Anyone else's have a lack of self-control?

[TheDragonKeepers]

I admit - I've not had this problem before. As most of the regulars know, I've got several rescue dragons, most of whom have turned up in horrible condition, and Frank's no exception.

I'm told he's four years old, but he was the size of a yearling when he arrived. Poor little guy had woodchips in his gut, malnutrition, incorrect heating and lighting, not to mention the aggression and trust issues. We've pretty much dealt with all of those problems over the last six months, but he has ZERO self-control round livefood.

It's very strange - even Jacques (rarely fed, WAY underheated, severely emaciated on arrival) stops when he's full - but Frank, if you don't keep an eye on him and regulate his livefood, will keep going until he literally vomits.

My theory is that it's probably a psychological thing - he doesn't trust us to remember to feed him regularly, despite the fact that there's always salad and bits in his bowl.

Mind you, it could be part of his character: he's... overexcitable. He tends to get carried away about _everything_, about the bath, about the food, about running around, about beating up the slope... Eh, maybe he'll settle eventually - he's a bright little dude.

 

[CooperDragon]

It sounds like it's probably a personality/emotional thing as you suggested. Most dragons I know of tend to stop when they're full but as you know, they're all a bit different. Does he eat a lot of salad too? Or is he just like this with bugs? I'd try to limit his bugs to a set amount so he gets used to eating a certain number of bugs each day (or however the routine goes) and maybe he'll adjust permanently. It's kind of a nice problem to have in a way. Much better than not being able to get them to eat anything anyway.

 

[TheDragonKeepers]

Frank's just fine about his salads - he'll eat most of it, and stop when he's done - heck, he's happy to leave it entirely if he doesn't fancy it. (Hyphen's the one that literally licks his bowl clean!)

The last couple of weeks, he's insisting that he's brumating, so he's ignoring the bowl entirely - but you stick a locust in there and he comes raging out of his hole like the Kraken from the deep, hah! (I'm not complaining - he's still a little too light to brumate seriously.)

We're definitely regulating his bugs!

 

[CooperDragon]

lol good stuff. I'm glad to hear that your buddies are all doing well!

 

[TheDragonKeepers]

Love 'em to bits, even Psycho Frank
I have a tank free, has been for a few months now, but no-one's turned up to fill it yet. (Which is a good thing!)