My beardie is on hornworm strike

I have a 1 and a half year old male beardie named Peapod. He is a very active and stubborn little lad. He is currently refusing all food other than horn worms. At first I was worried he had a parasite, but he is very active still and was just recently at the vet. After 5 days of not eating anything but a single horn worm, I decided to try my luck and purchased four for him. He ate them immediately.
His diet prior to the horn worm strike was a mix of crickets, giant mealworms, mixed greens (mostly bokchoy - that is his favorite), and strawberries. I have owned multiple beardies before Peapod, all female, and none of them have been this finicky. I've tried many times to coax him into eating his greens and meal worms, and I always leave a bowl of veggies for him just in case he decides to eat, to no avail. I'm not sure if he's just being extra difficult due to lizard puberty (aka reaching sexual maturity) or if this is an issue independent of that. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Regrettably, I have no advice at this time, but I have a 7 mo. male with the exact same problem--only Superworms instead of hornworms. He hadn't eaten in days, and has lost 10 grams (instead of gaining 30). He had even refused the Supers a couple of times, then last night, he ate 10.

I fear we may just have to tough out the battle of wills. When they get hungry enough, they should eat what we give them. At least I hope so!

Picky little barstads...

I agree, it's a battle over whos is more stubborn. You have to come out victorious. lol

In fact, I'm starting to experience that with my human daughter HA!

Anyways, he knows that you will give him hornworms if he holds out long enough. So just don't. He will get hungry enough eventually that he will eat what you give him. This is my prefered technique to getting them to start eating their salad actually.
They are smart creatures, they learn how to get their way sometimes. But they are also smart enough to not let themselves starve to death.

-Brandon

Claudiusx":xzj0u7xv said:

I agree, it's a battle over whos is more stubborn. You have to come out victorious. lol

In fact, I'm starting to experience that with my human daughter HA!

Anyways, he knows that you will give him hornworms if he holds out long enough. So just don't. He will get hungry enough eventually that he will eat what you give him. This is my prefered technique to getting them to start eating their salad actually.
They are smart creatures, they learn how to get their way sometimes. But they are also smart enough to not let themselves starve to death.

-Brandon

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So true!! You gotta be more stubborn than your beardie! I also did this method for him to eat his salad. Works like a charm!!