Juvenile beardie refuses to eat, getting skinny. please help

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AHBD

BD.org Sicko
No, it happens at times even if it's just a lick. In the future it would be good to have a fecal test done though .
 

PathfinderMom91

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Hello!

I was able to get some extra small crickets at the store. Here is a picture of him next to one.

106536-5747955427.jpg

By the way, I left him alone most of the afternoon with it and he still does not eat it? Has he gotten used to me syringe feeding???
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Yes he's probably like " where's my soup " ?? :lol: Anyway, just keep trying, only put 1-2 crix in at once so he doesn't get overwhelmed.
 

Ashleylshy

New member
I’m not sure if your still having this issue, but I figured I would post a suggestion just in case. My beardie had this issue when he was a baby and she is now a happy healthy almost 3 year old. If you go to pet smart or petco they have a powder meal vitamin type substitute. You will have to force it with a syringe, but if you do it even once daily then hopefully it will pull your baby thru. They are really very strong survivors. Also make sure you give him a syringe with bottled spring water or some sort of hydration with the syringe. He won’t like the food or water and you might get snapped, but we do what we have to do. Mine was so weak she couldn’t barely move and she was cold and doing horribly. If mine made it thru then so can anyone else’s..good luck!! Feel free to hit me up if you have any questions...
 

PathfinderMom91

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Ashleylshy":1i3vq8z5 said:
I’m not sure if your still having this issue, but I figured I would post a suggestion just in case. My beardie had this issue when he was a baby and she is now a happy healthy almost 3 year old. If you go to pet smart or petco they have a powder meal vitamin type substitute. You will have to force it with a syringe, but if you do it even once daily then hopefully it will pull your baby thru. They are really very strong survivors. Also make sure you give him a syringe with bottled spring water or some sort of hydration with the syringe. He won’t like the food or water and you might get snapped, but we do what we have to do. Mine was so weak she couldn’t barely move and she was cold and doing horribly. If mine made it thru then so can anyone else’s..good luck!! Feel free to hit me up if you have any questions...

Hello Ashley!

Thank you so much for your suggestion! It gives me hope that he’ll make it through this. I’ve been giving him oxbow carnivore care mixed with water through a syringe and sometimes a slurry I made of insects and greens. He’s been on this diet for a month. He’s still not eating live insects, unless I manage to squeeze one into his mouth, mostly worms. I haven’t gotten bit yet, he’s a really good boy/girl.
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

They do get very spoiled & used to being syringe fed, absolutely!
What you can do is slowly reduce the amount that you syringe feed him, so that his natural
appetite will come back on its own. Once he becomes hungry enough, he should start to eat
his insects & greens more.
How much weight has he lost, in general?

Tracie
 

PathfinderMom91

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Drache613":amf43bst said:
Hello,

They do get very spoiled & used to being syringe fed, absolutely!
What you can do is slowly reduce the amount that you syringe feed him, so that his natural
appetite will come back on its own. Once he becomes hungry enough, he should start to eat
his insects & greens more.
How much weight has he lost, in general?

Tracie

Hello Tracie! He actually has been gaining weight since I’ve been feeding him. I didn’t know what his initial weight was when I got him from the pet store, but I did notice within 2 weeks of not eating, he slimmed down a lot. Now he looks like he is heavier than he was when I first got him, but not by a lot. He’s around 13g last time I checked and 10-11 inches.
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Maybe he just doesn't like crickets or what they are dusted with. Trouble with crickets is sometimes they give a lizard a fright ( bite the lizard back )and this scares / puts the lizard off from eating them afterwards for a while.

I suggest try another insect species and see if that elicits a better hunting feeding response.
 

PathfinderMom91

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
kingofnobbys":15gks2vr said:
Maybe he just doesn't like crickets or what they are dusted with. Trouble with crickets is sometimes they give a lizard a fright ( bite the lizard back )and this scares / puts the lizard off from eating them afterwards for a while.

I suggest try another insect species and see if that elicits a better hunting feeding response.

I was thinking this same thing. Every time I put a cricket or worm in the tank with him he starts glass surfing, like he doesn’t want to be there. I’ve tried various sizes of crickets, dusted/not dusted, mealworms, calciworms, waxworms. The only thing left I could try is ordering discoid roaches (I live in FL). I would hate to spend a lot of money on roaches and then he doesn’t eat them either.
 

PathfinderMom91

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
AHBD":1a51pduy said:
Just wondering how your little one is doing ?

Hello!!! Merry Christmas!

Sorry for the super late response. Pathfinder is still doing the same. Not eating by himself. I’m still giving him the carnivore care mix and also a slurry. I think he’s also starting to shed, he’s lethargic and overall cranky and the front of his face is looking lighter in color. He’s also started “shivering” when I pick him up, so I’m trying to get him closer to the uvb lamp with egg cartons and putting more calcium powder in his meals. He’s now 14g after his latest feeding.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Your little guy is plugging along, at least he's not getting worse ! Beardies/reptiles don't shiver when they get cold, but they may do do if they are calcium deficient. It's good that you're putting extra calcium in his food. Do you use a multi-vitamin at all ? As for the worm guard, I'd avoid it since you would need to identify the parasites first. Other members or one of the mods. [ p.m. Drache613 ] might know more about it. Keep up the good work though, 14 grams !
 

PathfinderMom91

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
AHBD":1284r0fd said:
Your little guy is plugging along, at least he's not getting worse ! Beardies/reptiles don't shiver when they get cold, but they may do do if they are calcium deficient. It's good that you're putting extra calcium in his food. Do you use a multi-vitamin at all ? As for the worm guard, I'd avoid it since you would need to identify the parasites first. Other members or one of the mods. [ p.m. Drache613 ] might know more about it. Keep up the good work though, 14 grams !


I do use a multivitamin, maybe 2x a week. I’ll hold of on the worm guard for now. Thank you!
 

PathfinderMom91

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Update:

Pathfinder threw up this morning, but it wasn’t a lot. He had thrown up before and it was a lot, but I think it was me overfeeding him in one sitting. I’m not sure what caused it this time, I had fed him in the morning and afternoon carnivore care the day before. It was 0.5ml each feeding. His face has started to peel, which makes syringe feeding him a bit difficult. I also have an appointment to see a new vet on Monday, since the last vet charged me $70 and all she did was look at him and tell me to keep syringe feeding him.

106536-5990793533.jpg

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