Baby Bearded dragon not eating and sleeps most of the day

[MelRRiv]

Hello,

We got our dragon 9 days ago, "she" is around 2 months old. Before we got her we made sure the lighting and all the temps were right and what they should be. She was eating fine for the first two days that then she seemed to stop. we have tried super worms and now live crickets. She had 3 crickets three days ago but is now not eating at all. She is still pooping regularly. she pooped twice this morning, but she is just not going after the crickets. She will watch them. we have been spraying her as she is not drinking and my fiance (as he is home with her while I work) put water on her nose and she did drink it, she does seem to perk up for a short time after she is spray or drinks. She sleeps most of the day.

We are just worried as everything we have read shes she should be eating a lot many times a day.

Should we try baby food like a lot of people on here have been trying? We do not want her to suffer and i want to make sure we do everything we can to take care of her.

 

[destiny1998]

Hi. Can you post a picture of her and the set up? Also she is too small for superworms. Those are for beardies 16inches. Also she might still have some relocation stress.

 

[MelRRiv]

Hi, I am having trouble loading a photo. Sorry

 

[Carmalitaaa]

If you put the crickets in a small stainless steel bowl they won't be able to jump out easily or climb out, and then you can leave it in there for a few minute to see if beardie gets interested on its own. You can try offering it some veggies and fruit (I'd find a list of safe foods for beardies, typically avocado, lettuce and spinach are a no no) too.

I'd check to make sure the temperatures in the viv are correct with a digital or temp gun as the dials and stickers are usually inaccurate. hopefully your using the reptisun tube bulb for uvb, as they are one of the best out there. It could just be new home stress.

For food the rule is generally no bigger than the space between their eyes, so she may not be going after food that may be to large.

I know there are also pellet/powder foods that can be offered with the bugs and veggies so you can try giving it a small supply of food to eat in private. I know there's repashy, I've never used the beardie stuff, but crested gecko food smells just like granny's banana bread! Their aromatic food might attract higher to eat.

 

[MelRRiv]

Thank you Carmalitaaa,

I will try the crickets in the bowl, they were small when we got them but as she is not eating i think they are getting to big for her. so i will get some smaller ones and see how that goes. she is not going for veggies or anything. I am not sure how long i should leave her with out eating? it is bothering me very much!

Yes that is the lighting that we have, we check the temps very regularly with a temp gun and they are what they should be.

I will look into the pellet/powder foods too.

Thank you very much for the suggestions!

 

[traildrifterphalanx]

Greetings and welcome to the forum!

I was in the same boat about 2 months ago. Got a new baby beardie from PetSmart that was under nourished and refused to move around on his own and eat. Part of the reason I picked him was due to the poor condition (not recommended, I know) but I owned a beardie and wanted to help this one.

He refused to eat for over a week and would just lay in one spot and bask. He didn't sleep like you're stating yours is which could be concerning, but he was always stressed out and hugging that branch.

Eventually I had to begin drop feeding him repti-boost which he also did not like. Using a tiny curved syringe, I would place it between his lips on the side of his mouth and start discharging it. Sometimes he would react by opening his mouth and chomping on it, others he would just let it run down his face and onto me.

Not long after starting that (maybe 3 days?) he began to react wildly to live crickets and has since been a pretty good little eater, only slowing down while shedding or when he gets sick of BSFL while waiting on more small roaches to arrive. (My new colony goes from nymph to medium+, he ate all the small ones I had...)


An overview of your setup would definitely help!

Long story short, could be relocation stress (my guy ate like the first 2 days after arriving and then completely stopped and just wanted to hug his stick all day) or could possibly be husbandry.

 

[MelRRiv]

Thanks traildrifterphalanx!

I am glad it is not just us having issues.

She will move around some, but mostly hangs on her branch or vines all day.

She was active and very lively in the store and the same when we got her home. She would eat and then nothing and then eat and now today is day 4 of no eating. i might have to get some of that repti-boost. She is still pooping 3-4 times a day.

I did try some baby food last night and she only had a small amount and then just sat there. She seems to get stressed if we take her out, so we are trying to not handle her as much as possible.

We have booked an appointment with the vet on Friday, just to make sure there is nothing else wrong with her.

 

[traildrifterphalanx]

Based on the amount of poopage it would sound as though she's got plenty of food in her system, so there's no concern she's starving herself quite yet.

They can be finicky little buggers with food, but I'm sure she'll be fine
It's nice to see you're being very pro-active and reaching out right away with the forum and the vet visit. Always good to detect diseases/viruses early if they're there, but let's hope that's not the case.

Keep us posted!
If all else fails she might just need some time

 

[MelRRiv]

Thank you traildrifterphalanx!

I thought so, but it is still worrying that she doesn't eat. I am glad to hear that!

I hope so
We want to make sure we do the best we can for her. I hope that diseases/viruses are not the case either.

I will keep you posted!
We hope that is all she needs.

 

[Carmalitaaa]

It makes me happy knowing how vigilant you are being with your new guy
Your going to be a great beardie slave

 

[MelRRiv]

Thank you carmalitaaa!!!

We want to do all we can for her!! I have only had her a short time but I already love her and don't like thinking she is suffering!

 

[MelRRiv]

I just wanted to let you all know we have been doing the baby food and she seems to be eating that.

My Fiance just let me know (as I am at work) that she has had the baby food twice today and seems to have perked up. she was even jumping in her water dish. we will keep with the baby food and calcium and then tomorrow I will get her smaller crickets. Still going to take her to the vet Friday just to make sure she is fine.

But i just wanted to give you an update

 

[MelRRiv]

This was after she had some baby food

 

[MelRRiv]

Ellie has been doing much better, up to 37 crickets in a day!!

But as the picture shows, we are not sure what is going on with her face. At first we thought she was shedding as her legs and arms are. But now I am not sure. Is it something serious?? Mouth rot?!?!

Please let me know what you think!

Thanks!!!

 

[traildrifterphalanx]

37 per day is great! I'm glad her appetite made such an improvement.

About the face, I don't want to be quick to throw concern.
How long has it been like that? Is is spreading?