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Q: What to do with an injured Bearded Dragon?
Posted By:

ritasrescue

In Relation To:

Iago
I kept 3 Beardies from a clutch of 18. They have lived together since they were born in May. Last week one of them, Raja, attacked the smaller, Iago.  I read somewhere that beardies don't normally like to live together. But, if they are housed as a colony from hatching, they tend to do well~ that's why I kept them together. Obviously I removed Iago and tried my best to clean up his poor little face. As I was moving away from their cage, Raja then went after the other beardie, Mushu. So, I left Raja by himself and put Iago and Mushu together.  They are getting along fine and no fights.  Iago's face all scarred up now. The viscious attack left him blind and I can't even see his little nostrils. He tends to open his mouth often. I can only assume that this is a way for him to get more air when he needs it. I have been forcing his mouth open and putting in wax worms and greens to try to keep him alive.  I only put them between his teeth. I let him chew on his own. Occasionally he will eat a cricket if it happens to land on his head.  He can't see, so he can't find the crickets on his own, I don't think.  
So, here are my questions:  Am I just delaying the inevitable?  Should I not force him to eat?  Would it be better to humanely euthanize him?  Should I continue to let Iago and Mushu live together? 

I haven't taken him to a vet since he will drink and will eat if food is where he knows how to find it~ except of course the wax worms. I really love this little guy and don't want to put him down, but at the same time I don't want him to live in pain.  

On another note: Once a sweet little guy, Raja is now one nasty little dude!  He is hissing and opening his mouth everytime you walk by his cage.  I have taken him out and handled him every day since the incident, but he is not getting any better.
Attached Photos:
Points: 150
Topics: Feeding , Skeletal , Caging
Tags: Bearded, Dragon
Species: Lizards > Lizards > Pogona vitticeps
Administrative: Show/Hide
Member Comment 9/9/2008 5:32:16 PM

Kaiyudsai
Are the eyes completely destroyed or are they swollen shut???
 
Author Comment 9/9/2008 6:33:33 PM

ritasrescue
At first the one eye looked to be very swollen.  Now it looks to be completely destroyed. The other eye is for sure gone. You can't really even tell that there was an eye there at one time.  Also, I don't know how long the attack went on, but Iago has sand all over his wounds. I tried to gently get as much sand off of his head that I could, using a wet Q-tip.  So, it's very likely that sand got in the eyes and festered.
 
Member Comment 9/9/2008 6:54:02 PM

Sonja K. Reptiles
I wonder if a course of topical antibiotic - and maybe orally, too, would be beneficial? I haven't seen this before, but if it were me, I would have to have him seen by a vet and try something, or I would always wonder "what if?" or think I could have done more. Maybe there's a chance the one eye can be saved?? Or the vet may be able to give you his/her professional opinion about what kind of hope there may be.
Best wishes - keep us updated,
Sonja 
 
Member Comment 9/9/2008 10:18:18 PM

Ivyna J Spyder
Take him to the vet.

That really should have been the first thing you did.
 
Member Comment 9/9/2008 11:13:33 PM

Joseph Jenkins
Good luck, personally I love beardies, and I hate putting animals down, if it were me, I would do anything, and everything to keep him alive and give him a chance.
 
Member Comment 9/10/2008 5:24:05 AM

MegF
I personally would have taken him to the vet immediately.  It's possible that with debridement  there would have been less scarring and the other eye could have been assessed and perhaps saved. It's late for that now, but I'd see the vet anyway to see what they suggest.  If you think the animal can breath and eat eventually, then you'll have to decide.  Lizards more than snakes tend to use their sense of smell to locate food items.  With his nostrils destroyed, there is not that ability so he might never be able to find food on his own.  Quality of life is important.
 
Member Comment 9/10/2008 6:33:21 PM

Kim Heller
He needs to go to a vet. Poor thing has to be in pain.
 
Accepted Answer 9/11/2008 5:06:36 PM

erikapi

Like most others said, he needs to go to a vet. It would probably be better to not have him on sand, paper towel works well with them, as it cannot get into the wounds and muck things up and it is easy to change and keep the cage very clean.

With your question about keeping them together, I wouldn't recommend it. There are so many beardeds that are missing limbs, toes, tails, because of intraspecies aggression. Sometimes they do ok together, but in many cases, especially when they are young, there are aggression problems. They are better off alone.
 
Member Comment 9/15/2008 4:11:38 AM

Andwhy6
honestly i would go buy some dry ice and put him down. In this case it sounds like the most humane thing to do. he is a baby so you cant have too much attachment to him already. would you rather take him to the vet who may just charge you a ton of money then have you lose the beardy anyway or just put the poor lil guy down so he doesnt have to suffer anymore. Im really sorry bout the whole situation
 
Member Comment 9/15/2008 8:12:26 PM

Ivyna J Spyder
Do NOT listen to Andwhy6! That is horrendous advice. Anyone who won't take their petto be treated or humanely put down because it's too expensive should not have pets to begin with! Don't get them if you can't afford proper vet treatment.
 
Member Comment 9/20/2008 12:46:55 AM

Jimmysan00
Take it to the Herp Vet ASAP!!
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