CWD nearing death? :( :( :( PLEASE HELP US!!!!!

02SXViper · #1 (**permalink**) 07-14-2005, 02:39 AM

My CWD (Kamakawiwo'Ole) i believe is sick and near death, i need som serious advise.

1. He has "shrunk" about 1/4th of an inch since we got him because his tail keeps breaking off at the tip...

2. He spends most of the day in the water not moving, just soaking....its been this way for about a week, no mites at all, my fionce' and i have stared at the cage for hours checking...

3. SKINNY- since last month, he is about 25% skinner...you can see the skin drap over his backbone and his ribs every time he breathes. This is accompanied by a serious decrease in appatite. From about 5 dozen crickets a week to about 3...not 3 dozen, 3 crickets... ( prolly a little more)

4. wont eat meal worms anymore

5. temps/humidity is the same pretty much.

6. about 3/4 the way down his tail, there is a chunk taken out of it. NO SHARP edges in his cage AT ALL!! at all...>!!! im guessing a bigger cricket has been taking bites out of his tail as he sleeps???

7. he used to be so hyper you could not hardly hold him!!!...now he just sits on your arm.

CHANGES IN THE LAST MONTH and a Half or so...

1. moved him from downstairs (lots of commotion) to upstairs
2. added a fake plant to his cage (removed it today)
3. upstairs is about 5* hotter
4. i have fed more
5. i tried the big "large" size crickets around the 4th of july, he ate 3 of 4 (or was it 2 of 3?)
6. his skine went from dull green to very dull brown (i believe he is nearing a next shed?)
7.he has had a lot less attention since in the last 2 monthes we have bought a green iguana and a RTB

also--i change bedding every 1-2 weeks, i use coconut bark...and last week under his bowl, where it is ALWAYS wet and dark...i found some mold or green stuff.......that developed fast...how so??? hmmmmm, i changed immediatly

...i think he may be stressed from the crickets biting him and always having a lot of crickets around... check this out

before i would give like 5 or 6 mini crickets, he would eat em all then i would add another 6 or so........well, he seemed a lot hungrier so i add about 210 and he usually eats em all then i add more...so in the last 2 weeks or so, i just drop a stick of crickets in every day (about 12 or so) and i just realized they just keep piling up and up...

he stools are normal and in the water as usual....

ANY HELP WOULD BE GREAT!!!!!!!, there are no good herp vets near me, only in the cities i think, about an hour a way, so thats no big deal

ann0306 · #2 (**permalink**) 07-14-2005, 02:45 AM

I would make a vet appointment right away and take a fecal sample.

What is your setup? Size, temps, etc.?

buck2003 · #3 (**permalink**) 07-14-2005, 02:50 AM

I dont know much about water dragons atall, however they say its not reccomended to leave any un eaten food in there for the reason you already stated! The rep can become the locust/crix meal! Perhaps the change from smaller crix to the bigger ones fill him up and he didnt want to eat as many, then as you say they mounted up in his cage and started eating him, which stressed him out even more! ontop of that the move from d/stairs to upstairs! Does he have a good UV and has he been having any vitamin suppliment in his water? The loose skin could be cause he's dehydrated have you noticed him drinking? Maybe he hasn't drank cause of the mould or whatever it was around his dish? Can you post any pics of him and his cage so someone with experience can offer more help? Also are you using a thermostat, and how are you measuring his temps? what are they at? I really really hope you get this sorted! Keep us posted on him!! Buck!!

02SXViper · #4 (**permalink**) 07-14-2005, 07:59 AM

temps are 85-90.....they stay about 85 but once the day gets about 95* outside his cage hits about 90. humidity stays 50%-70%....depending on the mist...most the tine about 65%. has a good uva and uvb. , never any vitamins...only calcium and d3???? that are dusted on his crickets....i only gave his big crix once and never again...he spends a lt of time soaking and drinking...not unusual amount of drinking though.

size is a 20L, he is only about 9" nose to tail. i have a fake tree on the left, a huge water bowl in the middle and a /---\ shaped step under the light on the right side

i moved him down stairs again and have removed all off. im gonna put in like 2 or 3 little crix tomorrow morning to see if he will eat. and yes a thermostat

NicoleRussell · #5 (**permalink**) 07-14-2005, 12:57 PM

you need to:
1-get the animal into a 10-20 gallon nursery tank right away.
2-up the humidity to 80%-85%
3-give him a good UVB light
4-soak him up to 3 times a day ---for as long as possible in room temp (not cold or hot)water
5-give him about 3cc's of a pedialyte/dogfood (GOOD brand ) dog food mixture every day
6-find a vet

The animal is dehydrated....keep him in the nursery that is controlled for 24 hours---soak him as much as possible...and feed him some flavorless, colorless (white/clear) pedialyte alone in a syringe 3 times (about 3cc's)...spacing it out.
Make sure the animal looks green and a bit more hydrated....
By the 2nd day try the dog food mixture. Keep soaking him and keeping him as hydrated as possible. Keep his cage spotless....
please try finding a good reptile vet. A regular animal doc does not know enough about wd's to keep the animal alive.

Please post any questions or hopefully--any + updates

(I will be out most of the day --I will check back in this evening)

wreckwriter · #6 (**permalink**) 07-14-2005, 01:46 PM

Nicole's advise is right on. The only thing I will add is to stop leaving crickets in with him. What do the crickets do when they get hungry??

I suspect your lizard has worms, only a fecal can tell for sure so you need a herp vet ASAP. Try this link if you don't have one or know someone who can recommend one near you: http://www.arav.org/USMembers.htm

NicoleRussell · #7 (**permalink**) 07-14-2005, 02:11 PM

I missed that--yeah no live food at all right now.

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