Baby Bearded dragon sleeping and not eating

[ninette]

I have a little bearded dragon I have had for about 2 weeks now.. he first ate really good and i gave him meal worms and crickets... Out of the 10 crickets he ate about 7 and then lost interest in them so I switched back to meal worms.. Then he started shedding and since then he does not want to eat and sleeps all the time. I was told to give him baby food to get him interested in food but he will not eat it by himself I have to finger feed him and he only eats a little bit.. I am giving him baths twice a day and he is almost done shedding. It has been like this for a week now.. And when I give him a bath he sleeps thru it unless I wake him up.. He is about 6 inches long and I am very worried about him.. His basking spot is 100 to 105 and his cool side is about 80 degrees. He does move around but about 90% of the time he is sleeping..
What should I do I am very worried about him and I have become very attached.

In reading other post I found out that I have been doing his lights all wrong.. I though he had to have 100 degrees all the time and 80 degrees on the cool side.. The girl at the pet store told me to turn the lights off it they get over that above amount.. I am leaving the lights on all the time.. am I making him lethargic? Is this all my fault? I feel terrible... I just took him out and fed him a little carrots (baby food) and gave him another bath until he insisted on climbing out. I have his light on now but just the basking one.. Should I turn it off it is about 6:15 pm

Thank you

 

[xxroxygrlxx5]

Lighting and Heating
You will need two types of lighting, UVB and heat lighting. UVB light is essential for many kinds of reptiles. The bulbs simulate the sun allowing the dragons to produce Vitamin D3 which helps them metabolize the calcium they need to maintain health. Without UVB many reptile get Metabolic Bone Disease. We use special reptile florescent bulbs like the Reptisun 5.0 or the Reptisun 10.0, they come in different lengths. The new Reptisun 10.0 is better in tall cages as it gives off more UVB. It is also useful with a screen lid, as the screen does block out some of the UVB light. We get our bulbs www.bigappleherp.com for a much lower price then in a pet store.

These lights need to be within 12 inches of the basking spot and need to be replaced every 6 months because the amount of UVB diminishes. There is a new type of light called a mercury vapor light, some popular brands being T-Rex’s Active UVHeat, Zoo Med’s Powersun, Or Mega-Ray. These combine UVB and heat in one bulb. We don’t use these bulbs, as our cages are not high enough to accommodate them. They are also very expensive and have been known to break easily. There is also some controversy whether they are safe. Research the two types and make your own decision on what is best for you.

This is what I go by for heat and UVB! see if this help and also are you supplementing?? And the crickets shouldnt be any larger than the space between his eyes also try and showing him some greens little peices .. you never know.. I know for a fact UVB and calcium are major major in babies..


For heat you can use your standard household bulbs, reptile basking bulbs, or standard spot lights. If you need larger then 100 watts you can find 150 and 200 watts at home improvement stores. In a taller cage a spot light or basking bulb is best to make sure your basking spot is warm enough. Standard light bulbs work well in cages that are low in height.

Make sure the bulbs are over what will be your dragons basking spot. This should be at one end of the cage. This area needs to be between 100-110 degrees. Babies usually need a warmer spot than adults. Beardies need this heat to be able to digest their food. Use a thermometer like this one in the cage to monitor temps or better yet, buy a non contact temp gun and use it to check your temps frequently. The cooler side of the tank away from the basking site should be around 75-80. At night you should not need heating unless it goes below 65 degrees. Then you can use special night heat lights or undertank heater attached to a thermostat on low. Without the thermostat the undertank heater will be really hot.

Your lights should be on a cycle of about 10-14 hours on in the summer and 10-12 hours on in the winter. We prefer to keep them as close to what is happening here. You can regulate the lights with simple timers.

 

[ninette]

The bulbs I am using are 50 Watt uva bulb neodymium basking bulb. And a 50 Watt
infrared called heat glo. Drago looks like he basks a lot, but like I said he sleeps alot

 

[xxroxygrlxx5]

Well you deff need a UVB bulb.. and are you giving him calcium

 

[ninette]

I am trying to but he will not eat.. and I am trying to hydrate him but today he will not open his mouth and his skin looks very dehydrated..I turned off his lights last night and in the morning he seemed a little better I fed him a little baby food with a suppliment in it.. but not much.. I went out for out for about 4 hours and came back with crickets dusted with calcium and now I can't even get him to drink or eat anything he doesn't want to open his eyes and I try to wake him and he will move and open his eye for a sec then closes them again.. I gave him a soker bath for about 10 min and have been taking a dropper and putting it on his head and body... please help with any suggestions.. I don't want to loose him..

Thanks you

 

[Kalyn876]

I agree you need a proper UVB like the reptiSUN 10.0, my UVB wasn't close enough and my baby got sick. It is Soo imperative that you supply a UVB.


Kalyn

 

[ninette]

I think he is dying and I don't know what to do .. So do I need three light sources UVA and infrared and UVB. When I got him the pet store said the UVA and infrared was all I would need it was in a kit.. so do I need all three of them on at the same time? Or the infrared only at night and when it gets cold? I am so confused I guess I thought the Petsmart lady didn't tell me everything... I don't know she sounded so knowledgeable.

If I put the UVB bulb in do you think it will help bring him back to himself? I can't get him to drink at all.

 

[munchkins9802]

they dont need the infrared light at all, disturbs their pattern. You need just the reptisun 10.0 (available at petmountain.com at a reasonable price0 and a bright white basking light (regular-non soft- household light about 60watts will do) You need a reliable thermometer--not the stick on ones but one with a probe. Forget the mealworms, they can creat impactions which he may be--feell his belly make sure you cant feel hard lumps on right side down near his tail. Crickets are fine. Has he had a fecal done at all by a vet?

 

[ninette]

He doesn't want to move now .. I tried to get the UVB bulb tonight but everyplace was closed.. I am going to get one tomorrow.. I just hope he will be okay tonight.. He did poop tonight and he hasn't done that for days.. So he must have been getting some of the food I have been trying to feed him... I went and bought him crickets and greens for when he feels better and no more mealworms .. I tried to get other kind of worms but the pet store said to only feed him mealworm and crickets (small). I have not taken him to a vet yet because I have been told it is normal because he is shedding to be lethargic but this is not just the shedding.. it must me the UVB light.. Once again I feel terrible

 

[munchkins9802]

Stay with crickets only then. Have you felt his belly for a lump at all? what type of light did you say you had? You can order phoenix worms online for him as they are fine for him. No superworms until he is 16-17" long. Keep us posted

 

[ninette]

WelI I had UVA and infrared light.. but he didn't make it thru the night...
Thank you for all your help...I'm not sure what to do now..I't amazing how I only had him a short time but I feel so sad that he is gone..

 

[munchkins9802]

so sorry to hear this, but now you know if you get another one, it must be a UVB light and NO infrared light or mealworms

 

[ninette]

Well, I went back to PetSmart today to see what they could do for me because it was 18 days since I bought him and they have a 14 day return. I explained what happened and that I came in twice and try to get someone to help me and they were really nice and took drago back and gave me a new Bearded Dragon.. and I bought a UVB lamp. They also gave me about 25 crickets since the ones I bought the day before ..about 1/2 died out of 10.

I see a huge difference between this dragon the the last one. I fed him crickets and he went crazy for them where as drago maybe at 3 or 4 and wouldn't touch them again. I picked up the new dragon Daren is his name and he climbed on me and licked me twice where as Drago ran from me all the time and never wanted to be picked up. So the first one might have had some issues in the beginning because they are definitely different.. Or it just might be me feeling more confident.
Oh and I am going to order some Phoenix worms and throw away my mealworms..
Thank you everyone for you help

 

[munchkins9802]

what UVB bulb did you get? Our petsmart only has the reptiGLO which isnt the best. BUt that is great that they replaced the dragon for you

 

[ninette]

The bulb is..Repti glo 10.0 uvb 26w
Is that a bad one? Should I order another one on the line that was posted? www.bigappleherp.com