beardie decided to go on a diet?

ConnorMcleod":neiq44ql said:

gday everyone so my 8 week old bearded dragon has decided he doesn't wants to go on a diet(he is still eating just not as much). I got him 2 weeks ago he didn't eat for a day after i got him because of the stress of being moved but after that he eat a bunch of woodies, i put salad in his enclosure everyday i have one seen him go down to it once. He's not very active either he kind of sits on this hammock thing i got him and moves back and forwards along that but that usually about it? also i spray him with water and he doesn't seem to like to drink from it?
hope that makes sense and someone can help me.
he is in an enclosure that is 800x480x500mm
his temps are 42 on the basking but the hammock he sits on all day is 35-39 <<< how are measuring those temperatures ?
his uvb is a 10.0 compact bulb for exotic terra i bought him a reptisun tube but i have to order a fixture for it online but yeah i should be doing that pretty soon. <<< in the meantime move the compact 10% UVB bulb closer to where he is spending most his time , if it's 13W version , he needs to about 4 - 6 inches from it , if it's a 26W version 8 - 10 inches is good , this will help ensure he's getting sufficient UVA (which enhances apetite and activity) and sufficient UVB to properly metabolise dietary calcium

I've kept beardies under UVB200 compacts (26W version) for at least 4 years (Rex is 4 years old) and had very good results , in my beardies have thrived and been active and healthy

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ConnorMcleod":1a0evg0s said:

bear with me I'm trying to work out how to work this website out.
I have a temp gun that i have been checking the temps with. <<< make sure the measuring spot (the inner circle DOESN"T include any background, if it does the measurement will be low if the background is cooler, or too high if the background includes hot objects or the reflection of lamp (specular error).
ill move it closer i have got the 26w <<< need to be about 6 - 8 inches above beardie.
the lights are on from 6:00am to 7:00pm <<<< a bit on the short side, recommend bumping it up by a few hours.
i give him the pisces insects and i am giving him as much a he wants, i haven't been able to find any silkworms. <<< I only buy Piscus (or BioLabs) crickets (from petshops) in immergencies. I buy my insects from https://frogs.org.au/live-foods/ .

I'm in Newcastle so the bugs I buy in bulk are shipped Tuesday pm and arrive Thurs or Frid.

Silkworms are cheaper bought as eggs. Try GumTree. http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-sydney/silkworms/k0l3003435
a pair of silkworm moths will produce up to 400 eggs , the moths are a great lizard tree too.

Last lot of 200 mixed size silkworms I bought came with 4 big freezer bags full of fresh mulberry leaves and cost me about $45 all up including Express Post , I bought these from a hobbyist in Sydney who had access to a grove of big old mulberry trees in a public park in Penrith. I'm currently chilling about 8000 eggs in cliplock bags in the fridge (product of about 60 moths wound up with) and I've discovered blanching fresh mulberry leaves is great way of preparing them to be frozen , so I now have frozen blanched mulberry leaves in the deep freeze for when I decide to hatch some of my eggs.

Commercial silkworm "farmers" and Piscus expect $1 per worm for silkworms !! = extortionate but they are VERY TIME consuming to successfully raise silkworms .
i did try crickets and ill be getting more when i finish of these woodie i have now and ill switch between woodie and roaches so he's not just eating woodie all the time.
i just gave him a bath and he did drink from it
i have an outside enclosure that ill put him in for like 2-3 hours as well but i think that has stressed him a bit and thats what could have slowed how much he eats so I'm not going to put him in it for a while and see how he does. <<< if he doesn't like it, I'd not stress him. All mine get to go free range under close supervision INSIDE and only one at a time and they all love it.
sorry this is all over the place couldn't figure out how you did that red text.
thanks for your help

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