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SHIPPING A BEARDED DRAGON

22 14:43:29

Question
I BOUGHT A BD AND IT WAS SHIPPED VIA UPS OVERNITE. WELL I NOTICED WHEN THE UPS DRIVER WAS WALKING WITH THE BOX TO ME HE WAS JUST HOLDING IT AS IT WAS A USUAL BOX AND DID NOT LOOK TO SEE THE PERISHABLE LIVE LIZARD LABELS ON THE BOX. HE TOLD ME THE BOX WAS THROWN INTO THE TRUCK THAT MORNING AND HE DID NOT KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING ALIVE IN THE BOX OTHERWISE HE WOULD HAVE TREATED IT DIFFERENTLY. WHEN I TOOK THE BD OUT SHE WAS VERY COLD. SHE HAS BEEN IN HER TANK NOW FOR 12 HOURS WITH THE CORRECT HEAT LAMP ON AND I PUT WATER AND FOOD IN THERE BUT SHE HAS NOT MOVED AT ALL. WHEN I PICK HER UP SHE IS WARM AND SHE LOOKS AT ME BUT NO REAL MOVEMENT. CAN SHE BE INJURED IN SOME WAY FROM THE SHIPPING OR WHAT. I AM VERY CONCERNED. I HAVE OTHER BD'S IN OTHER TANKS WHICH I DON'T PUT TOGETHER BUT I WANTED HER TO BREED. NOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. PLEASE HELP ME OUT. THANKS

Answer
 I can just imagine the trauma she had.  If her temps are 100F inch it up just a few degrees, I would also consider a nice baby-warm bath.  Perhaps in the water, she will start to move about, even if slowly.  If she is older than a year she may also be feeling the effects of brumation on top of everything else.  The only way to check for possible injury is to have her checked by the vet as soon as possible.
 Shipping reptiles these days is almost dangerous.  Even if you emblazon LIVE HARMLESS REPTILE on all six sides of the box, you sometimes wonder if these shipping employees know how to read.
 I have received two dragons shipped and only shipped one myself.  To limit handling, I paid for overnight depot to depot.  I brought the precious package to the depot, It arrived at the destination depot and the person receiving the dragon went to the depot to pick her up.  Still the report back showed that even with 40 hour heat packs, the dragon was cold to the touch, but warmed up once given proper housing.
 If she is moving now and acting normally, have her checked by the vet anyway in about two weeks, if the trauma of shipping has caused a rise in gut parasites, the two week wait will show them in the fecal test.
 Kudos to you for keeping her separate.  A good quarantine of 2-3 months is very wise.
 If you are breeding, before you do, please consider having her tested for adenovirus.  Go to www.Reptilerooms.com and click on adenovirus/medical.  There will be info on where to get the test kit, have your vet do the sampling and send to the university.  This way you will know that you won't infect your male or have dead clutches.