Help! Loss of appetite!

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I have had my beardie for almost a year, and usually he has a pretty good appetite, but for the past month his appetite has seriously decreased. I was using a T5 on top of screen but upon research I discovered that we were making a mistake with that. So a little over a week ago, we replaced it with a T8 10.0 and bought him a better variety of bugs and veggies. We were doing superworms and mealworms alternating with collard greens and squash with mango. We got him some hornworms, waxworks, butterworms, different squash, varied greens, and some papaya. On the second day of his new light he ate 6 hornworms, and one butter worm. But since then he has only nibbled at a few vegetables. His salads sit mostly untouched and he let's his worms crawl all around his tank. I dont know what else to do!! He is still pooping, although not as regularly... and he still seems pretty active, he runs around the house and explores, digs holes in his tank, and runs laps around his tank. Outwardly there seems to be no problems, no bloating or discoloration of and sort. Advice?
 

SPandS

Juvie Member
I think there's been a mix up. T5s can go on top of a screen as long as the basking area is around 8in below. A t8 has to go under a screen also around 8in from the basking spot. Just to carlify it wasn't a typo which version are you using now and how far from the asking area is it?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Yes you downgraded your UVB --- the T 8's are not as strong a bulb as the T 5- I would recommend you go back to the T 5 --- if its on top of the screen it needs to be 6-8 inches from the basking area for a fine screen mesh like a screen door if its a wide holed screen 8-10 inches from basking decor --- you should have a open bulb NO cover on the fixtures ----------- loss of appetite if hes running the tank and wanting out could be spring fever alot of the seem to be doing that --- mine did it for 2-3 weeks drove me crazy -- wouldnt eat - wanted out as soon as the lights were turned on --- as long as hes not losing weight basking etc he should be fine ---- the pooping is gonna slack off if hes not eating alot --- are your basking temps in spec? 95-110- taken w/a digital probe?
Karrie
 

RagnarokyRoad8

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":2qqseh92 said:
Yes you downgraded your UVB --- the T 8's are not as strong a bulb as the T 5- I would recommend you go back to the T 5 --- if its on top of the screen it needs to be 6-8 inches from the basking area for a fine screen mesh like a screen door if its a wide holed screen 8-10 inches from basking decor --- you should have a open bulb NO cover on the fixtures ----------- loss of appetite if hes running the tank and wanting out could be spring fever alot of the seem to be doing that --- mine did it for 2-3 weeks drove me crazy -- wouldnt eat - wanted out as soon as the lights were turned on --- as long as hes not losing weight basking etc he should be fine ---- the pooping is gonna slack off if hes not eating alot --- are your basking temps in spec? 95-110- taken w/a digital probe?
Karrie
My husband just informed me that I switched it in the post. We had a t8 and we upgraded to t5. It came with a 5.0 but I switched it out for a 10.0
 

RagnarokyRoad8

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Original Poster
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Her temp stays mostly up to where it should, although on colder days it is harder to regulate. We are having trouble keeping the basking temp over 90, looking into other heating to add the additional, but on warm days it stay between 95 and 100. Never been able to get it past that. Do I need to add more lighting?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Ok first I would get rid of the sand-- it causes impaction--- and harbors bacteria I would replace w/ some textured NON adhesive shelf liner-- easy to clean w/ vinegar/ water 50/50-- what wattage bulb are you using and how are you taking temps? No stick ONS-- next you need to get a piece of decor under that UVB it's doing no good where it's at now- she needs to be able to sit directly under it - and go by the specs I posted earlier you may need to increase wattage bulb -
Karrie
 

RagnarokyRoad8

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":31wf9tnu said:
Ok first I would get rid of the sand-- it causes impaction--- and harbors bacteria I would replace w/ some textured NON adhesive shelf liner-- easy to clean w/ vinegar/ water 50/50-- what wattage bulb are you using and how are you taking temps? No stick ONS-- next you need to get a piece of decor under that UVB it's doing no good where it's at now- she needs to be able to sit directly under it - and go by the specs I posted earlier you may need to increase wattage bulb -
Karrie
I have both stick ons and a digital probe. The digital probe is right level with her hammock to check her basking temperatures... and the substrate is actually a walnut substrate, I tried putting her on reptile carpet, but she broke 2 nails trying to dig through it. But I make sure to keep an eye on her bowel movements. Her heat lamp is a 100W zacro cermaic emitter and her uvb is a reptisun T5 HO 10.0 24W. Should I switch her water dish and her climbing stick thing?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Yes get some decor under the UVB check distances that I sent --- the heat emitter is not a basking bulb you need a bright white bulb that keeps temps 95-110 and the probe needs to sit where she basks--- next PLEASE GET RID OF THE WALNUT SUBSTRATE IT IS TOXIC TO HER if you haft to use paper towels--
Karrie
 

SPandS

Juvie Member
The walnut shell substrate is actually worse than sand from what I've heard. It can really cut up their insides because of how sharp and hard the pieces can be.

If you can't get her basking spot the right temp I would definitely try either changing it or the light itself. You should also move the uvb light over to the left so it's above the basking area. Where it's at now is too far for her to get those good rays while basking. Did I read that correctly? You are using a ceramic heat emitter as a basking light? She needs a bright white bulb, remember you are trying to mimic the sun. You can use the emitter to help bump up the over all temps or for night time if temps fall to low.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I would start w/ a 100 watt bright white basking bulb check your temps w/ your probe -- shes not going to eat till the basking temps are correct and the UVB is where she can directly under it
Karrie
 

RagnarokyRoad8

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":2a4nvh1m said:
I would start w/ a 100 watt bright white basking bulb check your temps w/ your probe -- shes not going to eat till the basking temps are correct and the UVB is where she can directly under it
Karrie
Okay, so his new lights finally came in... he now has the 24" t5 10.0 uvb and a 150 watt bright white basking bulb. But now I cant get his temperature to stay up in the basking area. It's gotten to like 86, but cant get it to go up any more than that. What else can I do to get the temp up?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
How are you taking the temp? Infrared heat gun or digital probe? Stick ons are inaccurate - you did you get some new decor pieces? Can you post a pic of the tank and his lights please--- did you get the UVB properly placed ?
Karrie
 

RagnarokyRoad8

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":39h72q5q said:
How are you taking the temp? Infrared heat gun or digital probe? Stick ons are inaccurate - you did you get some new decor pieces? Can you post a pic of the tank and his lights please--- did you get the UVB properly placed ?
Karrie
I didnt buy any more decor. I switched the water dish and her large basking stick so she could be right u der the light. And I put the new light where the ceramic one was. I'll post a new pic in the morning as I'm at work right now. And I use a digital probe under the basking area (level with her hammock).
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Hammocks do not give proper basking temps- you need a piece of decor that you can set the probe right on it --- you want a temp of where shes sitting -- yes please post pics of the way the tank is set up now --- that 150 watt bulb should be heating that tank up -- what are you using for substrate now? The UVB needs to be 8-10 inches from basking decor piece if its on top of screen - the screen is blocking 30% of the rays ---
Karrie
 

RagnarokyRoad8

Member
Original Poster
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So, on the left there is a 150W bright white basking light above the hammock (she has a magnaturals ledge on the way). He has a t5 10.0 uvb in the center above his climbing branch. His hammock temps at 93-99 on varying days with a probe. The cool side temps around 80. He has a dehumidifier because her humidity was getting too high (yes, we checked the accuracy of the gauge by also checking with a digital sensor we use for our water dragon). His humidity is now down to 30ish. But he is still only eating bare minimum. I had to put the rest of the worms in his cage because their container broke, but he only ate one, and I had to remove them again... I added some faux plants for added decoration and enrichment, and some small rocks... I'm at my wits end... just dont know what to do ?
 
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