Water Dragon: is it normal?

[vetstudent82]

Hi!
I'm babysitting a water dragon for a friend for a couple of days. "Spider" has always been active, he'd sit on his tree all day, but he's lift his head if I walked in the room and such, but these last couple of days he's been lying either on his hot rock or on his tree, ... almost passed out, eyes shut and mouth open. Of course, he gave me a heart attack, I though he was dead, but after touching his limbs for a couple of minutes he started moving his chest again and is just fine.. is that normal?
He's got his heat lamp on during the day and the hot rock, and I mist his enclosure a couple of times a day to keep the humidity high.. what's going on? [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]
Thank guys, my friends will kill me if Spider dies... plus, he's such a cool creature [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
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[jpaulson]

Vetstudent,

I do not recommend the use of heat rocks, as most here will tell you the same thing. If you are babysitting, then be sure to tell your friend too. Hot rocks are known to get too hot and cause burns. Even the ones with the thermostats built in are un-reliable..if the thermo. goes out, then the rock will get too hot. For some reason, reptiles have a difficult time figuring out they are burning before the damage has been done.

What are the temps inside the cage? It might be too hot. No offense, but is there clean water available for him to drink/lay in? Or, he may just be un-happy in a new enviornment. Dunno...
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[LdyDrgn]

On top of JPaulson's questions, here are my own: Does your friend have a UVB light set up for it? I believe this is one species that requires it. If it is friendly, I would say take it outside for about 15 minutes of sunshine if it does not have a UVB lamp. What kind of food is it being offered?
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[Blackwidow_woman]

[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_cool.gif[/img] As far as it sounds to me that its being heat stressed.. As far as the heat rock goes , please do take that out as JP said they can and will get burned by it.. also as ldydrgn
has said yes they do need UVB, i would set up a heat bulb at one end of the cage and the UVB light at the other end.. Make sure your water dish is big enough for the water dragon to actually get right in it for swimming and soaking.. Make sure its getting prey foods like crickets and wax worms, night crawlers- earth worms and also king mealworms that have been coated with a vitamin calcium powder... you can try a pinkie mice also and you could leave a few fruits and veggies in there but they are more a bug eatter than anything... hope this helps.... [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_cool.gif[/img]

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[vetstudent82]

Hey guys!
Thanks for the replies [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
I though the heat rock was bad only for snakes.. I learned sth new [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
The one that's in there is not on a thermostat and is pretty cool, I can hardly feel the heat on my hand. He's getting cickets and mealworms. His set up is good, water, calcium sand, but no UVB light. I'll tell him about it when he gets back! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Oh, and also, his cage stinks. I'm afraid to pull him out cuz he's only 4 inches long (excluding tail) and he moves FAST! How do I clean it?

Thanks for all the info [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

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[Blackwidow_woman]

[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_cool.gif[/img] I think you should get him off the sand right away its not good for a water dragon..Get him some cypress bedding.. also the sand could be causing a sand impack.. he gets it in his mouth by mistake with the food.. lizards will sometimes hold there mouth open when they ingest to much sand causing blockage of the lungs , stomach and intestines.. Also try fruits and veggies cut up real small and also try a new born say like day old pinkie mouse it should be small enough for him to eat.. Just make sure h it has a water dish that he can swim in,, the cage needs to be cleaned.... watch for him to regurge food as this could mean the sand has built up in his stomach or intestines or that he has parasites, get a fecal done... Hope this helps....
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[vetstudent82]

The pet store was the one that suggested the sand to them... ?????
Anyway, for tonight, I'll take the heat rock away, I misted the enclosre very well, the temp in there should drop.
By the way, he's in an aquarium set up. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
Well, Now I'll go to bed, try to not think of the lizard... riiight... and sleep.
I'll keep my figers crossed till Tuesday (the owner comes back then [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] )
Thank for all the help [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
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