follow up on our water dragon, Jackie

Question
QUESTION: Hello Tracie.I contacted you awhile ago regarding our Chinese Water Dragon Jackie. She was a rescue that was very small. She has been doing fine except we have become concerned that she is not eating as much. She was up to 9-11 vitamin coated crickets a day but the last few days she is only eating about 2-4 and doesn't pounce on them like she was. She is fatter, stronger and active. She still has all the same habits. The only differences are that it has been very hot here in PA and her tank would be 86+ degrees all day instead of having a cool spot and hot spot. She is very active now and always wants out of her tank. The other thing is we gave her a fish a week ago and she hasn't eaten as many crickets since. We are concerned. Is is time to take her to the vet? Is she just too hot? (I can move her to another part of the house) Did the fish make her sick? She isn't her regular bright green...more brown again. I think I am most concerned because usually she just snaps those crickets up and fills her belly and now she seems indifferent and is not eating as much. Please advise. We care about her so much and are working with my father to have a suitable habitat built. Until then...does she just feel trapped in a hot tank?

Thank you,
Jennifer Kohr

ANSWER: Hello Jennifer,


What type of thermometer do you use to measure her temperatures a temp gun or digital probe?  If the ambient temperatures are getting to hot then she could be over heating.  Can you try to make a cooler area for her?  
How is the humidity doing?  
I think that she is probably overheating as they are sensitive to temperatures that are extreme.
Can you change out the basking light to a lower wattage bulb?
I don't think the fish made her sick though.  She wont eat if she is too hot & will be anxious & or wanting out of the tank all of the time.
Let me know how Jackie is doing.

Tracie

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


  QUESTION: Hi there! We still need to buy a temp gun or probe. the thermometer on the side of her tank was off the charts. I keep it humid all day by covering one half the tank with plastic wrap and spritzing her when I go past.

Yesterday I turned off the heat pad below her tank, left her UVB on, and put a Pothos in with her. My studio is where she is (was-we moved her downstairs last night) and is the hottest room in the house. The last few days it has been easily in the 90's in this room and may have been much hotter. It was nearly 100 outside. Anyways-she played all day yesterday, hung out on the Pothos and was not desperately trying to get out of the tank. She still did not eat much but she turned back green and was much happier. Funny how you can tell they are happy. She actually fell asleep in my Boston Fern last night!

My husband is picking up a lower wattage basking light today.

Her tank is now downstairs in the room where we plan to build her habitat. We can definitely manage the temp better there. My husband is bringing a temp gun home from work this weekend. Thank you for the very quick response. I will let you know if things do not go back to normal soon.

I sent you a pic...I love this photo...Jackie looks like she is posing for the camera!

Thanks so much!
Jennifer

Answer
Hello Jennifer,

That is a great picture of Jackie!  She is pretty.  
I definitely think it was the temperatures if she is already turning green again.  They are tropical reptiles so they can't tolerate the real high temperatures.  Hopefully, her appetite will come back soon when her stress levels decrease.
Let me know what the temperatures are when you hubby gets the temp gun home to measure the temperatures.  
Good luck on building the new tank for her.  I am sure it is a little cooler downstairs then.

Keep me posted on her!
Thanks.

Tracie