Quick Beardie question (well not that quick)

[Sid Sidgwick]

Hi guys and girls just a quick one,

My juvenille beardie (around 6 month old) has just gone off her food, she was eating well over the last 2 weeks but over the last 3 days she has only eaten 2 mealworms and a cricket and a small amount greens. Im getting a bit worried, like a good parent should lol

Her setup is as follows:

4ft viv with slate flooring
new 36" UVB 10.0 light
150W exotera spotlight in the hot end (giving me a temp of 108 basking spot, 95 hot end air temp and around 80 in the cool end)

she is basking a lot and is generally quite active (moving from log to log) but does spend a lot of time sat in one place with her eyes closed. Her colour seems a nice bright colour.

She is pooing ok (around 2 a day at the moment) and these seems ok maybe slightly softer and smaller than her usual offerings. From the look of her poo she seems well hydrated and water is available to her.

It has been getting cold here on a night (around -12c) so I have added a heat mat on a stat on he outside of the hot end to make sure there is some heat on a night.

I have been offering her brown crickets, locust and mealworms twice a day but she is point blank refusing to eat them prefering instead to sit on her branch (ive tried feeding out of the viv but this upset her a bit and didnt result in her feeding)

Any ideas or should I ring the vets to give her a quick once over (ive rang two already but they had no knowledge of Beardies)

Thanks

Sid

[kerrithsoden]

what substrate are you using?
EDIT- oops sorry i see u said slate

[kerrithsoden]

set up sounds perfect, leave it a couple of days and keep offering the food, I dont think its anything to worry about, if shes pooing then shes eating, if shes still refusing food after a couple of days try the vets

[Sid Sidgwick]

Thanks I think I generally worry a bit too much I just want her to be Happy and well.

[queenofminions]

It might be worth getting a fecal test done if you haven't already - there's a online lab that you can send it away to while you're trying to sort out a reptile vet - Veterinary Laboratory, Tests For Companion & Exotic Animals.
A reduction in appetite plus watery poo can often mean parasites/worms which are easy treated once you know they're there.

[Sid Sidgwick]

Brilliant thanks ill get on the fecal test asap as that was what I was going to get the vet to do anyway.

[woodrott]

Originally Posted by Sid Sidgwick

Brilliant thanks ill get on the fecal test asap as that was what I was going to get the vet to do anyway.

try pals i use them all the time

ask for mary she will sort you out in a flash



PALS veterinary laboratory – 01829 733523 [email protected] www.palsvetlab.co.uk
It recommended that you check your Bearded Dragon for parasites on a regular basis. Different screens are available, call or email for further assistance and advice.