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 #1561371


Gillybean
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 My texas collard lizard is loosing weight!!!

My husband and I just got a texas collard lizard, probably less than a week ago. against the stores advice my husband put him in with our bearded dragon. They are not fighting or anything, but I don’t know that much for caring differences. We actually have a red light, about 100 watage, and the tank is right next to the window, for UV light. I don’t feel like this is correct. Anyway when we got our our Collard he was jumpy and moved alot and was filled out. Now he is not eating and has noticably lost weight, I don’t know what to do, and I don’t want him to die.. Any suggestions?
12/30/07  03:38pm

 #1562162


JackAsp
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   Message To: Gillybean   In reference to Message Id: 1561371


 My texas collard lizard is loosing weight!!!

Give him his own cage.
First of all, he’s almost certainly wildcaught and carrying things that your bearded should have as little continued exposure to as possible if you want both to survive.
Secondly, male collared lizards are territorial and like to be the alpha in their territory. Forcing them to live in a cage with a bigger lizard that obviously isn’t afraid of them is stressful. Even if temps and everything are ideal, he’s not thinking about food. He’s thinking about getting away from the alpha lizard and staking out his own territory somewhere else. Plus, he would probably bask more if he didn’t have to share facilities with the dragon, so even if the cage itself has good temps, the lizard himself might not.
12/31/07  02:00am

 #1563271


Gillybean
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   Message To: JackAsp   In reference to Message Id: 1562162


 My texas collard lizard is loosing weight!!!

Thanks for the advice, but I have a couple of questions.... Why do you think that he is wild caught? I definatly don’t want my bearded dragon "crunch" to get sick, but don’t think I can afford another cage at this point.. Have any ideas where I can take him? The pet store?
12/31/07  10:09pm

 #1564100


JackAsp
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   Message To: Gillybean   In reference to Message Id: 1563271


 My texas collard lizard is loosing weight!!!

Almost all collards in pet shops are wild caught. WC collards are very common and very cheap. This keeps the market price down pretty low, so only people who really like the species bother breeding them, and as long as they don’t charge a lot there’s enough demand for CB that breeders don’t have to sell to pet shops.
Often, the pet shops does buy from a breeder, but just not one of collared lizards. A ball python breeder who also buys WC lizards at wholesale prices and then redistributes them, for example.
If you can’t get another cage, the pet store is better than keeping him where he is. Was he healthy and eating there? In a lot of stores he wouldn’t be, but if they cared enough to try to tell you your housing idea wouldn’t work they’re probably better than most.
01/01/08  02:34pm

 #1564159


Gillybean
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   Message To: JackAsp   In reference to Message Id: 1564100


 My texas collard lizard is loosing weight!!!

Thank you so much for all the advice, I ended up taking him to a different pet store, b/c the guy I talked to had 15 years experience. He said that he thought he had parasites, and his tail was brittle, that he was going to try to nurse h im back to health. He said that the store we got him from most likley sold us a sick lizard, and also gave us the wrong information on how to take care of my beardie. So i am really glad I talked to him. Thankyou for your help!
01/01/08  03:36pm

 #1564562


JackAsp
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   Message To: Gillybean   In reference to Message Id: 1564159


 My texas collard lizard is loosing weight!!!

I’m glad you found someone in the area who could help him. They’re a great species, but too often they end up being treated like carnival goldfish.
01/01/08  08:27pm

 #1655632


Dminguit
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   Message To: JackAsp   In reference to Message Id: 1564562


 My texas collard lizard is loosing weight!!!

You should watch out now if that collared DID have parasites, it may have spread to your bearded. I would clean out the tank and disinfect it now that the collared is out, so that the bearded won’t be exposed to whatever was harming the collared.

Also, you said you put the tank near the window to get UV? I’m pretty sure the UV gets filtered not only by the window of your house but by the glass of the tank, therefore not as much UV is exposed to the lizard as should be. Do you have an additional UV strip light as well?
03/10/08  05:09pm


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