Baby Beardie with no food

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I didn't realize that I would not be able to source food for my beardie in my town. I've ordered online and it takes two days. She ran out on Friday and I should have had them Saturday, but the courier company didn't deliver!! Now, with a holiday weekend, I can't get them until Tuesday and most will be dead by then. The local pet store only sells ones too big and mealworms, which I believe are bad. My baby is very undernourished at this time and I am a horrible mom!! :( She's 2 months and only 5" long. She's so tiny but refuses to eat her salad and barely drinks. Her lighting is good I believe, and she is active enough, but not much. When I hold her, she snuggles up and sleeps. Am I doing permanent damage or will she be ok?

Please, don't make me feel worse than I do. I'm seeking advice. I had no idea and the food SHOULD have been delivered in time. Thanks for any advice.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Hi there, that is a predicament. What you can do is buy some Repashy bug pie if the pet store sells it. You could get a container of small mealworms and feed ONLY the freshly shed ones, they are the ones that look white and they are very soft for a short time. Just use 1-2 at a time, 3-4 if they are really tiny. You can also get green bean , peas + chicken baby food [ with no salt + junk added ] And you can microwave 1 scrambled egg for 1 minute in a bowl with no oil and offer a few pieces of that. Rub it on his snout to see if he'll eat any, but again, just a few little pieces.
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Or if no Repashi Grubpie available at local shop.

Lean chicken mince , boil it to cook it and offer it mixed with mashed hardboiled egg as an emergency.

You could also get some RepCal Juvenile beardie pellets and soften them by soaking in water and offer this mixed with the above.

I'd be trying to get hold of some suitable sized crickets , even wax worms or butter worms (as an emergency fall back).
 

MarlowAndMe

Juvie Member
Repashy grub pie is fantastic as a bug replacer ( I use it for mine) so if it’s a regular thing with running out of bugs it would be great to have this on hand so she still gets everything she needs from it
 

Cimorene

Member
I think you've gotten some excellent advice about temporary food, so I wanted to offer some reassurance... I got my beardie from someone who'd been told wrongly that they only needed to be fed once every few days. He made it through his first few months and has no lasting damage.

Fingers crossed that your feeder shipment is stored somewhere warm!
 

EttaJamesMom

Member
Original Poster
Cimorene":1ggd8mum said:
I think you've gotten some excellent advice about temporary food, so I wanted to offer some reassurance... I got my beardie from someone who'd been told wrongly that they only needed to be fed once every few days. He made it through his first few months and has no lasting damage.

Fingers crossed that your feeder shipment is stored somewhere warm!


Thanks. I live in Malaysia, so it is definitely warm here. I appreciate the feedback.
 

EttaJamesMom

Member
Original Poster
AHBD":cskokva0 said:
Hi there, that is a predicament. What you can do is buy some Repashy bug pie if the pet store sells it. You could get a container of small mealworms and feed ONLY the freshly shed ones, they are the ones that look white and they are very soft for a short time. Just use 1-2 at a time, 3-4 if they are really tiny. You can also get green bean , peas + chicken baby food [ with no salt + junk added ] And you can microwave 1 scrambled egg for 1 minute in a bowl with no oil and offer a few pieces of that. Rub it on his snout to see if he'll eat any, but again, just a few little pieces.

Unfortunately, our pet stores are not equipped with this type of stuff for beardies, which shocks me because they sell them! I have done an Amazon order of dried crickets, veggie mix and something else I can't remember right now - as a back up in the future. I made her an egg today, but she wants nothing to do with it. She did eat 2 dried mealworms for me. I also put some rocket in for her. I'm going to buy baby food today and see if that will work at all. Thanks so much!!!
 

MarlowAndMe

Juvie Member
EttaJamesMom":3kgk2do0 said:
AHBD":3kgk2do0 said:
Hi there, that is a predicament. What you can do is buy some Repashy bug pie if the pet store sells it. You could get a container of small mealworms and feed ONLY the freshly shed ones, they are the ones that look white and they are very soft for a short time. Just use 1-2 at a time, 3-4 if they are really tiny. You can also get green bean , peas + chicken baby food [ with no salt + junk added ] And you can microwave 1 scrambled egg for 1 minute in a bowl with no oil and offer a few pieces of that. Rub it on his snout to see if he'll eat any, but again, just a few little pieces.

Unfortunately, our pet stores are not equipped with this type of stuff for beardies, which shocks me because they sell them! I have done an Amazon order of dried crickets, veggie mix and something else I can't remember right now - as a back up in the future. I made her an egg today, but she wants nothing to do with it. She did eat 2 dried mealworms for me. I also put some rocket in for her. I'm going to buy baby food today and see if that will work at all. Thanks so much!!!

https://m.facebook.com/RepashyMalaysia/
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
It's true that babies can go a few days without eating and not actually die, but this is referring to healthy babies. The O.P mentioned a 5 month old weak baby that is already malnourished so food is extremely important every single day at this point. Hopefully he/she will pull through, it's good that he ate a little something though ! Just be careful of bugs that are freeze dried. They are tougher to digest since they contain less moisture. Hopefully baby food will help !
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
I'd be setting up something to attract blowflies ie some raw fish or other meat (NOT chicken or duck) in a sunny spot on a stake in the yard, the flies will soon find this and all you need do is a fine hand net on hoop and pole to catch them. Heck , you could pay the local kids to catch the LIVE blowflies or collect LIVE termites (an excellent food insect) for you by the bottle full until your consignment of live insects or Repashi GrubPie shows up.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kids-Outdoor-Extendable-Rod-Insect-Butterfly-Fish-Net-Garden-Toy-Blue-Color/153110848026?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131231084308%26meid%3De2228df7058d46ab9214643353f993e6%26pid%3D100010%26rk%3D9%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D153088817300%26itm%3D153110848026&_trksid=p2047675.c100010.m2109

Or if can't find kids willing to go and collect some live wild insects in the local jungle , this is how to catch the flies in large numbers : https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/300467/trapping-blowflies.pdf

Remove the blowfly's wings and deposit them in the little dragon's food dish or hand feed them to them (if you can't get it to eat scrambled h/b egg or boiled chicken mince).

The problem with dried mealworms is they are high risk of impaction. Better off putting them in a mini food processor/stick mixer with maybe 1/3 volume water and making a paste of them , same with the dried crickets, I'd add some calcium powder and some reptile vitamin powder to the mix to boost it's nutritional value.

Raw green (uncooked) deshelled shrimp or prawn meat is an option too (and should be available in the supermarket or from street sellers). Just cut up a 1.5" to 2" prawn that's been deheaded and deshelled and detailed in chunks about the same size the crickets. Prawns are the insects of the sea.
 
Hi, just jumping in with a few more ideas to hopefully help until a more long-term food source is available. There are a number of fruits that bearded dragons love to eat, so even young dragons will usually at least try them, since they're tastier than veggies. It shouldn't be a long term staple food (more of an occasional treat), but if you're as desperate as it seems to get any form of calories for your baby dragon, that is one option. Also, I've heard jars of baby food are great if you're in a pinch. I haven't personally tried it, but my vet recommended it as one option for my sick beardie who was struggling to eat solid foods. She recommended a squash variety, but I imagine the chicken varieties are fine too if you need something with higher protein. Maybe someone else more familiar could confirm that? In any case, I want to stress again that these are short term food sources for your emergency situation, not intended as a long term staple diet. Hope you're able to find something that works! Wishing you the best!

*EDIT: I did notice AHBD's suggestion of chicken baby food on my second scan through, missed it the first time :roll: *
 

EttaJamesMom

Member
Original Poster
Thanks so much. She has got some food now but I'm still struggling with shipping companies delivering on time, etc. So, she is eating daily now, but still not her expected amount. She is eating 15-20 crickets, some greens (only if we hand feed her, which we do) and I use the dried worms soaked in water for 24 hours. She scarfs them down easily and I do not worry about the impaction as much. And I'm hoping it is giving her extra water intake as well since she's not a fan of drinking. Right now, she's sprawled out on her blankie and is enjoying her heat lamp. When she is comfy, she spreads out all four legs. It's adorable. Thanks for your support!
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Try dubiaroaches.com-- they are out of Kansas and are on time w/ their deliveries-- I dont know where you are but delivery time to MN is 2-3 days and they send tracking info --

Karrie
 

EttaJamesMom

Member
Original Poster
Thanks, Karrie. I'm in Malaysia, so that isn't an option for me. But, I have found a roach supplier here and Etta LOVES her roaches!! She barely touches crickets now. And I can get 150 at a time!! So, things are going much better. Etta has grown almost one inch in the past week because she's getting breakfast and dinner daily. I'm glad I'm finally on the right track with her. She's adorable!! I just wish she wasn't so afraid of me. :( She still doesn't like me to get her out.

Johanna
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Keep working w/ her she will get used to you -- shes young-- and I am so glad you found a roach supplier-- they are better for them anyway!!

Karrie
 
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