Beardie lost a lot of weight, not eating

Koru25 · Feb 1, 2021

Hi there, My son's 2 yo beardie has not been eating well for over a month now. He wasn't losing weight initially but I just weighed him today and he's lost 17g!! Now I'm really worried!
He stopped eating properly after my son introduced some mealworms into his diet at around christmas and he quite obviously started refusing locusts over mealworms. We even did a test with a mealworm and locust in my hand and he immediately went for the mealworm! We thought we'd just sit it out until he starts eating again and keep offering food but now I'm worried if maybe somethings wrong with him.
I didn't choose to get mealworms as we already had locusts, but my hubby had gone to pet shop with my son and come back with an array of things!
He's also been refusing any greens or veg. Help!!

KarrieRee · Feb 1, 2021

Please go over the UVB brand and bulb coil or tube where in the tank is it? Basking temps ? How are you taking them ? Has he been doing a lot of sleeping? Hiding in his cave - ?

Koru25 · Feb 1, 2021

Hi, Thanks for your reply. I went through the lighting/heat bulb today, not sure what it is and if I'm missing something. UVB bulb is horizontal across length of viv and is low enough and is probably only just up for needing renewed. Basking site temp fine. The only change that seemed to trigger it was introduction of mealworms. I'm wondering if he could have 'caught' something from eating them. Don't know. Or can this be a sign of the bulb having needed to be renewed sooner :?: The book I have says to renew the UVB bulb every 8-12 months, we are on 11 months :? would beardie start acting weird if the UVB was wearing out?

KarrieRee · Feb 1, 2021

Yes and I need to know what your using brand and bulb please T 5 or a T 8 distance and placement for these bulbs is crucial and it will effect the eating along w/ basking temps what are they and how are you taking them? NO stick ons they are inaccurate

Koru25 · Feb 2, 2021

Hi, UVB is ARCADIA EURO RANGE DESERT 10%+ 38W 42IN FRP38. It's 10" from bottom of Viv. Viv is 4ftx2x2.
Bulb bid Arcadia spotlight 75w and hot end is 36.3, cold end 26. We have a dual temperature electronic thermometer with a probe at hot end and another probe at cool end. He's not been sleeping more. He brumated last April so don't think it's that

KarrieRee · Feb 2, 2021

The Arcadia is in the tank?-- I would get a stronger bulb for your tank - I would get a 12% bulb put it in the tank directly above the basking decor 12-15 inches-- I am thinking the 10% is not strong enough - I think a 10% is considered a T 8 and the distance would need to be 6-8 inches

Koru25 · Feb 3, 2021

Ok thank you that's helpful. You think this could help with the eating?

KarrieRee · Feb 3, 2021

Yes if shes not getting enough UVB they will not eat --- they need the rays to help absorb/ synthesize the calcium shes getting --- UVB is extremely important -- please fix that and let me know if the behavior changes --- how old is the 10% bulb? If its more than 6 months old it is expired

Koru25 · Feb 4, 2021

Hi, thanks, the new bulb arrived today and I've fitted it. I have the Pet Expert Bearded dragon book which I've been going by for bulbs, temperature advice etc. They say 8-12 months for replacing the bulb, so I was going by that. Why do you say it's just 6 months for the bulb?
Thanks

KarrieRee · Feb 4, 2021

I believe T 8's the 10% are 6 months - T 8's do not last as long as the T5's which are the 12% bulbs -ok so according to the Arcadia website they are saying a year
https://www.arcadiareptile.com/lighting/lamps/euro-range/
but I would still recommend the 6 months - Reptisun 10.0 T 8's are required to be changed out at 6 months - if your dragon is starting to act the way she is not eating not active then I would first change out the bulb --- it is a process of elimination - starting w/ the UVB --- please let me know how her behavior is after installing the new bulb

Koru25 · Feb 4, 2021

Brilliant that's good info, thanks so much for that. I'll let you know how he gets on. Straight away he sat staring at the bulb after we'd changed it!! It definitely looks much brighter. I didn't even really consider the bulb, I thought it was the waxworms.
Fingers crossed!

KarrieRee · Feb 4, 2021

:lol: -- it is so hard to tell w/ these guys ---- but waxworms arent the best either tbh--- they are very fatty and long term feeding and too many can cause liver issues down the road -- better treat worms are super butter and horn and meal worms for older dragons --

Koru25 · Feb 5, 2021

I meant to say mealworms!! :lol:
He ate 3 locusts this morning

:love5: :love10: !!!!!!!!!!!
I think we'll stick to locusts and crickets as a treat (silent ones!). Not going through that again. The boys had also been giving him apple as a wee treat, all that has stopped now, maybe once he gets back into eating greens he might get the odd treat - if he's lucky!
Thanks again :wink:

Koru25 · Feb 13, 2021

Hiya just to report back, Sandy is eating locust again, woohoo! He is eating every other day. He's still not wanting veg but we are gut loading locusts so hopefully this will be enough to tide him over until he stops being fussy! Thanks again for your advice

KarrieRee · Feb 13, 2021

So did moving the UVB do the trick?

Beardie lost a lot of weight, not eating

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