bearded dragon stressed

[KarenInCA]

Im surprised you got that little peanut from a breeder. I would think it was Petsmart or somewhere unexperienced with selling him that tiny.
He has some beautiful oranges in the first picture, btw.

Since you got him from a breeder, perhaps you can call the breeder just to ask how and what he feeds the other babies. Then again, if the breeder is going to sell them at only 3 weeks old, maybe it's best to leave the breeder alone.
Im hoping with you that he starts eating on his own.

 

[rex2311]

Ok so i have to pop them in his mouth when he opens it the crickets are the right size, he is pooping and he has grown almost a full inch since I got him a week ago. as for activity, he is very active and healthy he will spend most of his time on the warm side of the tank but will occasionally run around like a lunatic. He shows not many sighs of stress and seems to like me holding him like if something scars him he calms down when i hold him. Does that answer your questions?

 

[rex2311]

Ok, so he ate 1 on his own then he tried to climb the wall of his feeder tank so I hand fed him 3 more. And he grew a whole line on the inch side of the ruler since yesterday just one line away from 4 1/2 inches. That good?

 

[CooperDragon]

It's good that he is calm around you and shows energy and poops regularly. The growth is also good, but he's still VERY small. Keep trying to get nutrients to him as much as you can to help him grow. I'd run with what works at this point, for now.

 

[diamc]

That's good that he has grown a little. Happy to hear that he is active and not stressed as well as being content when you hold him. Good that he ate one cricket on his own in the feeder tank. Sounds like he isn't fond of being fed in a separate tank, that could be why he isn't eating much. About how many crickets are put into the feeder tank with him at a time? I'm wondering if he's overwhelmed by them. Over the yrs, I had tried several times to try to get my beardies to eat from feeding tanks but they wouldn't go for it so I ended up offering crickets 2 at a time and waited for them to eat them each time before adding more to his tank. They liked that much better and would chase the crickets around to be sure to catch them, so cute to watch. You might want to think about trying that as it's very important that he eat more crickets since he is so small.

Are you dusting the crickets with calcium 5 days a wk and with vitamins the other 2 days a wk? They need calcium especially to prevent metabolic bone disease and other health issues. A good UVB light is very important too and the calcium & UVB work together to synthesize the right amount of calcium in their bodies. There are some UVB lights that aren't good & can actually be dangerous, so could you let us know if you have a UVB light and if it's a coil, compact or fluorescent tube?

Since the tank temps affect their total health including appetite and digestion, could you tell us which type of thermometer you're using, a digital strip, round gauge (dial), temperature gun or digital thermometer with a long wire & probe end?

When you said that he spends most of his time on the warm side, do you mean right under the basking light or on the bottom of the warm side?

His is so adorable and has great coloring popping out already. All of us want him to put on some weight and length so you can enjoy him for many, many years. We can tell that you care for him very much. Babies are very particular with their needs so that's why we ask so many questions about everything and offer so much advise.

 

[rex2311]

MBD im familiar with that I bought three from petsmart they all had it and died. then I got one that got to six months old then something fell on and crushed him, I ended up puting him myself so he wouldn`t suffer, but he would eat everything I put in front of him. Do you think my new one will eat like that when older? Is this eating problem just have somthing to do with age? I hope so. As for thermometer I have 2 digital thermometers with probes and yes, he spends a proper amount of time in the basking spot.

 

[diamc]

Oh dear, awful that 3 you had died from it, were they clutch mates? Awful about the accident with the 6 mo old and that you had to have it put to sleep.

Good that you have 2 digital probe thermometers. Are you putting the probe end right on the basking spot and then waiting 45 min to an hr before getting the final reading? What are the basking & cool side temps? Good to hear that he's basking a lot.

Since you lost 3 to MBD, could you give the details of the UVB you have now and how often you're dusting with calcium & vitamins?

 

[rex2311]

Well you see the 3 with MBD had MBD because the petsmart was not giving them any calcium at all so that was not my fault in fact they died within a month of getting them. But anyways this guy has a 10.0 spiral UVB that my vet recomended to me as for the calcuim I dust crickets every other day and we gut load the crickets with calcium supplements.

As for the six month old, its even more depressing than that, you see we live in the rural parts the country so the nearest is about 35 mins away and I was not going to make him suffer through that cause you see the object that fell on him was over 40 pounds so, I ended up putting him down myself by breaking his neck then my parents came home and didn`t take it as well as I did, the bright side is that I have the amazing ability to sleep off any depression but it didn`t change what happend then things got dull and lizardless tilll this new guy which still does not have a name by the way.

 

[SkyfangRauss]

How far are you from Essex? There's a place called Wet Pet & Reptile Center that may have what you need. 410-391-9494
429 Eastern Blvd.
Essex, MD 21221

wet pet and reptile center doesn't do phoenix worms.

I know, because that's where I got my little buddy, and where I get my crickets, and when I asked about p.worms, they said they didn't carry them because they're a pain. (their words, not mine)

 

[diamc]

Unfortunately, the spiral UVB's are not good ones and won't prevent metabolic bone disease or other health issues including eye problems and loss of appetite so his appetite can certainly be affected by the spiral UVB. I highly recommend that you get a Repti-SUN 10.0 strip fluorescent tube asap or an Arcadia brand MVB.

Also, for a young beardie as small as yours, his feeders should be dusted 5 days a wk with calcium with D3 for one feeding a day and with vitamins the other 2 days a wk for one feeding a day.

How is his appetite now? What did he eat today for crickets and what greens/veggies are you offering him?

Have you tried feeding him in his tank rather than a feeding bin to see if he will start eating more?

How does he like his baths?

 

[rex2311]

well every time i tell my parents we need a florecent bulb they come up with a million excuses of why we should not and also the vet said the spiral bulb is fine.

 

[diamc]

Had you taken this new beardie to the vet and that's when he recommended the spiral UVB? What type of vet was it?

Sure hope this beardie doesn't get MBD. What type of UVB were you using with the 3 that did get MBD?

 

[rex2311]

Well I came home today and he`s dead... So he really was too young. Aren`t these things supposed to be easy to raise? :x

 

[diamc]

That's a shame that he passed away, poor little thing. Beardies really are particular with their needs and babies as small as the one you had, take a lot of extra care to try to help them survive. We tried our best to try to help you get everything perfect for him. I do agree that he was too small to be sold and the stress alone from going to a new home was evidently more than he could bare.

I suggest you don't get another beardie, at least for a while. If you do decide to get another later on, please let us know so that we can help you make sure you have everything you need so that it can live a much longer life.

 

[rex2311]

actually me and my mother are talking about a reptile show next month but I may get a spiny lizard (uromastyx) instead. thanks for all your help now I know I should listen when people tell me its too young I want make that mistake again. beside im to stubborn to give up. In till next time good bye.