| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| n/a |
Posted - 16/12/2009 : 21:29:05
Hi guys, Hope everyone's well. Not posted for a huge while as been busy with revising & exams.
Boycie has started to wheeze, in particular with exertion. At first it was like a gentle puffing sound (and I felt the air from it too!) but it has got wheezier. He has also reduced his feeds. He usually has 3 medium sized mice every 2wks - as per instructions frm previous owner. However, last wk he only took 1 mouse and the 2 feeds previously, 2 mice on each occasion.
Now....we recently (about 2mths ago) obtained a beardie and have moved boycie into the hallway under the stairs because his temp was getting too high from the heat given off in the beardies viv (even though we had it on plinths for circulation!). So from reading through the various posts on here, Im guessing he's got mild RI (the ONLY symptom at present is wheezing periodically). Our house is prettypoopin the way it holds its heat, we have plasterboard walls, so when its warm, its quite warm, but when all the body heat is upstairs and the heating isnt on, it gets pretty cold downstairs.
Our beardie is fine as he has his red heat bulb. Boycie only has a normal bulb that provides light & heat during the day and sod all at night (as this is how he came to us and following discussion with the previous owner, this is how he has lived for the last 5 yrs!!!).
But I'm not happy!!! (as you might imagine) And I don't know the exact temperature his viv goes down to in the night. Which would explain his lowering appetite and the wheezing? I know that his viv should sort of mimic what he has in the wild so-to-speak, but I just dont know!!! He wouldnt have a heat bulb there! But Im goin to invest in a red heat bulb so he's got the heat for winter months.
I would welcome any thoughts (if what I have covered isnt sufficient!!). I dont have a digi thermometer either, which I know I need to get, but I can't seem to find the one I need for the price I'd like, so again, any thoughts VERY welcome!!!
Thanks in advance |
| 13 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| n/a |
Posted - 19/12/2009 : 19:30:20
Just to update - Have sorted the lighting, just gone for a red bulb, heater's fab, awaiting custom made guard coming from eBay from a lovely lady!
Have a nice xmas y'all! (will update post with Boycie's health xx) |
| n/a |
Posted - 18/12/2009 : 20:35:33
Thanks Jen - I am buying one RIGHT NOW!!!! :D |
| n/a |
Posted - 18/12/2009 : 20:34:39
.......and I really need to go to bed as Ive got a stinking cold :( and various stuff needs doin round the house and the hubby's gone out :( |
| n/a |
Posted - 18/12/2009 : 20:32:06
Hi guys!
Well - what a flaming palava! Changed the viv round, had no bark as husband forgot to remind me to get some more, so had to use beardies substrate (which isnt pine) wood chips, boycie dont seem to mind it though. Got the heater in, but am struggling with the mesh I brought to enclose it (even if for temporary solution as I know the injuries that can be caused) as I have no means of ensuring that it is safe enough even if only for a few days. Searching online for a guard is proving a task and a half! They seem to be far to long for the height of his viv.....I dont know!!!!!!!!!
My husband has installed it so that bottom of the bulb holder is flush to the viv ceiling so that it isnt nearly touching the floor!!!! I have saat here watching him (he's currently under his hide). The temp at the cooler end is now 66f ( which feels ok), and the thermo grad feels good from one end to the other. Im just extremely concerend about the bulb not having the guard on...... |
| n/a |
Posted - 18/12/2009 : 04:22:47
How about some LED lights?
I think you can get some that are for fish tanks that are easy to attach,
they would give a nice viewing light but not give off much heat so it won't matter which end of the viv you put them.
You could even go all out and get coloured ones to give a more natural light!
This is the thermometer I use for Acorn, works great and is cheap! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aquarium-Digital-LCD-Dual-Mode-Thermometer-Tank-Water_W0QQitemZ390124878946QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Pet_Supplies_Fish?hash=item5ad5413c62 |
| n/a |
Posted - 17/12/2009 : 18:41:40
right, cant find what i want, so for the moment, the light stays and will whack the ceramic at the other end! |
| n/a |
Posted - 17/12/2009 : 18:17:19
I still would like a light source as he's in the hallway under the stairs and receives hardly any "natural" daylight. The bulb I currently have is turned off at night (currently 0715-1930) ish. I should just be able to get a normal red bulb? Would that be suitable? The man in the shop moaned that the one I have now would be hurting his eyes. I have read that red or blue lights are better, but will that provide him with the "daylight" that he requires for his bio-clock?
|
| n/a |
Posted - 17/12/2009 : 17:44:17
Hi peeps!
Ive got a ceramic heat spot, mesh to make the guard (very small squares) and a habistat dimmer. Thx for the responses. I wrote that he hadnt pooed, (but I thought I could smell it yesterday) Had a good hunt in his viv today and found 2!!!! The little bugger! So our plan is to, rearrange his viv tonight and get him sorted, the advisor where I get my feeds from advised pretty much the same as what I had read/thought/you guys wrote.
(Bit miffed tho, cos I could have got the stat cheaper online.....but hey-ho!)
Thx again
Will try not to leave it too long before posts.....hate just comin on forums when there's a problem, makes me seem like a whinger!!! :D |
| lee2308 |
Posted - 16/12/2009 : 22:16:05
if you think its a ri you best get him to a vet to be on the safe side |
| HannahB |
Posted - 16/12/2009 : 22:13:21
does the lightbulb he has now get turned off at night?
get a red bulb as soon as you can or a heat mat with a stat - they can be left on all the time and because of the stat it will not get too hot for him, with a heat supply all night it will keep the warm end nice and cosy for him,
im not too clued up with RI's but if it is one then is there any way you can move him to a warmer area of the house? Sometimes heating up the viv to warmer temps can help fight off the infection by giving him a fever,
do you have a digital thermometer in both ends of his viv so you can see how cold it gets for him? |
| matty18714 |
Posted - 16/12/2009 : 22:12:58
I would get a ceramic, guard and pulse stat if hes getting cold. Hes probably not eating as much because he knows its winter and he could have digestion problems.
You can get very cheap digital thermometers from ebay, just search for aquarium thermometers. |
| n/a |
Posted - 16/12/2009 : 21:55:40
Anyone? |
| n/a |
Posted - 16/12/2009 : 21:38:13
Forgot to add, that apart from all that, he's happy as larry!!!! He ate that 1 mouse on friday 11th and hasn't pooed yet either.
|
