Pecking salad

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Mflav

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I’ve had Oscar for a year now(he was about 2 months old when I got him). All along he seems to have a very hard time eating his greens and veggies. He spends time pecking at it trying to eat but he can’t get in in his mouth so he gives up and walks away. I’ve tried cutting it up in many different ways and sizes and still no luck. I’ve looked at his teeth. No mouth rot etc however I don’t see and front teeth on neither top or bottom. Could this be the issue? He’s weight is fine(1.2lbs) because he eats plenty of Dubias(no issues getting them in his mouth).....HELP!!!
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
That is odd -- can you get some pics of the inside of his mouth please - you may haft to enlist help getting his mouth open -- try going in from the side of his mouth
https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ click on XIMG at the top of the message box then click on the pic it should post
Karrie
 
I'm no expert, but I've heard that some dragons who were raised on a pellet diet or otherwise not given greens sometimes just don't know how to eat them, and try to lick them up or just peck at them. Maybe the store or owner who had him before you didn't give him greens. Maybe try assisting him, holding them in front of his face or putting a little in his mouth and seeing if he can learn to eat? I'm not sure about the teeth though. Can he eat his insects fine?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
As suggested try feeding him by hand and see if he can eat them that way -- that is odd --
Karrie
 

Mflav

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Original Poster
I have tried by hand still no luck sometimes if I let a pea roll around in the palm of my hand he will get it but if he doesn’t get it on the second try he gives up. The only way I can get any type of greens or veggies into him is if I stick it in his mouth while His mouth is open during basking. If it is alive he has no problem eating. I have even put hornworms underneath his greens he knows enough to use his nails to scratch them out of the way to expose the worm only. Do his teeth look normal? Looks like he doesn’t have any close to the front
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I only see teeth on the one side --- where did the other side go? Is he losing weight? What else are you feeding besides the roaches? and when he poops is his food coming out completely digested? I would have AHBD look at him and Tracie and see what the deal is w/ the teeth and how maybe you can get veggies in him -- the only other way I know is to make a slurry and feed him off of a spoon- see if he will lick the vegies off of that -- have you fed him any worms and if so can he eat those ok?
Karrie
 

Mflav

Member
Original Poster
Not underweight at all he’s over a pound he also eats hornworms and mealworms he gets liquid vitamin supplement 1x week and poops are completely normal he has same amount of teeth on other side. I stick greens in his mouth whenever I see it open lol
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Oscar's mouth looks fine, what we don''t notice is that beardie's teeth are prominent from the side to the back but they are so small that they gradually look non existent from the side of the mouth to the front. Try to get him to eat greens by holding off on the insects for a week or so.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
ok so all his teeth are there --- it sounds like he just does not like veggies ---- normal ---- and hes learned how to get to the worms w/ out eating the salad --- normal and smart too :lol: -- well keep doing what your doing w/ sticking the veggies in his mouth --- for a minute there I thought we had a dragon w/ no teeth or only half of them :lol: I cant give you any tips on how to get him to eat them except try some BSFL on top of his salads - and if he doesnt like those well not sure what to tell you --
Karrie
 

Mflav

Member
Original Poster
He’s very picky and spoiled rotten I can’t even coat the roaches with the calcium powder or he won’t eat them. I have to mix it with the liquid vitamin and squirt it down his throat weekly. Will He stay healthy if he never ends up eating greens? Maybe he’s want to eat all natural like right off a plant. Is there any live plant safe for him to eat that I can keep in tank?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
At the bottom of the nutrition website is a list of safe plants -- go look there
Karrie
 
Eating right off the plant isn't a bad idea, my tortoise loved it and it'll let him grab a snack whenever he's hungry, but you need a lot of space in your enclosure and need to grow something that can grow in the heat and humidity of a beardie cage. http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html Here's a list of safe plants for them. Kale is a good staple despite what the list says. Maybe try prickly pear?
 
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Clapton is acclimating okay I think. He's quick as lightning so I'm not sure how much I should bring him out of his house yet. He's not at all interested in his salad though. I wonder if I should change what I'm giving him. Least he's eating his crickets.

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