took in a rescue.

[MikeM77]

So my wife and I got a call from our pet store. Some one had surrendered a 1 year old beardie. We were told that it was in rough shape, but I was not expecting what I saw when we got there. The poor thing ast a year old is only aboht 4 inches long. Its smaller than our 5 minth old babies. The girl who surrendered the dragon was feeding it six crickets a week. When she was told that was not enough, she srarted feedibg him who knows what. She also ad her temps low. The hot end was at 80 degrees. The poor thing also looks like a whoopie cyshiin with legs. He is severly impacted. We noticed that the box she had him in had dried coconut husk in it. This is what she was using as substrate.it also seems to be the cayse i f the impact. We have been treating him with cod liver oil .5 mg twice a day and several warm soaks a day. In the 4 days we've had him he has started to go to the bathroom again and is starting to be more active. His condition is slowly improving. We have him on paper towel for substrate. Hot spot at 120 degrees, new uv bulb( going to replace eith mercury vapor bulb), ten gallon tank for the time being. Any suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Mikoh4792]

So my wife and I got a call from our pet store. Some one had surrendered a 1 year old beardie. We were told that it was in rough shape, but I was not expecting what I saw when we got there. The poor thing ast a year old is only aboht 4 inches long. Its smaller than our 5 minth old babies. The girl who surrendered the dragon was feeding it six crickets a week. When she was told that was not enough, she srarted feedibg him who knows what. She also ad her temps low. The hot end was at 80 degrees. The poor thing also looks like a whoopie cyshiin with legs. He is severly impacted. We noticed that the box she had him in had dried coconut husk in it. This is what she was using as substrate.it also seems to be the cayse i f the impact. We have been treating him with cod liver oil .5 mg twice a day and several warm soaks a day. In the 4 days we've had him he has started to go to the bathroom again and is starting to be more active. His condition is slowly improving. We have him on paper towel for substrate. Hot spot at 120 degrees, new uv bulb( going to replace eith mercury vapor bulb), ten gallon tank for the time being. Any suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

It's hard to believe someone can neglect an animal to that point. 4 inches at 1 years old...

Glad hes in your hands now.

Does the petstore always call you incase of emergencies?

[MikeM77]

No this is the first time but they know we have the tome and patience to deal with these things. They just recently found out that a majority of our pets are rescues. This is by far the worst we've ever had.

[MikeM77]

Got home this morning and the little guy was deceased.

[Mikoh4792]

Damn. Sounds like you took this guy in right when he was on the brink.

Sorry for your loss

[dogcharmer]

Got home this morning and the little guy was deceased.

So sorry to hear that. If only you'd gotten him sooner. :(

[smy_749]

That happens sometime, not sure why, maybe someone can chime in though. Animals in horrible conditions who move straight to proper conditions do that sometimes...I had a leopard gecko get away from me when I was younger, and we found him alive under the stove almost 8 months later. Probably eating insects hanging out eating crumbs, and the warmth of the stove. Anyways, put him back in an enclosure and he was dead by morning...

[MikeM77]

Yeah who knows seemed like he was improving. Almost like itvwas a shock to his system.

[Starbuck]

could be something like metabolic toxins that suddenly have the chance to get released, flood the system, and are too much for an already debilitated animal...?

[smy_749]

Maybe it has to do with overeating after not eating that much for a long time. It can kill humans...

[Mikoh4792]

Maybe it has to do with overeating after not eating that much for a long time. It can kill humans...

could be something like metabolic toxins that suddenly have the chance to get released, flood the system, and are too much for an already debilitated animal...?

I think they are onto to something. Maybe the diet should have increased gradually and not instantly.

[smy_749]

My guess was either rapid change in environment (heat increase, prob humidity decrease) or something with food. But I'm not well rounded in bearded dragon knowledge so I'm just guessing.

[MikeM77]

A lot of good suggestions. I'm guessing the sudden increase in food with the change of habitat combined ead to much.

[Aaron_S]

That happens sometime, not sure why, maybe someone can chime in though. Animals in horrible conditions who move straight to proper conditions do that sometimes...I had a leopard gecko get away from me when I was younger, and we found him alive under the stove almost 8 months later. Probably eating insects hanging out eating crumbs, and the warmth of the stove. Anyways, put him back in an enclosure and he was dead by morning...

With rescues, a lot of the time they are surrendered well beyond the point of saving. Quite literally on death's door most of the time. Sad that people don't seek out help before this.

We may think they are coming back to health but there's obviously been prolonged damage to the organs and body and they just can't hold out any longer.

[smy_749]

With rescues, a lot of the time they are surrendered well beyond the point of saving. Quite literally on death's door most of the time. Sad that people don't seek out help before this.

We may think they are coming back to health but there's obviously been prolonged damage to the organs and body and they just can't hold out any longer.

So maybe a combination of the changing conditions and brink of death? The part I don't get is that they sustain that level of abuse for so long, and it seems that they only die once they are in a diff setting. It has to have something to do with the stress/diet/rapid change in conditions

[Aaron_S]

So maybe a combination of the changing conditions and brink of death? The part I don't get is that they sustain that level of abuse for so long, and it seems that they only die once they are in a diff setting. It has to have something to do with the stress/diet/rapid change in conditions

I'm sure it does in some cases.

A lot of cases the owner doesn't realize that they are as bad until just a few days before anyway and then do something about it.

Reptiles can hide it for a REALLY long time.