Is my beardie okay?

Hi all,

About two months ago, my bearded dragon, Beardo =), started eating fewer roaches and more salad. At first, I attributed this to him getting older, I've had him for 7 months and believe he was 2-3 months old when I got him. However, about a month ago his salad consumption also slowed and he hasn't seemed to be eating much at all lately.

I went on vacation a couple of weeks ago and had him boarded at a vet, they did an exam and said everything checked out. He was eating and defecating normally. The only thing they didn't do was a fecal exam because I had forgotten to request them to do one.

Since I've had him back (10 days now) he has barely eaten much at all. It hardly seems he ever touches his salad, and he'll eat 3-5 roaches a day, if any. He's also only defecated once in that time. I've been feeling for any lumps for possible impaction and haven't found any and I've been keeping him hydrated with baths every 2 or 3 days.

Most days he's still very active, basking as usual and running around as usual. His weight has been fairly steady. He's about 15 inches long and the vet weighed him at 270g on 06/06. I've started weighing him this last week since I've been more concerned and he's been between 264g and 262g.

There are some details about his enclosure below. Is this normal behavior? Has anyone else has had their beardie go through a simliar phase? I read a post on here the other day that was very similar and people seemed to agree it was a phase but I was looking for additional thoughts before I decide if I should take Beardo to another vet. I'm worried it may be pinworms, but can't get him tested unless he defecates.

Tank: 40 gallon breeder
Temps: 105 basking, 82 cool (measured by laser temp gun)
Food: Mustard greens, butternut squash and dubia roaches
Substrate: ceramic tile and repit carpet
UVB: Reptisun 10.0 T8 Tube, new as of 5/17/17

If parasites, the poop will most likely be mushier than normal, have brown liquid or smell worse than usual. So if you've noticed this, yeah get a feacal. Otherwise I would offer some different feeder insects to see if he takes an interest.

Up to about 12 months old mostly live insect protein for a beardie , I give them two meals of live insects per day and switch to one live insect meal per day from 12 months old.


Photos of the tank and showing substrate and lighting and of the beardies will help too. Use XIMG button to upload photos from your computer.

How heavy is the beardie ?
...... recommend weighing regularly (weekly say)?

Can you give us a good rundown on the setup and schedules (light and feeding) :
Basking light
........ is it a coloured globe ? (BAD)
........ what is it's wattage ?
........ how far from the basking spot ?

TEMPERATURES ?
>>> daytime
.......warm zone
.......basking spot
...... how are you measuring your temperatures ?
TOO COLD = SLEEPY DRAGON
>>> overnight minimum viv temperatures ?

UVA AND UVB ADEQUATE ?
>>> is the uv rated AT LEAST 10%UVB ?
>>> is it a COMPACT (curly globe & WATTAGE ?
>>> or a T8 tube ?
>>> or a T5 tube ?
>>> or an MVB ?
VERY IMPORTANT : what is the brand ?
(not all UVB compacts and tubes are created equal or as well , many shops sell their own brand (Zilla, All Living Things, Reptile-One, Nat Geo , Natural Selections (in green boxes) which are cheap Chinese clones made very cheaply using very poor quality quartz glass and cheap phosphors ==> very poor UV spectrum produced incl UVC band and bad parts of the UVB band)

>>> also is it covered (in a domestic fluorescent light fitting )? == BAD
>>> also is it sitting ontop a mesh top ? == BAD
>>> how far from basking spot ?
too far and the UVA and UVB WILL BE TOO DILUTE.
UVA FLUX TOO LOW where dragon is ==> a very lethargic dragon w/ a very poor apetite just in the short term , and neurological problems if this persists , not to mention MVB if UVB flux too low long enough with inadequate metabolisation of dietary calcium or inadequate intake out calcium



and How old is the UV light source ? (most manufacturers recommend replacing compacts, tubes and MVBs every 6 months as their UVA and UVB output decays over time.)

TANK
>>> size (L x W x H) and construction , photos of the setup are often helpful .

SUBSTRATE ?
>>> is it sand ? == BAD AND IF CALCISAND this is EXTREMELY BAD/LETHAL when ingested
>>> is it particulate ? == BAD

SHARING TANK ? == BAD

TOO SHORT A PHOTOPERIOD (lights are not kept on long enough each day , will make beardie think it is winter , recommend at least 14 HRS PER DAY)

FEEDING SCHEDULE (I recommend at least 2 hrs lights/heat on before first live feed and after last feed of the day)
>>> when are you offering live feeder insects ? what are they ? how big are they ?
>>> when are you offering greens and other veg ? what are you offering ?
good guide is here : http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutritionframeset.html