Beardie Doesn't want to eat his greens

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I have had my dragon since October, and in that time he has refused to willingly eat any veggies - I have tried all the non-toxic staples, pepper, etc, I have tried bee pollen, insects in the salad - none of it has worked. He is also not eating insects regularly or properly - he doesn't seem interested in insects and it takes half-an-hour sessions on the floor getting them to run past his face for him to even eat one or two. I have had some success with conveyor-belt feeding salad in when he does eat an insect, but only in small amounts. I went to the vet for advice and was given an omnivore powdered diet which I have been syringe feeding him between attempts to get him to eat normal beardie food. Does anybody have any advice on getting him more interested in insects at least, and then on getting him to eat salads? Thank you! :D
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Please tell me what your using for a UVB coil or tube and where in the tank is it? Basking temps what are they and how are you taking them? No stick ons please -- they are inaccurate -- these things I just asked about are the TWO MOST IMPORTANT things in the tank -- it controls the over all health and behavior of the dragon -- did the vet go over the lighting in the tank ? or temps?
 

tenmillionwatervoles

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":nszq7n4i said:
Please tell me what your using for a UVB coil or tube and where in the tank is it? Basking temps what are they and how are you taking them? No stick ons please -- they are inaccurate -- these things I just asked about are the TWO MOST IMPORTANT things in the tank -- it controls the over all health and behavior of the dragon -- did the vet go over the lighting in the tank ? or temps?
The vet has said all our lighting and heating is ok - we have a tube UVB on the side of the basking bulb, which has temps of 95-100, and the cool end has temps of 72-78 F. We are using probe thermometers on both ends and also have a laser thermometer gun which we use to check temps elsewhere in the tank periodically. The vet did say that he might just be a picky eater, but I am still very anxious about the fact that he just seems to not want to eat - I don't want to be syringe feeding him all his life!
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Please tell me what it is--- we have a tube UVB ---- brand and bulb --- where in the tank ? on top of screen?
 

JennR

Member
Hi. I'd like to piggyback on this discussion because I'm having the same issue with my beardie. I only got him as a hatchling 2 weeks ago. He came from a reputable breeder. So far he has only eat a bit of greens the first day and maybe 1 worm. He does the same thing watching the bugs and crickets-just watches them, but no interest in eating. I took mine to the vet also and they said he looks fine. Lighting and heat is all OK. Doesn't seem stressed. I have been feeding him Repti Boost and baby food by syringe 3x a day.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
@jennr please start a thread on the board under health--- it's easier to keep track of ones bearded dragon- sometimes we get confused on who we are helping
 

tenmillionwatervoles

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":1fnjfy9m said:
Please tell me what it is--- we have a tube UVB ---- brand and bulb --- where in the tank ? on top of screen?
It is a T5 14% Arcadia bulb - the tank has no screen as it is the model the RSPCA recommended, and we followed their instructions and mounted the UVB on the back wall of the tank at the top. The tank is 24 inches tall and the basking decor is 17 inches away from the UVB. He has some broad flat sticks which are secured in place so they won't fall on him which he often sleeps underneath, as well as a hide on the cool end which he occasionally sleeps in - so he has places to get away from the UVB if he'd like to.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I recommend you get the UVB off the back wall and place directly over head approx 17 -18 inches -- for some reason the back wall is not a good place for a UVB -- the 14% bulb is a good bulb but strong - I have used it in the past -- after readjusting the UVB watch his behavior --- his eating should start up again --- if hes not interested in bugs and is not eating at all or doesnt start then there is another issue going on --- parasites maybe -- but lets start w/ the UVB -- and go from there --
 

tenmillionwatervoles

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":2p71iu76 said:
I recommend you get the UVB off the back wall and place directly over head approx 17 -18 inches -- for some reason the back wall is not a good place for a UVB -- the 14% bulb is a good bulb but strong - I have used it in the past -- after readjusting the UVB watch his behavior --- his eating should start up again --- if hes not interested in bugs and is not eating at all or doesnt start then there is another issue going on --- parasites maybe -- but lets start w/ the UVB -- and go from there --
Parasites seems unlikely, as he's been fully wormed recently - we will give changing the UVB's position a go. Thank you! Once I have done that, if I come back and message on this thread, will it still be see-able by you?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Yes --- try the UVB thing and we can go from there -- hopefully that fixes the issue -- they are all picky little eaters but the bug thing HMM that is a issue -- exactly what insects are you feeding? How long has he not been eating insects? Salad no surprise there but the insects yeah that is a issue --
 

tenmillionwatervoles

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":1x9igqk1 said:
Yes --- try the UVB thing and we can go from there -- hopefully that fixes the issue -- they are all picky little eaters but the bug thing HMM that is a issue -- exactly what insects are you feeding? How long has he not been eating insects? Salad no surprise there but the insects yeah that is a issue --
He is eating some insects, just not as many as a beardie should be I don't think. He seems to like morioworms best (but mostly only eats them on his basking spot), which I'm aware are harder to digest than other feeders, and very occasionally will eat a small mealworm. Sometimes he's shown interest in dubia roaches when we get them to run past his face over and over, and very occasionally crickets. Sometimes with the dubias he'll go for them and stick out his tongue, but fall slightly short a few times and then give up. Today, as an example, we managed to get him to have one dubia at midday, and then just now he had three morioworms (not on his basking spot, which is unsual). I also syringe fed him but couldn't get any greens into him. Am I right in thinking that three morioworms and a dubia is fewer insects than he should be eating daily? Other days he won't take any at all.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
How old is he? BSFL (morio worms) are a good staple feeder but if hes a adult or even a juvenile he should be eating at least 50 -- have you tried putting them on salads? Using them as lures? As far as roaches depending on the age he should be eating 4 -5 large they are more filling and a good compliment to the BSFL--
 

tenmillionwatervoles

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":3pcaaokb said:
How old is he? BSFL (morio worms) are a good staple feeder but if hes a adult or even a juvenile he should be eating at least 50 -- have you tried putting them on salads? Using them as lures? As far as roaches depending on the age he should be eating 4 -5 large they are more filling and a good compliment to the BSFL--
He was a rescue so we can't be certain on his age, but he is over 2 years old we believe, so an adult. Glad to know the morios are a good staple - they're quite large but yes he's nowhere near eating 50. I have tried putting both small mealworms and the morios on salad and it has so far not worked, both in and outside the tank, but i will keep trying! He is also not eating 4-5 roaches (the ones I have been feeding are large but not adult - they fit between his eyes or just over). He tends to do the thing where he lunges and misses lots of times and then gives up.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I would chase down the roach and put it in front of him again -- mine do the same they dont want to chase them lots of times especially my oldest one hes a little over 3 and its just laziness I think -- they would rather go for the worms they are slower -- you can try crickets and pull a leg or two off of them so it disables them and put them in the salad bowl --
 

tenmillionwatervoles

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":2n15pqww said:
I would chase down the roach and put it in front of him again -- mine do the same they dont want to chase them lots of times especially my oldest one hes a little over 3 and its just laziness I think -- they would rather go for the worms they are slower -- you can try crickets and pull a leg or two off of them so it disables them and put them in the salad bowl --
Brilliant, thank you. I will try all these!
 
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Clapton is acclimating okay I think. He's quick as lightning so I'm not sure how much I should bring him out of his house yet. He's not at all interested in his salad though. I wonder if I should change what I'm giving him. Least he's eating his crickets.

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