10 days in and Frankie still isn't eating much.

[Pokerchick]

Frankie has been with me for 10 days now. He has had:

3 sunny days outdoors
3 baths
1 poop
and VERY little food. Maybe 10 worms at most. He finally took from the tweezers for the first time today but he eats one worm thats it. I can't get him to eat any crickets. maybe 6 pieces of fruit.

I'm really worried about his not eatin much. He doesn't run and hide, he had some indoor free roam time today. Frankie never had a UV light or any outside time. He is 7 years old. I say, he is institutionalized. He now tries to climb the glass to get out. I need to upload a video of him doing this. How little can he eat before I need to be really concerned? He seems fine with me so I thought by now he would eat more. Any tips on timing with feedings? I thought let him out a bit maybe he would eat after... nope. When he's active and wants out... nope. He eats one worm that's eat.
Side question... how do I post a pic? I uploaded some to my profile, but by clicking IMG I just get code.

Thanks for the help!! This group is a HUGE help for me

 

[AHBD]

Hi there.....to post pics you can load them to photobucket, then copy/paste the img here or follow this info: https://www.beardeddragon.org/guestAlbum/

So do you mean that you've just gotten him 10 days ago and the info that you have is that he never had UVB ?
As for him not eating, it's pretty common for beardie's when they go to a new home, it's part of relocation stress, as is being restless. Hopefully he's not in too bad condition and will settle in for you O.K.

 

[Terry15]

You can go to the Home page, down to what's new, then to User Image Upload Manager, upload as many pictures as you need. Then post them as you need them in your messages. Under the User Image Upload Manager, it should really say NOW available, instead of NOT available. I post from my phone.

 

[Pokerchick]

So do you mean that you've just gotten him 10 days ago and the info that you have is that he never had UVB ?
As for him not eating, it's pretty common for beardie's when they go to a new home, it's part of relocation stress, as is being restless. Hopefully he's not in too bad condition and will settle in for you O.K.

Yes. Frankie only had a basking lamp and red bulb heat lamp all these years. The woman I got him from was 80 and although she loved him and her other animals she didn't have the correct lighting. He was in regular sand. I got rid of that. There are many things which I think are new to him and I'm surprised he's not nervous with me. I'm not sure he's had baths. She would mist him daily. He's not sure what to do in the water. He just sits still most of
The time. After I took him outdoors (it's cold in Ontario canada now) last week he started trying to jump off his wooden pieces into the paper rocky background she had. I felt sad seeing this so I took it off but he was so still after I thought it was a mistake. Now the paper background is only showing about 6 of the 18 inches scene so he doesn't jump. I think he's okay but it's all new to him. Right now it looks as if he's standing and sleeping against one of his wooden pieces on his hind legs!! He's so handsome. I know he is loving getting out and walking a bit everyday and today he actually ate a worm from my hands. But only two worms all day. I put crickets but had to pick them out because there were four sitting on him at night and I read that's no good for his eyes. I will post some photos from my laptop. Thank you so much for the help and advice!!!

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Which UVB are you using for Frankie now? Poor guy, it sounds like he wasn't taken care of real well previously but at least he has a great home with you now!
It may take him just a little while to get used to a new home though, but I would think at his age he should adjust pretty soon.
How are his temperatures in his tank? Are you using a bright white basking light for him too?
I am sure he loves getting out of his tank & running around also. It is great exercise for him!
Definitely don't leave any crickets in his tank overnight. They are very carnivorous & are known to inflict bites.

Let us know how he is doing.
Tracie

 

[Pokerchick]

Hello,

Which UVB are you using for Frankie now? Poor guy, it sounds like he wasn't taken care of real well previously but at least he has a great home with you now!
It may take him just a little while to get used to a new home though, but I would think at his age he should adjust pretty soon.
How are his temperatures in his tank? Are you using a bright white basking light for him too?
I am sure he loves getting out of his tank & running around also. It is great exercise for him!
Definitely don't leave any crickets in his tank overnight. They are very carnivorous & are known to inflict bites.

Let us know how he is doing.
Tracie

Hey Tracie, Thanks SO MUCH for the help.

The woman who had him, she is 80. She had 2, a female laid eggs and died soon after a few years back. I think she just didn't know the very best way to care for him. She is so loving and has dogs, cats, many birds. Not a pet hoarder I would say more of an extreme caregiver to whoever needs it! She has three lovely wood sheds in her yard for chinchilla and her birds. IT's even heated in the winter! I think she was sold or given all of his existing equipment. I dont think she wouldn't have added the uv lighting and maybe not used sand if she knew. I have a 14.5 year old dog with "perianal fistula" problems. Not a good thing, but she and my other dog Floyd... lol Frankie and Floyd .. are very spoiled. Frankie, I want him to be better cared for and at peace in his new home.

I THINK... I copied the link for his heat lamp correctly. It is yellow, not white at all. I installed a 24 inch Repti 10 (I think its called) 33% - 10% above the rock he came with. There is NO WAY he is fitting under that rock to hide. But truthfully, he doesn't hide much behind things. He has a big tank, all glass. did I mention I tossed the sand? I need to get his floor set up better but I am in the middle of finishing a rock climb for him. I'll try to copy those links too. So once it is done, I will have better idea of floor space. For now, he is on those blue thick towels. I have draped one over a branch, in case he does want to hide. At night, he always had a red bulb lamp. I haven't changed that.

His tank temp is right around 70. It's getting colder now in Ontario, next week a bit warmer but he can't go outside anymore. He was walking around the yard a bit. When he took his first bath, it was outside in a bin, under the warm sun. He pooped, I even caught it on my Iphone LOL. I will upload the video to my youtube and share the link. I do think he is cold. This morning, I put in the warming rock a friend gave me. I hadd it plugged in for 3 hours to see how warm it gets as I did read somewhere online they may not be good? He was sleeping nearly standing up, against a wood piece he has, for 12 hours. It freaked me out! So when I changed his water this morning, I moved him over and tried to see if he would take a worm... nope. BUT...he moved away from the heat rock an hour later, he went back on. His beard looked really dark this morning.

I tried to bathe him in the tub for 15 mins... no poop. Tried the bin for 15 more... no poop. It's really hard to keep the water warm in the bin. I read about his brumation period. REALLY ??? that long?? I had NO IDEA! When frankie took a bath the first time, he was really active, walking around more. The last time in the tub... he just sat there. I tried to nudge him like I did to get him to walk outside at first. I really do think he is "institutionalized" or something like that. He had his first time out in my office let to roam. He walked around a bit and of course found the smallest space and got stuck. I let him stay only for about 30 mins. Baby steps. He has a green aquarium background. He was jumping off the top of his wood to try to grab the glass!! I took it off completely but later thought it was too much for him, so I lowered it. He still climbs it. That's when I try to let him out a bit.

Oh... any tips on the safest paint to find for his new castle that is being built?

Sorry... ah... so many questions! But if he has only pooped once, but he's barely eating much but LOVING the warm rock all morning, how often should I put him in the tub? Any bathing tips would be great! I have a tough time keeping the water warm and Frankie does keep his head up but not his body.

THANK YOU SOOO MUCH everyone!!!

 

[AHBD]

Wow, visually Frankie looks big, stocky + healthy......almost on the chunky side. At some point the previous owner must have had a Mercury vapor bulb [ MVB ] on him....it's a big bulb that produces both heat AND uvb. Either that or she may have taken him out in the sun regularly for him to look that good. Can you unscrew the bulb you have in the pic and see if there is a name on the neck of the bulb ? It may be a MVB. At any rate, he will definitely need another heat bulb along with that one to raise the temps. to at least 95 on one side of the tank, there needs to be a cool side of 70-80 and a hot side at least 95, better at 100. He won't need baths daily, once a week will be fine. And heat rocks can malfunction at any time, so it's best not to use them at all. But he looks much better than I would have imagined, so she did take pretty good care of him.

 

[Pokerchick]

Wow, visually Frankie looks big, stocky + healthy......almost on the chunky side. At some point the previous owner must have had a Mercury vapor bulb [ MVB ] on him....it's a big bulb that produces both heat AND uvb. Either that or she may have taken him out in the sun regularly for him to look that good. Can you unscrew the bulb you have in the pic and see if there is a name on the neck of the bulb ? It may be a MVB. At any rate, he will definitely need another heat bulb along with that one to raise the temps. to at least 95 on one side of the tank, there needs to be a cool side of 70-80 and a hot side at least 95, better at 100. He won't need baths daily, once a week will be fine. And heat rocks can malfunction at any time, so it's best not to use them at all. But he looks much better than I would have imagined, so she did take pretty good care of him.

I have no idea how he isn't sick with only the yellow bulb. Maybe is is a UV mix? There isn't any writing on the neck of the bulb I just checked. I did buy a 175 watt clear heat lamp bulb. I would think the clear would give off more heat. Maybe I should switch the yellow bulb, or if a regular desk lamp can handle 175 watts, maybe add the clear bulb and keep the yellow also?
I really doubt he has been in the natural sunshine. He seems confused when he takes a bath or when he was let on the grass Since I put the heat rock this morning, he hasn't left it. His colour has gone more light on the beard. So does a darker beard indicate body temp?

 

[AHBD]

Well everything is confusing to him now , being in a new environment. Every beardie acts differently after a move. If you have a 175 watt bulb it will need a fixture with a ceramic socket so the desk lamp won't work....but the 175 should provide enough heat on it's own and can replace the yellow bulb.

You say that you have a Reptisun 10.0 tube for uvb ? If so, you'll need to mount it inside of the tank for the rays to benefit him. It might be difficult to do in a hexagon tank but see if you can get it hooked up inside.

 

[Pokerchick]

Well everything is confusing to him now , being in a new environment. Every beardie acts differently after a move. If you have a 175 watt bulb it will need a fixture with a ceramic socket so the desk lamp won't work....but the 175 should provide enough heat on it's own and can replace the yellow bulb.

You say that you have a Reptisun 10.0 tube for uvb ? If so, you'll need to mount it inside of the tank for the rays to benefit him. It might be difficult to do in a hexagon tank but see if you can get it hooked up inside.

The lid is a pain in the arse!! It's metal grid so I was able to screw the new fixture using bolts and nuts to the grid. Having to life it on and off is a pain, so I'm going to figure out a way to cut an access lid in one of the sections. About how far or close should he be able to get to the UV and Heat bulbs? Reason I ask is we are making him a new hide and rock home that he can use. Right now he kinda hangs on the one wood and doesnt have any type of hiding spot.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Frankie does look good actually! How is he doing today?
The Reptisun 10 tube bulb can be 6-8 inches away from him, mounted beside the basking light to protect his eyes. Cutting a hole in the screen is fine, that usually works well. I can see how that will be a big pain though with lifting the lid often on there.
He is still getting used to a new home right now. A darker beard usually means they are a little stressed or don't feel well. His beard has lightened up some now?
How are the temperatures coming along?

Tracie