 Recent Herp Discussion | | | | | | | |  | 
11-Jun-07, 09:16 PM
| | | Eastern Water Dragon~Physignathus lesueurii
Hi im new to this forum,
I have been a keen reptile keeper sonce early childhood, i have cared for many different types of reptiles mostly those found within Eastern NSW. I was wondering what you would suggest if an Eastern Water Dragon is not taking food very well. I have normally found that they will take live crickets and other insects from the ground but one that has been in my care recently is having trouble and isnt as willing to take food for itself. This could be due to an injury but could anyone suggest what other problems it could be having. I am now in a much colder area so this also might be a factor.
thanks in advance 
Jesse
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11-Jun-07, 09:19 PM
|  | Willia6 fan Subscriber | Join Date: Jun-06 Location: Victoria Gender:  | | | |
Are you giving it any extra heat? If so how hot is it?
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11-Jun-07, 09:21 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Jan-06 Location: Vic Gender: | | | |
What injury does it have, are you heating it, where is it kept (inside/outside, enclosure size), how old is it, is it wild caught???
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[5:55:17] ihaveherps: pfft i took a dare at work to eat a chilli some blokes dad grew..... within 10 mins i was sh***ing fire..... have been applying lucas paw paw cream to my date daily since and every day a bit of my shpinc skin has been peeling off..... 3rd degree burns from a pepper.... best $20 i have ever made
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11-Jun-07, 09:22 PM
|  | Sublime Subscriber | Join Date: Jan-07 Location: Central Queensland Gender: | | | |
Do you have the EWD on a heat mat or something simular?
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11-Jun-07, 09:42 PM
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Yes i have adequate heat for it but im thinking in this cold environment maybe it is just eating less. The temperature where i am can get quite low compared to where i normnally used to keeping them on the coldest night i have been here -10 so i dont keep it outside. Yes it is wild caught i am currently nursing it back to health. I found it in shock laying quite still and making absolutely no movement away from me which as you would know is quite unusual for an Eastern. I figured that it had been hit or fell quite far off something and was stunned or in shock or maybe even a cat attack. I found no lesions nor does it appear to have any broken bones . It is quite lively, i have been hand feeding it meal worms and crickets and it is living in my room. Im going to release it as soon as i feel it will be ok.
When i first got it it happily took a cricket by its self but now it doesnt. I have looked after this species before and i have never had problems like this before. Do these guys hibernate during winter in extremely cold regions?
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11-Jun-07, 09:49 PM
| | Willia6 fan Subscriber | Join Date: Jun-06 Location: Victoria Gender: | | | |
Yes there activity will drop right off if he is cold. What temps do you have him at night and day?
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11-Jun-07, 09:51 PM
|  | Subscriber | Join Date: Jun-07 Location: Behind You :o Age/Gender: 21 | | | |
Probably combination of the cold, new enviroment and being wild caught it would prob be pretty stressed out.
Id say if he looks to be in good health and actively moving around etc then give him a feed then take him to habbitat close to where you found him and let him go near somewhere he can find safe cover and not near housing etc, cause without the right permit to take from the wild and care its illegal to do anyway (Dunno if you got one just saying).
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11-Jun-07, 09:53 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Sep-06 Location: Sydney Age/Gender: 21 | | | |
Yea the cold wether will more than likely cause him to lower his metabolism. By the sounds of it he seems in good health. Are u a licenced wildlife carer?
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faith is ignorance
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11-Jun-07, 10:00 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Mar-06 Location: Brisbane Age/Gender: 23 | | | |
Hi welcome to the site,
If you give water dragons enough heating they should eat all year round. If you keep the dragon make sure it is kept warm and secure. It will want a large water bowl it can hide in and a branch over it where it can bask. Leave it alone as much as possible as ever time you disturb it will be detrimental.
I know you would have the best intentions but often its best just to leave nature to take it course.
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12-Jun-07, 07:43 AM
|  | Seller | Join Date: May-06 Location: Somewhat Ashamed To Say On This Site Now! Age/Gender: 24 | | | |
i keep 2 outside in an aviary and this is their first winter outside..... its amazing to see them just stop and do nothing when its cold! they are down to being fed once a week and even then they dont finish all their food i give them! and they hardly move around at all!
so i wouldnt worry! and by the sounds of it, it should be ready for release now..... it sounded like maybe a bit of concussion from a fall? i think now perhaps it is feeling insecure and letting it go now may be in its best interests?
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12-Jun-07, 11:49 AM
| | Regular Member | Join Date: Jan-06 Location: Vic Gender: | | | |
It's actually quite common for many species to "freeze" when they feel threatened, it sounds like it was most likely staying still because it thought you were going to eat it and was trying to avoid being seen!
Best to release it were you found it and acquire one legally if you want one as a pet.
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[5:55:17] ihaveherps: pfft i took a dare at work to eat a chilli some blokes dad grew..... within 10 mins i was sh***ing fire..... have been applying lucas paw paw cream to my date daily since and every day a bit of my shpinc skin has been peeling off..... 3rd degree burns from a pepper.... best $20 i have ever made
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13-Jun-07, 10:59 AM
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Haha,
Yeh no worries i do have a reptile licence class one but not any sort of licence for taking or moving reptiles around in the wild. Yeh i will let him go in the next couple of days, i do like him as my pet but i know the laws governing the capture of reptiles from the wild. so yeh another day or two just to make sure then i will take him back to where i found him  Its been fun, reminds me of my childhood. Thanks for the help guys and girls...
Jess
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