Pet Information > ASK Experts > Exotic Pets > Reptiles > My bearded dragin is definatly sick

My bearded dragin is definatly sick

22 14:04:05

Question
OK I have a baby bearded dragon that I got from Pets Mart, from nose to the beginning of his tail he is about 2 inches long. He was very active the first couple days I had him now he is beginning to not respond to me that much. He barely moves when I pick him up and he is slow to move when he does. He hasn't been opening his eyes. This is my routine with him: In the morning I turn his uvb light on and give him about 5 crickets with the calcium dust. I give him some water in a dish and then leave him alone for a while to eat . I get him out of his cage for a few minutes every day. His basking temperature stays pretty well in the range it says to keep it. I don't know what i am doing wrong. I honestly don't know if he is eating or not. I assume he is because I see is fecal matter throughout the cage. I have only had him for about a week and a half.. Is it possible that I got a defective Bearded Dragon that was sick to begin with??? Or maybe I just got one that was too young???

Answer
Hello Nicole,

Well, you certainly got a tiny baby for sure.  They should not sell them that small & young!
What type & brand of UVB light are you using, is it a flourescent tube bulb or a compact or coil light?  What type of basking light are you using, a bright white light or a colored light?
What type of substrate are you using, sand, tiles, paper towels?
What are you feeding him currently?
How large are the crickets?  The must be smaller than the space between the eyes or you risk impaction.
What type of thermometer are you using, a round analogue stick on, a digital probe or a temp gun?
How large is the tank he is in?
What are the temps right now?

Tracie