Sorry for the long message but i really dont know what to think. I own 2 beardies (19 months old and 3 months old) and i recently bought this guy he is 2 1/2 months and he arrived fine. So now i have 3. I didn't purchase the to two newbies together, but have housed them together for about 3 weeks. I know that they are supposed to get used to the new environment but they seem fine together, always on top of each other, sleeping, basking, and arm waving to my 19 month old beardie thats across the room. The new guy seems active and healthy to a point of wanting out from the cage. The next day I tried to feed him greens and crickets and he would just ignore them. Finally on the sixth day he ate one cricket and nothing else. I noticed that his tonque was a bit pale and brown and not the normal pink/red like other bearded dragons. Does anyone know why or has seen a sort of discoloration of the tongue. He doesnt eat often, maybe one to three crickets all day, no greens, and maybe a wax worm. He's somewhat skinny and you can see his folds of skin. I know he isnt dehydrated because i give him Electrodize and droplets of water twice a day. During feeding time, i always seperate them because the 3 month old beardie is a PIG!!!! and will eat anything i put in the cage. So i put the 3 month old beardie in the tub and try to feed the younger one for about an hour. Usually he'll eat a worm, or a cricket or two and at times he just stares at them. I seperated them yesterday and still no change. Now it sort of looks like he misses the beardie. Please Help!
it's not a questio of whether they'll be fine together or not, the problem with introducing new animals immediately to each other is parasitical or virus transmission. There are several VERY fatal problems floating around at the moment, so it's always wise to quarantine for at least 60-90 days with beardies. Anyways, as for your problems, I would setup the enclosures so that the two smaller ones can't see your big beardy at all. Even across the room, a big dragon can look very threatening, and that could be why he's off his food. Discoloration of the tongue can mean dehydration, or other problems due to stress or parasites. The fact that you're giving the Electrodize & droplets of water will help with dehdyration, but how much is he getting? A few drops will help, but not that much. Ours (even the healthy ones that aren't dehydrated will drink 2 or 3 full droppers of water in a sitting. We've even had some of the bigger girls drink 10 droppers full or more Ok, I suggested separating them before but I just read that you did that already I would run some poop down to the vet's for a fecal exam, and then treat BOTH of the younger beardies if any parasites show up. If they've been together for 3 weeks already, if one has coccidia or pinworm or something, chances are they both do by now (even if the consequences of those parasites aren't showing up so obviously in the other one yet). Don't worry they're not missing each other by being housed on their own.
Thanks for the input. I contacted the person i bought the beardie from and he said, "It would be highly unlikely that my beardie would have any kind of parasites. He said that abnormal heavy parasitization is a trait of imported animals not captive bred ones. It only lived with its clutchmates and they came right out of the egg. Sometimes a reptile can get pinworms from bad crickets but that is rare." The 3 months one was very skittish at first of the older dragon, i put up a barrier between the two and slowly lowered it until he got used to being around him or knowing that there was another one around, but now has no problem at all. He eats in front of him and even want to go in his cage. (of course i am not crazy to let that happen) I thought it would be the same with my newbie. Just some time and patience until he would adjust as well.
The only person who says it's unlikely is one who is not educated about the reality of beardies & parasites. Most beardies will carry SOME kind of parasites, and stress is the major factor causing those parasites to reach critical levels. WHEREVER your reptile comes from, it can be exposed to parasites. And there are other normally harmless things in their system that can cause big problems due to stress, dehydration and other factors.
Oh wow, great to know. I am going to seperate them, take fecal exam of them both and keep you posted. I hope you dont mind if i have other questions down the line.
Coccidia is the biggest culprit when it comes to beardy parasites, but as long as it's caught in time, it's rarely a big deal. If that is the problem, make sure to ask your vet about probiotics & acidophilus to run in course with Albon (Albon is the primary treatment for coccidia and can be hard on the system in itself)
