Baby bearded dragon won't eat crickets

[lexieblack]

Hi,

I have a baby bearded dragon and had her for about 3 weeks. She is now 13 weeks old. When I got her she had her tail broken at the end but seemed already and active.Her name is Stumpy. I've settle her in her new home with a basking spot and UV light-tube one. Has a rocket to hide and one to climb on. I know it's the accommodation in the beginning and she won't eat to much. She then started to eat a bit but everywhere I read 20+ of crickets is what she should have. She never had more than 10 a day and that would be already too much. At best she eats like 2 and then she hides under the rock. She doesn't hunt them, she only has them if they are in front of her. In the last few days though I haven't seen her eating any of the crickets. However she did have some greens and her poo is more watery and greeny where as in the beginning it was quite dark. Also I saw what seem to be like vomit, because it looked like mashed crickets. She loves her basking spot but seems to spend a lot of time there and not eating at all. I'm really worried cause I'm not sure what to give her. The crickets I feed her are what they've recommended me for her age. I have un thermometer in the hot area and one in the cool air and the thermostat is in the middle. I always keep the temperature in the norms that should be.
She seems like she just wants to sleep but when I get her out sometimes she is all feisty and sometimes just sits quietly, closing her eyes. oh, she did shed her skin as well, but that was a few days ago. I'm just really worried and would like some help. She is absolutely beautiful and just want her to be ok. Thank you

 

[lexieblack]

I've just been to pets at home and saw a 5 months bearded dragon and it's triple the size of mine. I know mine it's still young but should she be so small? This is her when I got her, still same size

 

[JessPets]

Hello, maybe try another source of protein, like black solder fly larva (aka calci-worms, repti-worms, phoenix worms) or small dubia roaches, silkworms, or other approved staple. Here is a good list: http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html

 

[kingofnobbys]

Hi,

I have a baby bearded dragon and had her for about 3 weeks. She is now 13 weeks old. When I got her she had her tail broken at the end but seemed already and active.Her name is Stumpy. I've settle her in her new home with a basking spot and UV light-tube one <<< t8 or t5 and Is it rated at least 10% UVB , is it ontop a screen top? (is bad) ?, how from her basking spot is the UV tube ? reflector behind it ?. Has a rocket to hide and one to climb on. I know it's the accommodation in the beginning and she won't eat to much. She then started to eat a bit but everywhere I read 20+ of crickets is what she should have. She never had more than 10 a day and that would be already too much. At best she eats like 2 and then she hides under the rock. She doesn't hunt them, <<< my little guys initially chased down their crickets and hunted them but from about 3 months Peppa and Toothless became lazy too, they knew the feeding routine and that I'll give them crickets in the morning regular as clockwork and silkworms in the afternoon , and they'd wait for the crickets to simply blunder into them and wham , no more cricket .... this is possibly what she is doing too .
she only has them if they are in front of her. In the last few days though I haven't seen her eating any of the crickets. <<< you've already said she's small for her age, the solution is probably just going down a size or 2 in the crickets to a size suitable for her actual size, and perhaps leaving the crickets with her for a while , she might be a little shy about you watching her eat so will only eat them if she thinks no one is watching.

Count the bugs in with each meal, leave her at it, and next day while someone else is giving her a snuggle , recapture any bugs who have survived the day and overnight. IF you leave green and salad stuff in the tank overnight , this will draw the crickets out after lights out , and if she is awake she'll have a wee party gobbling them up if she's anything like my mob as babies, ie up for midnight raids and nibble very regularly.

Other option is to handfeed the bugs to her , at least so you know she's eating some good bugs each day.

However she did have some greens and her poo is more watery and greeny where as in the beginning it was quite dark. <<< sounds like she like she likes her greens , that's good , BUT if she is filling up on these and then not eating her quality live insect protein , this is not good, as a very young beardie needs LOTS of high quality insect protein to grow big and strong, so MY solution for my little ones when they did this was to hold off on giving them their greens and grated veg UNTIL later in the day AFTER they had eaten at least one big meal of crickets- this worked (for me).

lso I saw what seem to be like vomit, because it looked like mashed crickets. She loves her basking spot but seems to spend a lot of time there and not eating at all. I'm really worried cause I'm not sure what to give her. The crickets I feed her are what they've recommended me for her age. I have un thermometer in the hot area and one in the cool air and the thermostat is in the middle. I always keep the temperature in the norms that should be.
She seems like she just wants to sleep but when I get her out sometimes she is all feisty and sometimes just sits quietly, closing her eyes. oh, she did shed her skin as well, but that was a few days ago. I'm just really worried and would like some help. She is absolutely beautiful and just want her to be ok. Thank you

Best way to tell if she is growing is to weigh her regularly - recommend weekly and create a growth log including a graph of her growth.