Bearded dragon ignoring food.

[RancidLatte]

Hello. I am brand new to this website and I have a question about eating. I recently purchased a bearded dragon from one of my local breeders. He is very healthy, he is 6 months old, and he is pretty chill and friendly. I bought him superworms and on the first day he ate three of them. I didnt know if he had eaten the day I bought him and the man who sold him to me said he eats 5 a day. I thought that was good. Second day, and when I fed him in the morning, he ate one completely, and the other he bit in half and left in the tank. Now its 1 o clock in the evening and he hasnt ate any other ones I offer him. He is shedding on the head and I have all of my lights, substrate, and basking spot set up right. I am doing everything right and I am wondering if he maybe just isnt eating becuase he is new and shedding. I have had a bearded dragon before. I bought a sick female from a petstore and it wasnt a good experience. Any suggestions? Bath? Leave him alone?

 

[destiny1998]

Hi. It sounds like relocation stress. Give him a few days.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Hello. I am brand new to this website and I have a question about eating. I recently purchased a bearded dragon from one of my local breeders. He is very healthy, he is 6 months old, and he is pretty chill and friendly. I bought him superworms and on the first day he ate three of them. I didnt know if he had eaten the day I bought him and the man who sold him to me said he eats 5 a day. <<<< they might love superworms (and mealworms - very similar only smaller) , BUT these are not a suitable feeder insect for a 6 month old juvenile beardie, very hard to digest exoskeleton is the main issue and this has a strong risk of causing impaction in a beardie (and this can be fatal if serious enough).

I never give my dragons more than 3 supers at a time , and only ever as a treat. My Peppa and Toothless only started getting offered superworms at 12 months old.

If he likes worms - a better option is small sized (about 1.5 inches long) and medium sized (about 2 inches long) silkworms , soft , slow moving , highly nutritious and most lizards go bananas for them.

Other suitable feeder insects are :
gut loaded (with calcium rich greens + fresh carrot (also source of water) and dry hard repcal adult beardie pellets (vitamins and food - crickets love them) calcium dusted crickets, roaches or locasts of suitable size for your beardie.






I thought that was good. Second day, and when I fed him in the morning, he ate one completely, and the other he bit in half and left in the tank. Now its 1 o clock in the evening and he hasnt ate any other ones I offer him. He is shedding on the head and I have all of my lights, substrate, and basking spot set up right.

<<< are you sure?
Some often think they have it right based on bad advise from the seller .
Make sure your temperatures are right (40degC at basking spot), warm zone about 30degC (needed for good digestion of food).
Check you have adequate UVA (enhances vision, activity, and apetite) and adequate UVB (CRUCIAL = needed for metabolisation of dietary calcium to vitD and to create strong bones and grown healthy new tissues)
Your UV source should have NOTHING UNDER IT (no plastic screen (these block ALL THE UVA and UVB) , no mesh if you have a mesh top on the tank (mesh will inhibit UVA and UVB and block about 25% of the UVA and UVB.
Your UV source should be rated at least 10% and positioned so your beardie get UVI > 11 at the basking spot.

What bedding / substrate do have ?

I am doing everything right and I am wondering if he maybe just isnt eating becuase he is new and shedding. I have had a bearded dragon before. I bought a sick female from a petstore and it wasnt a good experience. Any suggestions? Bath? Leave him alone?

As said , likely some relocation stress , plus he's in shed, that can make them miserable too and put them off their food somewhat in some cases (never had that issue but others regularly report it).

 

[RancidLatte]

I have a UVB strip light, a exo terra UVA basking bulb, a night time bulb, designated reptile carpet, and a hammock. If I only feed him 3 dusted superworms a day, would that be ok? I am making him his first salad today. The previous owner said he ate lots of salad.

 

[RancidLatte]

Hello. I am brand new to this website and I have a question about eating. I recently purchased a bearded dragon from one of my local breeders. He is very healthy, he is 6 months old, and he is pretty chill and friendly. I bought him superworms and on the first day he ate three of them. I didnt know if he had eaten the day I bought him and the man who sold him to me said he eats 5 a day. <<<< they might love superworms (and mealworms - very similar only smaller) , BUT these are not a suitable feeder insect for a 6 month old juvenile beardie, very hard to digest exoskeleton is the main issue and this has a strong risk of causing impaction in a beardie (and this can be fatal if serious enough).

I never give my dragons more than 3 supers at a time , and only ever as a treat. My Peppa and Toothless only started getting offered superworms at 12 months old.

If he likes worms - a better option is small sized (about 1.5 inches long) and medium sized (about 2 inches long) silkworms , soft , slow moving , highly nutritious and most lizards go bananas for them.

Other suitable feeder insects are :
gut loaded (with calcium rich greens + fresh carrot (also source of water) and dry hard repcal adult beardie pellets (vitamins and food - crickets love them) calcium dusted crickets, roaches or locasts of suitable size for your beardie.






I thought that was good. Second day, and when I fed him in the morning, he ate one completely, and the other he bit in half and left in the tank. Now its 1 o clock in the evening and he hasnt ate any other ones I offer him. He is shedding on the head and I have all of my lights, substrate, and basking spot set up right.

<<< are you sure?
Some often think they have it right based on bad advise from the seller .
Make sure your temperatures are right (40degC at basking spot), warm zone about 30degC (needed for good digestion of food).
Check you have adequate UVA (enhances vision, activity, and apetite) and adequate UVB (CRUCIAL = needed for metabolisation of dietary calcium to vitD and to create strong bones and grown healthy new tissues)
Your UV source should have NOTHING UNDER IT (no plastic screen (these block ALL THE UVA and UVB) , no mesh if you have a mesh top on the tank (mesh will inhibit UVA and UVB and block about 25% of the UVA and UVB.
Your UV source should be rated at least 10% and positioned so your beardie get UVI > 11 at the basking spot.

What bedding / substrate do have ?

I am doing everything right and I am wondering if he maybe just isnt eating becuase he is new and shedding. I have had a bearded dragon before. I bought a sick female from a petstore and it wasnt a good experience. Any suggestions? Bath? Leave him alone?

As said , likely some relocation stress , plus he's in shed, that can make them miserable too and put them off their food somewhat in some cases (never had that issue but others regularly report it).

I cat easily get crickets from my local petsmart, only problem is, my beardie doesn't chase his food and gets the majority of his exercise from playing around outside of his terrarium.