My Baby Bearded Dragon!

Question
QUESTION: I have had my baby bearded dragon for about 3 weeks-a month at first he was eating normal: lettuce, shaves carrots, apples and of course crickets. Up until about 2 weeks ago he stopped eating. No veggies or crickets. He has eaten 7 crickets in the past 2 weeks. I tried force feeding him but I am have trouble. He is very tired all the time and his eyes are always halfway shut.

ANSWER: So in other words he stopped eating about a week after you got him? You can't give me more detail? I ask for these details in my instructions...or did you read them? Do you think I can answer these questions if you don't provide the information? Do you even have UVB lighting? How about what are the basking temperatures? What is your substrate? How does he get water? Is he going to the bathroom at all...or was he before this?

Could it be your temps are too low? I don't know because you don't tell me. His digestive and immune system won't work if the temps are not right.

Could it be you are using a natural substrate such as a vitasand or something? I don't know because you didn't tell me. Natural substrates are not recommended for juveniles and can cause fatal gut impactions.  

Could it be that you are using inappropriate prey size, and are feeding him crickets which are too large for him and have caused a gut impaction? I don't know, you didn't tell me. Prey should be no more than 1/2-2/3 the length of the head and 1/2 the width. Prey that is too large will cause impaction or repeated use will lead to gastroenteritis and GI tract infection.

These are but a few of the roads I would have to go down in blind guesses because you didn't read my instructions, or didn't care to follow them.

This is a serious situation and will almost surely result in death if you don't get him to a vet. I can't answer questions without the necessary information...all I'm doing is shooting in the dark and the one thing I know for sure is that when they start this lethargic lying around without appetite and with eyes closed....it's just about over with unless you get him to a vet within the next 1-2 days. He doesn't have time for us to go back and forth while you fill me in. We're beyond me telling you how to save him without intervention from a vet. The time for that was a week or two ago.

Another thing I can tell you is STOP the force feeding! You don't feed a sick herp whole prey. ESPECIALLY A BABY. You will kill him if you don't know what you are doing. That's what vets and stomach catheters are for.

Get him to a vet, and if this one dies, please research BEFORE you get another one. Sorry to be so harsh. Wish I didn't have to, but I'm tired of people not reading and following instructions that are plainly there, and are there for a good reason.

http://www.beardeddragon.org
http://www.anapsid.org/bearded.html

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

QUESTION: I have another one and I got it the same size and he's doing fine. He's actually like 4 times the size of the other one and I got them at the same time and same size and took care of them the same way. So I am doing it right.
 Yes everything you ask is right: Temps, Prey Size, Tank Size, He has carpet, I haven't fore fed him for than one cricket and it was a baby cricket at that. I spray it with water 2-3 times daily. I add electrolyte liquid to help. And I tried putting calcium powder on the crickets too, but he didn't eat them. This was after he stopped eating. I know how to take care of them thank-you all I was asking is, what should I do for it. That's not so hard to answer. If your an expert you should know what the symptoms mean. That is why I didn't include the information that you asked for because I know that is not the problem. I have had Bearded dragons for years probably 4 for all their lives at different times. Like 10 years each. Now I have these 2. One is fine and one is sick. Can you help me or what? Sorry for being so harsh but I'm sick of people who don't take the time to think about what they say before they say it.

Answer
You've had them for about a month, and they were the same size when you got them, but now one of them is "like 4 times" larger? That doesn't make any sense. I know of no herp that will quadruple it's size in a month!

You telling me "everything" you are doing is "right" does not help. I don't know that you know that. You may only "think" what you are doing is right. You are the one asking for help here, and I have rules to follow if you are going to ask the question. If you want to pick and choose what information to give when you ask me a question, then ask someone else. All you're doing is tying my hands. If you know what you are doing is not the problem, then why are you asking me?  

Next thing smarty pants; it does make it pretty hard to diagnose a veterinary medical problem on a herp by way of internet when you don't give a complete history and background on your husbandry methods. Go into a vet and leave out details ( because you know what it is and isn't )and see what he tells you! If you want to play a shell game with me, go somewhere else. I don't have time for it.

I am an expert. I think if you check my previous answers on Beardies and other herps, it speaks for itself. I am also a reptile rescuer and I do medical procedures right here in-house. I know that the "symptoms" you gave me COULD MEAN A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS! If you were well versed with herps YOU would know THAT. If you want more detail in my answer, you need to give more detail. Your asking for a long distance e-medical diagnosis and prognosis of a patient I can't see, you realize that right?

Lastly, I thought about what I said, and it was warranted. You didn't follow directions when you asked your question, so I don't know what the heck your experience level is, or what the heck you understand about anything, or what the heck you are doing with your herps. Those instructions to provide the information are not "optional" at your discretion. They are MANDATORY if you want my expert answer. I think I have advised you sufficiently previously, and my recommendation to see a herp vet stands. I think he is on his death bed, and it's your responsibility. I can't provide you with a magic answer, especially when you insist on being difficult with the information you wish to share about your husbandry.

If you want help: then ask your question again and provide every detail that I ask and everything else you think I need to know. I still don't know if you have a UVB source, and whether it's tube, coil, or mercury vapor, what the temps ARE...etc. If you don't like what I say, take it to someone else. That simple!