Juvenile beardie refuses to eat, getting skinny. please help

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PathfinderMom91

Hatchling Member
Hello!
I bought a bearded dragon about 3 weeks ago. At first he was eating about 4-5 small crickets a day, he would not eat any more after that. Over the past week he stopped eating completely. He just ignores his food. He stays under the basking lamp and uvb all day. The temp is currently within the 100-110 degree range. I also keep collard greens in his tank at all times just in case he miraculously wants to eat. I’ve tried using tongs to entice him to eat crickets, even mealworms and he doesn’t want to eat. I don’t know what else to do.

We currently have a 10.0 uvb light in the same area of the tank as the basking light. He’s in a 75 gallon tank.
 
Hi there!

Is he shedding? Shedding tends to irritate them and cause them to not eat- although it's safe to assume this isn't the issue, it's always a possibility.

Edit: Does your beardie display any signs of discomfort like a black beard? (Stress marks are fairly common with young-yins since they're little guys who are in a big world.)

You've probably read around and seen this suggestion for a beardie who isn't eating, and think it's kind of gross, but if you squish a feeder bug and rub a little bit of the guts on its nose, it could entice the beardie to eat, similar to tempting someone with a good-smelling pie or other great-tasting things.

Please let us know how they're doing!

Thanks,

Vinny
 

Claudiusx

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hi there,

Could you post a picture of him and of your setup?

That is quite the range for the basking surface temp. What are you using to measure your temperatures with? Temperatures play a direct role in appetite, so let's make sure that's all set first :)

Your uvb light, is it a long tube or a compact that screws into a standard light socket?

-Brandon
 

PathfinderMom91

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
VingamSecuris":38ys2tnm said:
Hi there!

Is he shedding? Shedding tends to irritate them and cause them to not eat- although it's safe to assume this isn't the issue, it's always a possibility.

Edit: Does your beardie display any signs of discomfort like a black beard? (Stress marks are fairly common with young-yins since they're little guys who are in a big world.)

You've probably read around and seen this suggestion for a beardie who isn't eating, and think it's kind of gross, but if you squish a feeder bug and rub a little bit of the guts on its nose, it could entice the beardie to eat, similar to tempting someone with a good-smelling pie or other great-tasting things.

Please let us know how they're doing!

Thanks,

Vinny

Hello Vinny!

My beardie just finished shedding his tail when we first got him. I tried feeding him some mealworms when we first got him but he didn’t want them. Now we got crickets and he only ate a couple and now doesn’t eat. I’ve rubbed a freshly squashed cricket in his face with tweezers, he just closes his eyes.
 

PathfinderMom91

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
claudiusx":3rf157es said:
Hi there,

Could you post a picture of him and of your setup?

That is quite the range for the basking surface temp. What are you using to measure your temperatures with? Temperatures play a direct role in appetite, so let's make sure that's all set first :)

Your uvb light, is it a long tube or a compact that screws into a standard light socket?

-Brandon

I don’t really know how to post a pic on here. I’m checking temps with a zoomed digital thermometer. I place the end of the cord on his basking rock and that usually ranges from 100-110. We did have a coil uvb light 10.0 but we are switching it today to a tube.
 

PathfinderMom91

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
I found out how to post a pic. Below are pics of Pathfinder and also his current tank setup. We got the Zilla slimelime 50uvb t8 fluorescent fixture. He usually has some water and food bowls and another hiding rock, but I took them out so he can find the crickets better.

106536-9236205103.jpg

106536-2933999980.jpg

106536-4241984645.jpg

106536-3306021262.jpg
 

PathfinderMom91

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Markspez1974":3tgy78bk said:
Hi I'm in a similar position at the moment would interested to hear some things to try.

Sorry you’re going through this too. It’s heartbreaking and frustrating because he’ll zone in on a cricket and then completely ignore it. Is your beardie basking all day? Mine is. His basking temp is at 115 and he still won’t move from there much.
 

Claudiusx

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hi there,

In the picture the probe is suction cupped to the glass. Did you let the probe rest on the actual basking surface to get your reading?

-Brandon
 
PathfinderMom91":tl60bilq said:
Markspez1974":tl60bilq said:
Hi I'm in a similar position at the moment would interested to hear some things to try.

Sorry you’re going through this too. It’s heartbreaking and frustrating because he’ll zone in on a cricket and then completely ignore it. Is your beardie basking all day? Mine is. His basking temp is at 115 and he still won’t move from there much.

Yes it horrible to see them not eating, yes mine basks a lot, but sometimes has a little walk/run around. Tonight just turning its nose up at crickets on tongs and if in seperate container with lose crickets, just tries climbing the sides not interested in crickets, I do put couple drops of water on the top lip.
Also try a mist occasionally
 

PathfinderMom91

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
claudiusx":3rkbfbv3 said:
Hi there,

In the picture the probe is suction cupped to the glass. Did you let the probe rest on the actual basking surface to get your reading?

-Brandon

Hello!
I normally rest the probe on the basking spot. I just put it up if there are crickets so they don’t use it to escape. Today I lowered the basking lamp a bit and left it there for an hour, temp was 115. He didn’t seem to care. Should I let him stay that hot?
 

PathfinderMom91

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Markspez1974":2yuc67hh said:
PathfinderMom91":2yuc67hh said:
Markspez1974":2yuc67hh said:
Hi I'm in a similar position at the moment would interested to hear some things to try.

Sorry you’re going through this too. It’s heartbreaking and frustrating because he’ll zone in on a cricket and then completely ignore it. Is your beardie basking all day? Mine is. His basking temp is at 115 and he still won’t move from there much.

Yes it horrible to see them not eating, yes mine basks a lot, but sometimes has a little walk/run around. Tonight just turning its nose up at crickets on tongs and if in seperate container with lose crickets, just tries climbing the sides not interested in crickets, I do put couple drops of water on the top lip.
Also try a mist occasionally

How long have you had yours? We got him for our kids. I’d hate for him to pass away. We would be devastated. I give mine a bath maybe once a week. He drinks water at that time. Should I be misting him too? He doesn’t pay attention to his water bowl.
 
PathfinderMom91":p7e6b0pn said:
Markspez1974":p7e6b0pn said:
PathfinderMom91":p7e6b0pn said:
Markspez1974":p7e6b0pn said:
Hi I'm in a similar position at the moment would interested to hear some things to try.

Sorry you’re going through this too. It’s heartbreaking and frustrating because he’ll zone in on a cricket and then completely ignore it. Is your beardie basking all day? Mine is. His basking temp is at 115 and he still won’t move from there much.

Yes it horrible to see them not eating, yes mine basks a lot, but sometimes has a little walk/run around. Tonight just turning its nose up at crickets on tongs and if in seperate container with lose crickets, just tries climbing the sides not interested in crickets, I do put couple drops of water on the top lip.
Also try a mist occasionally

How long have you had yours? We got him for our kids. I’d hate for him to pass away. We would be devastated. I give mine a bath maybe once a week. He drinks water at that time. Should I be misting him too? He doesn’t pay attention to his water bowl.

I've only had mine for 5 days, yes I'd be gutted if they get serious health issues, I've not tried a bath yet. I only misted them because they show no interest in the water bowl, they then perk up and have a little run around the terrarium.
I've put about my story so far on the introductions part of the forum if you want to look. Mine is a similar size to yours, so on the very slim side, although I was going to pick the biggest of the same hatch, but my boys wanted the little guy to build him up, but with relocation stress I'm just worried it's going to be too much with the lack of eating.
Just so frustrating when you hold a cricket there and it just looks away when you know it's what they need to feed up.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Hi there, sorry that your cute little dude is not well. He [ or she ] is a leatherback BTW. Where did you get him ? So a couple of important things..... I know that your uvb is a Reptisun 10.0 but is it a t5 or a t8 ? It's very important because a t8 would not provide uvb from that far, and a t5 would just barely or possibly not either. Look on the side of the bulb if you don't know, it will have the numbers. I would also suggest putting him in a little " hospital " set up. It's just a small or medium plastic storage tote like I have in these pics :
https://www.beardeddragon.org/media/29953/full

Being in a smaller set up will allow the uvb + heat to both be closer and for him to not feel so stressed in such a large tank. I raised loads of babies in this type of set up for years. The heat bulb may need to be a smaller watt type though since it's making your 75 gallon over 100F at the basking spot. I would set him up like that ASAP.

Parasites are another possibility but I would try the smaller tank so he gets more uvb for a while to see if he does better. One more Q, what size crickets was he eating and did he poo regularly ?
 

PathfinderMom91

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
AHBD":2k9cousw said:
Hi there, sorry that your cute little dude is not well. He [ or she ] is a leatherback BTW. Where did you get him ? So a couple of important things..... I know that your uvb is a Reptisun 10.0 but is it a t5 or a t8 ? It's very important because a t8 would not provide uvb from that far, and a t5 would just barely or possibly not either. Look on the side of the bulb if you don't know, it will have the numbers. I would also suggest putting him in a little " hospital " set up. It's just a small or medium plastic storage tote like I have in these pics :
https://www.beardeddragon.org/media/29953/full

Being in a smaller set up will allow the uvb + heat to both be closer and for him to not feel so stressed in such a large tank. I raised loads of babies in this type of set up for years. The heat bulb may need to be a smaller watt type though since it's making your 75 gallon over 100F at the basking spot. I would set him up like that ASAP.

Parasites are another possibility but I would try the smaller tank so he gets more uvb for a while to see if he does better. One more Q, what size crickets was he eating and did he poo regularly ?

Thank you so much!
I looked at the bulb and it says 15 watt T8 BP Desert 50. I got him at my local PetSmart. We are giving him small crickets. The same as they were feeding him in the store. He has been pooping everyday, it’s quite watery now with little to no white part. I don’t have a smaller tank at the moment, could I perch him up higher to the uvb? I do have a critter keeper carrier but he hates being in there.
 
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