Baby Beardie Wont Eat!
- Thread starter caleb3654
- Start date
- Status
VenusAndSaturn
Sub-Adult Member
What are you feeding it?
How much a day?
What brand uvb lights or MVB?
How old is the uvb/mvb?
Substrate?
Basking spot temp?
Cool side?
How much a day?
What brand uvb lights or MVB?
How old is the uvb/mvb?
Substrate?
Basking spot temp?
Cool side?
You've got some serious husbandry issues that are causing your baby to be lethargic and not eat. Can you please post some photos of both your baby and then the entire enclosure and your lights?
I hate to tell you this because I know you've already spent money, but most all of the Bearded Dragon "Kits" that you buy from pet shops come with completely inadequate UVB lights, and this is the number one reason that new baby dragons stop eating and become lethargic within the first few months of coming to their new homes. I'm sure that the "kit" you bought came with either a "Compact" or a "Coil" UVB bulb, and neither of these are even close to adequate for a Bearded Dragon. Most all "Compact" UVB bulbs are only 13 watts at the most, which is half the wattage of a UVB light a Bearded Dragon needs in order to manufacture any of it's own Vitamin D3, which means he is not absorbing or processing/using any of the nutrition (calories, fat, carbs, protein, etc.) or the vitamins/minerals that he is eating in either his food or any that you're dusting his live insects with. This is why he is both lethargic and not eating. There is only one "Compact" UVB bulb that I'm aware of that is adequate for a Bearded Dragon, and that is an Exo Terra 200 Compact UVB bulb, which is 26 watts...so you can see how weak the one you have is compared to what he needs. And there is NO "Coil" UVB bulb that is adequate for a Bearded Dragon, as they are just as weak as the Compact UVB bulbs, but they all also emit very harmful light rays that cause serious eye damage, skin damage, and blindness. So if the UVB bulb that you have is a "Coil" UVB bulb you're best to shut it off completely, as it's doing him no good and also causing him harm. If the UVB bulb you have is a regular, "Compact" UVB bulb, it is not providing him with nearly enough UVB light, and if your tank has a mesh lid on top and the Compact UVB bulb is shining through the mesh lid, he is getting absolutely NO UVB light at all, as the mesh lid is blocking 40% of the already too weak UVB light.
What you need to buy for him ASAP is a long either 18" or 24" UVB tube and a matching length tube light fixture that has a metal reflector built in behind where the UVB tube fits. There are a few different brands that sell long UVB tubes, but please do not go to PetSmart and buy any lights that are made by their house brand All Living Things, or made by the brand ReptileOne. They are both the same UVB tubes made in China, they emit inadequate UVB light, and they also emit harmful light rays that cause eye damage. The UVB tubes that all experienced Bearded Dragon Owners and Breeders use are either the Reptisun 10.0 T8 or T5HO UVB tubes, or the Arcadia 12% or 14% T5 UVB tubes. Those are pretty much your options for a UVB light that is going to help your baby. The long UVB tube and matching length fixture is the most important thing you need to replace IMMEDIATELY because without this he is not going to get better, only worse, become stunted in size, develop Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD), and possibly die.
PLEASE DUMP THE REPTISAND/CALCIUMSAND OUT OF HIS TANK IMMEDIATELY!!!!! THEN DISINFECT THE ENTIRE TANK AND PUT DOWN PAPER TOWELS OR NEWSPAPERS FOR THE TIME BEING THAT CAN BE THROWN AWAY AND REPLACED AS THEY BECOME SOILED!!!! YOU CAN LOOK FOR A PERMANENT SOLID SUBSTRATE LATER, LIKE NICE TEXTURED TILES, NON-ADHESIVE SHELF LINER, REPTILE CARPET, ETC., BUT FOR RIGHT NOW PLEASE GET THAT CALCIUM SAND OUT OF HIS TANK, IT IS LETHAL TO BABY DRAGONS!!! Bearded dragons should not be placed on ANY loose substrate, especially small, young babies, as their natural environment is the Australian Desert, which is a hard, rocky terrain and not the "sandy" desert you think of when you think of a desert. That being said, dragons lick everything, it's a way they feel, and all types of Calcium Sand/Reptisand (they are the same thing) are made to smell and taste good so they purposely eat it. Even if you feed him in a separate tank he is still eating sand, it's just how it is...CALCIUM SAND TURNS INTO CEMENT ROCKS WHEN IT GETS WET, GO AHEAD AND TRY IT. SO WHEN IT GETS INTO THE STOMACH/INTESTINES OF A BABY DRAGON IT CAUSES LIFE-THREATENING IMPACTIONS AND BOWEL OBSTRUCTIONS. He may already be suffering from an impaction due to just a few grains of that sand, and combine that with you feeding him mealworms he is in grave danger of developing a bowel obstruction. THE OTHER ISSUE WITH BOTH CALCIUM SAND AND CRUSHED WALNUT SHELL SUBSTRATES, BARK, MULCH, RODENT BEDDING, WOOD CHIPS, ETC. IS THAT IT HARBORS AND BREEDS BACTERIA, FUNGI, (YELLOW FUNGUS), AND PARASITES, AND CAUSES ALL KINDS OF SKIN INFECTIONS, UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS, AND GASTROINTESTINAL INFECTIONS IN BEARDED DRAGONS. So please, I can not tell you how many bearded dragons we see every single day on her that have serious impactions, bowel obstructions, and infections due to both Calcium Sand and Crushed Walnut Shell substrates, and the bearded dragons who usually die as a result of these substrates being inside their enclosures are young, small babies!!! Please, please, dump that lethal garbage out of his tank right this minute, disinfect his tank with very hot water and bleach to kill the microbes it will leave behind, dry it well, and then put down clean, dry paper towels for him. This is not any more optional than buying him a proper UVB tube is.
110 DEGREES IS THE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE THAT HE SHOULD HAVE ANYWHERE INSIDE HIS ENCLOSURE!!! 115 DEGREES AND ABOVE IS THE LETHAL RANGE, AND IS ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO HIS LACK OF APPETITE AND LETHARGY!!! Those "kits" come with stick-on thermometers, which are complete junk, and when tested they are off by between 10-20 degrees. Not only that, but YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO WAY OF MEASURING HIS BASKING SPOT SURFACE TEMPERATURE WITH A STICK-ON THERMOMETER!!!!! So that 115 degrees is not his Basking Spot Temperature, it is the Hot Side Ambient (Air) Temperature...so if you're getting 115 degrees as the Hot Side Ambient Temperature, which is in the lethal range, that means the temperature on his actual Basking Spot is higher than the surrounding ambient (air) temperature!!!!!!! Either your tank is too small for the basking bulb wattage you're using, or the basking bulb is far too close to the tank. Either way, YOU NEED TO GO TO PETCO AND SPEND $10 ON A DIGITAL THERMOMETER THAT HAS A PROBE ON A WIRE. The other accurate thermometer option is a temperature gun. Either one will work, but you need to get one of them immediately, as if his temperatures are not within the correct ranges then he can not digest his food, he could die of heat stroke and dehydration, and he has no Cool Side to go to in order to cool down...If that stick-on thermometer is saying that his Hot Side Ambient Temperature is 115 degrees, assuming that your stick-on thermometer is off as much as they all are, that could actually be 125-135 degrees!!!!! This will kill him.
How big a tank/enclosure is he in? You need a large enough tank to establish a Temperature Gradient across it. A minimum size of tank for even a baby beardie is a 20 gallon long, and that will only be large enough for him until he is 5-6 months old, then the minimum size of tank is a 40 gallon breeder tank, and an minimum size enclosure for an adult bearded dragon is 4'x2'x2'...For now, I hope you have at least a 20 gallon long tank so that you can get his temperature zones within the correct temperatures, but you need to go get a digital thermometer with a probe in order to get an accurate reading.
BASKING SPOT SURFACE TEMPERATURE: between 105-110 degrees maximum. 110 degree maximum temperature anywhere inside the tank.
HOT SIDE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE: between 88-93 degrees maximum
COOL SIDE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE: between 75-80 degrees maximum
Also, mealworms are not an insect that should be fed to bearded dragons as a staple feeder insect, and small, young baby beardies really should not have them at all. They cannot digest the hard, chitlin shells that mealworms have, and the rest of them is nothing but fat, which over time can result in fatty liver disease. But the main issue with feeding baby or juvenile bearded dragons mealworms is that they are constantly causing them impactions and bowel obstruction that often result in paralysis of their back legs, because the mass that the undigested shells form inside their intestines pushes on their spinal columns, which if left to apply pressure for too long causes paralysis. From the time they hatch until they are a year old, bearded dragons need a ton of healthy, live staple feeder insects. Most babies and juveniles under a year old will not eat many if any greens or veggies, though you need to be offering him a salad of healthy greens every single day, and if he eats them consider it a bonus rather than a real part of his diet. Your dragon will not grow if he is not fed healthy, staple feeder insects, like crickets, dubia roaches, Phoenix Worms/BSFL, or Silkworms. Wax worms, hornworms, and butterworms should only be occasional treats, a few each week at most. Mealworms should be avoided for babies and juveniles.
So it's quite possible that he also has an impaction due to all the mealworms, the inadequate UVB bulb, and the Calcium Sand. Also, his temperatures are way too hot and could be causing him severe stress, dehydration, and could ultimately kill him if you don't get a proper digital probe thermometer or a temperature gun and get his temps within the correct ranges.
I hate to tell you this because I know you've already spent money, but most all of the Bearded Dragon "Kits" that you buy from pet shops come with completely inadequate UVB lights, and this is the number one reason that new baby dragons stop eating and become lethargic within the first few months of coming to their new homes. I'm sure that the "kit" you bought came with either a "Compact" or a "Coil" UVB bulb, and neither of these are even close to adequate for a Bearded Dragon. Most all "Compact" UVB bulbs are only 13 watts at the most, which is half the wattage of a UVB light a Bearded Dragon needs in order to manufacture any of it's own Vitamin D3, which means he is not absorbing or processing/using any of the nutrition (calories, fat, carbs, protein, etc.) or the vitamins/minerals that he is eating in either his food or any that you're dusting his live insects with. This is why he is both lethargic and not eating. There is only one "Compact" UVB bulb that I'm aware of that is adequate for a Bearded Dragon, and that is an Exo Terra 200 Compact UVB bulb, which is 26 watts...so you can see how weak the one you have is compared to what he needs. And there is NO "Coil" UVB bulb that is adequate for a Bearded Dragon, as they are just as weak as the Compact UVB bulbs, but they all also emit very harmful light rays that cause serious eye damage, skin damage, and blindness. So if the UVB bulb that you have is a "Coil" UVB bulb you're best to shut it off completely, as it's doing him no good and also causing him harm. If the UVB bulb you have is a regular, "Compact" UVB bulb, it is not providing him with nearly enough UVB light, and if your tank has a mesh lid on top and the Compact UVB bulb is shining through the mesh lid, he is getting absolutely NO UVB light at all, as the mesh lid is blocking 40% of the already too weak UVB light.
What you need to buy for him ASAP is a long either 18" or 24" UVB tube and a matching length tube light fixture that has a metal reflector built in behind where the UVB tube fits. There are a few different brands that sell long UVB tubes, but please do not go to PetSmart and buy any lights that are made by their house brand All Living Things, or made by the brand ReptileOne. They are both the same UVB tubes made in China, they emit inadequate UVB light, and they also emit harmful light rays that cause eye damage. The UVB tubes that all experienced Bearded Dragon Owners and Breeders use are either the Reptisun 10.0 T8 or T5HO UVB tubes, or the Arcadia 12% or 14% T5 UVB tubes. Those are pretty much your options for a UVB light that is going to help your baby. The long UVB tube and matching length fixture is the most important thing you need to replace IMMEDIATELY because without this he is not going to get better, only worse, become stunted in size, develop Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD), and possibly die.
PLEASE DUMP THE REPTISAND/CALCIUMSAND OUT OF HIS TANK IMMEDIATELY!!!!! THEN DISINFECT THE ENTIRE TANK AND PUT DOWN PAPER TOWELS OR NEWSPAPERS FOR THE TIME BEING THAT CAN BE THROWN AWAY AND REPLACED AS THEY BECOME SOILED!!!! YOU CAN LOOK FOR A PERMANENT SOLID SUBSTRATE LATER, LIKE NICE TEXTURED TILES, NON-ADHESIVE SHELF LINER, REPTILE CARPET, ETC., BUT FOR RIGHT NOW PLEASE GET THAT CALCIUM SAND OUT OF HIS TANK, IT IS LETHAL TO BABY DRAGONS!!! Bearded dragons should not be placed on ANY loose substrate, especially small, young babies, as their natural environment is the Australian Desert, which is a hard, rocky terrain and not the "sandy" desert you think of when you think of a desert. That being said, dragons lick everything, it's a way they feel, and all types of Calcium Sand/Reptisand (they are the same thing) are made to smell and taste good so they purposely eat it. Even if you feed him in a separate tank he is still eating sand, it's just how it is...CALCIUM SAND TURNS INTO CEMENT ROCKS WHEN IT GETS WET, GO AHEAD AND TRY IT. SO WHEN IT GETS INTO THE STOMACH/INTESTINES OF A BABY DRAGON IT CAUSES LIFE-THREATENING IMPACTIONS AND BOWEL OBSTRUCTIONS. He may already be suffering from an impaction due to just a few grains of that sand, and combine that with you feeding him mealworms he is in grave danger of developing a bowel obstruction. THE OTHER ISSUE WITH BOTH CALCIUM SAND AND CRUSHED WALNUT SHELL SUBSTRATES, BARK, MULCH, RODENT BEDDING, WOOD CHIPS, ETC. IS THAT IT HARBORS AND BREEDS BACTERIA, FUNGI, (YELLOW FUNGUS), AND PARASITES, AND CAUSES ALL KINDS OF SKIN INFECTIONS, UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS, AND GASTROINTESTINAL INFECTIONS IN BEARDED DRAGONS. So please, I can not tell you how many bearded dragons we see every single day on her that have serious impactions, bowel obstructions, and infections due to both Calcium Sand and Crushed Walnut Shell substrates, and the bearded dragons who usually die as a result of these substrates being inside their enclosures are young, small babies!!! Please, please, dump that lethal garbage out of his tank right this minute, disinfect his tank with very hot water and bleach to kill the microbes it will leave behind, dry it well, and then put down clean, dry paper towels for him. This is not any more optional than buying him a proper UVB tube is.
110 DEGREES IS THE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE THAT HE SHOULD HAVE ANYWHERE INSIDE HIS ENCLOSURE!!! 115 DEGREES AND ABOVE IS THE LETHAL RANGE, AND IS ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO HIS LACK OF APPETITE AND LETHARGY!!! Those "kits" come with stick-on thermometers, which are complete junk, and when tested they are off by between 10-20 degrees. Not only that, but YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO WAY OF MEASURING HIS BASKING SPOT SURFACE TEMPERATURE WITH A STICK-ON THERMOMETER!!!!! So that 115 degrees is not his Basking Spot Temperature, it is the Hot Side Ambient (Air) Temperature...so if you're getting 115 degrees as the Hot Side Ambient Temperature, which is in the lethal range, that means the temperature on his actual Basking Spot is higher than the surrounding ambient (air) temperature!!!!!!! Either your tank is too small for the basking bulb wattage you're using, or the basking bulb is far too close to the tank. Either way, YOU NEED TO GO TO PETCO AND SPEND $10 ON A DIGITAL THERMOMETER THAT HAS A PROBE ON A WIRE. The other accurate thermometer option is a temperature gun. Either one will work, but you need to get one of them immediately, as if his temperatures are not within the correct ranges then he can not digest his food, he could die of heat stroke and dehydration, and he has no Cool Side to go to in order to cool down...If that stick-on thermometer is saying that his Hot Side Ambient Temperature is 115 degrees, assuming that your stick-on thermometer is off as much as they all are, that could actually be 125-135 degrees!!!!! This will kill him.
How big a tank/enclosure is he in? You need a large enough tank to establish a Temperature Gradient across it. A minimum size of tank for even a baby beardie is a 20 gallon long, and that will only be large enough for him until he is 5-6 months old, then the minimum size of tank is a 40 gallon breeder tank, and an minimum size enclosure for an adult bearded dragon is 4'x2'x2'...For now, I hope you have at least a 20 gallon long tank so that you can get his temperature zones within the correct temperatures, but you need to go get a digital thermometer with a probe in order to get an accurate reading.
BASKING SPOT SURFACE TEMPERATURE: between 105-110 degrees maximum. 110 degree maximum temperature anywhere inside the tank.
HOT SIDE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE: between 88-93 degrees maximum
COOL SIDE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE: between 75-80 degrees maximum
Also, mealworms are not an insect that should be fed to bearded dragons as a staple feeder insect, and small, young baby beardies really should not have them at all. They cannot digest the hard, chitlin shells that mealworms have, and the rest of them is nothing but fat, which over time can result in fatty liver disease. But the main issue with feeding baby or juvenile bearded dragons mealworms is that they are constantly causing them impactions and bowel obstruction that often result in paralysis of their back legs, because the mass that the undigested shells form inside their intestines pushes on their spinal columns, which if left to apply pressure for too long causes paralysis. From the time they hatch until they are a year old, bearded dragons need a ton of healthy, live staple feeder insects. Most babies and juveniles under a year old will not eat many if any greens or veggies, though you need to be offering him a salad of healthy greens every single day, and if he eats them consider it a bonus rather than a real part of his diet. Your dragon will not grow if he is not fed healthy, staple feeder insects, like crickets, dubia roaches, Phoenix Worms/BSFL, or Silkworms. Wax worms, hornworms, and butterworms should only be occasional treats, a few each week at most. Mealworms should be avoided for babies and juveniles.
So it's quite possible that he also has an impaction due to all the mealworms, the inadequate UVB bulb, and the Calcium Sand. Also, his temperatures are way too hot and could be causing him severe stress, dehydration, and could ultimately kill him if you don't get a proper digital probe thermometer or a temperature gun and get his temps within the correct ranges.
No pics showed up Caleb. Here's how to do it :
https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ Then use the XIMG to upload them
https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ Then use the XIMG to upload them
Cute little bugger, at least he still appears to be healthy. 
As was mentioned, the calcium type sand is pretty dangerous, it's best to get rid of it. You can keep the dome light fixture for heat bulbs but it is best to get a good long tube uvb bulb like the Reptisun 10.0 t5 or the Arcadia D3 12 % .
Your tank will only last him a very short time, once a beardie is eating well they grow very quickly. For now you can actually set him up in a large plastic storage tote like this :
https://www.beardeddragon.org/media/30051/full
https://www.beardeddragon.org/media/29953/full
As long as he can get within 8-10" of it he'll get plenty of uvb. I used to set up my babies [ I raised a ton of them ] like this, it's easy to clean + easy to transport if need be. You can use anything from cardboard egg crating to store bought or field collected basking sticks + logs. If you get them fom outside you just pop them in a preheated oven at 250 for 40 minutes to an hour, depending on thickness. You can collect nice rocks outside as well, just wash in hot, soapy water.
He may be dehydrated so offer water dripped on his snout with an eyedropper or syringe or small spray bottle to give him a chance to drink. Try hand feeding him some crickets, if he's not interested you can smash one until the guts come out + rub it lightly on his snout.
Hopefully with a few major changes he will develop a good appetite.
As was mentioned, the calcium type sand is pretty dangerous, it's best to get rid of it. You can keep the dome light fixture for heat bulbs but it is best to get a good long tube uvb bulb like the Reptisun 10.0 t5 or the Arcadia D3 12 % . Your tank will only last him a very short time, once a beardie is eating well they grow very quickly. For now you can actually set him up in a large plastic storage tote like this :
https://www.beardeddragon.org/media/30051/full
https://www.beardeddragon.org/media/29953/full
As long as he can get within 8-10" of it he'll get plenty of uvb. I used to set up my babies [ I raised a ton of them ] like this, it's easy to clean + easy to transport if need be. You can use anything from cardboard egg crating to store bought or field collected basking sticks + logs. If you get them fom outside you just pop them in a preheated oven at 250 for 40 minutes to an hour, depending on thickness. You can collect nice rocks outside as well, just wash in hot, soapy water.
He may be dehydrated so offer water dripped on his snout with an eyedropper or syringe or small spray bottle to give him a chance to drink. Try hand feeding him some crickets, if he's not interested you can smash one until the guts come out + rub it lightly on his snout.
Hopefully with a few major changes he will develop a good appetite.
- Status
Similar threads
Latest resources
-
General Care Practical tips: A healthy brumating bearded dragonPractical tips to help keep your bearded dragon healthy during brumation
- Shinryu
- Updated:
-
-
Lighting Beginner Guide to Bearded Dragon LightingA basic lighting setup for any bearded dragon.
- Shinryu
- Updated:
-
Lighting Introduction to UV LightingMake a more educated purchase on your next UVB light.
- Shinryu
- Updated:
-
General Care Bearded Dragons - Care SheetAn all-in-one guide to caring for your bearded dragons.
- Shinryu
- Updated:
Latest profile posts
Im needing some questions answered about my female beardeddragon, I honestly have no idea on age , she was a recuse, as ive had a couple in my life an have experience. So 9 weeks in , she earing well pooping well getting comfortable, then approx 3-4 days ago the digging started. So I got a dig box set up in her 75 g tank. Well within 2 hours she dropped an egg. Now only one egg an its been 10 hours.shouldiBworried
В санатории "Сукно" вас ждет полное погружение в мир здоровья и релакса. Эксперты санатория разработают индивидуальную программу оздоровления, которая поможет вам чувствовать себя лучше. Для получения дополнительной информации посетите наш сайт putevka.com/krasnodar/sukko
I just set Swordtail's timer for his bath and paused it so I could actually fill his soaking bowl up and he crawled over my phone and canceled the timer 
Mirage came out of brumation on April 26. He was doing great. On May 2 he started acting funny. We just redid his tank, and he keeps going into one of his hides. He just lays there. He shows no intrest in food. HELP!