Anorexic approx 2mo with failure to thrive

[woodnt]

Praxis ate ten preadult nice big fat dubia finally after the 3rd attempt to feed (with a little coaxing). Found if I turned them on their back so they really squirmed trying to right themselves they were irresistible).

Strax? No joy on feeders. Took his boost again. I think I'll give him another boost later. Gut loading the crickets tonight for Strax tomorrow, plus should be getting a huge load of 1000 crickets for Praxis, whose head really has started shedding, now. Strax is shedding his hind legs, which might be why the feeders are rejected currently. I'm eager to see how he'll do with crickets. He hasn't had them since before he has recovered thus far.

 

[Esther19]

Yes, I'm anxious to hear of his reaction to the crickets. It's so great that he will still take the boost. So Praxis fell for the old put the dubia on their backs trick, huh? Good for him, and good for you having the idea. I had not thought of that before.

 

[woodnt]

We went to Petsmart to get some crickets for Strax. They had a translucence green bearded dragon. Really cool looking, and I guess really rare. Part of me wanted to get him/her.

When we got home, I mixed up my batch of bug booster (mustard and collared greens, sweet potato, orange, apple, wheat germ, oat bran, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (Praxis just said that when he got on the keyboard), red lettuce, and carrots with a bit of water to make a freezable mash) with help from my daughter which is freezing (the mash, not my daughter) in ice cube trays as we speak except the little bit I put in for the new crickets for Strax tomorrow.

 

[Esther19]

Nathan, your bugs eat better than I do. Sure makes for great feeders for the dragons. Green translucent? Was it kinda icky looking? I know some folks like them, but the prospect of having my dragon's guts on permanent display is rather off-putting.

 

[woodnt]

I didn't think it was icky looking, but at first, I thought it was just a really dark dragon that wasn't very happy. Couldn't see its guts. Didn't know translucent means you could see the innards. It would make it hard to tell when your dragon is having a bad day.

 

[Esther19]

I could sure be wrong. My memory is not serving as well as it used to. I know I have seen pictures where I could see their innards from the bottom. Probably got the name wrong. Too bad the poor thing looked so unhappy.

 

[woodnt]

Beardies just keep amazing me. I've seen how mammal respond to human interaction, but now to experience it with reptiles is amazing. I just can't get how Praxis will go to sleep on me. Sometimes he will wake up, and I just stroke his head, and he'll go right back to sleep. That simply is incredible to me: that we could provide them comfort and security so they will shut down defenses and just go back to sleep because of their trust in us. Wow! What must it have been like with Adam and Eve in the garden before the fall??? What Paradise lost (to quote the title of a book).

 

[woodnt]

Well, I must say that I'm disappointed for Strax. He had no interest in the crickets. I had him in a feeder bowl (it is a really, really big bowl). He used to eat dubia and crickets in it. Not today. He had no interest in the crickets. I put in some phoenix worms, nada. All he wanted to do was get out. I kept him there about 10 mins to see if he would give up and decide to eat. Didn't happen. He did stick his tongue out a lot (not licking his environment, but just sticking it out). I've not see seen him do that before unless he was eating boost. When I finally took him out, I gave him the boost. It took a while for him to get started licking that, which was puzzling because he was licking a lot in the bowl. On well, funny creatures. Once he got started, he downed the boost well, though.

I bought some wax worms last night, so I'll try them later. I did go ahead and put BSFL in his feeder bowl/tray in the viv and put 3 crickets in there. Perhaps he'll decide to have some fun and chase them.

Praxis was rather strange, too. He is in the midst of a head shed (haha!). I gave him some superworms, which he hasn't had in some time. I limit their use for fear of impaction. He went after them like candy! I gave him 10. Then I put in some BSLF. Talk about turning the nose! I took them out, and put in some crickets. He would have none of it. I don't really want to give him any more supers as I fear impaction. I may give him a couple of waxies, but he is a pretty heafty boy now, and I don't want him getting fatter. Horn worms and butter worms are on the way. Hope he likes that variety. I hope he is not turning into a picky eater. We keep him in greens and black berries et. al.. Perhaps this is just due to his shedding. I sure hope he doesn't bruminate, and I don't expect Strax to as he is still so young and small.

 

[woodnt]

Quick update:

Strax at least had one dubia for dinner followed by his boost. We are going shopping tomorrow for bins for the herps if we have a power out and new feeding bins, too. Praxis has outgrown his. Might use Praxis's for Strax or just go ahead and be forward-thinking and get the same for Strax, too.

Don't know if this is a lull with Strax from the atadenovirus at work, or if he has become dependent on boost to satisfy his appetite. I wrestle with withholding the boost to cause him to get hungry. He has reserves now, so I think he could handle it, but I don't know if I should. Opinions?

 

[Esther19]

I think sometimes that when a living thing has a particular illness, we tend to attribute any changes in behavior, etc., to the illness. I don't know if Strax's appetite variances are related to the adenovirus, though it could be possible. Your medical background would stand you in better stead than me to make that call.

I would continue to offer salad and live feeders throughout the day. I see no harm in continuing the boost . He might become dependent on it, but when he is ready, the sight of a wiggling bug will generate his interest.
He is still very small, and despite his progress, may be fragile. I wish I could see him in person. I would wait for the toughlove approach until he grows more.

I would get Strax a big feeding bin, too. Mine used to use one, but once they got too big for the 10 gal. tank I used, they refused to eat in it. All they could think of was getting out. I tried a Rubbermaid tub, but that was too confining as well. By that time, however, they had all sworn off crickets, so it was easier to feed them in the cage. That was the only place they would eat. Now that they are older, they will take their live feeders from a dish while they are sitting in the kitchen window when offered there.

I know that it is frustrating and scary when he seems to backtrack with feeders for a day or two. If we look at the bigger picture, though, he has made great gains over time. And that is just awesome.

 

[woodnt]

Strax wanted no feeders again yest and lunch today, but low and behold, he ate a baby dubia and a dubia that was just on the verge of being a little too big for him. Then he took the boost as at lunch.

Now here is the really amazing part. I don't remember when I last weighed him, but since he hasn't been eating any feeders, I wasn't expecting much in weight gain. Well, Strax proved me wrong. He was 18 gms. Last weigh-in was 13. I was hoping for 14. Time for this boy to start growing (but still no length increase).

He is moving around in his viv, but he is always laying down. I never catch him up on his legs like I would rather see.

 

[Esther19]

Great news on the weight gain! When he is out of the tank does he walk on all fours?

 

[woodnt]

Oh yes. He does walk in all 4s. As a matter of fact at times that is all he wants to do: move around and not easy his feeders.

 

[woodnt]

No feeders for Strax today. OK on the boost. I saw his head up a little more today and he got up in the cactus.

Praxis peek-a-boo

Praxis glad that head-shed is done

Praxis sure went to sleep strangely for a bigger beardie. Never seen him do that before this.

Strax finally got off the floor of the viv with head held high

 

[woodnt]

Well, I might just have the answer on why Strax hasn't been eating well. More on that later.

Yest, my wife force-fed Strax a couple of dubia (pretty small ones). She said she didn't want him to forget about eating feeders, haha! I feel bad for him, though. I don't really want him forced anymore as long as he is taking boost, which he is doing great. He had a total of 4 cc of boost yest, and took 2cc for lunch today.

Now, as to why he might not be eating. He is mega-shedding!!! He didn't really get discolored like Praxis does before a shed, so we really didn't have an idea he needed too, but it sounds like he is pretty close to doing a full body shed. I'm guessing he might not have felt very well feeling all constricted.

I'm also thinking he might just get a growth spurt out of the shed as well. It seemed he did with his last shed (but you more seasoned beardie care-givers feel free to correct me). It would make since that once he has a bigger "coat" that he could grow inside it a little more. It seems I remember one of our beardies growing a lot after a shed. I need to check Praxis, too, as he just did a major shed a couple of days ago.

I haven't seen Strax since this started as I'm traveling (left yesterday, home tomorrow afternoon). I asked Krista to get a pic so I can see what he looks like. He has never done this much shedding at one time! Go, Strax!!!