Gippsland Water Dragon HELP!!!

[Logan & Allana]

Hi all, I am purchaing a trio of gippsland water dragons, 2 female and 1 male. I've been told by the person I'm buying them from that 1 off the female's isn't in the best of condition as she not long ago laid a clutch of eggs and apparantly her condition is pretty poor to the extent she could possibly die. The price I brought them for had this into consideration but I would like to try and save her if I can I don't know 100% her condition as I wont get them until saturday, he said the other two are fine however. What would you suggest to get the poor one back on it's feet. Thanks

[spilota_variegata]

Strange she's in such poor condition. I've had female water dragons that breed like rabbits and they've always pulled through healthy. I read in a previous thread about a sick beardie that was fed pentavite (spelling) which seemed to help. By sick, what do you mean?

[junglepython2]

Vet bills will be more then any savings you make by purchasing sick animals, so be careful.

[Logan & Allana]

I'm not sure like I said I havn't seen her yet and I'm getting it from a person interstate, all he said was that she went downhill after she laid her last clutch, she's in with the other two dragons and he recons that she just needs seperating and lots of food but then he contiuned with the fact that she still might die, so I'm not really 100% sure from what he said sounded like she was out of condition I guess skinny and not looking so well, I guess I'll know more once I get her, I"ve asked him to send photo's of her as he didn't the first time only sent me photo's of the other two so I guess she's pretty bad. It's a bit of a worry but I only paid $550 for all three and there all breeding adults so I guess that's not too bad even if she does die but I hope not

[Logan & Allana]

Originally Posted by junglepython2

Vet bills will be more then any savings you make by purchasing sick animals, so be careful.

I paid $550 for all three including a healthy male and healthy female it's only the other female that is apparantly sick, is that too expensive, he was very straight forward in telling me that one female was in bad condition but he said the other two were fine, I'm just hopeing that she is only sick from having a clutch of eggs rather than some diesease or something, bit worried now.

[spilota_variegata]

As a responsible seller, the current owner shouldn't (IMO) sell a sick animal. The seller should (IMO) take the animal to the vet and get things sorted.

I'm not sure about the price. I've only ever given my water dragons away for free. I know if conditions are right they breed like rabbits - well almost.

See if the owner will take the animal to the vet.

[Logan & Allana]

This is the person I purchased them from of petlink http://www.petlink.com.au/Classifieds/sale/418313.html
and here's photo's of the other two that are apparantly healthy hopefully I will get one of the sick one soon. thanks

[spilota_variegata]

Just had a look at:

http://www.reptilecenta.com.au/repti...er_dragon.html

It said adults are between 400-450 a piece.

Gee that top pic looks like a leseurii. Maybe the females look alike.. Anyone out there think the same?

[Logan & Allana]

this properly sound stupid but what's a leseurii, the top one is one of the females and the other two pics are of the male. How do you go about breeding these guys I havn't had much luck in finding any info out on them, also what do they need UV, heat light and what temps do you keep them at thanks

[spilota_variegata]

Don't worry yourself about my rambling. I've never seen a female Gippsland before.

The Water Dragon species is divided into two subspecies, the Eastern Water Dragon Physignathus lesueurii lesueurii (I keep these) and the Gippsland Water Dragon, Physignathus lesueurii howittii (I'd love to keep these but don't think they'd do to well in Alice Springs).

Did you look at the link I included in my last post?

[Logan & Allana]

yeh I did thanks for that, the pic of the gippsland water dragon on there was a little hard to see but you get the main idea. Do you usually incubate your eggs or just let the female do the work, I'm guessing both species are quite the same.

[Adandiluvsmyreptiles]

I'd say Gippsland as Eastern's have dark stripe from their eye to their neck whereas Gippsland lacks the stripe behind the eye.

Teni

[spilota_variegata]

Originally Posted by allana1313

yeh I did thanks for that, the pic of the gippsland water dragon on there was a little hard to see but you get the main idea. Do you usually incubate your eggs or just let the female do the work, I'm guessing both species are quite the same.

I've keep my lizards outside. I keep my enclosure partially shaded and moist. The water dragons lay outside. They bury the eggs in the moist sand - sometimes quite deep. I've had 30 plus babies in a season. I keep an eye out for the first hatchling then dig the rest up and keep them in moist sand at about 30 deg. I had 100% success for a few years (never lost an egg). Given up breeding them now after my big male died - broke my heart. I only have 3 left now, one male and two females.

If you do decide not to incubate, be very careful. Water dragons are cannibalistic and WILL eat their young. Anything that moves and is smaller than them is fair game.

[junglepython2]

Looks like a Gippy to me. $550 for an adult breeding pair is reasonable but if you need to take the other to the vet then that price may well blow right out depending on what is wrong. I'm with spilota_V the owner shouldnt really be selling a sick animal let alone freighting it.

[Logan & Allana]

yeah I agree I didn't think you could freight a animal that was sick by law unless you were sending it to a vet etc, I might have a talk to him about it when I next speak to him, if the poor thing is that bad it might not even make the flight a bit sad really, if he send's me photo's of her and she's in too bad of condition I might tell him only to send the two unless he can get the other one back to health before he sends her. THANKS everyone for you help.