New Mountain Horned Dragon... questions.

I absolutely agree....but when they pay $10 for them and can move them for at least double their money quickly - then move on to a new show - never to be seen in the same location again, who cares, huh? Rumor has it that the skulls of the dead ones (who die in transport on in holding) can be sold for $35.00 to freaks so they actually make out better if they are dead. Like I said that's an internet rumor that I found when I was first researching them a few years ago.

The lady that sold me Pandora and Marius went out of business shortly after I made her refund the money for Marius because he died the next day and then went up there with all FroggieB's caresheet info and confronted her. Apparently there were a lot of other confrontations involved because she was a jobber acting like a pet shop and got busted by Fish and Game...last I heard the State Comptroller was looking for her for sales tax evasion. May I only add that I sincerely hope she gets exactly what she deserves as she abandoned animals in her shop when she ran away. Luckily they were found by a "silent" partner who checked to see what was going on and all of them were rescued, although it took a while for some to get healthy again.

As far as the mix of baby food...get veal (preferred), chicken or turkey. Use the pedialyte to thin it to a consistency that you can get in a dropper or feeding syringe. If it will just eat it by lapping it up that would be great but not probable. If you rub the sides of their mouths they will usually open up and some of them will bite you at that point. When they open shove the dropper in and give them a small amount...take it out and let them eat it. If they are really hungry when you offer again they will normally take it willingly. If you can't get the mouth open use the stick part of a q-tip between their lips and hold the q-tip ends and apply light pressure, they will open up....leave the q-tip pressed against the corners of their mouth (go easy) and drop some food in - remove the q-tip at that point. Don't force too much or you'll cause aspiration pneumonia. You can soak her in the Pedialyte - it only comes in big bottles around here so you might as well use as much as you can because you aren't supposed to keep an open container very long - that's on the information on the bottle so read that.

I would try to give no more than 3 cc at any one feeding if it is taken willingly. Don't force more than a couple of mouthfulls if they won't take it because of the aspiration issue.

I will have to look at the doseage information on the Panacur. You can get it from a feed store - they sell it for horses. The vet can also sell you some but probably won't without a fecal unless you have a reptile relationship with them. I think you can get MTZ at the fish department at a petstore in a capsule or tablet form.

Keep me posted.....Angie

If you have a scale weigh your MHD...usually a WC adult will weigh somewhere between 60 and 80 grams, depending on hydration, fat pads, etc....my adults weigh between 90 - 100 grams.

Angie

Ok, don't know weight... need to get a scale. Sounds like she needs a bit more food, we'll get the right stuff today.
The beardie we got at the same time, from an amazing breeder by the way, eats anything and everything. That's the difference between CBB and WC, among others.
She hasn't pooped so I can't take a fecal to the vet. If we took her there could they get a sample?
She opens her mouth just fine when you rub the sides... it's really cute.
Sent an email off the the seller we got her from... Konza Zoological Supply. They actually are at the KC show regularly supposedly. We let them know about the care issues and sent a link to the FroggieB site... hopefully they will care and pass that info on when they sell one.
Stuck at work til 10pm tonight, with a quick break... so probably no new tank again today. Sigh...

Fed her again this morning... same mix as yesterday... she's figured out not to open her mouth so readily. LOL. Got the better stuff so we can feed her Angie's mixture. Also put some meal worms in her bowl... wasn't interested initially, but we'll see when we check on her.

Hey guys,

MHDs only poop every couple of days or so...it looks like one of those short thick tootsie rolls with a bit of urate on it...their urate is much smaller than the BD...as is their poop....if you got the earthworms try dangling one in front of her face...maybe she will start smacking and eat it. When you get the babyfood she's gonna like that...so she'll want that instead of food. Don't let her get you trained....

Angie

Fed her the new mix again, did yesterday also. Soaked her yesterday & today. She did not eat her mealworms yesterday or today. No poop yet.Still cranky when you pick her up but she calms down. Almost went to sleep in my hand. She's pretty darn cute... hope she comes around to eating/drinking on her own...
Couple more questions...
1. the horns on her "eyebrows" are gone... the people we got her from said they grow back. True?
2. is she a more solitary or social lizard? Would she be happier with another female lizard with her?
Thanks for all the help so far.

Hello,

It sounds like your girl is hanging in there & eating for you! Do weigh her so I can help you get the appropriate dosage of panacur for you, ok?
Great she is staying hydrated right now. I hope that she keeps on improving for you. She almost fell asleep in your hand, that is so cute.
You can also get panacur from www.beautifuldragons.com too.

Tracie

It is an accepted fact that the horns will not grow back. Pandora had horns and beautiful spikes and they were intact when she died. Diablo had red horns and spikes and the little devil was so mean and thrashed around so bad he lost one horn at the pet store before we left and the other in his enclosure shortly after coming home. Bruja never had horns. 2Toe was a baby when I got her...no horns...but it looks like she's gettting some now at over a year old. The forum concensus is that I'm hallicunating. The 10 wk old babies all have horn nubs so I guess they come in that young and if they are gone then they are not supposed to grow back but I'll still watching 2Toes head!

They are pretty solitary animals...Most of the information that I've read about them observed in the wild said they just kind of hang out by themselves. All the babies have kind of paired up but I think that is so they can look out in 2 directions for predators because they are so small. I have 2 females and 1 male together - they don't seem to care one way or the other if the rest of them are around. Sometimes they hang out together close to each other but most of the time they stake out a place of their own and each one stays in their own territory. Seems like the only time they really pay attention to each other is when they are going for the same food item...which hasn't happened since the enclsoure move :-(.

Angie

I think she will be fine by herself. Are you sure you have a female? Post pics so I can see...

Hello,

Yes, definitely post some pics. Oh is she missing her horns? That is too bad. Poor girl.
I agree with Angie definitely she will be perfectly fine by herself. I hope that she is doing better today. Does she seem to enjoy her slurried food so far?

Tracie

hi there,
First I want to be sure and say thanks both of you for all your help and advice! It was well needed.
Well we weighed her today, she weighs 61 grams. She is about 13 inches long. Just to be clear she wasn't eating willingly by any means. Today (Sun.) after forcing some food, the second round she finally gave in a little and let food into her mouth from the edge of her lips. I put a wax worm in her mouth she tried not to eat it somewhat, half fell out after she bit into it and gnawed it a bit... I put the rest in a few minutes later, she didn't much appreciate it but after a few seconds finally swallowed it down. We got some of the flukers "first aid" powder mix and started her on that last night.
Today she finally 'pooped' this am, (Per your description! lol. ) How long is it OK to have the fecal sample for the vet ahead of time? My plan was to refridgerate it. Would this sample we finally got ( Sund., am) be OK to be dropped at the vet mond. morning?
I decided to try the flukers along w/ some of the other stuff . Since I started to notice a little sunkin in look around her tail base and hip bones . So i wanted to add something different. She's a stubborn little thing! Question, When I had my green Iguana's I could put a dropper or syringe past where her breathing opening was at the base of her tongue, when I couldn't get her to cooporate w/ feedings of food ,supplements ,meds, what ever. Is there any reason this can't also be done w/ the mountain?