I personally do not, I’m in Florida. I’d start with a search in your area on google for exotic vets
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I sure hopes he gets better! What kind of substrate is he on? Could he be impacted by any chance? I’m hoping your parents will be understanding about your little buddy! He is a very cute little guy!
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I’d say Brumation.
Taken from online:
Bearded dragons brumate during colder months and can enter a state of brumation even before winter starts – as early as April and May in the Southern Hemisphere and October or November in the Northern Hemisphere.
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no substrate just a mat.
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100% needs to see a vet.
I live in Northern VA. I moved here recently and have had an initial good impression with SEAVS
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What are the exact temps in his enclosure and hotspot? How are you measuring them?
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let me make sure I understand that you think he needs to see a vet correct?
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It’s good that he is on a mat. If he is starting to eat greens, that is a great sign. @noodlehaus @dsed @ghoulishcresties @ashleyraeanne Do any of you guys think maybe this beardie would benefit from a live pinkie to jumpstart his appetite? I am wondering if he can’t quite shake off his brumation to start eating normally? Maybe this would help his pooping problem? If there is not much inside him there is not much to poop out?
This is just a wacky thought though…… any thoughts?
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I dont think a pinkie would do anything at this point, I’d say a vet visit would be best in my opinion. Then again, dont know until you try👍
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You are probably right. I suppose it would be a guessing game without a vet exam…… thank you! 
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Yes, I do. Hopefully the post I linked to will help you find a reptile-specific vet that works for you.
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My reasoning for asking what his temps are is to rule that out before the vet is needed, but my question has yet to be answered. He is a very dark color compared to normal, which can mean a few things. 1: he is too cold. 2: He is stressed and scared. 3: He is just coming out of brumation. 4: he is sick. There are a few other reasons for darkened colors, but those are the main ones. So without the temp information, I say a vet visit is a good plan too. And if he rarely poops that is probably due to lack of heat for digestion or a sign something is wrong.
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(before reading note I just deep cleaned his enclosure and decided to switch things up a little).
his basking is 103 which is high and I KNOW THAT don’t worry I adjusted my lamp to hopefully cool it down a tiny bit, his cool side is about 80 farenheight at the farthest end. and is about 85 at the basking spot in air temp, and yes I know that’s cold I just changed the setup and I am still adjusting the lamps and things.
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btw he just pooped
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ok so I may or may not be going to the vet like you guys told me, so a couple questions,
- What “type of visit” should I be going in for?
- What are red flags for these visits.
- What are some terms to know? like basic terms to know so I understand what someone might be saying?
4.How do I transport a bearded dragon??? - What are the general costs? because my parents are probably not going to spend 9k on medications.
oh and these are the vets that I am contemplating going to.
https://www.bestfriendsvethosp.com
so if anyone knows anything about these vets PLEASE TELL ME
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Yay! So glad to hear that!
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key word MAY
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I have never kept beardies, but those temps sound really off. Having incorrect temps can lead to death quickly either via undigested food rotting and causing sepsis or via dehydration. Incorrect UVB will also kill your beardie, and bulbs must be replaced regularly.
Are you the person that was keeping their beardie on a bunch of legos? If so, it sounds like a beardie is not a good fit for you. Consider finding a reptile rescue or humane society to relinquish him to, where he can find a caretaker that is better able to care for him. There is no shame in recognizing when things are a bad fit and doing the right thing. Do not just dump him outside (he would die). As a last resort you could post an ad up on craigslist with the help of your parents, making sure to include that he is not healthy in the ad, but that you are trying to find a new owner who can help him and take him to the vet. Then carefully but swiftly review any applications to find a good new owner that will be able to provide veterinary care. When looking for a new pet, mammals are often easier to maintain than reptiles. I suggest guinea pigs especially, they are wonderful! If I’m thinking of the wrong person, just ignore this whole paragraph.
Urgent/Sick, in my opinion. It can’t wait weeks.
That’s an odd thing to have as one of your primary concerns. When you are taking your pet in for a Wellness Exam, you have the luxury of being more picky and shopping around to find a vet you want to establish a relationship with. Your little guy sounds very sick to me and I think you should go to any experienced, reputable reptile vet you find that can see him first. Exotic vet visits book out far in advance so you need to hurry.
When reading reviews of veterinary practices online, just like with amy other business, they will be skewed to the negative, because customers don’t generally bother to take the initiative to leave positive reviews. Sometimes one disgruntled client gets all their family members to leave bad reviews for the same incident, so watch for that as well.
Nothing. A veterinarian should be able to explain things using laymen’s terms, it’s their job. Feel free to ask them any questions you have before the vet leaves the room. Ask for your parents to come with you and for printed, written discharge instructions when you leave that you can read and follow at home. Make sure you then follow them, or you’ll just have wasted money.
In an animal carrier or other container that provides safety, security, and ventilation. Just like every other pet.
You need to call the vet offices and ask them those questions yourselves. That’s like asking how much anything else generally costs- it will vary drastically depending on provider, location, quality of services, etc. Ask for a written Estimate/Treatment Plan for your parents to review.
Number one thing- the exam fee will always pay ONLY for the exam, which is always going to be higher than an exam for a cat or dog. Diagnostics, Treatment, Medications, and Supplies would all cost additional, presumably. I anticipate that you will need a set of blood work at minimum. If you have financial limitations, have your parents discuss them with the vet or technician while you guys are deciding on a treatment plan.
Now, all that said, I’ve had surgeries, CT scans, radiographs, blood work, fecal testing, euthanasia & death care, and all kinds of things performed on my reptiles by a variety of reptile vets nationwide, and (as of writing this) I’ve never had any of my pets top 1.3K in a visit, for any procedure. And none of the medications I recall were unusually expensive, though they generally can’t be filled at a human pharmacy.
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ok so heres whats going to happen,
- vet still probably not going to happen.
2.I understand your concerns about the beardie and me not being a good keeper, I don’t think I am a bad keeper, I replace my UVB every 6 months, and To my knowledge every single website (which is numerous) says about the temps I have him on aren’t good and I know that but I did remedy the issue I fixed his temps for the most part. hot side is about 88-91 and cool side is between 87 at closest to hot side and 80 closest to the cold.
3.So I sold some items to a reptile rescue in maryland who gave me advice and what to do, and 4.honestly I don’t think I could mentally take losing the beardie, or selling him for that matter, losing a cat when I was at my best mentally destroyed me let alone rn… I would fall apart.
(just a disclaimer I genuinely looked at the advice and am not upset nor am I offended by anyone here).
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