Tips for changing feeding times of new beardie I'm adopting?

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DorgEndo

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Devlyn
Quick story - I'm going to be a second time beardie owner to a 5.5-6 month old female beardie being re-homed due to divorce in the family/they have no time for this little girl. Currently she gets fed last in the AM, due to lots of other pets and children, as late as 11:30am for first meal. She'll transfer to my care February 21st.

The schedule I would have her on is:
6:15am Dubia roaches, as many as she wants in 15 minutes
6:45am leave greens in her enclosure and Exo Terra Cricket Feeder Rock
6:00pm Greens first, then Dubia roaches

Change water in AM, and also PM as needed.

I do not sleep in on weekends. I lost that ability! The latest I sleep in is 7:00am. Weekends I will add 12:00pm Dubia, or crickets, or other feeder. Monday - Saturday Calcium + D3 dusting on insects. Sunday includes Multivitamin dust on insects. I work M-F typical 8am to 4:30pm. I leave house by 7am, return at 5pm.

I'm a second time beardie owner. Had one growing up, who lived a long time even though I know so much more now. I want to double check I'm doing things right. A Vet visit is being done too of course.
 

SPandS

Juvie Member
I agree, just do it. I also rescued/adopted a dragon, mine was about 6 years old, but I just started feeding her just like I do my other one. It may take some time for your new friend to adjust to not only the feeding times but also the new surrounding.
 

DorgEndo

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Devlyn
That is what I thought, and I will do just that. Little beardie Devlyn has been described as a "lazy" eater by the current owner. However, I know that they don't have time for her so I'll make such judgements myself. Not judging too quick so she can adjust to being the center of attention in my house.
 

kingofnobbys

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DorgEndo":309hm6c3 said:
That is what I thought, and I will do just that. Little beardie Devlyn has been described as a "lazy" eater by the current owner. However, I know that they don't have time for her so I'll make such judgements myself. Not judging too quick so she can adjust to being the center of attention in my house.

Consider giving some of her food to her by hand .
>> it's a great way to build trust
>> it is a great way to bond with her
>> you'll know for sure what she's eaten and when

I had feed some of their food to all my pet skinks and dragons and have great relationships with them. I know Peppa enjoys it because she shows her happy colors when I'm hand feeding.
 

DorgEndo

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Beardie name(s)
Devlyn
kingofnobbys":33ct24zl said:
Consider giving some of her food to her by hand .
>> it's a great way to build trust
>> it is a great way to bond with her
>> you'll know for sure what she's eaten and when

I had feed some of their food to all my pet skinks and dragons and have great relationships with them. I know Peppa enjoys it because she shows her happy colors when I'm hand feeding.
Hand feeding is one of the biggest perks to owning a dragon. Currently she eats some greens and Dubia roaches mostly by tongs. I was going to use tongs initially and increase offering food by hand. I found some trust exercise videos on Youtube where people have their beardie on a low coffee table for meal times. Person sitting low or on floor so knees touch the table. Slowly offer food closer to your knees to encourage the little beardie to climb on a knee and eat from your hand.

Only other pets I have are one rescue tree frog and one cat. They eat on the easiest schedules ever. I have plenty of extra time to go slow and build trust with Devlyn.
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
DorgEndo":2yfrokub said:
kingofnobbys":2yfrokub said:
Consider giving some of her food to her by hand .
>> it's a great way to build trust
>> it is a great way to bond with her
>> you'll know for sure what she's eaten and when

I had feed some of their food to all my pet skinks and dragons and have great relationships with them. I know Peppa enjoys it because she shows her happy colors when I'm hand feeding.
Hand feeding is one of the biggest perks to owning a dragon. Currently she eats some greens and Dubia roaches mostly by tongs. I was going to use tongs initially and increase offering food by hand. I found some trust exercise videos on Youtube where people have their beardie on a low coffee table for meal times. Person sitting low or on floor so knees touch the table. Slowly offer food closer to your knees to encourage the little beardie to climb on a knee and eat from your hand.

Only other pets I have are one rescue tree frog and one cat. They eat on the easiest schedules ever. I have plenty of extra time to go slow and build trust with Devlyn.

Works a treat with wild skinks, dragons , frogs , geckos & birds too. I often have wild reptiles and bird taking food treats from my open hand or finger tips, some even lick my finger tips clean afterwards.
 

DorgEndo

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Devlyn
Adding an update here.

Devlyn came home early, on the 9th. Today is her 5th full day here. She has been slow and conservative about eating. Weight went from 186 grams to 182 grams. So far she has refused to eat anything before noon. I am guessing some of this is habit from previous home. She also seems to not eat until she has basked under her spotlight lamp for a few hours, about 5 hours, which is also about noon. Hot spot gets to 105 to 110 Fahrenheit, then dissipates to low 100s to high 90s for hot side of enclosure. Cool side goes down to 80 Fahrenheit daytime dours. 6 month old female dragon, 13 inches long. Estimated hatch date August 1st, 2018.

She mostly eats between 6pm and 8pm at night. Been keeping her lights on until 9pm, which is a little late for winter hours. However, I want her to have heat and light to disgest her food. Now I'm paranoid because she eats so late, possibly hasn't digested food, this is why she isn't hungry in the morning. Like she is stuck on a cycle of eating late because she only gets hungry late in the day, which repeats itself.

I contacted the pet store where she was purchased because I wanted to know the breeder/wholesaler. They refused to tell me...siiigh. I am going to bother them again and be a pain to try and get that information. The pet store she was bought at was is closing at the end of this month. It is a single store, not part of a chain.

Devlyn also has a vet visit scheduled for the 21st this month. The previous owner also took her to the vet after purchasing her because she had a respiratory infection at time of purchase. I know all the meds she was on and how she did receive a clean bill of health from that time, last week of October 2018. She has not been to a vet since.

I am sure she is still stressed from the move. I am only handling her for food. I also washed her enclosure with Fluker's cleaner before she went back inside the enclosure after arrival. She got a water only bath. Honestly I want to rewash everything! Using Hibiclens (Chlorhexidine Gluconate) diluted in water for enclosure and all furniture. I have providone-iodine on standby. Devlyn does not understand water being dripped on her with a syringe plunger. I think she is slightly dehydrated, her skin tents slightly (then returns to normal) when manipulated along the sides of her belly.
 

DorgEndo

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Alright, posting on the internet worked.

She just ate about 15 dubias. I lost count as I frantically was getting more dubia ready shaking on dust and feeding to her

Like clockwork she went from super relaxed basking pancake to standing up, twitching, looking for prey at 6pm. I fed her dubia until she refused to eat anymore, crawling back up to her basking spot to digest. All she has eaten today are those 15 or so dubia. I did my best to only grabs ones the size between her eyes, a few were a tad smaller.

Edit/ I checked her weight Friday morning, about 12 hours after finally having a good sized meal. Back to 186 grams!
 

DorgEndo

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Devlyn
SandP":2lnulv7b said:
Glad to hear she started eating from you. How are things now?
Thanks for asking!

Sunday she ate for the first time before noon. 3 dubia and some greens. Since then nothing before noon. She always eats a wax worm when offered. I've tried a few times of 1 wax worm, insert dubias until she starts to refuse to eat (about 5 dubia then she closes her eyes and won't try to eat), 1 more wax worm, then she will eat more dubia. I also offered crickets I have been keeping for my frog but she wasn't interested in them, ate 1, then refused. Collard greens and orange bell peppers are her favorite vegetables right now. She still perks up around 6pm and I can get around 10-15 dubia plus greens in her.

I do not want to over do it on the wax worms. 12 to 15 wax worms per week? She has not gotten that many, but I want to motivate her to eat more regularly and have time to digest food during the day.

She is more at ease now. Moving is so stressful. I haven't checked her weight since Sunday. She has pooped/urate twice in the past 10 days that I have had her. Stinky poop. Almost vet day.
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DorgEndo

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Devlyn
Devlyn had her vet visit today! Tomorrow I should results from CBC and chemistry panel. Devlyn would not poop for the vet, bit I can drop off poop whenever she does so next so the fecal sample can be done.

The Vet suggested I only need to dust with calcium once daily. D3 three times weekly. Multivitamin once weekly.

I have to take points away from the vet because he told me to be careful with multivitamin because of possible Vitamin A toxicity. However the multivitamin has beta carotene. Not preformed vitamin A. Same with any vegetables she eats.

Devlyn has not gained or lost weight since I got her. She should be growing. I asked for advice on increasing appetite but he didn't have any. I already make sure she basks for an hour before offering food. And I offer food lastly 2 hours before lights out. Some days she doesn't eat much. She also does not drink and may be slightly dehydrated. Skin tents when pinched but goes back to form within a second. He wants me to do 15 minute warm baths every day for the next week at least.
 

SPandS

Juvie Member
Were you able to bring in a fecal sample yet? How were the results from the other tests? I'm just wondering if anything popped up that might give reason to her not eating much.

Does she drink in the bath? If not it will do nothing as far as hydrating her. Does she like getting baths? If she does then I guess giving her one every day, hoping she'll drink is ok but if she doesn't like it or even gets stressed I wouldn't give her one that often, if at all. Have you tried giving her a slurry or even baby food? If she likes the tastes hopefully she'll eat more often and if you think she needs more liquid you could make it a bit more runny so she gets the nutrients from the food as well as some water.
 

DorgEndo

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Devlyn
SandP":1g9dwlav said:
Were you able to bring in a fecal sample yet? How were the results from the other tests? I'm just wondering if anything popped up that might give reason to her not eating much.

Does she drink in the bath? If not it will do nothing as far as hydrating her. Does she like getting baths? If she does then I guess giving her one every day, hoping she'll drink is ok but if she doesn't like it or even gets stressed I wouldn't give her one that often, if at all. Have you tried giving her a slurry or even baby food? If she likes the tastes hopefully she'll eat more often and if you think she needs more liquid you could make it a bit more runny so she gets the nutrients from the food as well as some water.
Dropped off a fecal sample today. She pooped just a little too late Saturday to get the sample in before they closed.

I had the blood work sent out to an affiliated animal hospital lab rather than have it done in clinic. Better equipment there.

The clinic did call me today...which is how I learned that I don't know the password to my voicemail! I got a new phone a few weeks ago and no one left a message for me yet. Tomorrow I'll have to stop by AT&T to get my password reset and I'll swing by the pet clinic to get a copy of the blood work results. Maybe they will have the poo results too.

Devlyn has done good eating since going to the vet. She was a bit mad at the car ride, but she's been eating more and gained a few grams of weight. 190, yay. She does not drink bath water but she does let her butt float until the water cools down. I had the crazy idea using a brand new never been touched paint roller tray for her baths. Her butt can float in water, her front claws hold onto grooves to easily keep her head completely out of water.

Edit to add...
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DorgEndo

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Devlyn
Parasites. Exactly what she had when she was a new little baby. Exactly what the 1st owner started treated but never went back to the veterinarian to check if treatment worked. I'd welcome help desiphiring the results. Right now the plan is 5 days of 0.1cc Reptile Deworm Series Gp1&2 (Fenbendazole), 10 days off, repeat 5 days of 0.1cc Fenbendazole. Then new fecal sample. The vet anticipated we'll need more medicine treatments considering the history of this parasitic infection for Devlyn.

Poor Devlyn. Living her whole life with parasites. She's a tough cookie and I'll help set her right. I am mad this wasn't taken care of. The first owner talked about how expensive the tests and medicine were. It was $53.55 and $30.00 for fecal test and medicine. That is really NOT that much at all for a pet in my opinion. Her chemistry panel and physical exam came out to about $300. US dollars.

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