Refusing to eat?

[nsteenveld]

Hello,
So i had gotten Echo back in December and the girl at the petstore said he was about 3-5 months. So he's pushing 7-9 months now. He used to eat like a tank, like more than 50 crickets a day. But recently(depending on the day) he refuses to eat in the morning(1 to 2 hours after he wakes). He'll eat a few but then just refuses to continue. Is this normal with his age? I know he's close to the age where their cricket intake is changed, but he still seems a bit young. Hes about 18inches with tail and pretty energetic. His lighting is fine, along with heat. I feed him Collard greens, apples, peas, squash(the apples and peas occasionally.) I know he's not impacted because he had just went yesterday.
If anyone has any idea whats up please let me know!!
Thanks so much.

 

[paulsmom06]

Mine is doing the exact same thing. He is around 19 inches long and probably about 8.5 months old. I've been looking online and it seems a lot of them start acting like this around our beardie's ages. Mine will eat a few bites of salad here and there. I have been giving him apple juice & Gatorade baths to help keep him hydrated. He will eat a few licks of baby chicken, apples, pears, and butternut squash but that's about it. He used to go through 1500 crickets and 800 ReptiWorms a week.. Can't say I miss being broke all the time haha.

Also, on some days, mine won't even crawl out of his baby blanket when lights come on. He just lays in it for hours. Other days, he runs his tank to death and never calms down.
I really think its their age. It's reassuring to know mine isn't the only one doing this!

 

[nsteenveld]

Thannks for the reply! It is very reassuring that he's not the only one. I worrry way to much about him sometimes. A lot of the tiime mine just lays in his bed forever. When he gets too cold he'll go bask but he always goes back to his bed after. Lol

 

[paulsmom06]

I am the same way!! I worry nonstop over him. I see dragons every single day at my job. Some have never had UVB lights. Others have only been allowed 1 or 2 crickets a day since tiny babies. Some have been kept on sand since they were brought home and stuffed with mealworms. One in particular who is a rescue was not given water or a bath for NINE years of his life. He also never had UVB. His previous owner claimed he got water through the dried up carrots buried under the sand in his 20 gallon tank. :roll:

When I see these beautiful beardies fighting to stay alive and living 5+ years in these conditions, I realize that our dragons probably have a pretty good shot at life. Thanks to this forum, we probably don't have to worry nearly as much as we do- althought it's easier said then done :wink:

 

[nsteenveld]

Yeeah no doubt!! Don't even get me started on pet stores! I feel bad foor all thosse beardies sold to uneducated owners! I took echo out today to explore and he freaked out. Beard went black and everything. Definitely a sign I need to start taking him out more! He's still not a fan of baths but I'm determined to change that lol. Any tips?

 

[ChrisMiller]

I have a new beardie who is doing the same thing and i don't think its relocation stress anymore. He's got happy colors most of the time, and will eat a bite of salad every day or two but shows no interest in his roaches.

I am surprised by all of the contradictory information on this site and others. Beardies being a desert species would rarely if ever come across water in the wild - other than that from their food source. So why would one believe they need baths, water bowls, etc?

 

[paulsmom06]

My guy hated baths. However, I was persistent with him. I made him take one everyday. He would get special treats in the bath, such as a lick or two of juice. Finally, he got over his bath issues and now he loves them! He enjoys having something to hold on to- a rock or a folded up towel. It makes him feel safer. Maybe try that?
And as for going outside, they do freak out! But take yours out as much as you can! Mine used to black beard and everything but now he loves to run around in the grass and bask in the sun. Once he got used to it, he loved it! He gets sad when he has to come back inside haha.

My boy has a water bowl. He doesn't drink from it. He just likes to run through it and make a huge mess with it. I have to offer him one just because of the random chance he decides he wants to drink. I agree- in the wild, they wouldn't have access to water all the time. However, he's not ever been in the wild so I just want to make sure to give him the opportunity to drink, if he wants. As for baths, he thoroughly enjoys them. He tries to jump into the bath tub as soon as I turn the water on. He likes to swim around in it. I have also found when he starts getting wrinkly and sort of dehydrated is when he doesn't eat as well. I have listened to the advice from these forums since the day I brought him home and he's already outgrown other beardies older than him. I am a firm believer in everything said on these forums. However, everyone should be doing what they feel is best for their own beardies

 

[nsteenveld]

haha yeah i definitely must give him more baths. I could always use banana as a treat. He looooves banana! I'll have to try the rock or towel thing. He's really good with being picked up and held but doesn't like blankets or being covered(he gets a little freaked out) although he didnt like his bed initially(but is now obsessed). I actually didn't mean i took him outside outside I just meant i took him out of the room he's usually in(due to 2 kittens and a dog he doesnt usually leave that room) I will definitely take him outside though but i live in Canada and we did just get a snow this weekend so its still not warm enough to take him out! I''m super excited for that too!
and as for the baths or water bowls i would recommend giving them some because in the wild if they need water in any way(through food or an actual water source) they are able to explore and find some but in their tank they wouldn't have access to it if its not provided so i leave one in there just in case!

 

[FuzzyNavel]

My 8 month old beardie is going through the same phase. She's only been eating around 5 crickets a day and not touching her veggies at all. She used to devour crickets and superworms. I keep thinking something is wrong but her tank setup is perfect. Maybe we're worrying for over nothing. :?