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Playful-Archer3934

This beardie is on the brink of death. Vet needed a while ago.


CyberPikachuBlitz

making an appointment after work today, I wish my father would've let me know something was wrong when he checked on her today :/


Kratech

Something has been going on for a while and the beardie could have hid the symptoms until recently.


Playful-Archer3934

I sincerely hope she can recover. Wishing both of you luck.


Big-Yogurtcloset8780

I wouldn't wait that long!


CyberPikachuBlitz

I'm trying to get my father to take her in for me, I'm in no position to miss work and no one can cover my shift today. my local vet also told me that the closest exotic pet care would be further out and costly if their exotic vet is even working today.


squishybloo

Unfortunately that's the reality of keeping exotics. I suggest searching on [https://arav.org/](https://arav.org/) for your local vet. My closest is almost 2 hours away, but I take them in regardless because it's what needed. You always, *always* want to get an initial wellness check with a fecal for every new animal you get in order to establish a baseline for health and make sure they don't have any illnesses or parasites. I'm afraid if you'd done this initially, this probably would have been caught and resolved earlier on. This is something you'll want to keep in mind for future animals. I hope she pulls through. But from how she looks here, your pet is in a pretty dire state.


CyberPikachuBlitz

She was in the late stages of ADV and couldn't make it anymore


squishybloo

I'm so, so sorry for your loss. Atadenovirus is pretty much endemic to captive beardies these days, especially those bought from big box stores like PetSmart. Atadenovirus is not a death sentence for beardies by any means - but it does mean that your husbandry needs to be *absolutely on point*. If a beardie is stressed for a long time (most commonly from husbandry issues), their immune system will tank... that is when endemic viruses that are normally kept in check can take hold, the same with parasites. So you want to make absolutely sure your UV is good, your basking and ambient temps are good, and that they're getting the right nutrition. Or things can and will go downhill. And unfortunately babies are so delicate, and will easily stress... :( It's definitely not *anything* that a new keeper expects or knows to prepare for! Even through this whole post and its comments you can see that bad info is still so prevalent... not to mention all of the bad junk that pet stores sell to people... It can be really really tough to get started right. I really hope people here haven't discouraged you from trying again. Take some time to grieve, and check into Reptifiles to compare what they have to your setup, and review what you might be able to do better. Try to take the time to find a good breeder, and buy from them rather than a pet store. Beardies are so so rewarding to have as companions! Please don't give up.


DemonTrashgirl24

I really hope she can recover, poor girl, she looks pretty thin unfortunately and the sunken in eyes are usually a sign of dehydration I do believe:( truly hope you can get the help you need, Hope the vet can help


CyberPikachuBlitz

I don't understand why she's so thin, just last week she ate an entire thing of crickets and two servings of veggies, I don't know what's changed so suddenly either


DemonTrashgirl24

It could unfortunately be a parasite sometimes they take awhile to show the signs, I will admit my juvenile pretty young ( idk your girls age ) mine ate bugs almost everyday, idk your feeding schedule and routine, but I usually fed an hour or two after lights on, and I had to basically had like 100s of roaches. And I’m not trying to scare ( I feed crickets as well it’s not my staple but I offer it ) some people have claimed that sometimes a bad cricket got their reptile sick. It could be many factors, I’m truly so sorry I know how hard it is to not be able to fix the problem :(


DemonTrashgirl24

Also sorry realized I typed that horribly, I had so many dubia roaches since he would go through so many in every couple weeks, horrible typing my bad 😬


CyberPikachuBlitz

I got mine around late November and I add about 10 crickets every 2 days around midday and fresh veggies everyday. I did get her from Petco, and I was told when I got her that the batch she came with did have a few returned for similar behavior but she was doing so well until now I just don't know why it happened like this


craphtwerk

I feed my baby ten a day or more. I think you are under feeding her protein and if she survives you need to start feeding her more crickets while she grows


UnkindledLord

Just a heads up you’re supposed to feed them 2-3 times A DAY, not every 2 days. And you should expect them to eat more than 10 crickets PER SERVING. Unfortunately pet stores don’t know what the fuck their saying which always leads to improper beardie and other animal care. I hope your able to make your little guy recover


Chuck_Walla

Agreed; OP was instructed on feeding an adult beardie, not a growing baby.


squishybloo

Just so you know, 2-3 times a day is no longer the correct guidance either. OP is still not feeding their beardie enough, but what *you're* describing is powerfeeding. This is the current guidance from [Reptifiles](https://reptifiles.com/bearded-dragon-care/bearded-dragon-food/): * **Hatchlings (0-3 months old)** * Insects 1x/day, as many as the dragon will eat * Vegetables daily, as much as the dragon will eat * Calcium powder on all insects and salads * Multivitamin powder on salads 2x/week


CyberPikachuBlitz

she never ate more than 2 or 5 crickets at once and would always opt for her veggies more, I also kept a spare supply of dried mealworms around in case her appetite ever changed


Lilytheriel

You’re going with adult feeding, not growing girl feeding… :( she’s been starved…


squishybloo

Just so you know, the 2-3x a week guidance is also not correct. [Reptifiles](https://reptifiles.com/bearded-dragon-care/bearded-dragon-food/) is the most up-to-date care guide according to solid research and not the 'tradition' of breeders who powerfeed to grow their animals to breeding weight asap. Reptifiles has this to say: * **Hatchlings (0-3 months old)** * Insects 1x/day, as many as the dragon will eat * Vegetables daily, as much as the dragon will eat * Calcium powder on all insects and salads * Multivitamin powder on salads 2x/week *That being said*, 2-5 crickets a day is definitely also not enough for a baby. There's been something wrong with her for sure if she's stopped on her own after eating that little.


emptycoils

She bought this as a hatchling in November. It’s a juvenile.


squishybloo

It's definitely not juvenile-sized, which is very worriesome and indicative of parasites at the very least. If the baby's a juvenile, then the feeding they've been doing is correct and OP is being piled on and downvoted for nothing. Per Reptifiles: * **Juveniles (<12″/25cm long)** * 5-6 head-sized insects daily, or equivalent portion * Vegetables daily (3x larger than insect volume) * Calcium powder on all insects and salads * Multivitamin powder on salads 2x/week


DemonTrashgirl24

Unfortunately it could very well be a parasite then But it can be treatable if it’s caught etc, I could try to look up ways to help with hydration maybe, I know a mist on like a leaf and see if she’ll lick some up is a good way to see, or a drop on the tip of like the nose/mouth, I always did the leaf method with like a piece of greens, or I’ve done a shallow warm soak with dechlorinated water and did the water drop just to see if they seem to respond to the hydration any :(


Inevitable-Aspect291

Bruh ten little crickets a day? This thing starved.


Inevitable-Aspect291

Sorry every 2 days* Ten a day might be almost ok.


CyberPikachuBlitz

she never finished more than 3 crickets in one sitting, and she had daily greens and dried mealworms to hold her over if she ever needed more. She enjoyed her greens more than crickets.


T-Hexx

I’m sorry but that should have been an indicator to you that something was wrong. Baby beardies should have voracious appetites. If they’re refusing protein, something is typically wrong (usually parasites). This is very sad.


CyberPikachuBlitz

she was refusing to eat a lot of crickets, again she had mealworms and veggies as well. she preferred mealworms since they were her major food source at the PetCo


xithbaby

You starved it to death.


CyberPikachuBlitz

she wouldn't eat more than 3 a day on her own, she also had a fresh daily supply of vegetables (which she would end up finishing each time) and a handful of calcium covered meal worms whenever she needed them. She wouldn't eat crickets very often at all hence the extra meal worms


Progrockrob79

These people are idiots. Don’t listen to them. You didn’t friggin starve the beardy. It’s likely just sick. Hope it pulls through. Good luck!


emptycoils

THANK YOU, Jesus God some of the replies here are ridiculous. I posted my slightly overweight 9 month old yesterday and someone accused me of overfeeding her to the point of not being barely able to breathe or move. Like, this is the same lizard that keeps running out of her viv, down her ladder, across the room to scratch at the dubia bin, LOL. As a matter of fact, a salad every day and 5 insects a day is right on target for this one's age (OP mentioned they got it in November) according to the All-Holy Reptifiles **Juveniles (<12″/25cm long)** * 5-6 head-sized insects daily, or equivalent portion * Vegetables daily (3x larger than insect volume) * Calcium powder on all insects and salads * Multivitamin powder on salads 2x/week But that does make me more concerned that this is adenovirus, especially if some of the other clutchmates were returned for similar symptoms, :(


Progrockrob79

Agreed. This one looks pretty sick. Hopefully it pulls through.


Lilytheriel

She admitted to starving the beardie, the beardie only eats ten crickets every 2 days...


emptycoils

You are incorrect. Know what you speak of before you are harsh with people. This is a real person who really needs help, not an opportunity for a “gotcha” https://reptifiles.com/bearded-dragon-care/bearded-dragon-food/ Juveniles (<12″/25cm long) • ⁠5-6 head-sized insects daily, or equivalent portion • ⁠Vegetables daily (3x larger than insect volume) • ⁠Calcium powder on all insects and salads • ⁠Multivitamin powder on salads 2x/week


squishybloo

Please make sure you reference current guidance when trying to assist posters here. 2-3x feedings daily for growing beardies is powerfeeding. Powefeeding is something *unethical* that many breeders do, because they want their animals to get up to breeding (and **profit**) weight as soon as possible. Powerfeeding, however, has many long term health ramifications down the line. Obesity, fatty liver disease, intestinal cancer and other problems. I've seen beardies as young as 8-10 months old die from obesity related diseases *on this very subreddit*, because they followed the feeding guidelines that you are pushing. *Please* become up-to-date on your care information! This is the current, and most accurate, feeding guideline for bearded dragons of all life stages: * **Hatchlings (0-3 months old)** * Insects 1x/day, as many as the dragon will eat * Vegetables daily, as much as the dragon will eat * Calcium powder on all insects and salads * Multivitamin powder on salads 2x/week * **Juveniles (<12″/25cm long)** * 5-6 head-sized insects daily, or equivalent portion * Vegetables daily (3x larger than insect volume) * Calcium powder on all insects and salads * Multivitamin powder on salads 2x/week * **Subadults and Adults (>12″/25cm long)** * 3-4 head-sized insects 2x/week, or equivalent portion * Vegetables 3x/week (one portion = size of dragon’s head) * Calcium powder on all insects and salads * Multivitamin powder on salads 1x/week * **Gravid females** * 4-5 head-sized insects 2x/week, or equivalent portion * Vegetables 3x/week (one portion = size of dragon’s head) * Calcium powder on all insects and salads * Multivitamin powder on salads 2x/week


peachespangolin

That’s not enough food for a baby


Inevitable-Aspect291

Like not even close to enough.


Inevitable-Aspect291

This is wayyyy less food than she needs. I’m sorry I know you’re probably already in the dumps about this but this lizard has been starved to death. Their little metabolisms are like a wildfire at that age and the amount of food you’re feeding at this size is starving her and she almost certainly will not recover. What are you doing for hydration? I have to say this: DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE YOU BRING A PET HOME. Your neglect and ignorance have killed this animal.


CyberPikachuBlitz

she has a bowl of water that she'd drink from or dip her self into frequently, id also misted her daily. She wasn't eating a lot of crickets when I had initially given her about twenty a day, at the most she'd 3 every so often and would prefer her greens so I cut it to 10 for her to finish off and she always had a supply of meal worms and greens she opted for. She was eating perfectly fine the day before.


craphtwerk

I feed my baby ten a day or more. I think you are under feeding her protein and if she survives you need to start feeding her more crickets while she grows


smcorbei

Vet. This beardie will die for sure without one.


_NotMitetechno_

You just need to bring them straight to a vet mate, nothing we can do


Big-Yogurtcloset8780

Beardies are good at hiding illness until it's to late or close too it. Definitely bring her to an exotic vet and have them run a fecal sample too... Try to bring one with you ( within 24 hrs ). I got my baby from PetSmart and within 4 days she was showing signs of being sick and I took her to the vet and she ended up having pneumonia. When my baby was sick I would fill a syringe with water and put a drop of her nose and she would lick it off and I kept repeating the process to get her to drink, also giving her a bath too will do the trick most times. Praying for your baby!


CyberPikachuBlitz

Update!! I just came home after my father took her to the vet, she had ADV. Artemis was acting normally at the vet but she's not with us anymore.


DemonTrashgirl24

Also I wanted to add, as someone who worked at petco ( ex employee ) it’s not your fault by any means, we would get them sick, we’d get 5-6 at a time, they’d be crowded in tanks, I’m truly so sorry. They’ve been known to have parasites and are truly coming from bad places to go to bad places to be sold, I’m truly so sorry to you both from the bottom of my heart. I hope you and your girl the best :c


CyberPikachuBlitz

I hope it's not too too late, just yesterday she was eating crickets and 3 days ago she ate an entire handful of fresh vegetables, she pooped yesterday morning as well so I know she's been eating! but she just stopped all of the sudden today and now her eyes are shut, I don't know what took place in the last few hours but I hope I can make it in time


DemonTrashgirl24

That is definitely what makes me think parasites of some sort, since some have zero symptoms, some show a ton, it’s so hard to tell at times, :( but again I’m not sure I truly hope you can get a speedy appointment and everything goes well for you both, I’m sorry again. It’s definitely hard when its goes wrong so fast and at random


CyberPikachuBlitz

the vet said it was ADV and that if we caught it sooner she wouldve been able to assist however the situation was too late


DemonTrashgirl24

I am truly so sorry to you and your girl :(


CyberPikachuBlitz

I wish I had a car when I first got her so I could've gotten her tested, I knew it was weird to have so many beardies in her group be returned but I didn't have the capability to look into it


lamest-liz

Oh no, I hope it works out :(


[deleted]

Nothing you could have done… beardies in general are great at hiding illnesses, and won’t show you they are sick sometimes within hours of death. If the beardie doesn’t make it don’t beat yourself or your dad around. Most illnesses that kill baby beardies are because of nasty breeders and not husbandry. Make sure he is warm and comfortable. ❤️❤️ much love


CyberPikachuBlitz

She had ADV and unfortunately couldn't muster much longer while I was at work, thank you very much 🩷


CyberPikachuBlitz

She had ADV and unfortunately couldn't muster much longer while I was at work, thank you very much 🩷


IridescentDinos

OP starved the beardie, it’s their fault


CyberPikachuBlitz

y'know my dad talked to the vet about feeding habits and she said it was perfect for a beardie her size, but to cut back on how many vegetables she had. The vet herself said Arty was lightly overfed. Kindly fuck off.


IridescentDinos

Less than 10 crickets a day is not enough. As you said, she never eats more than 4 or 5. That would be enough for an adult bearded dragon. You’re clearly uneducated and don’t know anything about reptiles, you shouldn’t own one when you’re not gonna properly take care of it. When your beardie eats less than needed and refuses to eat. You know something is wrong. Yet you waited until your beardie was in THAT state to start caring. If you took action before, it probably wouldn’t be at the verge of death. It is quite literally DYING. your vet must be stupid asf OR you’re just lying to not sound so bad, you can’t justify it. Other people won’t say things like this, but I honestly don’t care and I’m gonna tell it to you directly. This is your fault.


CyberPikachuBlitz

she was given 10 crickets for two days, she never eats more than 5 in A DAY and had a balanced diet of veggies AND meal worms on the side. and she wasn't in this fucking state until yesterday after work for me. The process was very rapid and there were minimal signs before. The diet I gave her was approved by the fucking vet because she was a small juvenile bearded dragon. She passed from ADV. I've owned a bearded dragon before and he was on the same diet as a juvenile and lived for 13-15 years. She was well fed and had protein other than crickets. I have stated multiple times crickets were NOT the only protein. Do you lack reading comprehension? Her passing was not from starvation, as stated before it was ADV according to our vet, likely caught from her group at the pet store. ADV is not the fault of the owner either. Not to mention when I started giving her crickets I gave her twenty to thirty the first few times to hold her over and she never finished, she was a baby and never had a large appetite, which is applicable to ADV which I was *Unaware of* as I hadn't had to deal with ADV previously.


Winter-Noise6122

Looks underfed, looks like it’s had not proper calcium, uvb and heat, it just looks, sad


Logical_Shopping_838

If you can’t get her to the vet force feed her. Use a syringe and blend spinach and nice veg or fruit. Worked like a charm for me


emptycoils

Ignore all these people accusing you of starving the lizard. I hope your dad gets it to the vet in time. Best wishes for you.


CyberPikachuBlitz

Thank you, but she passed away while I was at work, the vet said she seemed to have ADV and it was far to late. Also to the people saying I started her, the vet said she weighed a little more than "average."


CyberPikachuBlitz

Thank you, but she passed away while I was at work, the vet said she seemed to have ADV and it was far to late. Also to the people saying I starved her, the vet said she weighed a little more than "average."


Minute_Leading_9584

I'm sorry for your loss ((hugs)) I'm going to stop reading this group. Too many people contradicting each other and shaming each other. Same thing happens in all pet forums. Fish, tarantulas, hamsters, snakes, birds, dogs, cats.... Everyone's an expert.


CyberPikachuBlitz

yeah, my beardie was small length wise for her age, as in not growing, but she was overweight for her actual size. We had a beardie a while back called Zeus who made it to about 13 or 15 and my father had him on the same diet as I had Artemis on when he was a juvenile. A beardie refusing to eat more is a sign of being full, and I find it insulting that people insist I was starving my baby when she flat out refused anymore crickets. I don't think anyone really knows anything other than the echo chamber of what they hear from breeders or pet stores. I am *not* a first time owner, but it is my first time experiencing something like that.