Baby Beardie Not Eating Well

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Hey all,
I've had my little one for just over 2 weeks now and he's still not really eating. I called my vet and she recommended I get the Zilla Jump Start appetite stimulant but that also doesn't appear to be helping (and he hates it when I put it on his nose and he just wipes it off). I've tried Dubia Roaches, Crickets, BSFL, Waxworms, and he has access to fresh salad daily. He will only eat 1 bug, and then loses interest. He took a bite of a raspberry the other day and seemed to enjoy it but now won't touch them. I have a Reptisun 10.0 UVB T8 bulb mounted inside in the middle of his tank lengthwise (I can't get it close to the basking bulb due to length). I have a shorter T5 12% from Arcadia on order. The spot he hangs out on under his basking lamp is 105 (he can go higher to get warmer but doesn't really which is probably good because the top of the basking stone gets to be about 120). Cool side sits at 76 and ambient temp at about 88. I mist him with water twice a day, sometimes he drinks it and other times he doesn't. I thought maybe he was getting shy with me around trying to feed bugs so I got a bowl with smooth sides so worms/roaches can't climb out and leave that in there for him to try and entice him. I've seen him eat mustard green leaf 2 days after I got him home and hasn't touched any veggies since. He is pooping every day, but he's really really really skinny (I'm trying to avoid handling him in case it is relocation stress still so I haven't actually weighed him yet). He's about 6 inches long.

My vet said it could just be failure to thrive but if he's eating (even in very small quantities) that's good. No parasites were found in his poop. Anything else I might be missing for this little guy?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Does the T 8 have a clear plastic cover over the bulb? If it does take it off --- what distance is the UVB it should be 6-8 inches -- the T 5 you have coming what is the length of the fixture? He is going thru relocation stress that is normal - it may take him a while to start really eating - you said he was really skinny ? Can you post pics of him please -you dont want that basking top spot 120 --- its too hot -- post a pic of the tank set up please
https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ click on XIMG at the top of the message box then click on the pic it should post
Karrie
 

MakinBlakinPancakes

Member
Original Poster
The T8 does not have a plastic cover. The T5 is shorter than my current T8 fixture and lamp, it will be a 22in bulb and 24in fixture (my current is a 30in fixture and 24in bulb).
108916-7070345636.jpg
108916-1745150332.jpg
108916-3242905387.jpg
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Ok so he does look skinny ----------- you need to get a piece of decor directly under that UVB 6-8 inches from the bulb --he needs to be able to get directly under the UVB --- the screen on your tank is a fine mesh or wide holed? I would get your basking temps down from 120 - the hottest it should be is 110- you can get a piece of decor that offers a gradient heat that way he can pick the spot he wants to bask at something like this https://www.petsmart.com/reptile/habitats-and-decor/habitat-decor/thrive-driftwood-reptile-decor-54734.html?cgid=500116 I have these in my 2 tanks and my dragons love them -- I have them set in the tank w/ the long stick part sticking up in the pic on the floor so the can sit in between the thick part of the trunk and long stick -- it offers a gradient heat -- I would take your cave/ platform and put on the cool side of your tank and get a piece of decor under your basking light
Keep offering him food -- but work on your lighting -- especially the UVB at this point hes not really getting any w/ nothing under it for him to sit on
Karrie
 

MakinBlakinPancakes

Member
Original Poster
The mesh is pretty fine, it was recommended that I mount the UVB bulb inside as it would filter out too much UVB with the screen top.

I made some quick adjustments based on your recommendation. Does this look better? The two pieces of wood are supporting each other so I need to get decor for him for more gradient heat. The top of the bark is about 6 inches from the UVB bulb.
108916-317827315.jpg
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Yes looks better -- see how that goes and let me know --- the better decor will be nice and offer him different places to sit stand or lay on -- :) your T 5 coming will need to go into the tank as well -- but distance for that is going to be 12-15 inches since its a stronger bulb --- let us know when you get it and if you need help hanging it --
Karrie
 

MakinBlakinPancakes

Member
Original Poster
So I have to say that ever since I reconfigured the logs he has been perched at the top of the one closest to the UVB bulb and just snoozing (other than the 5 mins I had to soak him because he pooped and then shimmied through it smearing it on his belly) so I think we are onto something with the UVB exposure being off for him :)
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Ok so w/ correct basking temps and good UVB his behavior should change --- he should start eating better I would say - they do go thru relocation stress so it may not be fully up to par but as he adjust it should pick up -- make sure your offering fresh salads every day http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html ignore the kale thing its a good staple feeder -- get some BSFL from here www.symptonbsf.com order large and do not dust - add them to his salads as toppers make sure you have a glass or ceramic bowl they cant get out of --- use as many as you want add them to the bowl in front of him --- as he gets older and bigger you can use medium super worms as well -- see if you can order some silk worms from here www.coastalsilkworms.com I cant remember if they come w/ food -- check when you are ordering --- they are another great staple feeder and lure to the bowl--- most of my suppliers I get silks from are out of stock - you can get some butter worms from here but shipping is expensive --www.mulberryfarms.com - I just ordered 50 from them -- they are another great worm - what staple insect are you feeding?
Karrie
 

MakinBlakinPancakes

Member
Original Poster
I currently have a container of 1,000 BSFL (some are starting to go into pupae form because he's not eating fast enough). I have Dubia Roaches too that I'm picking up from a local pet store. Their smalls and extra smalls are really big though so I have some XS on order from dubiaroaches.com. He has eaten a couple BSFL, he seems to enjoy Dubias more than crickets (plus you don't have to worry if they escape that they will bite him at night). I put yellow squash and collard greens in his dish daily but he hasn't shown an interest.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Use your BSFL to get him to the bowl -- put them in the fridge on the door and they will go dormant --- take out what you want to feed and let them warm up for 10 minutes -- sounds like you might need some small super worms but I looked at the people that carry them are out -- try some wax worms --- but only use those sparingly and not long term -- they are a fatty worm and long term can cause liver damage -- my two dragons wont eat them -- you can also use small horn worms but you must get them small cuz they grow really fast --- dubiaroaches carries them --- meal worms are out -- too harsh on babies stomachs -- good for mainly adult dragons-- dubias are way better for him --- you can keep them in a 10 gallon aquarium and feed them dubia food along w/ carrots and squash for hydration -- any type of worm in the food bowl added will get his attention to it --- we want him eating some veggies but his main diet is the roaches or silk worms -- all this will make for a balanced diet for himk -- variety is key ---
Karrie
 

MakinBlakinPancakes

Member
Original Poster
So yesterday he did better, ate about 6 bugs during the day (which is a record). But today so far he’s only had one. We are about 2 hours from lights out so I doubt he’ll eat any more today. He also hasn’t pooped today, which is unusual.

I can’t help but feeling I’m still doing something wrong.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Make sure hes hydrated---------- has he eaten any salads? Are you feeding salads?? What about worms? BSFL? What about some wax worms? He wont eat if hes not hydrated so watch his poops they will be firm moist and dark and urate will be firm moist and white--- if its chalky and dried out looking hes dehydrated -- sounds like hes still going thru some relocation stress as long as hes eating and basking and pooping even tho not every day your good -- his appetite will increase
Karrie
 

MakinBlakinPancakes

Member
Original Poster
He has access to salad all day (mustard greens). I’ve put BSFL on top of the salad in a dish they can’t get out of and leave them in there (the BSFL seem to munch away at the salad too). I’ve tried giving him waxworms as well and he has no interest. I’m misting him twice a day and have a shallow bowl of water available for him all day. When I soak him he dips his mouth in the water and drinks it like he’s never had water before. I’m afraid he’s dehydrated because he isn’t eating bugs or his salad. Is eating 1-4 bugs a day considered “eating?” It’s almost been 4 weeks since I brought him home and I didn’t think relocation stress lasted this long.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
It can last that long from what I have been told and if hes drinking water out of that dish hes getting water --- that is good :) -- Yes 1-4 bugs a day is considered eating --- its when they quit eating all together is a problem-- as he becomes more adjusted he will eat more -- does he have stress marks on him?
Karrie
 

MakinBlakinPancakes

Member
Original Poster
There are faint stress marks on his belly but black lines in his tiny beard that have been there since I brought him home. The ones on his belly were darker at first but have faded some, they’ve been the same color now for about 2 weeks.
 
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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.

Things to do:
Buy calcium powder
Material to raise surface for basking spot
Scenery decals for back of tank

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