6-month guy on a dubia strike, refuses salad (vet says to keep a close eye)

[CRene]

I have the most stubborn beardie. I have had him a couple of weeks, and he's still pretty scared of me but tolerates being taken out every now and then. But the guy has decided that salad is not for him (never, not even one bite) and has lately decided that dubias are not adequate and that he prefers super worms.

Yes -- I took him to the vet and she said he looks healthy; we are waiting on parasite results just as a precaution. But she has me weighing him regularly to get an idea of what's going on with him. (Currently up from 53 to 60 grams.) The vet reviewed lighting, temps, you name it. (I'm so lucky to have a great vet close by, even if she takes all my money.)

He's just not into eating, I swear. He has only come to his bowl a few times; he doesn't move around all that much in his 120 gallon home (I am considering putting him in a 40 gallon to see if it's less scary?). I bring his food to him with tongs and he deigns some things acceptable; others not.

Two questions would be super helpful...
1) Any tips to get him into salad? I put worms in his salad to make it wiggle and he is too lazy to dig for them. He eats them if they are visible, otherwise ignores the wiggling leaves.
2) Should I try another insect? I have BSFL and a few small hornworms arriving on Monday. I was avoiding crickets... But [updating after some comments below] obviously I need to stop using superworms as his daily feeder.

Thanks for any help at all. This guy is killing me.

EDITED to add:
- 120 gal tank with a long Arcadia T5 14% UVB mounted inside the screen; 150 watt basking light -- both on 6am to 8pm. The UVB is just a couple months old. (My vet says the Arcadia are good for a year despite many saying it's only good for 6 months.)
- I have a digital probe thermometer I change back and forth to monitor ambient or basking temp; I also use a temp gun (I know they aren't as accurate, but they help monitor for changes? That's my thinking) I had a problem with temps earlier because my basking rock absorbed so much heat, I think -- the ambient temp was too low even while the surface temp was higher. Now he just has wood as his basking spot with the basking light turned up much higher; surface temp is about the same but ambient is much higher. Hopefully that makes sense.

 

[Chris.]

Hey Rene, it isn't uncommon for beardies to refuse their salads and there are a couple of things you can try.
I found with both my boy and girl they don't eat much greens if they are "overfed" on bugs. Otherwise they are both good salads eaters (he is 18 months, she is 2 months).

But is that right, your boy is 6 months and 60g?? That sounds quite small, do you have pictures of him?

I'd keep the big tank, my girl is doing fine in a 210 GAL tank, so size by its own doesn't seem to scare them.

And yes, superworms are fine from time to time but not a good staple and I fiund the same as you, if my boy gets too much of them, he won't eat anything else.

Could you also go over your temps and the bulbs you use?

 

[KarrieRee]

Your dragon is hooked on super worms they are a treat worm and should be fed every few days -- he is probably tired of the dubias you might try some silk worms or BSFL -- I dont like crickets either they are a nuisance-- how are you getting surface basking temps? Digital probe or stick on ? What kind of UVB are you using and where is it for the tank -- coils are NO good -- how old is the UVB they do expire

 

[CRene]

Hey Rene, it isn't uncommon for beardies to refuse their salads and there are a couple of things you can try.
I found with both my boy and girl they don't eat much greens if they are "overfed" on bugs. Otherwise they are both good salads eaters (he is 18 months, she is 2 months).

But is that right, your boy is 6 months and 60g?? That sounds quite small, do you have pictures of him?

I'd keep the big tank, my girl is doing fine in a 210 GAL tank, so size by its own doesn't seem to scare them.

And yes, superworms are fine from time to time but not a good staple and I fiund the same as you, if my boy gets too much of them, he won't eat anything else.

Could you also go over your temps and the bulbs you use?

Thanks, Chris! I'll go grab a pic shortly. But I updated lights above. Sounds like I need to treat him like a kid that only wants pizza -- he'll eat the healthy stuff if he gets hungry enough??

 

[CRene]

Your dragon is hooked on super worms they are a treat worm and should be fed every few days -- he is probably tired of the dubias you might try some silk worms or BSFL -- I dont like crickets either they are a nuisance-- how are you getting surface basking temps? Digital probe or stick on ? What kind of UVB are you using and where is it for the tank -- coils are NO good -- how old is the UVB they do expire

Thanks KarrieRee -- I ordered some BSFLs. I updated the lighting info in the orig post. So it sounds like I just offer dubias and salad until then and he'll eat if he's hungry enough? (This is the "mean mom" strategy. Taking away the crap diet.)

 

[Chris.]

The Arcadia is a very good bulb.
I am also using and a big fan of the temp guns. They can vary a bit on surfaces they are not calibrated to but you could validate it with the probe from time to time.

Basically yes. He won't starve in front of a full bowl and he knows the greens are eatable. At 6 months his metabolism should still be quite fast so he should be hungry for it in a couple of days.
You still feed him bugs daily right? In the evening because if you feed them in the morning that could also be a reason he doesn't eat his greens.

 

[CRene]

The Arcadia is a very good bulb.
I am also using and a big fan of the temp guns. They can vary a bit on surfaces they are not calibrated to but you could validate it with the probe from time to time.

Basically yes. He won't starve in front of a full bowl and he knows the greens are eatable. At 6 months his metabolism should still be quite fast so he should be hungry for it in a couple of days.
You still feed him bugs daily right? In the evening because if you feed them in the morning that could also be a reason he doesn't eat his greens.

I do feed greens in the AM - I've never heard to do otherwise! Do you know why PM is better? Or is it just a beardie thing?

Yes I OFFER him bugs daily, but he doesn't always take me up on it... hence the parasite test is pending.

 

[Chris.]

I do feed greens in the AM - I've never heard to do otherwise! Do you know why PM is better? Or is it just a beardie thing?

Yes I OFFER him bugs daily, but he doesn't always take me up on it... hence the parasite test is pending.

Greens in the morning and bugs in the evening is good.
Otherwise you would serve him a steak and a salad afterwards, hoping he would still eat it.
I wouldn't

Okey, keep us posted on this. At that age my boy ate three to four adult dubias daily and would have eaten more if I had let him.

 

[KarrieRee]

I do feed greens in the AM - I've never heard to do otherwise! Do you know why PM is better? Or is it just a beardie thing?

Yes I OFFER him bugs daily, but he doesn't always take me up on it... hence the parasite test is pending.

If hes an adult he only needs bugs 2-3 times per week

 

[Chris.]

If hes an adult he only needs bugs 2-3 times per week

As I mentioned, at 6 monthS and 60g I'd consider him quite small but definitely not an adult!?

@CRene did you grab a pic of him?

 

[xp29]

The thing that grabbed my attention was you have only had him for a couple weeks.
Beardies don't usually lije change, and I've my boys were worse about it than my girls.
He is very likely still going through relocation stress.
I wouldn't make big changes to his habitat for a while either as it might prolong his adjustment period.

 

[CRene]

As I mentioned, at 6 monthS and 60g I'd consider him quite small but definitely not an adult!?

@CRene did you grab a pic of him?