First Hatchling

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Carolb4

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I have zero experience with hatchlings but find myself expecting several. The first, and only so far, hatched yesterday at 62 days. It seems freakishly small at 3 inches long from tip of nose to end of tail. The body is 1 1/2 inches and tail is 1 1/2 inches. Is this unusually small? No others have hatched yet. If there are none born soon do I still place this tiny hatchling in an enclosure alone?
I have a photo but don't know how to post it.
Please advise.
 

Carolb4

Member
Original Poster
Thank you so much for your reply. It was very helpful. I do have more questions. What do you do for moisture in their enclosure?
Please guide me through their lighting in the enclosure you sent me.
I have very small Dubai roaches. Should I put them in the "no escape" bowl or just put them on floor of cage?
There still are no other hatchlings.
I am very grateful for your help.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Here is how I set the lights up above the plastic rearing totes. I just set them across the top. In a larger tote you may need 2 heat bulbs.

https://www.beardeddragon.org/media/29953/full

This is what I use as heat bulbs in the aluminum dome reflectors. Aluminum naturally radiates more heat downward, and these bulbs are not reptile specific but they do the same thing for way less money. You can find these at Walmart or Home Depot or order online.

https://www.beardeddragon.org/media/29993/full

For water I just spritz them twice a day and let them drink the droplets. For the first day or 2 they may not drink and most babies won't eat until the 3rd day on average, and then only a little bit. I used baby crickets for raising all my babies, ordered from companies that sell 1/8" crix, then as the dragons get just a tiny bit bigger [ within 2 weeks or so ] I moved up to 1/4 " crickets, ordered by the 1,000's. That would be much more cost effective unless you have a huge colony of dubias. I used to throw the baby crickets right in, but first I put them in a jar with a pinch of calcium powder , then shake the jar to stun the crix so they would be wobbbly , slow easy pickings for the babies.
 

Carolb4

Member
Original Poster
Again, thank you so very much. All very helpful information. Is the black light fixture for the UVB?
And, how in the world do you house and maintain 1000 crickets?
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Crickets are set up in plastic totes as well, with cardboard egg crating for them to live on and crawl on. Then a plastic lid with some type of cut up sweet potato . Bran flakes are good too or commercial cricket food but not the jelly water crystals.
 

Carolb4

Member
Original Poster
105777-5201878352.jpg
I have tried to use a photo. Can you tell me if I was successful?

It still has not eaten anything. Hatched on 4/16 at 62 days. No others have hatched. I have been spritzing it twice daily.
When do I get concerned?
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Little cutie. :) It's very common that they don't eat for 2-4 days, give him some more time + see if he eats in the next day or 2. Those dubia might be on the large side, hopefully he can eat/digest them. As babies they can get impacted if the insects are too big. Do you have any smaller ?
 

Carolb4

Member
Original Poster
None smaller. I can order the tiny crickets you suggested but they won't get here soon enough. Will you tell me the company you use?
 

Carolb4

Member
Original Poster
Still not eating. Born on the 16th. Do I force feed?
No new hatchlings either.
They were laid on February 14. There are four that look good but I don't see any movement. Should I see movement in egg?
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
No force feeding but you can put a bit of chicken baby food [ no gravy or sodium ] mixed with water and drip it on his snout with a syringe. Is the baby active ? And no, you don't always see movement in the eggs, just be patient.
 

Claudiusx

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
IME, usually getting a few more babies in there together helps with the eating. It only takes 1 to start eating before they all start. It's almost like sometimes they need to see another dragon eating. So hopefully you have a few more hatchlings soon. But I agree, don't force. They are too tiny right now for that. Unfortunately, this one might have just come out too soon and be a failure to thrive situation. It's sad but it happens sometimes with breeding.

It might also just be too intimidated by the size of your dubia. If you could order some baby crickets that might help.

Have you tried offering leafy greens at all? Rip them up in very tiny pieces and "rain" them down in the tank. Sometimes this encourages a feeding response too.

-Brandon
 

Carolb4

Member
Original Poster
Update with more questions- the hatchling is still alive. It hasn't eaten on its own yet, unfortunately. I began force feeding the evening before yesterday. I have offered greens with the raining down approach a few, unsuccessful, times. I have force fed the smallest Dubai roaches, averaging 2 a day. Also forced greens once a day. I have continued the spritzing. He is very active and alert.

No other hatchlings yet.

I received my order of 1/8" crickets today. How do I present them to him? He is housed in a large aquarium that I had prepared for the hatchlings. So should I move him to something much smaller and offer the crickets freely?
I would appreciate more advice. Thank you.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
O.K., lets hope he goes for the small crix. Just put a few in a small jar with a tiny pinch of calcium powder, shake them up a bit [ not too hard ] so you see that they are weak + slow. Then drop 1-2 at a time in the tank near him. Leave him in his tank .
 
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