bearded dragon not very active or eating

Question
QUESTION: I think my son's bearded dragon may be dying. He is about 8 years old.  The past week he does not move very much and he still has crickets left from 3 days ago. He was laying on his back the other day and I thought he was dead.  Then he got back up.  What do you think?

ANSWER: Hello Lou,

Hm, well, 8 years is old, but he should still have years left in him though.  Can you tell me about his setup?
Does he have UVB lighting?  If so, what type & brand, a flourescent tube light or a compact or coil light?  What type of basking light do you use, a bright white one or a colored light?  
What are the temps in the tank, & how do you measure them with a stick on thermometer, a digital probe or a temp gun?  
What are the temps?  
Do you supplement calcium?  Laying on the back can indicate calcium problems, B vitamin deficiencies, & or metabolic bone disease from lack of calcium & proper UVB lighting.
Do you leave crickets in the tank with him overnight?  If so, it is not advisable to do so because crickets bite them during their sleep & can cause really nasty sores & infections.
Please answer the questions so we can get him healthy.  

Tracie

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

QUESTION: Hi Tracie - I feel bad that we may not be doing everything.  We don't measure the tempature.  He has a spot basking lamp and a heat rock.  It is about 68 degrees in our house.  we feed him crickets, wax worms, and salad.  What can I do to help him get his strength back?


Answer
Hello Lou,
You will need to get a reptisun 10 flourescent tube bulb for starters.  You can get that from online at any of these place:
www.petmountain.com
www.reptilesupply.com
www.bigappleherp.com
You can also get some calcium supplementation from those online stores too.  The best ones are the Repcal calcium with D3.  He will need that 2-3 times per week.
You can also get a digital probe or a temp gun from the online stores, as well.  
What wattage is the spot lamp?  Is it a bright white light or a colored light?  Do not use a heat rock they don't do well with underbelly heat as they can get burned.  They do much better with overhead heating & lighting.  
Once you get the Reptisun 10 flourescent tube UVB light you will need to place it directly beside the basking light so he can get UVB's while basking & focus it on one end.  He most likely is not warm enough & has not gotten any UVBs' in a long time, which will leave him very weak.
The temperatures are very important to his health.  If they are too cold they will be lethargic & cannot digest their food & can get stomach & GI problems.  The basking temps for him should be 95-102 or so while the cool side can be around 78-82 or so.  What sized tank is he in?
Can he support himself on all fours?
How many feeders in a week, does he eat?  Does he get oral fluids & weekly baths?

Tracie