He is very sluggish and will not open his eyes, and he won't eat unless hand fed (and will not eat the worms or crickets - we had to give him another food - won't name it in case some readers are squeamish).
The vet is very very far away, no one in my area will treat reptiles. Has anyone seen these symptoms in a water dragon?
I will take him to the vet if I can't find out what the problem is by tomorrow.
Please help!
2006-07-12 07:59:57 · 6 answers · asked by Me 2 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
Thanks for your help everyone. We are taking the trip to the vet. I hope it is not too stressful for him, because it's a really long trip. I'm greatful for all your advice.
2006-07-12 22:36:15 · update #1
Please take the poor little guy to the vet immediately! Reptiles are very good about hiding thier illnesses (its a natural defense against predators) and often times it is too late when the owner realizes that something is wrong. While there are number of things that could be wrong with your dragon, the symptoms you listed above are signs of MBD (metabolic bone disease)... an extremely fatal condition if not treated.
Although there are a number of reasons why your dragon could have developed this disease (some researchers are now saying that MBD is actaully a grouing of many nutrient deficiencies), the most common is not enough calcium due to improper lighting. Proper light is crucial because without it, the dragon cannot create D3... without D3 they cannot absorb calcium into thier system... therefore, other common signs include broken bones or abnormal bone structure.
To help prevent MBD remember that flourescent lights should be placed no more than 18 inches from the bottom of the tank (maybe even less). If the main light source is higher than 18 inches the rays will not be strong enough by the time they reach your dragon. Keep in mind, the best spectrum range for water dragons is 280-315 nm (the best brands of lights have this listed on thier box). Also, you can't beat mother nature: the best light is natural sunlight. So when it is warm, place the dragon in an outdoor screen type enclosure for a few hours a day if possible. Keep in mind, simply setting the tank by the window will not work because glass also reduces the power of the light rays.
I went in depth on MBD because many newer owners do not know about it and because it is thought be the most common nutrient deficiency in reptiles. It is unsettling to me that no other answers even mentioned MBD. But still, the best thing to do is take him to the vet.
I hope this helps and I hope your dragon gets back to good health.
2006-07-12 18:58:32 · answer #1 · answered by mallorn hugger 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Those symptoms are common "unhappy reptile" symptoms and could be anything. Force feeding can cause more stress than good, so I wouldn't try it until you've done other first aid for at least a few days. Until you can get him to the vet (make sure you bring a fresh stool sample to check for tummy problems), look up everything you can about water dragon housing, temperature, humidity, diet, substrate, etc. and make a checklist of things that may have caused your dragon to get sick. Although he could just be having a phase, it is probably something that has been going on a long time and is just now effecting him noticably. It could also be something that changed in his environment, diet, or routine. Are your heat lamps getting too dull or are the wrong temp? Are your UV bulbs more than 6 months old or greater than 8 inches away from his favorite basking spot? Does he only eat crickets? If 'yes' to any of these, he could have a calcium or vitamin deficiancy. You can fix the cause of the problem, but he may need a vet in case he is too deficient. He could have also eaten some bedding or gotten a food item stuck in his intestine. In that case forse feeding would be really bad for him. You can try giving him a little glob of cat laxative if he is not pooping and you think his tubes are blocked. He could also be dehydrated. Water dragons need a pool to soak in with fresh water at all times. He may just need a good soak to get rehydrated. Check him for parasites, internal and external. A vet can find internal parasites in a stool sample. External parasites usually can be found around eyes, base of tail, and armpits. They can make them weak and miserable. Both dehydration and parasites can cause dry skin that doesn't shed properly and can get stuck on toes, spikes, and tail tips. If his nose is stuffed and/or has runny eyes, it may be a cold. Keep him warm and hydrated and get antibiotics if prescribed. Those are just a few things off the top of my head, but basic first aid would be to keep him hydrated, warm, clean, and quiet like any other sick animal. And tell him GET WELL for me!
2006-07-12 15:38:55 · answer #2 · answered by Emily 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm an expert and can help you- your dragon is suffering from improper care. Does he have an ultraviolet light? Flourescents are useless. His cage should be at least 2' X 2' X 3', he should have a 100-150 watt ceramic heat lamp. He should have a litterbox filled with water, a bubbler stone should be in the water to keep the humidity up. Are you dusting his food with calcium/phosphorus? Are you misting him several times a day with a water bottle? One of these very important aspects is missing. If you need any more help please e-mail me at wendi_just_me@yahoo.com I would like to help before it is too late. As far as forcefeeding, mix hydrolife and bugs and puree it, then feed with a dropper. Most likely he has insufficient heat to digest, or light. THey use UV light to digest. Major concern= he is dehydrated. More hydrolife(or water if you can't find it) in his mix and less bugs. Misting will really help. You can also place moistened paper towel in his cage for him to lay on.
2006-07-12 19:23:31 · answer #3 · answered by wendi_just_me 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Check heat, light, and water in the cage. Make sure the cage is clean and that he has food available. Lizards tend to go through 'seasons' when their environment isnt exact since they are very sensitive. I dont know how long this has been happening, but if its just a few days give him time. If he's older, he might be reaching the end of his lifetime and, if so, a vet wont help and will only distress him more.
2006-07-12 15:05:41 · answer #4 · answered by shirelight13 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He sounds like he's pretty sick. If he's drinking enough water and his droppings are normal wait few days to see if he gets any better. If he's not drinking or if he has diarrhea, get him to the vet.
2006-07-12 15:09:11 · answer #5 · answered by Z, unnecessary letter 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
soundsn to me like his heat source is too hot, i had the same problem with my green iguana.the heat log i had for him was getting too hot and it eventually made him lethargic and weak.
2006-07-17 16:03:19 · answer #6 · answered by retrac_enyaw03 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋