# Bearded Dragon Drowning info



## maalri (Mar 15, 2014)

Hi RFUK and Lizard lovers everywhere.

I have a scary situation to tell everyone about. I am doing this so that the information is out there, not necessarily to answer or ask question. 

One of my two Dragons, Infernus, got out of their tank and into a neighboring fish tank (70 degree water). I was taking a bath, but right beforehand, I had just removed the dragons and cleaned the dragon tank and put them back. Infernus is about 6 months old and 15-16 inches long. He is the largest of the two (the other is his brother and broodmate Runt) and they get along fabulously. No nipping or biting or aggressive behavior. Well, anyway I didn't shut the screen lid enough, and for the first time ever Infernus got out. I was in the tub for an hour and a half, so he could have been underwater for 10 minutes, or the whole time.

I quickly (once I saw him) pulled him out and gently handled him slightly upside down, compressing his chest a few times. He seemed to respond extremely minorly and I had hope, but I also had to tell my self it just may be water or air escaping or nerve reflexes in a dead dragon :sad:. I then put him angled down on his basking rock/cave with the heat lamp directly overhead. Again he seemed to move minorly, but his foot was backwards and his eyes were half-closed and not moving. I again compressed his chest a little a few times. 

I ran on the internet and read a couple of tales of resuscitating drowned dragons and I and hope. I took him back out and used a straw to breath into him with extremely small puffs (STRESS-EXTREMELY SMALL- you can blow a reptiles lungs VERY EASILY) followed by patting his back a few times afterward. This was what someone on another site did and seemed better than actual mouth to snout. I did this for about 3 minutes and got a stronger reflex, but then again, I told myself, it could be because I put more air in him. 

So I put him back on the rock cave with the heating lamp, head down. Watery mucus-like liquid did come out, I would say my dragon produced quite a bit, about 5-6 CCs. More gentle squeezing, and patting of his chest cavity while he was warming up for about 5 more minutes and then I saw him take his first breath, albeit shallow, on his own. A couple more minutes, with some gentle help from me and he took even a few more, then one really BIG breath. This did produce a gurgling sound and a small amount of bubbles. Then a couple more minutes warming, head down and his eyes blinked! After about 5 more minutes making sure he stayed breathing, and I did have to help him a few times when he went a minute with no activity, and his eyes blinked again, this time a couple of times! Now I knew it was still touch and go at this point, but I really starting to hope.

I moved him down off the cave to the aquarium floor where I have an underglass heater and also put the heating lamp on the screen right above him. His brother came over and looked but didn't touch. Infernus at this point took a huge breath in and out, but I continued to watch his recovery. His beard was black, the first time in his life I have actually seen it go black. Then his brother Runt, after a bit, moved off and Infernus (who had ben taking shallow breaths regularly for a few minutes) turned his head toward his brother. This was his first movement except blinking. A couple more minutes of warming and he moved his right front leg into a more comfortable position! I was ecstatic at this point!! 

He has continued to get better, looking around quite a bit and moving all 4 legs, but not walking anywhere yet (I presume he is still happy warming up) and his beard had gone back to normal. It has been about 45 minutes since his rescue, and I started typing this at about 35 minutes, and have my wife and daughter watching him, and I have run back a few times as well. He hasn't crawled yet, but he has hissed (he rarely does that, but hey, he may be saying WTF! in Dragonspeak!) I wanted to share this with you and anyone else who may be in the same position. 

DON'T GIVE UP on your Dragon! 

Especially if it was cold water in which they went under. Also, I have only taken him to a regular Vet once, who did own his own Iguana, but was not a herpetologist. I will take him in for a check up to see if the Vet thinks his lungs are clear or needs to be on antibiotics or anything. My regular Vet is awesome with our Dachshund (who by the way does not go after the Dragons when I hold them- I think she thinks they are little dogs- just sniffs and walks away) and he (the Vet) did great for years with our Blue Point Persian, who just passed after 16 years. I feel, since he owns an Iguana, he should be able to do an after-drowning check.

--UPDATE-- Infernus is now walking around, his color is back (he had paled a bit) and he looks as if he is going to be fine! It has been about an hour total. 

To recap:

The Dragon could have been underwater for a very long time, over an hour, but it was no less than 10 minutes.

Immediately getting as much water and mucus out as possible and gently performing CPR was helpful.

Warming him with his head slanted down helped everything to drain, and watching to make sure he continued to breathe on his own and helping, rarely, when necessary.

The warming took about an hour before he was back to normal.

A Vet visit is HIGHLY suggested afterwards!


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## amber83 (Jul 29, 2013)

Oh my goodness! Poor little thing! So glad to read he's ok <3
And thank you for sharing


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## boz81 (Nov 9, 2013)

Glad he is ok, great you didn't give up on him


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## Fizz (Jan 18, 2014)

Poor beardie. Well done you!


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Crazy, I was fully expecting the worst. Very well done! :2thumb:


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## MrJsk (Jul 29, 2012)

Well done :no1:

Glad he is now OK : victory:


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## PDJ (Jul 24, 2013)

Great news.

Well done for hanging in there.
Pleased to hear the little fella is doing ok.


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## Pogonaviti (Jan 21, 2014)

That's good to hear that it's recovering nicely! I bet that was a scary experience for both you and beardy. 
(But, I'm reading it like the two Beardies are housed together. This is generally a no no as Beardies are solitary and will usually end up fighting with others. But since your dragon beat the odds with drowning maybe it will with company too!)


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## maalri (Mar 15, 2014)

Update: Infernus is 100% back to normal.

A couple of days later and he is hunting as normal (he only took a little Butternut Squash and Turnip and Mustard Greens on the night after his ordeal).

I was afraid he'd be intellectually impaired, but he moves and acts as normal, and I am so relieved. (He and his brother always occasionally licked the glass, but no bumping into things or anything). 

The Vet says that he can hear no water in his lungs and does not suspect any infection, but gave me a prescription for anti-biotics just in case. 

I am most surprised that his little heart started beating again after it must have shut down for quite a while. I am glad that water was cold.

And yes he does live with his brother, but they are almost 7 months old, both over a foot, Infernus is nearly a foot and a half, and they get along great.

If they do start to show any hostilities,I shall immediately separate them, of course.

Right now, they truly seem to enjoy each other's company and don't fight over food. The compete to see who gets the most crickets, but if they happen to both grab the same one, Infernus who is the larger Dragon, will usually let go. They share the same veggie bowl and eat side by side with no problems. They sleep separately or together, depending on their moods and the only one I have ever seen hiss is Infernus, and that was only 2-3 times total in his life, once after he drowned, and once or twice when he was brand new to me. 

Thanks for all the concern everyone!


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## LittleMissAlternative (Nov 10, 2013)

That's amazing! Such a scary but somewhat inspiring story 


1 male citrus bearded dragon
1 female leatherback bearded dragon


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## Corfel (Apr 29, 2013)

Curious how it got out of the viv and into the fish tank :gasp:


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## Mark1968 (Mar 26, 2014)

Wow, that was like an episode of Baywatch for beardies! I guess that makes you 'The Hoff'. Will you let us know how it goes at the vets? And well done btw.


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## Khonsu (May 20, 2009)

Corfel said:


> Curious how it got out of the viv and into the fish tank :gasp:


I reckon it was the dog that did it !


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## Corfel (Apr 29, 2013)

Khonsu said:


> I reckon it was the dog that did it !


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