Sick of dubia or semi-brumating?

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katk

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My beardie has significantly changed his eating habits over the last few weeks and I don't know if he's sick of dubia, exhibiting brumating behavior, or just growing up. We've had him since he was 3-4 mos. old and we guess that he's about 10 mos. now. We've always fed him a mixture of dubia roaches and greens and he's always had a good appetite, sometimes eating around 30+ dubia a day. We've increased their size as he's grown (he can handle 1" now) so he's eaten fewer per day, but in the last couple of weeks he's been uninterested in eating. He'll eat a little of his greens and maybe 1-4 dubia per day- it's hard to tell exactly how many. He only poops ~once a week now too and he's hanging out in the cooler spots in his tank rather than under the basking lamp. He'll still eat mealworms out of my hand but has no interest in dubia. We didn't realize he wasn't eating them until we noticed that the dubia had been escaping at night- and now they've all burrowed in the small crevices in his logs and taken up residence there. There's now an adult dubia lurking around his tank and he refuses to eat it. Should I be concerned? Should I stop feeding him dubia and switch to something else? We had a frustrating time with crickets and don't want to go that route, and I don't know what worms are healthy for them on a daily basis.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
First get all the dubia out of his tank --- where are you keeping them? In a 10 gallon aquarium or a tote? Next lets go over the lighting 10 month old dragons should not be brumating unless they are really big for their age like over 300 grams -- UVB please coil or tube? where in the tank is it? basking temps? what are they and how are you taking them? No stick ons they are inaccurate -- we need to rule out lighting for the cause of behavior
 

katk

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Original Poster
109407-5269210464.jpg
Tofi's tank is 50 gal. We store the feeder dubia in a large plastic bin (with holes in the lid). We've had a hard time getting the escapees out since they burrow in the crevices of his logs- maybe we need to replace his basking logs? He has a 10.0 reptisun tube UVB, white basking light, two digital thermometers- 95-100 hot side, 75-85 (depending on the day) cooler side.
P.S. we have new reptile carpet to replace substrate- haven't had a chance to put it in yet.
 

katk

Member
Original Poster
Update: he did just make a large poop- the part that's normally white has some orange color I've never seen before. He's glass surfing now too. We have some construction in the house that's been going on for weeks but I thought he'd gotten used to it. I just picked him up and his body feels cold from not basking.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Orange urate could be from diet or feeding too many carrots to the dubias or the supplements your feeding -- are you feeding supplements if so what? The UVB is what bulb please look on it and look for T 8 or T 5 -- distance and placement is crucial -- I would replace the basking logs--- when I find out what bulb your using you will be able to pick the appropriate basking decor out --
 

katk

Member
Original Poster
It's a T5 bulb- arranged diagonally so it goes across most of his tank. We feed the dubias this stuff: https://www.chewy.com/nature-zone-total-bites-feeder-insect/dp/159403?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=f&utm_content=Nature%20Zone&utm_term=&gclid=CjwKCAjw6qqDBhB-EiwACBs6x7QivaDqIOfov-HhWwymfIMPz-8Bd83yE6QcD2CAFvx0WvduIb5NmhoCdnoQAvD_BwE

He's had the grapevine basking logs which were recommended when we bought him- it seems like these are really common. What do other people use to keep the crickets/dubias from hiding?
 

NYBeardie

Member
Not that I'm an expert, but I'm pretty positive our 8+ish month old is is doing the semi brumation thing as well. He used to devour 50+ roaches a day + Kale and then slowly cut himself off from food in December. He's slowly eaten less (and we haven't been shoving food in his face anymore) and is now comfortably resting under a plastic tote with wheels in the corner of the apartment as to say "Leave me the hell alone." His weight has been consistent (~410-420g) and he hasn't black-bearded at all. When we pull him out to check on him and/or give him a bath, he perks up a bit, does a lap around the apt, then goes back under the bin. And yeah, he gets pretty cold to the touch.

Again, not an expert here and not suggesting I know more than anyone, just tossing in my current experience with a large juvenile.

I'll add that it's REALLY hard not to think something is wrong or that we did something wrong, especially as new owners. I've taken solace that he hasn't lost weight (weighed 1-2x/week), hasn't black-bearded, seems perfectly fine, and is just helping define what the term lounge lizard really means. When ours IS ready to eat again, he's going to have some really big, fat, juicy dubia to munch on.

EDIT: We keep the dubia in a small dish that has an overhanging lip so they have a hard(er) time getting out.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
The T 5 can stay on top of your screen as LONG AS ITS A WIDE HOLE -- if its a fine mesh screen it needs to be inside the tank - the screen will block 30% of the rays and I see he is clear to the top of that branch -- distance in the tank needs to be 12-15 inches directly underneath and yes if hes not getting enough UVB he will not eat - and will mimic semi brumation behavior -- dragons will hide their illness till they no longer can -- you wont see it coming till hes lethargic not moving not eating etc --- the branches are nice but if they are harboring crickets and dubia I would get rid of them or clean them out really good - you can sanitize them w/ some Rescue or Zoom Meds Wipe Out that will kill whatever is living in them --- I would feed the roaches one at a time same w/ the crickets they will come out at nite and bite the dragon --- causing infection in some cases -- the insects need to be gutloaded before feeding I feed mine at nite that is when they come out to eat and drink -- they are kept in a 10 gallon aquarium -- I cannot stress enough the UVB placement ---
 

katk

Member
Original Poster
NYBeardie":1zxmt6bd said:
I'll add that it's REALLY hard not to think something is wrong or that we did something wrong, especially as new owners. I've taken solace that he hasn't lost weight (weighed 1-2x/week), hasn't black-bearded, seems perfectly fine, and is just helping define what the term lounge lizard really means. When ours IS ready to eat again, he's going to have some really big, fat, juicy dubia to munch on.

EDIT: We keep the dubia in a small dish that has an overhanging lip so they have a hard(er) time getting out.

Thanks for your response; it IS really hard to not assume something is really wrong right away. I'll admit that we don't have scale for him and haven't weighed him so we'll have to fix that. But I've never seen a black beard or puffing up. He's been glass surfing on his cool side for a couple of hours now so I am still concerned though.

Would you be able to send a link or pic of the dish you're using? I'd like to see how it differs from ours.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
https://www.amazon.com/MACGOAL-Reptile-Ceramic-Leopard-Bearded/dp/B084VJJWTV?pf_rd_r=R0HNPKXJ2ZARWAT5MPAH&pf_rd_p=c5b6893a-24f2-4a59-9d4b-aff5065c90ec&pd_rd_r=0173f98f-f39b-4d44-9f76-6ae4d88c419b&pd_rd_w=AuGQB&pd_rd_wg=tLkwE&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_d
this is the salad dish the dubias can get out of it so I feed them by hand
the glass surfing could be from lots of things ranging from incorrect lighting and basking temps --- tank being too small --- or just bored--- it is hard to say--- I would start w/ getting your UVB properly placed and go from there
 

NYBeardie

Member
katk":36eyjmgg said:
Would you be able to send a link or pic of the dish you're using? I'd like to see how it differs from ours.

110719-9731234353.jpg

110719-4756317022.jpg

Sadly, I have no idea where I got this. I had it long before the dragon.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Yes that would work -- the small dubias cant get out of those dishes its when they start getting bigger they can crawl out of but the BSFL and the superworms etc cant get out ---
97951-7323218365.jpg
this is a pic of Blaze in his food dish -- he was about 3 months old or so --
 

NYBeardie

Member
I was just coming back to post a similar pic. Dax used to dive right in and swim in the bug pool, too.

110719-9154437743.jpg

Dubia over 3/4" are sometimes able to escape, but it takes them a while. Haven't fed adult ones yet...there's probably no way to contain those. Hornworms escape too. I was thinking of having a friend make a custom ceramic for me with higher walls. Either that, or maybe find or make a square glass container to use so he can see the bugs anywhere.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Hes not ready for large dubias yet -- you just want something similar to the bowl you have maybe bigger- add those BSFL to the salad in front of him so he sees you doing it - I set the bowl down in front of my dragons w/ salad and then add some super worms and horn worms on top or silk depending on what I have in the house -- that ole movement gets their attention every time --
 

NYBeardie

Member
KarrieRee":38j8bwwd said:
Hes not ready for large dubias yet...

Not trying to threadjack, but that pic was back from when I first got him, so he was about 2 months old there. He's quite a bit bigger now, about 8 months old, 18.5", & ~412 grams:
110719-6428539986.jpg

...and, as I mentioned, doing his very best to chillax in a cool, quietish place:
110719-9302489101.jpg

I check on him every day, weigh him at least 2x a week, and am just waiting for him to hopefully perk up when he's ready. If his weight starts dropping or starts turning black or seeming off, I'll make a vet appt. Until then, I'm just trying to let him be.

I'll start him with the 3/4" when he starts eating again, then feed the < 1" ones if he starts feeling comfortable with them. The adult dubias are currently in a young colony, so I don't plan on feeding them off anytime soon.
 
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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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