6 month bearded dragon not eating any suggestions?

[ScottyB]

Hello apologies if I'm writing in the wrong topic i have a 6 month old bearded dragon names Gizmo. i purchased him from pets at home 7 days ago now and he does not seem to eat a lot maybe 2 to 3 locust a day and tends to lay in the cool end of the viv during the day on a log that i have near the UV, arcadia 20% D3 36" tube. i turn all lights off of a evening which i have on a timer.. Gizmo is kept in a 4' wide 2' high 1.5' depth wooden viv with a basking spot of 100f to 110f and a cool end of 75f to 80f. He has been eating wax worms by hand and some mealworms from a small dish.. i don't want to feed many of these as i have read about impaction. I dust my live feed with calcium dust and offer fresh veg every day. He has pooped 3 times in the 7 days with the first very well formed and the last 2 have been slightly runny. I have given gizmo a bath twice in the 7 days incase of him being dehydrated and i do have a water dish in the viv but i am aware that they don't drink often from the dish.

Will be great if some one could give me a heads up i was thinking maybe he's just stressed because its a new enviroment.

 

[Pixall]

Hi, welcome to the forum! Sorry this post hasn't gotten a reply yet, typically something like this would get more attention in the "ER" board, but no worries.

Can your little friend get close to the UV source on the hot end? How big is he? Anything for him to climb on in the hot end? Do you have a scale to monitor any possible weight changes?

 

[ScottyB]

Hey thanks for the reply. I do have a couple cork logs at different hights in the basking area the main beam of the light is the lowest one and is where i can get a more permanent 110f heat, any higher it gets to hot as this is closer to the bulb which is 100w. But this is like 15" from the UV so i have various logs around his viv so he can be around 6" from the UV. I measured him today and his length is arround 13". I have ordered some Calci Worms today, have read they are nutritious and he does seem to like worms more than locust. But as i am typing i have notice Gizmo eat 3 locust this morning i have put 6 in to see how he goes I do have some scales but i need to get a replacement as they don't seem to be calibrated.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Timer 16 hrs on , 8 hrs off. This is what I use for my beardies, this simulates closely summertime daylight hours in tropical central Australian dry sevannahs and deserts , bearded dragons' natural habitat.

I keep my basking spot at about 40oC (the preferred body temperature for a bearded dragon is 36oC).

Water dish is not necessary for a bearded dragon , even a hatchling, they get the water they need from the live insects they eat and from leafy greens and salad and veg they eat (I give Peppa and Toothless buk choi greens + grate carrot) , and occasionally a very light misting (just enough to leave their heads wet enough for some drops of water to drain to their lips by capillary action. Water by eyedropper on their snout works well too.

wax worms by hand and some mealworms are a bad choice of staple feeder insect.

Better choices are :
crickets ( 1/4 size for Gizmo would be about his size)
roaches
silkworms (1" - 1.5")
calcigents


UV A + B , needs this as high as possible , in their natural range in summer (breeding season) it usual for UV Index to stay over 14 most of the day.

 

[ScottyB]

Timer 16 hrs on , 8 hrs off. This is what I use for my beardies, this simulates closely summertime daylight hours in tropical central Australian dry sevannahs and deserts , bearded dragons' natural habitat.

I keep my basking spot at about 40oC (the preferred body temperature for a bearded dragon is 36oC).

Water dish is not necessary for a bearded dragon , even a hatchling, they get the water they need from the live insects they eat and from leafy greens and salad and veg they eat (I give Peppa and Toothless buk choi greens + grate carrot) , and occasionally a very light misting (just enough to leave their heads wet enough for some drops of water to drain to their lips by capillary action. Water by eyedropper on their snout works well too.

wax worms by hand and some mealworms are a bad choice of staple feeder insect.

Better choices are :
crickets ( 1/4 size for Gizmo would be about his size)
roaches
silkworms (1" - 1.5")
calcigents


UV A + B , needs this as high as possible , in their natural range in summer (breeding season) it usual for UV Index to stay over 14 most of the day.

Hey thanks for your help.
My temps seem as you have mentioned, I only have been feeding a small amount of wax worms and mealworms as i now they are better as treats.. he never seemed to take to crickets so i got locust (bit slower easier to catch) but only eats a small amount of these, has actually been slightly better today has been basking since this morning and has eaten 3 locust from what i have seen. My hours on my timer are 15-on 9-off so ill give that a change as you mentioned. i have calci worms on order just waiting for them to arrive and ill keep offering Locust and greens. He seems happy maybe he's not eating as much due to a new environment, i have only had him 7 days. The greens I'm offering most of the time are Spring greens "collard greens" same thing, Occasionally: Cabbage, Carrot, Kale, Apple, Raspberry.

 

[Pixall]

What is your source for a dragon's preferred body temp, kingofnobbys? Not challenging you, I am always eager to read new literature about a species I love.

FYI, I've clocked my big girl basking at 55*C. I offer at least two basking sites per viv, one lower temp with UV(around 43*C), and one higher temp. I use flood lights so the light and heat spreads out, but I still routinely find them basking at the hot site. I am talking SURFACE temps measured 2" away by IR heat gun.

Their natural range overlaps some of the hottest regions of Australia, where temps have been recorded at over 50*C. These are AMBIENT temperatures, though, which differ considerably from SURFACE temperatures. Ever notice when you go to the beach on a nice sunny day that the air is warm, but your feet are burning off on the hot sand? That is a real-world example of the difference.

Try tossing the little guy a few grapes or blueberries, ScottyB. ALL my omnivores go ga ga bananas over grapes. Also, they like bananas. lol

How much would you say you have handled him since you got him?

As far as the UV levels go, research has indicated that NO bulb is sufficient to stave off all detriment to captives. Which is a fancy way of saying take your little critter outside as often as possible for natural light! They have been observed basking in the wild in ambient as low as 15*C.

 

[ScottyB]

Try tossing the little guy a few grapes or blueberries, ScottyB. ALL my omnivores go ga ga bananas over grapes. Also, they like bananas. lol

How much would you say you have handled him since you got him?

As far as the UV levels go, research has indicated that NO bulb is sufficient to stave off all detriment to captives. Which is a fancy way of saying take your little critter outside as often as possible for natural light! They have been observed basking in the wild in ambient as low as 15*C.

I will try some blueberries and grapes tomorrow when i pick some up see what happens, i am currently trying the white paper towel method with veg by placing it on the towel and see if he goes to it by contrast.. something i have read, this may get him eating his veg.

I have handled hime 3 times once the day i got him and the over times when i gave him baths. but trying to keep to a minimum as i don't want to stress him. I will be taking him out side when it becomes much hotter, I'm in London and the weathers like 8c today.