New baby not growing please help !

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Babyb1414

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I bought my bearded dragon almost a month ago at a chain pet store. He has a great enclosure with a UVA/UVB/IR light. The basking spot is between 105-110 and the cool side is 70-80. I feed him dusted crickets w calcium powder a few times a week. And give him greens and non dusted crickets daily as well. I have also given him mealworms. He will only eat a few crickets daily and the last few days he doesn’t want them at all. He will only eat mealworms. Within the past month we’ve had him he does not seem to have grown at all. I’m not even sure how old he is. His back legs were shaking a bit a week ago and I upped his calcium intake and put him under the lamp. I have not noticed any shaking since. He seems lively at points then others not so much. He is very loved. Please help with any suggestions on how to help him eat to grow. Or what I’m doing wrong. Thank you !
I also bought “repti-boost” last night online and am waiting on that.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Your UVB and basking temps are the MOST IMPORTANT thing in the tank --- please tell me what your using for a UVB ? coil or a tube fixture? where in the tank is it at? top of screen or inside the tank --- how big is the tank? No more mealworms please----- crickets only and salads!!!!!!!!!! If his back legs were shaking it could be a sign of MBD--- this where the UVB comes in and the calcium-- he needs calcium D3 5 x per week ONCE PER FEEDING- vitamins w/ beta carotene 2 x per week ONCE PER FEEDING -- the UVB is what helps him absorb/ synthesize the calcium --- Order some BSFL and start adding to his salads in the morning the movement will get his attention DO NOT DUST them --- make sure he sees you adding the to the tops of his salads they are a great staple feeder for babies -- you will need a bowl like this to keep the worms etc in https://www.amazon.com/MACGOAL-Reptile-Ceramic-Leopard-Bearded/dp/B084VJJWTV?pf_rd_r=R0HNPKXJ2ZARWAT5MPAH&pf_rd_p=c5b6893a-24f2-4a59-9d4b-aff5065c90ec&pd_rd_r=0173f98f-f39b-4d44-9f76-6ae4d88c419b&pd_rd_w=AuGQB&pd_rd_wg=tLkwE&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_d
here is a website for nutrition ignore the kale thing its a good staple feeder
http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html
How are you taking the basking temps? NO stick ons please they are inaccurate - once we get the lighting situated he should start eating better ---
 

Babyb1414

Member
Original Poster
I bought a mega ray mercury vapor light 100w. I am only using this bulb as it was an all in one. The temp gauge is a exo terra thermometer. I have that one under the basking and it reads between 100-110. The tank is a zoo med reptihabitat 20 gallon I believe. He looks tiny in it and has plenty of room to move. He seems happy just very small. I have no idea what BSFL is. Thank you for the help!
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
You want basking temps taken w/ a digital probe-- does the Exo Terr have a probe on it? And the Mega Ray on a 20 gallon tank I am not sure on how to help so I am going to have Cooper Dragon help--- distance is key is the Mega Ray on a screen or on a stand above the basking decor? W/ the MVB we often recommend another UVB --- he may not be getting enough UVB if its sitting on a screen - the screen will block 30% of the rays so I am gonna have Cooper Dragon look at your post -- he should be growing -- we often tell people to start looking for bigger tanks as they do grow really fast so -- once we get the lighting figured out he may take off like a shot --
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
What is the distance from the Mega Ray to the basking decor? It should be 8-10 inches -- I am gonna say I would get another UVB for him -- he may not be getting enough UVB -- does he sit under that bulb? And please get a digital probe thermometer --- we need to get the lighting fixed and the basking temps correct --- you want him basking under that MVB or he isnt going to digest his food or get the calcium he needs -- the UVB is what helps him absorb / synthesize the calcium which is extremely important -- I would recommend getting a long tube fixture UVB -- recommending a 24" fixture your gonna need it in the long run anyway for a bigger tank and it would go right into one -- a Zoo Med or a Sunblaster or Arcadia fixture -- personally I would go w/ a Zoo Med -- the Zoo Med is going to come w/ a 5.0 bulb and you can use that now on the 20 gallon the screen would either need to be partially on so the 5.0 is not obstructed and you can place the fixture width wise across the tank w/ a distance of 6-8 inches directly above the basking area --- so have the MVB and UVB on one end of the 20 gallon tank -- but you must get these correct so he starts eating more and then he will start growing -- that would be the shedding part --
 

Babyb1414

Member
Original Poster
The lighting is zoo med. It came with a UVB coil bulb but I read everywhere that they were not recommended that’s why I got the mega ray. It was a 5.0 UVB. Should I add that to the light as well. This mega ray was advertised as all in one so there is one light socket where I could put the bulb in. He usually sits directly under on the wood log or on the white rock. The wood log goes diagonal so he can adjust where he sits need be. He also has shed before. Around 3 weeks ago. I was going to get the Long UVB light from Reptisun the 10.0 but I wasn’t sure how to place it on the tank.
111011-372719695.jpg
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
DO NOT use the coil!! They are no good --- you need to get a correct basking temp-- go get a digital probe thermometer from PetSmart -- you need it -- I explained in my last post how to place the long UVB on your 20 gallon tank -- but you want a 24" fixture not a 18" --- the 20 gallon tank is going to be needed to upgrade to a 75 or 120 gallon tank by the time hes 6 months or so --- once he starts growing he will grow fast and out of that 20 gallon tank -- 40 is minimum and I would not recommend that -- go big! I can post links on where to get the long tube fixture you need Pet Smart does not usually carry the 24" fixtures they are for T 5 bulbs and most only carry the T 8 which are not adequate for a 75 -120 gallon tank -- you want a T 5 -- think of it as a investment now for later on down the road -- you can look on FB Marketplace or Craigslist for tanks-- try and find one that has front doors -- they are more convenient than ones w/ out front doors -- if you find one make sure you disinfect it really good w/ Zoo Meds Wipe Out or some Rescue -- I would recommend F 10 but that stuff is very hard to find now --
 

Babyb1414

Member
Original Poster
Thank you for the info ! I have ordered the digital probe thermometer. One other question. Could it be he is just tired of crickets? He would eat as many mealworms as I let him. But I know they’re not good for baby bearded dragons. Also are baby bearded dragons supposed to eat 100 crickets a day ? I’ve read a ton of contradictory information regarding how much or what they’re supposed to eat. When he was eating “well” he’d only eat maybe 20 or so a day. He is going to the bathroom every single day and always in the same spot. I leave the crickets in the cage so I guess he could be eating them when I’m not looking but maybe that is an issue too. He’s too used to seeing them.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Please dont leave them in the tank -- they come out at nite and can / will bite your baby -- please feed like two - three at a time and count how many hes eating but he should be eating at least 20 per feeding --- order him some BSFL order medium for now and do not dust them www.symtonbsf.com they are a great staple feeder along w/ these they are better for your dragon and easier to keep dubia roaches www.dubiaroaches.com also get him some small super worms -- add these to the tops of the salads in front of him 1-3 super worms and as many BSFL as you want --- rinse them off before giving them to him -- look at the chart on the website you dont want any roach bigger than the space between his eyes length wise -- you can order like 200 at a time and keep them in a 10 gallon plastic tote or I use a 10 gallon aquarium they cannot escape from that order dubia food and some dubia dew / crystals for hydration - you can feed carrots and squash as well -- the BSFL you dont need to do anything w/ -- let them sit on the counter or by the dragons tank -- the dubias are easier to work w/ and keep you can get a dish like this to keep them in the insects / worms cant get out of till they get to big but its good for salads and your bugs etc
https://www.amazon.com/MACGOAL-Reptile-Ceramic-Leopard-Bearded/dp/B084VJJWTV?pf_rd_r=R0HNPKXJ2ZARWAT5MPAH&pf_rd_p=c5b6893a-24f2-4a59-9d4b-aff5065c90ec&pd_rd_r=0173f98f-f39b-4d44-9f76-6ae4d88c419b&pd_rd_w=AuGQB&pd_rd_wg=tLkwE&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_d
here is a website for nutrition http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html ignore the kale thing its a good staple feeder
the dubia roach site is taking minimum orders so I would get on there first thing in the morning and order -- keep the egg cartons they come w/ and put them in the tank -- he will eat about I am guessing 20 roaches per feeding if your feeding other things like the worms and salad and the BSFL feed as many as you want it will slow him on the roaches --- but he should get two feedings per day of the roaches for now DO NOT dust the second feeding of the roaches w/ calcium he only needs ONCE PER feeding of calcium D3 5 x per week and vitamins w/ beta carotene 2 x per week ONCE PER feeding -- put your dusting powder in a disposable potato salad container and put your roaches in there lightly coated you dont want them looking like powder donut -- same w / vitamins -- NO more meal worms please --- use the BSFL roaches / crickets and salads along w/ the super worms - as he gets bigger we are going to add more worms to his diet around 3 months or so you can add bigger BSFL and medium super worms along w/ butter worms and some horn worms and silk -- I can give you websites to order this stuff from -- your dragon is preferring the meal worms over the crickets -- dont feed him anymore and get some roaches -- but he needs to start eating salads now even a little bit but he needs to be introduced to them now and eating them his main diet is protein till hes about a year old but you want him eating those salads too
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
The MegaRay should be pretty good at that distance and as long as it's providing proper temperatures I'd keep it as it is for now. The thermometer with probe will help you get a better reading of surface temps. You can raise the bulb up by hanging it on something (there are specific adjustable stands for lamps that are available) until you are reaching around 100-105 on the log where he basks.

I'd add black soldier fly larvae to his diet and see how those go over. Silk worms are good too if you can get them (they tend to be more seasonal). Symtonbsf is a good source for black soldier fly larvae.

I think he will hit growth spurts eventually. They all tend to grow at different rates. You will need to replace the 20g after about 5-6 months or so depending on his growth rate. I would plan ahead on building or buying a 4'x2'x2' as his adult enclosure. Then you can plan out a new lighting setup. I'd go with a 24'' or 36'' T5 Arcadia 12% with a good fixture/reflector. The Arcadia T5 Pro kits are good. Then you can use a halogen flood light for basking. It will take some trial and error with the wattage you need but keep shooting for surface temps of around 100-105 right on the basking area with 90s around that and a gradient down to around 75-80 or so on the other side. Once you have this one set up you can use the MegaRay as a portable basking spot for around the house or as a travel light.
 
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