Baby food only diet for past 7 months.... Black teeth

[LennyTheLizardKing]

My dragon Leonard has only ate baby food for past 7 months. I have tried worms, crickets, salad he doesnt seem to have any interest. I have snuck ina few superworms in his mouth when he vents thats about it. His teeth are turning really dark and looking bad, probably from not chewing anything.. What can i do to maybe get him eating salad and worms again? Maybe try roaches? or i was thinking dont feed him baby food for a few days until he gets really hungry and might start eating his salad or have interest in live feeders. What can i do about hid teeth also?

 

[LennyTheLizardKing]

bump

 

[my1stBD]

Salads for babies and juvies arent really as important as protein is. So getting him to eat live feeders is really important.
You can still offer salads daily, but dont stress if he doesnt eat any, they tend to come around when its needed (12-18 mnths age)

Why not mix up some greens and veggies and crickets or worms in a blender and feed that as a slurry, it will be more beneficial than baby food. Till he gets used to the taste, he may start eating the "real" stuff easier.

As for the black teeth i havent got a clue. Have you taken him to a vet about it yet? It could be from the baby food idk.

Baby food is OK for short time solutions, but as only food for several months it cant be good.
Its a dragon (reptile) not a human, and baby food is designed for human nutrition. Reptiles needs are different and their bodies process differently.

 

[LennyTheLizardKing]

Salads for babies and juvies arent really as important as protein is. So getting him to eat live feeders is really important.
You can still offer salads daily, but dont stress if he doesnt eat any, they tend to come around when its needed (12-18 mnths age)

Why not mix up some greens and veggies and crickets or worms in a blender and feed that as a slurry, it will be more beneficial than baby food. Till he gets used to the taste, he may start eating the "real" stuff easier.

As for the black teeth i havent got a clue. Have you taken him to a vet about it yet? It could be from the baby food idk.

Baby food is OK for short time solutions, but as only food for several months it cant be good.
Its a dragon (reptile) not a human, and baby food is designed for human nutrition. Reptiles needs are different and their bodies process differently.

Ok I will try doing the blender mix, What greens and veggies should I add with the crix n worms? Also once blended how do I feed it to him? It will plug up the syringe I think.
He is 18 months old , he used to eat his Bok choy but ever since I offered collards he didn't eat salad after that, also the vet got me feeding him Baby food 7 months ago and since he hasn't cared for anything else

 

[my1stBD]

the vet got me feeding him Baby food 7 months ago and since he hasn't cared for anything else

Yeah, they spoil easilly.

I didnt realise he was an adult. Adults need less protein and more greens. If the below doesnt work, try witholding food for a day or 2, and keep his salad there all day, he may surprise you and start eating it.

As for a mix you can use good greens like
Endive
Collards
Dandelion greens
Mustard greens

Veg:
Green beans
Snap peas
Butternut (You can microwave it a bit with some water to soften it)

Then add cricks or worms (Whatever you have, as hes 18 mnths old, try sticking to the 80% greens/20% protein ratio)
Add water to make it the consistency you want.

You can either syringe feed or use a dropper with a bigger hole or put it on a teaspoon (plastic cos they tend to sometimes bite the teaspoon accidentally and metal wil harm his gums and teeth). He may lick it off himself.

Also add some calcium (not a hole lot cos it will be concentrated)

At 1st they dont really want to eat it, till they taste it.

 

[LennyTheLizardKing]

the vet got me feeding him Baby food 7 months ago and since he hasn't cared for anything else

Yeah, they spoil easilly.

I didnt realise he was an adult. Adults need less protein and more greens. If the below doesnt work, try witholding food for a day or 2, and keep his salad there all day, he may surprise you and start eating it.

As for a mix you can use good greens like
Endive
Collards
Dandelion greens
Mustard greens

Veg:
Green beans
Snap peas
Butternut (You can microwave it a bit with some water to soften it)

Then add cricks or worms (Whatever you have, as hes 18 mnths old, try sticking to the 80% greens/20% protein ratio)
Add water to make it the consistency you want.

You can either syringe feed or use a dropper with a bigger hole or put it on a teaspoon (plastic cos they tend to sometimes bite the teaspoon accidentally and metal wil harm his gums and teeth). He may lick it off himself.

Also add some calcium (not a hole lot cos it will be concentrated)

At 1st they dont really want to eat it, till they taste it.

Okay great, thanks. I'll be going to pick up some ingredients this morning.

 

[my1stBD]

If by any chance youre not aware of this site. It had a good list of foods to feed. Colour coded so its easy to know how often what can be used.
Any of the "green" foods can be used daily and the "black" ones occasionally to keep the salads interresting

http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html

 

[Jess]

... Is he actually sick, or just so spoiled that he won't eat anything else? If he's spoiled, I think it's time for some tough love.
They will eat on their own when they are hungry enough. If you stop with the baby food, and leave some worms and salad in his viv, he will have to eat something on his own eventually. He won't let himslef starve to death.

 

[TASTIGER]

when i see black teeth i think of mouth rot what are your temps? what kind of UVB do you use?

Mouth rot is a bacterial infection that can affect both the mouth and guns of a bearded dragon. Symptoms include bleeding gums, loss of appetite, blackening of the teeth, swollen mouth, and a cheesy, yellowish buildup between the teeth. it is generally brought on by dirty living conditions and low temperatures. It is extremely painful for the reptile and can prove fatal if not treated by a veterinarian as quickly as possible. To prevent mouth rot, maintain a clean terrarium and be sure your pet is getting an appropriate level of heat.

 

[AHBD]

I can tell from the pics that he is very stout...thick legs, tail and belly. Tough love is indeed in order ! Give him greens in a bowl...slurry ? Maybe, but it may keep him thinking all he wants is special food. I would put them in a bowl and hold out....yes, day after day. He is big enough to do without for quite a while. He could actually stand to lose a little weight. As for the advice that greens are not important until one year old or so, that is really very much incorrect ! Most beardies that don't get greens until they are adult become set in their ways, so the owners give up on offering. I know this because I have vended at reptile shows for many years , and people very often tell me this very thing. If you start a baby off with greens [ mine ALL eat greens by the time they are 3 weeks old, and will eat them twice daily along with their live feeders] they will develop a taste for them. For babies, just drop small shredded pieces in the cage just as you would their insects. They will generally pounce right on the greens as if ot were a cricket. Eating greens is very important in preventing impaction, too. I see that Tastiger's post mentions mouth rot .....that could be the reason that he won't eat solids, if he has pain in his teeth and gums.

 

[my1stBD]

As for the advice that greens are not important until one year old or so, that is really very much incorrect !

Please read what advice was given

Salads for babies and juvies arent really as important as protein is

thus dont go chew off your wrists IF they dont eat it, as protein is the more needed food for babies/juvies.

it was also said .............

You can still offer salads daily,

whilst still under the impression that this dragon was NOT an adult yet, once age was established the advice was

I didnt realise he was an adult. Adults need less protein and more greens. If the below doesnt work, try witholding food for a day or 2, and keep his salad there all day, he may surprise you and start eating it.

 

[LennyTheLizardKing]

If by any chance youre not aware of this site. It had a good list of foods to feed. Colour coded so its easy to know how often what can be used.
Any of the "green" foods can be used daily and the "black" ones occasionally to keep the salads interresting

http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html

Yeah im aware of the beautiful dragons nutrition guide, everytime i have tried feeding him anything off there he never eats it.. I also sold my other dragon just recently and since then Leanord has been alot more active and dances on the glass when he wants to run around the house, then finds somewhere to crap, then falls asleep somewhere, then i put him back in his viv. He hasnt been like this ina long time which is a good sign.

 

[LennyTheLizardKing]

If by any chance youre not aware of this site. It had a good list of foods to feed. Colour coded so its easy to know how often what can be used.
Any of the "green" foods can be used daily and the "black" ones occasionally to keep the salads interresting

http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html

Yeah im aware of the beautiful dragons nutrition guide, everytime i have tried feeding him anything off there he never eats it.. I also sold my other dragon just recently and since then Leanord has been alot more active and dances on the glass when he wants to run around the house, then finds somewhere to crap, then falls asleep somewhere, then i put him back in his viv. He hasnt been like this ina long time which is a good sign. So hopefully now he will get his appetite back like the good old days he used to polish off bowls of bok choy..

 

[LennyTheLizardKing]

... Is he actually sick, or just so spoiled that he won't eat anything else? If he's spoiled, I think it's time for some tough love.
They will eat on their own when they are hungry enough. If you stop with the baby food, and leave some worms and salad in his viv, he will have to eat something on his own eventually. He won't let himslef starve to death.

That is funny i think hes spoiled and yes it is time for some tough love. Thanks :]

 

[LennyTheLizardKing]

when i see black teeth i think of mouth rot what are your temps? what kind of UVB do you use?

Mouth rot is a bacterial infection that can affect both the mouth and guns of a bearded dragon. Symptoms include bleeding gums, loss of appetite, blackening of the teeth, swollen mouth, and a cheesy, yellowish buildup between the teeth. it is generally brought on by dirty living conditions and low temperatures. It is extremely painful for the reptile and can prove fatal if not treated by a veterinarian as quickly as possible. To prevent mouth rot, maintain a clean terrarium and be sure your pet is getting an appropriate level of heat.

I have heard of mouth rot before, he will definately get that if i dont do anything. Im thinking because he hasnt chewed anything in 7 months and has only ate baby food his teeth are decaying, almost looks like plaque discoloring his teeth..
He definately doesnt have a dirty living condition. His temps are good, basking area is like 96, cool side 82. I will double check today when the lights come on any minute now. His humidity might be a lil low its reading like 15 with a water dish. I never mist the viv, should i? I will try and get him in the vet as soon as i can but cant afford it at the moment..