Expert: Joe Zarnick - 3/21/2011

Question
QUESTION: Our beardie, Bean, was doing just great until this past week. He stopped eating (went from 6-10 crickets EVERY day, to 2-3 every other day), sleeps ALL the time, and only opens his eyes for a few seconds. I noticed his eyes were getting crusty, and started wiping them down, and read online that the UVB bulb we were using wasn't recommended. So, I stopped using it, and started taking him outside for an hour or so every day. His eyes started looking better, and he perked up for about two days. But now, he is doing it all over again. I am worried.... and can't find a rep vet any where near me!! Can you help in some way? Advice, referral to a vet, anything..... He is 5 1/4" long, and we bought him from Petsmart in February, they said he was a little over 3 months at that time. We have him in a 10 gallon tank, with a log that has two openings for cooler areas, and stretches to the top of the tank, a rock and a water dish. I bathe him a couple times a week, and he is still making bowel movements. We use the Zilla day white light-50 watt, and the Zilla night black heat light-50 watt. We stopped using the Zilla slimline desert fixture- desert 50 uvb T8 fluorescent bulb. We were also using the stick on thermometer, then I read that they weren't good to use either, so I am going to pick up the thermometer with the probe I have been reading about.

ANSWER: Hello, a popular brand bulb is sunglo. I have used the same brand for five years and i have had no problems. I have the basking bulb at 100 watts and a lower wattage UVB bulb. Remember you need both UVA and UVB. Try the switch over to sunglo and see if he improves. You may also want to consider a larger enclosure. Make sure he is getting enough calcium with his food. Let me know how he does,


Joe

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for the advice! It is really appreciated. He is doing better today, he ate (4 crickets) and climbed into his water dish. I will try the Sunglo. Should I get a 100 watt basking bulb? We only have the 50 right now. We are going to get a bigger tank here soon. I dust his food twice a week, should it be  more?

Answer
I have two fully grown adults and a juvenile. They all have a 100 wattage basking bulb. If it is a lower sitting tank then you may need to get a 75 watt bulb. If higher sitting, get a 100 watt. I usually dust my crickets everytime I feed my dragons. Always spray your dragon a few times a day with water. 78-88 is a good temperature during the day. during the night it can drop to the 70's.