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Meet Lizardo

Brizzle

Craziness
I really didn't want this guy but my friend needed someone to take him asap. My roommates were a little sketchy, but they agreed to let me have him.
He's a little over a year old and I guess tiny for his age. I really don't know much about these guys but I've been reading up anything I can find. He's supposedly always been "sick" or whatever. Never really growing and you have to handfeed him. He just seems kind of a goof. And I guess he's too slow for crickets.
His tongue always kind of sticks out, and his legs seem kind of dangly. But it seems like he gets around fine.
After getting him, I have to admit, I'm already falling for the guy. He's a sweetheart. He will sit on my leg and just chill with me.
Meet Lizardo..
(Sorry, boyfriend took the good camera to TX so I'm stuck with the blurry crappy one..)
lizardo008.jpg


And this one is so ya'll can see how big he is.
lizardo005.jpg
 
The problems with the mouth and legs suggest MBD (metabolic bone disease) With the right lights, diet and supplements you may be able to improve his condition
 
Yeah I know this guy is very thin. He wasn't taken very good care of. He's been moved around a lot. I think all they were feeding him were mealworms. I have mealworms and I'm going to see if I can get him to eat some vegetables. My friend told me he was never taken to the vet because "those reptile vets are too expensive." In about a week I get paid and I'm going to see about taking him to the vet to get a look over. So hopefully they can help me improve his diet and everything.
I have some kind of zoo med reptivite stuff for him to dust the mealworms in. If anyone thinks I should use something else, let me know. Or any other suggestions on taking care of him, let me know.
 
what kind of uvb light was being used and what is being used now?? I agree with diamondlil... sounds like MBD ... he will need lots of help and care.. hope you can find a really good vet :)
 
that little guy is adorable. when i was reading you description of him i couldnt stop chuckling to myself. Lizardo the goof ball lizard with a lazy tongue! :crazy02:
 
not that I know of.... both of my girls have pink tongues.. both my mom's males are pink as well... I know they are because there are 2 that will show them to you from time to time LOL
 
Oh, poor little guy! He's so tiny! My almost one year old is 19 inches long and 460 grams! He looks like he suffered some severe neglect in the heat/light/diet/supplement department. I agree with the MBD being most likely. Probably full of parasites I'd bet. Here are my three of my favorite BD websites. Most experts do not recommend a lot of mealies for BD's--too much chitin causes digestive problems. Superworms are the best, followed by crickets. Phoenix worms are excellent, but expensive and very small. Salads should be offered daily, and some will eat more than others. A good warm water soaking might help him feel better, especially if he's dehydrated. Good luck--I love these guys!

http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/home.html

http://www.biology.lsa.umich.edu/research/labs/ktosney/file/BD.html

http://www.bearded-dragons.com/tips/
 
The white tongue tip is perfectly normal. You have alot of work ahead of you to get him healthy, I also agree that he has MBD. The reptivite is ok, you will use it 2 times a week. You also need a good calcium powder, make sure it is just pure calcium with no added vitamins or phosphorous. Give him calcium every day, it will help with his MBD.

He is EXTREMELY small for a yr old but with proper care he will probably grow some more. Get him off the meal worms, they are fatty. Crickets would be better and some nice greens.

A proper UVB is super important right now,without it his MBD will get worse and it can be fatal. Get a repti glo 10.0 and make sure he can get at least 6-8" away from it.

Try this forum for more help, its the best one around for dragons.
http://www.beardeddragon.org/bjive/
 
Okay. Thank you guys so much! Ya'll are awesome.
Now it's time for me to sound dumb..
Is the Repti Glo 10.0 the same thing like a heat lamp? Or will I have to have a seperate heat lamp for him?
 
No, the Reptiglo is the UVB bulb--looks like a fluorescent strip light. They lose potency over time, and most recommend changing them every 6 months to be on the safe side. A heat lamp is needed as well. You can just use a simple household lightbulb in a dome reflector and place it above his basking spot. Use a digital thermometer (probe) to measure the temps. Should be about 100F for an adult. It should be on one end of his tank, so the other end can be cooler--like for the snakes. Sit the UVB over his basking spot as well and he'll benefit more from it--they're drawn to the warmth of the heat lamp. :)
 
Okay. Thank you. :)
And I was wondering..Is a 10g big enough for him right now? It's what she's had him in and I just want to make sure.
 
No, it isn't! That size is not even recommended for a hatchling because of the difficulty in obtaining a temperature gradient--cool on one side, and basking/warm on the other! An adult should be in at LEAST a 40 gallon breeder. My guy is in a 75 gal. and is pretty comfy. I'd get a 40 right off the bat for him.

Bindi's house:

 
Feed that boy some calcium dusted pinkies. They will help beef him upp, as well as provide some of the protein he is deficient in, AND more calcium than crickets. And he definitely needs a daily diet of greens and/or carrots and such. Too many crickets for an adult bearded is not good, it can cause liver damage. Crickets should be supplemental to the greens, as should pinkies.

And I second the Repti Bulb 10.0. It should, with the aid of calcium powders, help to reduce, if not reverse, the effects of MBD.
 
Ugh, my friend is definitely on my bad side right now. I'm kind of angry with her. She didn't give a crap about this guy.
How often should I give him a pinkie? Are f/t fine for him?
Thank you all for helping. You guys are awesome.
 
There's a lot of debate over feeding pinkies, as they are high in fat and a possible impaction risk according to some. An adult shouldn't have a problem with a pinkie, but I don't personally use them. I'd go for the superworms, phoenix, and small well gutloaded crix myself. Time, medical care, and good husbandry may reverse his health problems. If he hasn't been kept in proper conditions for a year, he may also have other health concerns, such as upper respiratory infections or mouth rot, etc. Hopefully not! We had an Iguana in to see us a couple of months ago...the guy had him for nearly 7 years and did not give him proper care (due to a lot of pet store mis-information). This guy was GRAY, stunted, MBD, dehydrated, multiple tail fractures, mouth rot and was just laying on the tablet not moving...We thought he was a goner. The young man was pretty distraught over him. Well, he took our husbandry and medical advice to heart, made many needed changes, and do you believe that Iggy made a wonderful recovery!! He turned green, was active, had bright eyes, mouth infection gone, gained 1/4 lb, etc! It's always worth a try to save them...you just never know!
 
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