My water dragon has been not eating well recently. I've found crickets burrowed under things that i'd thought he'd eat. He'd only eat like one cricket a day or none. I'd have to feed him by hand when he had his mouth hanging open, once I placed the cricket in his mouth he'd chow down on that one, and sometimes didnt even finish it, but spit some of it out.

Also He's missing some claws on his back feet, i was wondering if that is a sign of an illness?

He's a juvenille, and he's very green all over, so he looks healthy otherwise.

My fiance keeps the house very cold and i'm currently looking for a way to keep his cage warmer as well, any ideas? We only have one basking light, and he sits at a window for his sunlight.

we also feed him a powdered cricket a day for nutrients.


PS This is my first post here...hope to get answers quick!!

PPS also he had some kind of watery booger thing dripping out of his eye the other week. i washed him off and it hasnt come back, is that normal? he often keeps one eye shut as well. i'm a little concerned.

None of that sounds normal. We need more information regarding his enclosure and temps. What size enclosure, what are the temps and if kept by the window is it in his tank in direct sunlight. Also you should feed him outside of the enclosure due to the hiding crickets. That could be the reason for the missing toes, crickets will nibble on the toes or other body parts.

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MARSHA

:D I'm smiling because I have no idea whats going on!

Can you tell us a bit more about his housing? Size of the tank, how long the lights are on and off, what your UVB source is, what the actual temperature and humidity is, what sort of water source do you have in there, etc....

What is a powdered cricket?

Here is our waterdragon care sheet.
http://reptileguides.herpcenter.com/...-t25.html?t=25

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

Water Dragons tend to have really excellent color, even when they're sick. If he's lost toes and he's not eating, you need to get him to a vet.

What he's doing with his open mouth, it's not because he's asking for food. There may be a problem with his eyes. If he can't see what's going on around him, he's going to be stressed out and scared. He'll keep his mouth open in defense, ready to bite whatever may come into range, because it's the only weapon he's got left.

It sounds like whatever the problem is, it's extremely stressful to your Water Dragon. Get him to a vet, and have him checked out. It may be something easily corrected with medicines, but if you let it go, it will only get worse.

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"Let's eat, Grandpa!"
"Let's eat Grandpa!"

Punctuation. It saves lives.

You need to take your waterdragon to a vet. He may have a respiratory infection, and I agree, the crickets he's not eating are probably what's nibbling on him. He needs a warmer tank with higher humidity and UVB light, as well as his basking light he already has. A UVB light is a separate light from your basking light, unless it's a mega-ray or power sun. Good luck!

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Kat

I would also like to say that sitting in the window for sunlight is not good enough...the window filters out the UVB so it will do him absolutely no good... the suggestion of a megaray is a good one! Best wishes!

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Warmest Regards from Lyn

Welcome to HC!
I'm sorry your dragon is not well.
All the advice you've received so far is good. I hope you're water dragon gets well soon.

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Andrea

Welcome to the HC. Sorry your first post had to be about your water dragon not feeling well. I think the Vet idea is the best one as well as getting a good UVB light. I have a power sun light for my wd and its been doing a great job so far. I'd deffinatly get him looked at, it seems like he's deffinatly giving you signs that something is wrong.

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My name is Tam and I have a problem.. I am addicted to herps

All great suggestions above... also, you might try mixing Reptocal and Herptivite in organic babyfood (like Gerber Tender Harvest) - fruit/veggie varieties. I use an eyedropper to drop this into my WDs mouth - this is their only source of fruits/veggies - as they only seem to want to eat PREY. I used to place a droplet on the tip of the snout and they would lick it up - now, they sort of know its coming and I can drop it right in their mouthes. Both of my female WDs are about 2 + years old and this really helps to balance out their diets. It might be a good way to get your little guy some nourishment - if he is not wanting the crickets right now.

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My Reptiles:
2 Female Water Dragons - Emmie & Zoey (age 2)
More About My Own WDs:
Water Dragons, Not Just Lizards
Emmie & Zoey
Wishlist:
Uromastyx
Chameleons
Sugar Gliders
My Other Pets:
1 Female Ferret - Jackie
3 Parakeets - Taj, Sprite & Willow
1 Male Pit Bull - Noah
1 Female Husky/Wolf Mix - Angel

~ Jess ~

Mine always liked babyfood veal which I would mix reptical and reptivite in with the mix. We also used the fruits (mango was a favorite) and veggies (mixed or green beans). This would get them back to eating on their own after illness. My waterdragons would not eat crickets, they would act as though they were afraid of them. I could get them to occaisionally eat a dried cricket with some baby food fruit. They also liked silkworms.

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Kat