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We just adopted two adult bearded dragons. We seperated them after the 2nd day because he was becomeing a little agressive due to mating we believe. She ate about 15 crickets and some greens with carrotts. The next day we noticed she was laying flat and had regirgitated full carrotts with a little cricket. She had a large bowel movement that day that seemed normal. This happened yesterday. She has just been laying on her belly on her sand. She is alert for the most part and will lift her head. What should we do. We are new to these pets. We have done a lot of reserch but need a little help.
Optional Information: Pet's Gender: Female Pet's Age: 3 Name of Animal: Sister Already Tried: I have left her alone, and then gave her a soak to hydrate her.
Hello and Welcome to Justanswer,Can you tell me about the set up?
Diet prey/veggies?
Substrate/bedding?
Temps and how measured?
Supplements?
UVB light? Tube or coil? How old is the bulb and strength?
Do you have a basking light?
Do you know how long they were housed together?
If you feel her abdomen can you feel something like marbles?
has she been doing any digging?
Is she interested in food?
Joan
Her diet since she has been with us for 4 days has been 15 crickets some spinach until the guy at tails and scales said not to give them that. Carrotts peas romain letuce mustard letuce, with a pinch of repashy super foods vitamine vegi supplement,
Her bedding is the supper fine sand. she was in the ground up walnet when we got them
Temp is at 82 with out sun lamp now. with lamp on i estimate about 90.
using power sun uv light 100w and same brand of heat unit.
I am not sure how long they were together. I believe a while because she has had eggs several times with him.
No digging so far.
No interest in food today or yesterday after she regergitated the carrotts.
Hello,
I would get her off the sand. The sand is just as bad as the walnut shell. They both can cause intestinal impaction, skin issues and corneal ulcers. I suugest cage carpet, tile, or paper for substrate. I personally use ceramic tile. I find the tile or cage carpet to be much safer. This will give you an idea about Sand as a substrate: http://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/impaction/?page=3
The temps are a little cool and should be in the 105*F-110*F range for digestion. If the tank is not warm enough, the Dragon will have issues with the food.
I suspect that she may be gravid and if I am correct you may have to set up a lay box for her. One breeding can go for a whole year of laying eggs which can happen every 4 weeks. This is some information on breeding and a lay box: http://repticzone.com/articles/beardeddragonbreeding101hrtmtn.html
The diet needs some improvement because spinach binds calcium and carrots can cause hypervitaminosis A which causes eye issues. You should be feeding Collard greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, escarole and curly endives. Butternut squash and various berries are great for a treat. The Veggies should be put in fresh daily, and done about an hour after lights on. They need 80% veggies daily and 20% live prey over a year of age. This is a nutrition chart that will help: http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutritionframeset.html
The live prey should include crickets, silk worms, roaches, goliath worms and phoenix worms.The canned prey looses the nutritional value and is high in chitin which is the outer shells and can cause a blockage.
Super worms and wax worms are like giving the Dragon candy. All veggies and prey should be dusted with calcium daily 5 days a week and vitamins 2 days a week.
You may want to have her in for a Herp Vet visit ti be checked for parasites and to see if she is gravid so you can be prepared. It was a very wise move to separate the two Dragons since the male will over breed the female and it gets very violent.
If you need a Herp Vet please let me know and I can locate one for you with a State.
This is my care sheet that may help:
Bearded Dragon Care Sheet
1. 0-3 months- baby 2. 3-12 months-juvenile 3. 12-18 months- sub adult 4. 18 months + -adult
1. A UVB light source-best is 10.0 Reptisun that runs the length of your tank. Your dragon must have this light to metabolize calcium. If not he will get metabolic bone disease, a serious condition. You can also take your beardie outside to bask in the sun for 15 minutes each day if your temps are 80 degrees or above outside. You can purchase cages or reptariums from your pet store. Never leave a beardie outside unattended. 2. A basking type light that puts out heat and warmth above basking spot. Your beardie must have warmth to digest food & thrive.
Babies: Warm basking log: 105-125 degrees F Cool side: 85-90 Adults: Warm basking spot: 110-115 Cool side: 80-85 Measure temperatures with a digital probe type thermometer or a temp gun-these are most accurate. Stick on thermometers unreliable.
*Beardies over the age of one year old during the winter months will go into a Brumation like most Reptiles and Herps. It is a form of Hibernation that is governed by the weather and time of year. The lights should be on a shorter period at this time. Fresh greens should be available during this period. Do not feed live prey during Brumation.
Water: Mist your little one with the spray bottle 3-4 times a day. You can also offer a small dish of water in your enclosure but be sure your dragon is not too small to drown in it. It is recommended that when your beardie is 2 months old you can bathe your baby in a small plastic container with warm water- not hot. It will help them to stay hydrated. As they get older you can move up to the bathroom sink and then to the bathtub. Very important for bath enclosure to be thoroughly cleaned and rinsed prior to bath time. Clean between dragons too if bathing more than one.
If you have any further questions feel free to ask. I like to start people off with proper husbandry and then see if I can further assist.
This is for fruits and Vegetables
http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html
Walnut shell Graphic: http://mrskingsbioweb.com/beardeddragngrossanatomy.htm
sexing bearded Dragons: http://repticzone.com/articles/sexingbeardeddragons.html
so do you think the carotts upset her stomach. her mid-section does not feel tight or hard. she just seems lithargic at times and is not walking or active like she was the first day in her cage alone. She has not climbed at all today. will they act like this when they are pregnant or during burmation. When we pick her up she will move her legs and when on our chest she will climb. Will she go into burmation when her cage is too cool that quickly?
Hi,
She will not go into brumation, but will slow down and become more lethargic if the temps are not warm enough. When gravid they will go off food and then settle into a translike state.
I would start some 50/50 warm water and plain pedialyte soaks to help with dehydration and to help supply electrolytes. I would also make sure that she is getting an adequate amount of calcium daily 5 times a week and a vitamin 2 times a week.
If you need a Herp Vet I can locate one with a State. We often see parasite issues crop up for many different reasons.
ok we will check temp tomorrow, will we see an increase in her activity and appitite quickly if whe get her heat regulated if that is the case. If gravid, how soon will she eat? Any other simptoms to be looking for to indicate a visit to a Herp vet?
Reguritation, lethargy, lack of appetite, smelly stools, runny stools, lack of stool production inability to lay the eggs, can all be signs of a need of a Herp Vet visit.
If she is gravid, you will have to be sure she lays all her eggs. Dragons that have been bred repeatedly can become egg bound, which is where she cannot lay, it can be a serious issue. As it gets closer to laying when gravid, she will go off food until she lays. Once she does lay she will need a long soak and then she should start eating again. Joan
Thank you so much for your help. I will be watching my girl. one more question since she has been like this for the past day and 1/2 how soon should we expect her to lay her eggs?
It is uncertain that she is gravid, but a good possibility. I gave you the link on breeding which tells you how to set up the lay box. is she looks like she is going to start digging, I would have her in the lay box daily to see if that helps to expedite laying if she is going to do it. The Breeding Dragons 101 was authored by a group including myself and we tryied to include all aspects of the process from mating to hatching the babies.
Experience: I have been doing Reptile Rescues for 15+ Years
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