Baby Bearded Dragon Help

[Jacob1289]

Hi everyone, I bought a baby bearded dragon yesterday. Today I tried to feed him some food (kale, bell pepper, crickets) and he only ate 2 crickets and 4 pieces of kale. Does this mean he's nervous? He's in a nice home with proper lighting, in a 40 gallon tank. I just want to be sure he's just getting used to me and his home, which is why he's not eating as much.

 

[Mordecai]

It can be relocation stress but if you can go over your setup. Types of lighting and uvb, temps and how you get them. What kind of substrate you are using also how old is your dragon.

 

[Jacob1289]

This picture is my set up. The workers at petsmart said he is 3 months old or under. I have a 40 gallon tank with a 100 watt basking light and a 10.0 uvb light. (All came in a bundle). The basking side is 90 degrees, and his cooling side is 70-80 degrees. The humidity is between 15-20%. I feed him kale and bell pepper with repti calcium as well as crickets. Which he only at 2 or 3 today. I've been reading it could be from nervousness though.

 

[JessPets]

What UV? A coil/compact or tube? You need a tube style (which I am assuming is not what you have). A ReptiSun 10.0 t5 is the best, although the t8 will suffice. They stick on thermometer is uni, get rid of it and replace it with a IR temp gun or thermometer with a probe. 90º for the basking spot is also ways too low for him to properly digest food. For babies, 105º-110º is the proper basking temp, with high 70s to 80s for the cool side

 

[Jacob1289]

The UVB is a long tube like light. (10.0). The thermometer reads a little over 90 degrees but it's kind of far away from the basking light itself. So I feel like it would rise more if I moved it a little to the right. But as for the waving and the eating? Is it normal for it to eve at me almost 3 times every time I walk in the room? And the eating should get better over time?

 

[JessPets]

That is good (about the UV), but you still need a new thermometer (those ones can be off by as much as 20º!) It will take a little while for him to settle in, so don't worry about it.

 

[Drache613]

Moved by Moderator from General to Health

 

[Jacob1289]

Ok thank you for your help. I just want to be the best owner for him. And as I speak he literally just climbed onto my thermometer.., he might have an escape plan ready.. are they normally this jumpy at a young age?

 

[JessPets]

Yup, but they usually calm down with handling and age

 

[BeardedDragon27]

My dragon Marty was the same way. It takes them a few days to get used to their new surroundings, just like we do. If it's been more than like a week and he still isn't eating, then I'd take him to a vet.

 

[Jacob1289]

I just got him to eat about 6 more crickets. He only ate 3 a couple hours ago with a little bit of kale. So we are making some progress. One more questions though, should I avoid picking him up until a few days from now? He still seems a little scared but it would be easier if I could put him in a plastic container to eat crickets, instead of loosing them in his cage.

 

[BeardedDragon27]

Personally, I'd wait for him to adjust.

 

[Mordecai]

If your baby seems ok with being handled then go ahead. Also kale is not good for them it binds calcium. Collard greens mustard green are a better choice.

 

[Jacob1289]

How does it bind calcium? I'm not saying you're wrong but i heard many good things about using kale

 

[JessPets]

How does it bind calcium? I'm not saying you're wrong but i heard many good things about using kale

I'm not exactly sure, but kale should only be used once in a while, not everyday