Not_aphrodite
Bearded Dragon Egg
- Messages
- 28
Hello everyone! I’m in search of some advice for my (very stressed) approx 1y/o beardie, Cilantro. We got Cilantro at around 6 months from Petco (we always go to the local places but he was special bc he had lost his tail and nobody was adopting him) and haven’t had any issues with his health so far!
About a week ago I thought I’d be a cool mom and really upgrade his enclosure for the first time since his Welcome Home habitat. I kept the same type of substrate (I have been using - shredded reptile-safe aspens w a small corner of calcisand for digging, w no issue) and his favorite hides/woods. I went from a 20gal to a 40gal terrarium added some more fresh snake plants, hides/climbs. But my dude is NOOOT happy!
I’m having a hard time telling what’s going on- especially since about three days ago I noticed he’s going through a shed. Not sure what behaviors are grumpy shed boy behaviors and what to be worried about, but for sure his stress marks are making me nervous!
After moving him he explored his new habitat confidently, but went into hiding for a while (i assumed for shed), but I took him for bath to spend some time w him and encourage a poo and I noticed dark stress marks on his belly. I’ve read this is totally normal for a new enclosure and usually last two weeks, but it’s coming up on two weeks and there is not improvement. He is hiding most of the time and will only bask or eat if I take him for a bath and encourage him a snack (dusted super worms/Dubias/fresh salad always). I feed him from a container with zero issues but since moving him he hasn’t had an appetite at all.
I got him to eat a tiny amount of super worms and two days ago he gave me the TINIEST poo with no urate. This has never happened before. He’s been hiding/no poop since. I thought maybe it was small because he hasn’t been eating but the no urate was worrisome. When I check on him he likes his normal pets and doesn’t act abnormal if i try to bathe him. But he definitely has lost his appetite, has dark beard/stress belly marks, is hiding, and isn’t pottying as much as he normally does.
I’m 100% prepared to find a vet to take him to but I’m worried if it’s stress related a trip to the vet might make it worse? I tried removing the backdrop of his new habitat as his old one didn’t have one, i thought maybe it was stressing him. That was two days ago with no change. I don’t want to keep messing with his environment in case it’s making things worse but I can’t help but wonder if he doesn’t like a new addition or something... any tips please??
Temperatures stay above 70+ at night and he has a new reptisun10 basking which reaches its proper 100• area.
I want to switch to the excavator clay ASAP as I know everyone hates loose substrates but again, don’t want to add more stress and make things worse if it’s too soon to swap it out. (I’ve never had a problem with him eating substrate and he eats a hearty/diverse vitamin supplemented diet) but will switch it right away if y’all say too. He just loves digging so much!
***Two days ago he had the tiny poo/no urate, yesterday he did eat a healthy amount of dubias so I gave a bath this AM and am fingers crossed for a healthy poo.. but still the stress marks ): I removed the backdrop two days ago, and the new habitat is in exact same location and his old one.
I love him to death and want nothing but the best for him! Any advice is appreciated and I will take him to the vet if recommended. Thank you!
About a week ago I thought I’d be a cool mom and really upgrade his enclosure for the first time since his Welcome Home habitat. I kept the same type of substrate (I have been using - shredded reptile-safe aspens w a small corner of calcisand for digging, w no issue) and his favorite hides/woods. I went from a 20gal to a 40gal terrarium added some more fresh snake plants, hides/climbs. But my dude is NOOOT happy!
I’m having a hard time telling what’s going on- especially since about three days ago I noticed he’s going through a shed. Not sure what behaviors are grumpy shed boy behaviors and what to be worried about, but for sure his stress marks are making me nervous!
After moving him he explored his new habitat confidently, but went into hiding for a while (i assumed for shed), but I took him for bath to spend some time w him and encourage a poo and I noticed dark stress marks on his belly. I’ve read this is totally normal for a new enclosure and usually last two weeks, but it’s coming up on two weeks and there is not improvement. He is hiding most of the time and will only bask or eat if I take him for a bath and encourage him a snack (dusted super worms/Dubias/fresh salad always). I feed him from a container with zero issues but since moving him he hasn’t had an appetite at all.
I got him to eat a tiny amount of super worms and two days ago he gave me the TINIEST poo with no urate. This has never happened before. He’s been hiding/no poop since. I thought maybe it was small because he hasn’t been eating but the no urate was worrisome. When I check on him he likes his normal pets and doesn’t act abnormal if i try to bathe him. But he definitely has lost his appetite, has dark beard/stress belly marks, is hiding, and isn’t pottying as much as he normally does.
I’m 100% prepared to find a vet to take him to but I’m worried if it’s stress related a trip to the vet might make it worse? I tried removing the backdrop of his new habitat as his old one didn’t have one, i thought maybe it was stressing him. That was two days ago with no change. I don’t want to keep messing with his environment in case it’s making things worse but I can’t help but wonder if he doesn’t like a new addition or something... any tips please??
Temperatures stay above 70+ at night and he has a new reptisun10 basking which reaches its proper 100• area.
I want to switch to the excavator clay ASAP as I know everyone hates loose substrates but again, don’t want to add more stress and make things worse if it’s too soon to swap it out. (I’ve never had a problem with him eating substrate and he eats a hearty/diverse vitamin supplemented diet) but will switch it right away if y’all say too. He just loves digging so much!
***Two days ago he had the tiny poo/no urate, yesterday he did eat a healthy amount of dubias so I gave a bath this AM and am fingers crossed for a healthy poo.. but still the stress marks ): I removed the backdrop two days ago, and the new habitat is in exact same location and his old one.
I love him to death and want nothing but the best for him! Any advice is appreciated and I will take him to the vet if recommended. Thank you!
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