likely did not brumate being that he was too young he will likely this time around, and you want to make sure he's all healthy.

Thanks! Yeah, I wondered about brumation... he hasn't gone into it yet, and I thought they only did that around wintertime?

And I have read that adulthood = anywhere from 12-18 months, so when do I cut down the protein? He gets 10 dubia and 10-25 worms, but lately he hasn't been interested in the worms. His salads are hit and miss, sometimes he eats all of it, sometimes he just picks at it. But he is ALWAYS down for dubia.

 

[KrissyLeigh]

The poo isn't always runny, and he does pass rather large urate even when he is runny. I was going to send off a stool samples but the website I used last time - drdragons- no longer does fecal testing. Any good experiences with other places??

 

[Hdrydr31]

Good that he's slowing down on the super's as those are pretty fatty and they will tend to not want anything else and hold out for them... so that is good...lol
As far as the protein your going to have to play it by ear, I give my male Simon (1 year 3 monthsish) 2-3 supers and 4 med dubia every day however he typically will only eat 3 or 4 dubia that's it.. My female only eats supers and dubia every few days and she's 2
Yes brumation is typically late fall to march'ish.. young adults like yours may not fully brumate may just get super sluggish and really slow down on eating and will take lots of naps or sleep for a few days up for a few..
My female will go down for several weeks then up for a day or two then back down.. She will likely fully brumate this coming winter, my male I don't know what he will do as it will be his first as an adult.

 

[Hdrydr31]

The poo isn't always runny, and he does pass rather large urate even when he is runny. I was going to send off a stool samples but the website I used last time - drdragons- no longer does fecal testing. Any good experiences with other places??

I know I was sad about drdragons... I don't know off hand I know there are a few that do the testing I'd have to check and see if Patsy knows of them.

 

[Hdrydr31]

make sure the dubia get the greens/veggies as at least that way he's getting it thru them as their gi tract will hold the nutrients for 72 hours.

 

[KrissyLeigh]

make sure the dubia get the greens/veggies as at least that way he's getting it thru them as their gi tract will hold the nutrients for 72 hours.

Oh, for sure. And great in info about brumation, thanks! You mentioned fat pads earlier, so I just learned about fat pads - you'll get a kick out of this -

I was drying him off after a bath and I pressed on his head, and there was a large soft / squishy part (fat pad) and anyways I guess I hadn't really felt them before and I TOTALLY freaked out! I started looking at pet md, looking up bearded dragon head tumors, head surgeries, abcess draining, and after a few hours I had convinced myself he had a head tumor and was facing eminent death. *rolls eyes*. Sigh. Fat pads. Right.

 

[Hdrydr31]

Oh, for sure. And great in info about brumation, thanks! You mentioned fat pads earlier, so I just learned about fat pads - you'll get a kick out of this -

I was drying him off after a bath and I pressed on his head, and there was a large soft / squishy part (fat pad) and anyways I guess I hadn't really felt them before and I TOTALLY freaked out! I started looking at pet md, looking up bearded dragon head tumors, head surgeries, abcess draining, and after a few hours I had convinced myself he had a head tumor and was facing eminent death. *rolls eyes*. Sigh. Fat pads. Right.

OMG hahaha that's funny!! But hey we all start somewhere and not sure if they are mentioned anywhere to be honest.. so

 

[Hdrydr31]

Some dragon's don't brumate!! and I know 1 that went down for 5-6 months!!! that would SUCK I miss mine when they don't come out of their hides..

 

[KrissyLeigh]

OMG hahaha that's funny!! But hey we all start somewhere and not sure if they are mentioned anywhere to be honest.. so

Yeah, I felt pretty silly by the end of it. Skittles was looking at me like I was crazy.

I think it would be helpful if someone put a post for bearded dragon anatomy pinned under the general bearded dragon discussion. I've noticed a lot of people post asking about the femoral pores. It would be cool to have a post for newbies showing fat pads, femoral pores, what shed looks like, etc. Oh, and explaining the freaky popping eyeballs- popping isn't the right word, protruding? Just a thought.

 

[Hdrydr31]

Yeah, I felt pretty silly by the end of it. Skittles was looking at me like I was crazy.

I think it would be helpful if someone put a post for bearded dragon anatomy pinned under the general bearded dragon discussion. I've noticed a lot of people post asking about the femoral pores. It would be cool to have a post for newbies showing fat pads, femoral pores, what shed looks like, etc. Oh, and explaining the freaky popping eyeballs- popping isn't the right word, protruding? Just a thought.

That's a good idea! I'll chat with Patsy about putting that in our general care thread that we have going.
popping eyeballs LOL yea I have not experienced that first hand yet but have seen pic's of friends dragons...it's alarming if you are not aware

 

[KrissyLeigh]

That's a good idea! I'll chat with Patsy about putting that in our general care thread that we have going.
popping eyeballs LOL yea I have not experienced that first hand yet but have seen pic's of friends dragons...it's alarming if you are not aware

Yeah, Skittles does it every once in a while and luckily I had read about it beforehand, otherwise I would have probably convinced myself his eyes were about to explode or some nonsense!

Oh, and mouth open basking and lines on the belly would fall under anatomy / behavior - I've seen people ask about that a lot too.

 

[Mom of blazey]

Well the eye popping freaked me out the 1st time 1 of my sweetie's did it! I had to get right on the computer☺

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[PatsyB]

You're guy looks pretty healthy. It's good that he's slowing down on the worms but eating the dubia. Remember that 1 dubia is equal to around 8 crickets so if he's eating 10 dubia that's equivalent to around 80 same sized crickets! That on top of worms, is a lot of food in one day! I would cut back and feed him protein once a day and alternate what you give him, salad should be left all day long. At around 18 months I would start feeding bugs every other day.