recently my chinese water dragon has been acting very different and im almost 99% sure he's sick. he doesnt move at all he doesnt open his eyes and won't eat. recently ive noticed his neck is like sideways kind of. i asked my family if they dropped him but theyre saying they didnt. im worried on what could be wrong. any ideas? and how much would a vet cost ?
Hi Leon, long time no see! Although I'm not happy about the reason for your return. =( Can you review your setup for me? I am too lazy to dig up the thread where you described it before and plus some things may be different now. Some important things to include: 1. What are the basking and ambient temperatures and what kind of thermometers are you using? 2. What and how much was he eating before he lost his appetite and what kind of supplements were you using/how often were you using them? 3. What kind of UVB bulb are you using--be very specific. If you can link me to a picture of the exact kind you are using that would be great. 4. How far away is the UVB bulb from the basking spot? 5. When did you last change the bulb? 6. How long have his problematic behaviors been going on? The cost of a vet visit will depend on the vet and what the actual diagnosis is. It could be anywhere from 50-400 dollars...maybe even more...so I can't really give you a good estimate. But it does sound like a vet visit may be in order if this problem has been going on too long or if we can't correct it quickly.
I would say that by the time a water dragon is in the condition being described, it requires an emergency vet visit. Immediate, not tomorrow, or next week.
yeah i've been busy due to wrestling season. 1. What are the basking and ambient temperatures and what kind of thermometers are you using? His Hot side is in the 90s and his cooler side is 70-80 . i use the petco thermometers and humidity is 70-90% 2. What and how much was he eating before he lost his appetite and what kind of supplements were you using/how often were you using them? he would eat 2 grasshoppers or 7 super worms. iw ould use only repti calcium on every meal 3. What kind of UVB bulb are you using--be very specific. If you can link me to a picture of the exact kind you are using that would be great. http://d2oqjo3nc0aqra.cloudfront.net/11442/product/giant/504983.jpg it might be this one i dont have the box anymore ive had it for 2 months replaced it the other because i heard the coiled once were bad 4. How far away is the UVB bulb from the basking spot? its about 10 inches from the basking spot 5. When did you last change the bulb?answered in question 3 6. How long have his problematic behaviors been going on? its been going on for maybe 2 weeks now but the last 3 days is when its obvious something is wrong
Temperatures are good, humidity is good. UVB is too far away--those fluorescent UVB bulbs only have a UVB penetration of about 6 inches. Keeping the basking area within 4 inches of the bulb is best, for the animal to get the benefit of it. Again, given his current state, he requires a vet immediately. By the time a reptile shows outward signs of an illness, they are generally ill. When you first noticed something wasn't right, that was the time to schedule a vet visit. Now it is an emergency.
