supplements, beardie not eating

Question
QUESTION: My beardie is about 5 months old, 8 inches long and has not been eating for the past week and 1/2.  Prior to that he had an amazing appetite.  We have had him bow for 3 months.  I ensure his food is not too big.  He has had the occasional superworm, 3/4 inch long, a couple of butterworms, and used to love his veggies. He hasn't had a poop since about 1 1/2 weeks either, makes sense since he's not eating.  (I think he has pooped since his last feeding)

He's in a 20 gallon long tank, UVA/UVB fluorescent lighting, basking bulb, basking spot reaches 105, cool area at night reaches about 65.

I am now concerned that he may have worms as he has stopped eating all together.  He is still alert but not basking under his light like he used to.  I have ordered some parazap but it won't be in for another week or so.  He's getting really skinny.

Do you have any suggestions for a home remedy until I receive my parazap or other suggestions to try with him?

Please respond!  THANKS!

ANSWER: Hello Danielle,

What brand of UVB are you using, & how close is it to him?  Is the basking light a bright white or a colored light?  
What do you use to measure the temps with?  A stick on thermometer, a digital probe or a temp gun?
He could possibly be impacted.  Superworms are not usually recommended for dragons under the length of 15-16 due to the chitin (hard outer shedll) which can be harder to digest.  Though that size is not bad.  Just make sure they are small.  
Do you use crickets?  
Does he drink water or do you offer water through a plastic dropper?  
Do you supplement with calcium?  At his age, he needs calcium 5 times per week.   
Parazap is the best thing you can do other than getting a fecal done & seeing exactly what is going on.  
What did his stools look like runny, smelly, firm?  Does he have much urates with them?
You could get some bee pollen from the local healthfood store to mix in with some water to help stimulate his appetite somewhat.  It is pretty effective.  
Let me know how things are going.


Tracie



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for the quick response!

Hi stool was a normal solid with a bit of a sticky looking substance soating it, stickier than normal and compared to our leopard gecko.  He had enough urates, yes.

In my 20 gallon long tank I have all Zoo Med lights.  His basking light is a 75W clear bulb.  He used to bask around 6 inches from the light but now stays at the bottom. I also have a Reptisun 18" 2.o fluorescent bulb on all day.

I use stick on thermometers to measure both hot and cool ends. I have 3 on tank, all outside, one on bottom, cool and, one on bottom hot end and one within 2-2 1/2 inches of the basking bulb. He can't get closer than that.

I have been feeding him crickets for the most part.  When the pet store ran out I bought superworms for a back up and butterworms as a treat.  He had been eating 5 crickets, 3 times daily.  They were probably 1/4 inch.

I measured him today and I was wrong, he is actually 8 inches long.

I have been supplementing with herpcare cricket dust 3 times weekly and 3 times weekly with T-Rex 2:1 calcium/phosphorus powdered supplement with vitamins.

I had seen him drink water from his dish in the past.  He ate from his veggies daily.

GOOD NEWS: Tonight I sprayed him with a solution of warm water and his 2:1 calcium/phophorus supplement.  He really loved it!  I was happy knowing that he was getting vitamins and fluids.  He came out from hiding tonight instead of hiding like he has been.

I am going to try bee pollen, if I can find some, to hopefully stimulate his appetite.

How do we overcome impaction, if that is what it is?

Thank you so much for your help and quick response!

Answer
Hello Danielle,

The stool sounds normal to me, no problem.  Good that he had urates as well, so he must be a little hydrated then.
Good that you have a Reptisun 10 flourescent tube light so make sure that the basking light is placed directly beside the UVB light so he can bask & get heating while he is getting UVB as well.
At 2 inches or so, that is too close to the basking light.  He should be at least 6-8 inches from the basking bulb & 6-8 inches from the UVB light.
The stick on type of thermometers are not very accurate.  They don't measure the basking temps well only the ambient temps.  You will need to get a digital probe or a temp gun to measure it to make sure the temps are acceptable.  The basking should run 95-110 & the cooler end around 78-82.  
The supplementation of calcium needs to be 5 times per week for his bone growth & development.  So the t-rex calcium should be given 5 times & the herpcare vitamins 2 times.  That is plenty.  
Good that he drank some water & loved his soaking.  I hope you are able to find the bee pollen that will help alot too.
Impaction, if that is what it is, soak him & massage his belly on the right side starting from underneath his armpit all of the way down to the vent area, gently.  Give plenty of oral fluids & maybe some pumpkin & sugar free applesauce to help get things moving through him better.

Keep me posted on him.

Tracie