Won’t eat from dish?

dandelion

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Jasper
I recently adopted a neglected bearded dragon. He’s the first bearded dragon I’ve owned, and I’m still struggling to find out certain things. In the month or so that I’ve had him, I have had little success with feeding. He doesn’t eat much at all. I wasn’t able to get much specific information about his diet from his previous owner. One of the more odd things I’ve noticed is that he seems to not know how to eat from a dish? He will eat from tongs, or if I set a piece of food in front of him, (or will chase a roach) but I’ve never seen him touch anything from a bowl. Even though I really enjoy feeding him, some days I don’t have time because of work, and if I leave him some salad, it’s still all there when I get back. I’m worried about keeping him properly hydrated and getting enough nutrients, and he doesn’t seem to have much energy. Does anyone have any advice? I would really appreciate it!
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I recently adopted a neglected bearded dragon. He’s the first bearded dragon I’ve owned, and I’m still struggling to find out certain things. In the month or so that I’ve had him, I have had little success with feeding. He doesn’t eat much at all. I wasn’t able to get much specific information about his diet from his previous owner. One of the more odd things I’ve noticed is that he seems to not know how to eat from a dish? He will eat from tongs, or if I set a piece of food in front of him, (or will chase a roach) but I’ve never seen him touch anything from a bowl. Even though I really enjoy feeding him, some days I don’t have time because of work, and if I leave him some salad, it’s still all there when I get back. I’m worried about keeping him properly hydrated and getting enough nutrients, and he doesn’t seem to have much energy. Does anyone have any advice? I would really appreciate it!
Hes going thru relocation stress I am thinking - however a month long is a while -- how much is he eating exactly? Like will he eat insects? He probably was never started on salads as a baby so your gonna haft to start all over w/ that -- get some BSFL www.symtonbsf.com order large -- do not dust them and you can get a bowl like this Amazon.com
to put them in -- it will keep them in it -- feed as many as you want as they are a good staple feeder -- also use some super worms 1-3 and horn worms 1-2 they are a good hydrating worm-- to lure him to the bowl - do this first thing in the morning for feeding time - drop the BSFL and worms on the salad in front of him so it gets his attention --
rinse the greens before serving he will get hydration there and you can also drop water on his nose to see if he will lick it off - keep doing that till hes done - you can also bath him to see if he will drink from the bath - if he starts to drink fast or a lot pull him up so it slows him down you dont want him to aspirate --
Nutrition Content ignore the kale thing its a good staple feeder
what are you using for a UVB? If its a coil its inadequate --- please let me know I can help you -- are you getting surface basking temps w/ a digital probe thermometer?
 

dandelion

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Jasper
He will eat small bits of vegetables, I’ve had most success with squash, he will eat a couple thin slices, maybe about a square inch worth in total. He always looks interested in greens, dandelion especially, but he just nibbles. He will eat some bugs, the most I’ve seen him eat in one sitting was 4 Dubia roaches, and he does like super worms. He will start to sulk and not finish eating though if he isn’t able to get it into his mouth the first few tries.
His previous owners gave him boxed spring mix, but I don’t know how much of that he ever ate. They also used crickets, but I’m still looking for a reputable place to get them.
He gets a bath twice a week, but he jumps out after about 5-10 minutes. I’ve never seen him drink from it so far. I will try with droplets.
He used to have a small coil when I got him, but I switched it out for an Arcadia T-5 12%, I believe it’s a 24”. I have an infrared for surface temps.

For the bsfl, how many per day roughly?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
He will eat small bits of vegetables, I’ve had most success with squash, he will eat a couple thin slices, maybe about a square inch worth in total. He always looks interested in greens, dandelion especially, but he just nibbles. He will eat some bugs, the most I’ve seen him eat in one sitting was 4 Dubia roaches, and he does like super worms. He will start to sulk and not finish eating though if he isn’t able to get it into his mouth the first few tries.
His previous owners gave him boxed spring mix, but I don’t know how much of that he ever ate. They also used crickets, but I’m still looking for a reputable place to get them.
He gets a bath twice a week, but he jumps out after about 5-10 minutes. I’ve never seen him drink from it so far. I will try with droplets.
He used to have a small coil when I got him, but I switched it out for an Arcadia T-5 12%, I believe it’s a 24”. I have an infrared for surface temps.

For the bsfl, how many per day roughly?
I would keep him on the roaches --- crickets are a dirty feeder and can give parasites -- roaches are easier to keep --- I have a 10 gallon aquarium that I keep mine in - when I order them I order around 200 large at a time and they breed in the tank - I get the roaches from www.dubiaroches.com -- along w/ dubia food and dubia dew but I also feed them squash fruit raw sweet potato - what ever you feed your dragon except carrots dont feed both one or the other too much Vit A -- you can also get really nice super worms from here Fluker Farms - Order Live Crickets, Mealworms, Superworms they come in large only and shipped in a tube -- you will need to get meal worm food and a container to keep them in w/ a lid w/ holes -- they are the nicest super worms I have found so far --
your UVB is it in the tank or on top of your screen?
As far as the BSFL feed as many as you want -- they are a great combo w/ the roaches -- I fed Blaze around 25 at 3 months old and then the roaches after he ate some salad and the BSFL - its up to you -- the main staple was the roaches - the BSFL were lures to get him to the salad bowl --
 
Last edited:

xp29

BD.org Addict
Photo Comp Winner
Beardie name(s)
Zen , Ruby ,Snicker Doodles, Sweet Pea, Sinatra
How old and how big is your dragon?
If he is a baby or juvenile he needs as much protein as he can get because he will still be growing. If he is an adult i would still give him a good amount of protein until he gets settled. It sound like he was neglected so he probably needs it. Dust his bugs with calcium according to his age. Baby/juvenile once per day. If he is adult also once per day fir the first while. After you know his health is good you can cut back to a few times per week.dust with a multivitamin A couple times per week. None of mine like their bugs in a bowl, thats not uncommon. You can let him hunt for them but you have to make sure not to leave them overly long in his habitat, a lot of them will bite him. Dubias i think may not bite. Crickets, hornworms superworms all will.
Work with Karrieree on your lights and heat, she is amazing with that.
Also ask anything you need to know,never guess, there is a ton of helpful people here.
 

dandelion

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Jasper
I would keep him on the roaches --- crickets are a dirty feeder and can give parasites -- roaches are easier to keep --- I have a 10 gallon aquarium that I keep mine in - when I order them I order around 200 large at a time and they breed in the tank - I get the roaches from www.dubiaroches.com -- along w/ dubia food and dubia dew but I also feed them squash fruit raw sweet potato - what ever you feed your dragon except carrots dont feed both one or the other too much Vit A -- you can also get really nice super worms from here Fluker Farms - Order Live Crickets, Mealworms, Superworms they come in large only and shipped in a tube -- you will need to get meal worm food and a container to keep them in w/ a lid w/ holes -- they are the nicest super worms I have found so far --
your UVB is it in the tank or on top of your screen?
As far as the BSFL feed as many as you want -- they are a great combo w/ the roaches -- I fed Blaze around 25 at 3 months old and then the roaches after he ate some salad and the BSFL - its up to you -- the main staple was the roaches - the BSFL were lures to get him to the salad bowl --
Thank you, I will try that.
It took me a little while to find a way to mount it inside the tank, but it is inside now. It’s been there for a little over a week.
 

dandelion

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Jasper
How old and how big is your dragon?
If he is a baby or juvenile he needs as much protein as he can get because he will still be growing. If he is an adult i would still give him a good amount of protein until he gets settled. It sound like he was neglected so he probably needs it. Dust his bugs with calcium according to his age. Baby/juvenile once per day. If he is adult also once per day fir the first while. After you know his health is good you can cut back to a few times per week.dust with a multivitamin A couple times per week. None of mine like their bugs in a bowl, thats not uncommon. You can let him hunt for them but you have to make sure not to leave them overly long in his habitat, a lot of them will bite him. Dubias i think may not bite. Crickets, hornworms superworms all will.
Work with Karrieree on your lights and heat, she is amazing with that.
Also ask anything you need to know,never guess, there is a ton of helpful people here.
Thank you, I really appreciate it!
I’m not sure on age exactly, I think about four years? He’s just over 17 inches, within normal weight range, but not very active - his nails were overgrown and it almost seems like he’s been re-learning some things, climbing in particular.
Do you have a particular type or brand of multivitamin you recommend?
Also, is that somewhat normal for veggies? I’ve been trying to research, but it’s been really hard to find advice for adults, not just juveniles.
 

xp29

BD.org Addict
Photo Comp Winner
Beardie name(s)
Zen , Ruby ,Snicker Doodles, Sweet Pea, Sinatra
Honestly most any of the calcium and multivitamins they sell at petsmart are ok. I'm having better luck getting mine to eat the strawberry banana flavor. They can be pretty contrary about the supplements. If they aren't started on salad young they can be pretty difficult on that as well. You can try adding bee pollen to it, and/of adding insects to lure them to it.
My male is the same way, if he misses his food more than a couple times he just won't eat it. I have found if a give him a few minutes and try again I'm usually successful.
 

smaugthebeardie3756

Hatchling Member
Beardie name(s)
Smaug
Thank you, I really appreciate it!
I’m not sure on age exactly, I think about four years? He’s just over 17 inches, within normal weight range, but not very active - his nails were overgrown and it almost seems like he’s been re-learning some things, climbing in particular.
Do you have a particular type or brand of multivitamin you recommend?
Also, is that somewhat normal for veggies? I’ve been trying to research, but it’s been really hard to find advice for adults, not just juveniles.
I recommend the Repcal Herptivite for the vitamin only because it has beta carotene instead of synthetic vitamin A. The dragon can turn the beta carotene into vitamin A and the rest gets expelled without a risk of vitaminosis. The most that will happen from an overdose of beta carotene is some orange coloring of the skin. Vitamin A overdose can have profoundly worse effects. The risk is very low if you're only using it a couple times a week, but I would rather be safe than sorry personally.
 

dandelion

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Jasper
Thank you, I will try that.
It took me a little while to find a way to mount it inside the tank, but it is inside now. It’s been there for a little over a
I would keep him on the roaches --- crickets are a dirty feeder and can give parasites -- roaches are easier to keep --- I have a 10 gallon aquarium that I keep mine in - when I order them I order around 200 large at a time and they breed in the tank - I get the roaches from www.dubiaroches.com -- along w/ dubia food and dubia dew but I also feed them squash fruit raw sweet potato - what ever you feed your dragon except carrots dont feed both one or the other too much Vit A -- you can also get really nice super worms from here Fluker Farms - Order Live Crickets, Mealworms, Superworms they come in large only and shipped in a tube -- you will need to get meal worm food and a container to keep them in w/ a lid w/ holes -- they are the nicest super worms I have found so far --
your UVB is it in the tank or on top of your screen?
As far as the BSFL feed as many as you want -- they are a great combo w/ the roaches -- I fed Blaze around 25 at 3 months old and then the roaches after he ate some salad and the BSFL - its up to you -- the main staple was the roaches - the BSFL were lures to get him to the salad bowl --
I got very excited this morning, I thought he was actually going for it, but it turns out he just found a piece of blueberry that rolled off lol.
E0EC29ED-4803-464F-9AE3-3194827FF6BF.jpeg
 

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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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