Beardie not eating very much?

[mdforthree]

Hello everyone, I am new to these forums but they have been a great help to myself and my bearded! Her name is Lequisha and she is about 4 months old. Ever since I got her...about one and a half weeks ago...she has never been a great eater. She won't touch greens even with lots of goodies on top! At first I had her on Dubia Roaches for her insects but she never ate them as much as I though she should, maybe 3 small nymphs a day. I thought that she might just not be interested in the roaches (we all know how beardies can be) so I bought some crickets to feed her instead. She has been more interested in them but still not eating very many, maybe 4-5 crickets a day. I have heard of juveniles eating 30 a day so I thought for sure something was wrong with her husbandry or health. Her basking spot is about 108 and the cool side is around 85. She's on repticarpet and in a 55 gallon tank. At night the temperatures get to around 70-75. She has a Zilla desert 50 UVB T8 tube bulb for her UVB. I will be getting her a Reptisun as soon as I have the money.I have been giving her a daily warm bath to ensure that if impaction is the issue it can clear up before it gets bad. She has been pooping regularly so this has just been a minor precaution. When she was first put into the terrarium she immediately black bearded and freaked out at her reflection so I put a background along the sides and back but she can still see it through the front, nothing I can do about that. Could the reflection be stressing her out too much to eat? Or is it a different problem? She isn't lethargic and hasn't been acting strange at all besides her eating. Any help will be appreciated. Sorry for the wall of text just wanted to make sure you guys got all of the information. Thanks so much! Lequisha and Matt

 

[Speedy01]

I see about 3 problems but they are not that bad one could be the UVB bulb but you will be replacing that with reptisun 10.0 so your good there another depending on her size since she is 4 months old i think that tank might be too big for her so you might cut off a little with a piece of card board i had to do that with speedy when he was that age and his tank is only 30 gallon good thing im building one lol another which i think is the main thing is relocation stress does her belly have black lines if so those are stress marks and so is black beard im sure it is just relocation stress it might take 2 to 3 weeks for her to start eating alot just keep an eye on her and keep trying im sure she will be just fine also what greens are you giving her?

 

[mdforthree]

Ok I'll give her some more time and just keeping offering her crickets. I have been feeding (trying to at least ) collard greens with some carrots and grapes on top to entice her into eating it. Going out to get some butternut squash tomorrow.

 

[Speedy01]

Ok those are good but dont feed carrots alot here are some good foods

also here is probably the cheapest place to buy a reptisin 10.0 http://www.petmountain.com/product/...ulbs/11442-504983/reptisun-10-0-uvb-bulb.html hope this helps

 

[kcarello]

Have you had a fecal done on her. How is her poop?? Is it runny or formed...extra smelly...or just regular smelly?

 

[Speedy01]

the first link didnt work here is another for what you can feed i would check if you can feed these to younger dragons though http://blackninjakitty.com/herps/care/troystuttlegreeniglist.htm

 

[mdforthree]

Thanks Speedy that link is very helpful. And I haven't had a fecal done on her but it seems fine. Not runny(when she doesn't go in her water :shock and not very stinky.

 

[mdforthree]

I think it may be her reflection that is causing her to not eat.I covered the back and sides of the terrarium in background but she is is just constantly either staring at her reflection or glass surfing at the front. When I put crickets in her tank she knows they're there but just stares at her reflection and tries to attack it. Is there anything I can do to limit her stress from this or will she just grow out of it?

 

[Speedy01]

i don't know about the reflection you could feed her in a a different spot like small plastic tote so she can see out or see her reflection that way when she is done eating you can out her back in the tank