!!URGENT!! Baby Beardie

[Raven1082]

I recently got a baby bearded dragon, we've had him for a little over 2 months. Yes, I've had dragons before but only adult ones so the baby is new to me.

Since the first day I got him he's had problems with eating. Some days he'll eat a lot of bugs and others he won't eat any at all. I offer him both crickets and roaches twice a day, but he only eats them about half the time.
He literally hasn't had a single fruit or vegetable this entire time, even though I offer them daily. Instead I've been feeding him baby food and repti boost through a syringe but some days he'll hardly even touch that.

He seems to be growing slower than he should, although I'm new to babies so I could be wrong. This entire time he's only grown about an inch including the tail. He's about 7 inches long in total and 2 1/2- 3 months old.

What worries me the most is that he keeps doing the "stargazing" thing which I heard could be a bad sign. He also vomited this morning all over himself.

I took him to a vet already but the vets around here seem to be useless. They barely even looked at him and just said he's fine. I don't know what to do because I feel like there's no one around here who is trustworthy that can help.

I bathe him daily and give him water through a spray bottle on the days he won't stay in the bath. I also have a proper Arcadia UV bulb and 75W heat bulb. Che for nighttime. So I really don't think the lighting or water is the issue.

Any help is very appreciated because he's really worrying me. I wish we could just take him to the vet but I feel like it would accomplish nothing. There is one one exotic vet near me.

 

[Skybug]

Could you maybe post a few pictures for us please ,tank ,light placement, him (possibly him doing the thing which concerns you) a pic of one of his stools would help , so we can assess the situation fully, stargazing isnt a good sign , heres a link about it , which im shure uve already read up on. Atadenovirus , the outcome isnt good unless hes a carrier of the virus, i will say exotic vets are very hit or miss (i live in rural FL and ive had to become very informed) cause like you i get told “oh they look great” please keep him away from any other animals and wash your hands before and after , I’ll reply back after you post a few pics and give my opinion. Im sorry you’re going through this <3

 

[Skybug]

And where did you get him?

 

[Sadie]

Please get a test done for adenovirus -- here is a website to find a vet in your area
www.arav.org
If you cant find one please let me know I will direct you some more help

 

[Raven1082]

Could you maybe post a few pictures for us please ,tank ,light placement, him (possibly him doing the thing which concerns you) a pic of one of his stools would help , so we can assess the situation fully, stargazing isnt a good sign , heres a link about it , which im shure uve already read up on. Atadenovirus , the outcome isnt good unless hes a carrier of the virus, i will say exotic vets are very hit or miss (i live in rural FL and ive had to become very informed) cause like you i get told “oh they look great” please keep him away from any other animals and wash your hands before and after , I’ll reply back after you post a few pics and give my opinion. Im sorry you’re going through this <3

 

[Raven1082]

Could you maybe post a few pictures for us please ,tank ,light placement, him (possibly him doing the thing which concerns you) a pic of one of his stools would help , so we can assess the situation fully, stargazing isnt a good sign , heres a link about it , which im shure uve already read up on. Atadenovirus , the outcome isnt good unless hes a carrier of the virus, i will say exotic vets are very hit or miss (i live in rural FL and ive had to become very informed) cause like you i get told “oh they look great” please keep him away from any other animals and wash your hands before and after , I’ll reply back after you post a few pics and give my opinion. Im sorry you’re going through this <3

In the picture you can't really see it but we have a bulb inside the cage that's going across the entire length of it.

 

[Raven1082]

In the picture you can't really see it but we have a bulb inside the cage that's going across the entire length of it.

 

[Sadie]

Your Arcadia is the 12% bulb?

 

[Raven1082]

And where did you get him?

PetSmart

 

[Skybug]

PetSmart

I got my beardie from petsmart aswell (she was skin and bone and they practically gave her to me for free) , it’s really not good to get your animals from them , they sell products not pets , your setup looks very appropriate, as long as the uvb is right, sadie is more knowledgeable about that, unfortunately this is one of those sad situations that may not get better, i dont want to say any Definitive statements here because Its hard to tell without a vets diagnosis, but it may be best to have him put to sleep if he doesn’t improve in the next 2weeks-month (depending on how long you want to wait) , im so sorry you guys are going through this.... if you can post a picture of his next stool we can further analyze that and go from there....

 

[Skybug]

Please post up to date photos of him too, next time he’s awake. (he looks okay in the the ones u took) but those are old right? , a top down photo, one of his face, and if you can get one of him on all fours with his stomach hanging, hows his reaction time and movement? And if you have a kitchen scale set it to grams and weigh him daily and keep a log. All this will tell us where he’s is in the stage of sickness (if hes sick)

 

[Raven1082]

I got my beardie from petsmart aswell (she was skin and bone and they practically gave her to me for free) , it’s really not good to get your animals from them , they sell products not pets , your setup looks very appropriate, as long as the uvb is right, sadie is more knowledgeable about that, unfortunately this is one of those sad situations that may not get better, i dont want to say any Definitive statements here because Its hard to tell without a vets diagnosis, but it may be best to have him put to sleep if he doesn’t improve in the next 2weeks-month (depending on how long you want to wait) , im so sorry you guys are going through this.... if you can post a picture of his next stool we can further analyze that and go from there....

I know... I've heard a lot about petsmart afterwards but it was too late at the point I read into it. I just took him to the vet again again they said I might need antibiotics for him, but they still seem to be doing nothing

 

[Skybug]

I know... I've heard a lot about petsmart afterwards but it was too late at the point I read into it. I just took him to the vet again again they said I might need antibiotics for him, but they still seem to be doing nothing

Do you remember what antibiotics they recommended?

 

[Sadie]

I know... I've heard a lot about petsmart afterwards but it was too late at the point I read into it. I just took him to the vet again again they said I might need antibiotics for him, but they still seem to be doing nothing

Do not give him antibiotics unless bloodwork is done and an infection is found-- what is his behavior ? Is he eating? Your basking temps are they being taken w/ a digital probe thermometer and what are they? Your uvb should be 12-15 inches above the basking decor--