Beardie won't eat dubia or crickets anymore

[Mike1992]

Hello all,

I had my beardie eating crickets, dubias, hornworms and super worms. First he wouldn't eat crickets and now he won't eat the dubias. He just stares at them. I don't know what to do. I've only been offering him the Dunbiased and greens and he still won't eat them. He has also been avoiding his heat lamp and staying in the corner. Temps are a little lower than I would like them. Hot spot it at 93 and cool end is at 79. I have a 50 watt bulb heating a 36x20x20 Wood viv. I don't know what to do

 

[CooperDragon]

Has he been showing a black beard or losing weight during this time?

 

[Mike1992]

Has he been showing a black beard or losing weight during this time?

His color has been darker and he hasn't been pooping as often and has not shed for almost a month and a half which he was doing almost every 2-3 weeks. Not really sure
If he's lost weight maybe a little but not much (his belly still huts the floor) but the skins on his back looks looser (I could be wrong tho)

 

[CooperDragon]

I'd use a kitchen scale and monitor his weight in grams. Keep a chart so you can watch which way it's trending. If it's remaining stable, he's probably fine and is just in a slowdown phase. If he is losing weight then he could have an underlying issue going on.

 

[Mike1992]

How often should I weigh him?

 

[CooperDragon]

Daily will give you more data points but you'll see more fluctuation (so watch the trendline rather than the individual readings for the most part). Couple of times per week would be fine too.

 

[Mike1992]

Not really liking how he looks right now. He looked fine before. I put some mustard greens and strawberries in for him earlier. He looked at them and has been in that corner for the past hour and a half...

 

[CooperDragon]

That looks like a defensive/sleepy posture to me. Maybe put down some fleece scraps that he can dig into and make a comfortable spot and see if that helps.

 

[Mike1992]

He seems to be like that more often than not. I never see him on the warm side and he doesn't seem to bask unless I put him there... don't know if he's just going into brumation or what. This has been since I moved him from the 15 gallon glass tank to this new one

 

[CooperDragon]

When I see that posture I usually understand it as cold or circling the wagons. It looks like something is up. I'm not sure if it's environmental or if he just isn't feeling well.

 

[Mike1992]

I'll try a higher wattage bulb tomorrow. I have a 50w intense bulb in there now, tried a 60w day/heat bulb today which wasn't as warm. I may try the 75 intense or 100w day/heat. If he was cold wouldn't he want to be on the warmer side though? He seems to avoid it

 

[CooperDragon]

Yeah that's what makes me think something else is up. They don't circle the wagons like that unless they're cold or something is wrong =(

 

[Mordconfessor]

Not really liking how he looks right now. He looked fine before. I put some mustard greens and strawberries in for him earlier. He looked at them and has been in that corner for the past hour and a half...

What did you use to make that backing ??

 

[Mike1992]

It's foam I bought it pre made. Universalrocks.com