Beardie not eating :(

[smaug85]

For the past few days Smaug has been behaving a bit erratically-hes been sleeping a lot and not eating many feeders. help?

 

[zimbabwepegasus]

Hi,
Sorry your beardie isn't doing too hot!
I'm gonna need a bit more info!

How old is your beardie?
What type of UVB are you using (coil/compact, flourescent tube or mercury vapor bulb) Please include the brand and strength.
How old is your UVB source?
What are your temps (cool side & basking spot)?
What are you using to take your temps?
Have you switched feeders lately?
What are you feeding (greens & bugs)?

Hope I can help out!

Kerry

 

[smaug85]

How old is your beardie?About 10 months
What type of UVB are you using (coil/compact, flourescent tube or mercury vapor bulb) Please include the brand and strength. Arcadia D3+ desert fluorescent tube (12% UVB)
How old is your UVB source? Had it in since July
What are your temps (cool side & basking spot)? Cool side is about 76*F basking site is 92*F
What are you using to take your temps? Zoo Med digital thermometer
Have you switched feeders lately? I had him on locusts before so I've gradually put him back on crickets because Locusts smell quite bad!
What are you feeding (greens & bugs)? Greens include romaine lettuce/carrot/green grapes/kiwi fruit and occasionally parsley. Feeders are butter worms/brown crickets/wax worms

 

[zimbabwepegasus]

Well... You need to be replacing your UVB in Dec, so this could play into the energy level.
It's also winter and as it sounds like you are in the UK, I know it's getting chilly.
Beardies don't go into a full brumation cycle until they are adults (if at all), but I do feel that mine were affected by cooler temps even as juveniles.

I'm not sure if it will help, but you're gonna want to bump your basking temp just a bit. Try to get it btwn 100-105.
You're also going to want to add some more bitter greens.
In American English good staple greens are : collard, mustard greens, endive, escarole or dandelion greens...
for the Brit translation PM Dantro, AuntyLolo or Mark Thorpe- I can never remember the different names across the pond.

Also at 10 months, he should be slowing his bug eating and going more after the greens. Is that happening at all? Around that age you can switch him down to one daily bug feeding and limit him to around 30 feeders a day depending on his appetite/weight.

 

[smaug85]

OK, so yesterday I changed the UV-B tube, and this morning when I put his salad in there he was a completely different reptile!
Smaug is back to his old self I think
He was being so grumpy to me the past few days,he did his threatening pose and hissed at me yesterday afternoon.
The difference this morning was amazing-he scuttled straight into my palm when I put my hand in the tank!

 

[smaug85]

Also at 10 months, he should be slowing his bug eating and going more after the greens. Is that happening at all? Around that age you can switch him down to one daily bug feeding and limit him to around 30 feeders a day depending on his appetite/weight.

Before he started behaving oddly he didn't seem too bothered about veggies- very much interested in feeders though!