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#2086118
Roobz29
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1st time MHD owner, MHD is fat, and has been breathing with her mouth open? 
Hello, I am a first time MHD owner. I got Maxine at a local pet store in June. She was ill and had parasites. I had her treated at a herp vet and she has been fine ever since. Until recently...she is kind of fat, and she has been sleeping with her mouth open sometimes. She doesn’t eat as much as she used to. She is a picky eater. Sometimes crickets, mostly mealworms, and superworms, and every now and then waxworms. I was feeding her once a day, one worm or two. She has moving water pond, fountain, in a huge tank, lights, the whole sha-bang. I am scared she is sick or something? Oh yea, and she does poop every two days or so. But she is fat. Some days she eats, some days she doesn’t. Should I be alarmed?
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10/19/09 08:51pm
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#2086909
Tonybolony
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Message To: Roobz29 In reference to Message Id: 2086118
1st time MHD owner, MHD is fat, and has been breathing with her mouth open?
I have had mine for about a week now, it started out not eating a lot. I’ve been told (s)he eats every two-three days. some reptiles chill with their mouths open to release excess heat. I haven’t heard of them sleeping with their mouth open though. I’d say it wouldn’t hurt to call the vet, mine doesn’t charge for a few questions. Maybe give them a call, and ask what’s up?
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10/21/09 12:38pm
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#2086994
Rexxaroo
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Message To: Tonybolony In reference to Message Id: 2086909
1st time MHD owner, MHD is fat, and has been breathing with her mouth open?
if shes a bit fat, dosnt eat as much, then she may be gravid. prepare a lay box and put it in her cage and see if she lays.
as for the sleeping/ breating with mouth open all i can think of is an RI. calling the vet is probably your best bet. you can also hold your MHD and feel her tummy and see if it feels like she has marbles in her tummy. if you feel them< thos are eggs. make sure she gets plenty of calcium in the next few weeks. :D laying eggs drains the calcium from their bodies and bones.
Rexx 
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10/21/09 03:14pm
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#2087316
Roobz29
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Message To: Rexxaroo In reference to Message Id: 2086994
1st time MHD owner, MHD is fat, and has been breathing with her mouth open?
thanks for responding! i appreciate all your help...but what is an RI? and she hasn’t had her mouth open at all. in fact, she’s been roaming around the cage, in the water bowl, on the branches. i will try to get a photo up of her so that everyone can see what she looks like. i put her in the bathtub sometimes and she seems to like it in there because she starts doing cleaning herself and rubbing all around in there. i didn’t feel for marbles though. in fact, i think i tried and she just felt plump....just fat. i will feel again though to make sure. like i said, i’ve had her since june and the pet store didn’t tell me much just that she had just arrived that week to their store. i guess it could be possible she’s gravid if i don’t even know where she came from or how old she is. thanks again for your helpful tips.
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10/22/09 12:29am
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#2087317
Roobz29
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Message To: Tonybolony In reference to Message Id: 2086909
1st time MHD owner, MHD is fat, and has been breathing with her mouth open?
hi, thanks for responding. today she didn’t have her mouth open at all? but i am still new to this MHD thing and i have gotten so attached to her already. i think i might call the vet tomorrow. thanks for the response.
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10/22/09 12:31am
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#2087569
Rexxaroo
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Message To: Roobz29 In reference to Message Id: 2087317
1st time MHD owner, MHD is fat, and has been breathing with her mouth open?
hi there! No problem im here to help :) it may still be too early to tell, but they do lay eggs without mating. Do you know temps, lighting ect. in her cage? and are you positive its a girl? haha :) An RI is a Respritory Infection; like when we get a cough or bronchitis or something thats an RI :D in lizards they can get it from being too cold, or the cage is too humid or not humid enough and a number of other reasons. Warm baths help these types of lizards a TON. It keeps them hydrated plus they like the warm water and helps their skin to shed too :) (not to mention these guys are attracted to running or moving water.) ;) If you have any other questions feel free to ask :D
Rexx
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10/22/09 05:41pm
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#2087699
Dericka
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Message To: Roobz29 In reference to Message Id: 2087317
1st time MHD owner, MHD is fat, and has been breathing with her mouth open?
And this is the time of year when my female always laid her first clutch of eggs, right at the end of october. A vet could def tell you for sure!
deri
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10/22/09 10:14pm
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#2087750
Roobz29
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Message To: Rexxaroo In reference to Message Id: 2087569
1st time MHD owner, MHD is fat, and has been breathing with her mouth open?
hello again! well, at first the pet store told me it was a boy. but at the vet when she got treated for parasites and stuff, she said it was a girl. so i’m assuming its a girl? she lives in a 40-something gallon tank with coconut substrate. she has a fountain, a water bowl, and i have air tubes to keep the water moving. she has some plants and a big wooden branch in there. the temp is about 80 degrees and the humidity is 70. i have a uv lamp and a heat lamp as well. i actually change her water tub a couple of times a day so its warm and she usually goes in it and splashes around. i mist her several times a day. i am the only one that tends to her and picks her up. we originally got her for my son as a first pet but it turns out Max has sorta grown on me! can you tell me how long, if she is a girl, it takes to lay the eggs? i really need to get some pics up of her so that i can make sure she’s a girl first of course.
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10/23/09 12:54am
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#2087871
Rexxaroo
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Message To: Roobz29 In reference to Message Id: 2087750
1st time MHD owner, MHD is fat, and has been breathing with her mouth open?
the coconut fiber is okay as long as she doesnt eat it then it wont cause impaction but be careful :)
the eggs may take a while it depends really on the lizard. i had a water dragon that layed 2 weeks after being impregnated and another that was also impregnated in the same few days and didnt lay for about a month. But again, a vet would be able to easily tell you if she was prego :P
lol. also she could just be fat like you said. Depending on what you feed her. I feed mine earthworms, nightcrawlers, pinkies 2 times a week, crix, butterworms, silkies, and even fish when i get the chance. :D its ood to have a variety so that they stay intereted in eating and keeps em healthy too :3
lol ^_^ Your temps and everything sound good to me looks like youve been taking wonderful care of her :)
Rexx
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10/23/09 10:59am
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#2087876
Roobz29
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Message To: Rexxaroo In reference to Message Id: 2087871
1st time MHD owner, MHD is fat, and has been breathing with her mouth open?
i was having problems uploading photos of Max. I did look her over and I measured her too. She is about 13 inches long from snout to tail. how can i tell how old she is? i have explored the photo gallery and i feel like Max is huge compared to those cute little guys on there! I will try again later to upload photos. Thanks again for your help.
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10/23/09 11:15am
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#2088510
Rexxaroo
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Message To: Roobz29 In reference to Message Id: 2087876
1st time MHD owner, MHD is fat, and has been breathing with her mouth open?
no problem :) i dont know how old for sure yours is. there really isnt many ways of telling. your vet may be able to tell you how old she is.
Rexx
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10/25/09 03:29pm
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#2088541
Rexxaroo
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Message To: Roobz29 In reference to Message Id: 2087876
1st time MHD owner, MHD is fat, and has been breathing with her mouth open?
not sure how to tell how old she is, but i bet the vet could help you with that! haha :]
good luck :D and noo problem i love helping :3
Rexx
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10/25/09 05:11pm
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#2092479
Roobz29
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Message To: Rexxaroo In reference to Message Id: 2088541
RIP Maxi
I just wanted to thank everyone for giving me helpful advice when I needed it for my MHD. Unfortunately, after a vet visit, Maxi passed on =(. I was told that she was actually a little older and may have issues with her ovaries or something along those lines. I kept her as comfortable as possible and hoped for the best, and she was unable to recover. RIP Max. As a first time MHD owner, I got pretty attached to her. She was a beautiful, calm lizard and enjoyed having her. Thanks everyone!
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11/05/09 10:46pm
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