4 weeks in new beardy still not eating

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Auot

Member
Hi Everyone,

We have a new beardy, he is a 7-8 month old hypo orange that we got from a breeder.

He has a 2ftx4x4 melamine cage with T5 UVB (about 20 inches from floor), tile floor, Heating lamp/basking area is 105-110. Ambient temp (via raygun and themometer) range is 75 night to 95 day (at max). He has two hiding spaces (one in the cool area of habitat and one in a warmer space) and climbing branch.

He WILL NOT EAT unless we force feed him. We have had him for 4 weeks, saw the vet (excellent reptile and small creature vet I have had for 20 years) all good. We started with pumpkin puree but that made his stools liquid (gross). Then he started to eat Chard and peppers, black fly larvae, and dubia roaches all by forcing his mouth open and then he will chew and eat. Bathing almost daily.

We have tried to put in a container and leave him in it with a bunch of dubia roaches for 1hr and he will just let them crawl. We leave the room, nothing. Stay with him, nothing. Leave food in his plates and he just hide and stares. :(

This is getting old. The first day we got him, he was great! Ate everything and everything seemed fine.

He also scratches at the walls a lot so we thought he was stressed but then realized he only does it just before he poops.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.
 
I've had the same issue with my dragon. I recommend tucking the food (like chicken or scrambled egg) between his lips on the sides of the mouth, then place your fingers on his eyes, he'll squirm backwards and recognize the food. Since he doesn't (from what I've read) respond to food offers, I suggest giving him freeze dried or dead bugs.
If that doesn't work or he's refusing, try giving him water. Sometimes they won't eat if their thirsty (check the hydration pouches behind the eyes). There is a couple methods that work, but I find syringe and bathing are the best.
I hope this helps.
(Edit) if your goal is to get him eating; lights aren't going to change much.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
The UVB is how far from the basking decor and is it on the top screen or inside the tank? If its on top of screen it needs to be a wider hole -- if its a fine screen like a screen door it needs to be inside the tank w/ a basking distance of 12-15 inches - the T 5 is a great bulb -- basking temps should be 95-110- offering a temp gradient is best then they can pick the temp they want to bask at -- those two things are the most important thing in that tank - it basically controls their over all health!!
Karrie
 

Auot

Member
Original Poster
UVB is about 10 inches from the basking area. Basking area is about 100-110, which is hot so he is down a little from there so about 12 inches from UVB
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Have you been keeping track of his weight? I would think relocation stress would be over by now -- is he showing any stress marks? What about the pooping is it real runny does it smell so bad it makes you want to leave the room? Is he basking?
Karrie
 

Auot

Member
Original Poster
Yes we’ve been tracking his weight. 255 grams and when we force feed him we have gotten as high as 265g. Stools aren’t too runny but I can smell them two rooms away.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Ok so he might have parasites -- I would get a fecal into the vet ASAP and have it tested - call and see if you can drop it off before taking him in - and go from there --
Karrie
 

Auot

Member
Original Poster
This weekend, he started to have diarrhea, so talked to the vet (b/c now it was impossible to get a sample) and started on Flagyl and Panacur. He has been eating more but all by force. Any suggestions on when he will eat on his own again?

I am also including a picture of his habitat. We keep going back and forth about the height of the UVB (T5).

This dragon is stressing me out. :(

109311-9994579390.jpg

109311-8910197960.jpg
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
The T 5 needs to directly over basking decor 12-15 inches the medication is going to effect his appetite
Karrie
 

Auot

Member
Original Poster
KarrieRee":1k3lrwxa said:
The T 5 needs to directly over basking decor 12-15 inches the medication is going to effect his appetite
Karrie


It is. He likes that rock sometimes. The big branch is 11-15 inches from the light
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
So they started him on medication w/ out doing a fecal first? Not a good idea in my opinion --- I am going to enlist some help on this
Karrie
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Hi there, your set uplooks great and he seems to look healthy . :) How soon after you got him did he stop eating and how soon did you see a vet ? It may all be stress related. Can you post a full body shot of him ?
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Your dragon does look really good, even if he is a bit sluggish right now.
Are you giving him probiotics right now, along with the medications to help settle his tummy?
I would also try to keep him a little warmer overnight, around 75-80 to help boost his immune
system.
Has his beard been dark at all, or normal coloring?

Tracie
 
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