hydration of new imports

simpleyork · 09-21-12, 04:37 PM

So say you pick up a new import. Seems to be a lot of them tend to have lost weight around the hind quarters due to shipping/stress. So you get them home, how would be the best way to get them up and going . . . I've heard a luke warm shower with the drain not plugged works well, what are your thoughts?
may be per species it could differ some as what to do.
Mountain horned dragons, and sailfin dragons are on my mind, Ive just seen alot of those two species that are in fairly bad shape at shows which keeps me from buying them.

UwabamiReptiles · 09-21-12, 06:30 PM

I have personally started giving any new animal I bring home a lukewarm bath for about 20 minutes before I put them in their new enclosures. I've been looking into sailfins as well, if I were you I would be patient and try to find cb ones. All the imports I've seen have been in terrible shape. Their are a few people here in the states that are working with sailfins.

infernalis · 09-21-12, 06:41 PM

Why not just put them in a correct environment and leave them rest?

I am asking, since I cannot wrap around the concept that soaking or bathing is going to do any good, other than further stress the animal.

They are reptiles, not sponges. Their skin is tougher than leather, so how does the soaking get "into them"?

Just searching for answers....

simpleyork · 09-21-12, 06:56 PM

I've also been told get them to a vet right after you get them, so you can have them treated for parasites, but have run across too many cases where the animal dies shortly thereafter. Wondering if that done too soon can put them over the top, might be better to get them less stressed like Wayne said, then take them in(doing a fecal just to know what you will need to deal with once the animal is more adapted to it's new home) If that makes any sense

infernalis · 09-21-12, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simpleyork

I've also been told get them to a vet right after you get them, so you can have them treated for parasites, but have run across too many cases where the animal dies shortly thereafter. Wondering if that done too soon can put them over the top, might be better to get them less stressed like Wayne said, then take them in(doing a fecal just to know what you will need to deal with once the animal is more adapted to it's new home) If that makes any sense

That makes a whole lot of sense.

taking an already stressed and dehydrated reptile and medicating it just further stresses an already comprimised animal.

simpleyork · 09-22-12, 01:12 AM

If I find a sailfin CB I'd take it in a heartbeat. I missed my chance last year for CB mountain horned dragons from LLLReptiles. . .my guess was since many come in gravid they had one lay and were able to hatch them out but not sure on that one. Hoping to find some reptiles on my list next week at the Wasatch reptile expo.