This is my bearded dragon Mushu, she is 3 1/2 years old. I’ve noticed in the recent months that she’s been lethargic on and off, has had some weird stool, along with looking dehydrated, and skinny.
The weird thing about all these symptoms is she’s been a completely healthy dragon before this and has had great care. UVB, on point temperatures, no loose substrate, plenty of space in her enclosure (4’x2’x2’), and have regular soaks and multi vitamins. She eats her greens fine, her roaches and other insects, and I have seen her drink from her water bowl.
I took her to the vet, ran bloodwork, stool sample, x-ray, and gave fluids. They found nothing, no reproductive issues, levels in tests, anything. And it’s not like their a small little vet that doesn’t deal with exotics very often, it was one of the top five veterinary teaching hospitals in the country that is known for their exotic department. I don’t know if it was the individual doctor or what.
My question is, what do you all think my next step should be? I’m really confused on what to do, she isn’t declining at all but I’m worried if I wait to long something is going to happen to her.
Hey! First off all awesome that she’s already been to vets and had all the tests done, bet that wasn’t cheap, and they’ve come back ok. What does she weigh? When was the last time the UVB was changed? She looks ok in the photos! How are her fat pads looking? Can’t really see them in the images. How often are you feeding live food? Sorry lots of questions, but process of elimination and all that!
She gets live food anywhere from 3 to four times a week consisting of 5 large roaches on average, and gets one large tomato blue horned worm once every one to two weeks. Along with some Black Soldier fly larvae every now and then.
Then hopefully that’s a good picture of her fat pads.
Her salads consist of a mix or collard green, mustard greens, and turnip greens. I have feed her small bits of other veggies in the past but it has really messed up her stool even more.
She gets her salad every day (a good handful but she doesn’t finish it all.) and then she gets her live feeders 3-4 times a week.
Her enclosure is a 4’x2’x2’ Zen habitats with a basking platform, hide, pie sized water bowl, and some driftwood.
Her basking platform is 110 degrees Fahrenheit on average with a cool side 80 degrees on a really warm day in the summer, and 76-78 in the cooler months.
Her humidity is 30-40% - I live in a really dry state so it never gets too high
I also have a ball python, 3 leopard geckos and a crested gecko.
ok two things, one did you quarantine all the other animals, and also honestly 400 grams is not an excessively low weight is she normally bigger? and do you wash hands between handlings? oh one more thing 110 f is a bit hot I would say between 95-105 is better for an adult.
10/4 on the basking temps.
And yah she is normally bigger, like 480-500 grams.
Yes all the animals were quarantined before arrival. Also yes, washing hands in between animals.
hmm ok so 80-100 grams is substantial is there a possibility of parasites? also can you provide pictures of the stool? and if it is diarrhea that would explain the dehydration, I would recommend monitoring her closely and maybe giving some more horn worms but not too many as she can get stuck in a vicious cycle of having that water having diarrhea and then needing more water. I would also recommend trying to lower stress as much as possible which I know seems pointless but honestly not much else I can say, oh also remember I AM NOT A VET THIS IS SIMPLY ADVICE TAKE EVERYTHING I JUST SAID WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.
ah I see I really don’t understand what the problem would be I apologize but may you please show pictures of stool oh also anything you may think is not important it may actually matter tell us everything but other than that I am so sorry I cannot do more I am sorry.
ok I have been thinking a while did you get her tested for yellow fungus and or other fungus? if not get her tested ASAP because yellow fungus is a big killer in beardie! I mean is she does have it even if we catch it early there is a chance of her not making it. (not trying to scare you)
Ok been thinking you should take her to the vet again she has lost to much weight, her health i has obviously gone down so get her tested for fungus STAT (especially yellow fungus)
