BRAND NEW OWNER...

[WKKD1]

One of my brother-in-laws friends had to get rid of his bearded dragon...everything free to good home. So me being the animal lover i am got him. She thinks he his a yr. and a half, but my wife and I think he is older cause he is a big dragon...much bigger then the one in pet store that they say are a yr. Anyway, this is my first beardie and dont really know much yet, other then what I have learned from websites. He is kept in a very larger reptile habitat...plenty of room. Basking side stays between 100-105 (UV bulb)in day and 80-85 at night (red light bulb). The morning after getting him I went and got dozen crickets thinking I would be back in a couple days...this was wendsday. I put three crickets in there when i got home and today is saturday and those three crickets are still in there. Is there to many in at once? Why has he not eaten the crickets in three days? I have be able to get him to eat some squash and greens each day and some dried meal worms yesturday. Been giving water by dropper so he getting water. We really haven't handled him to much realy yet...was letting him get use to surrounds first. This really freaking me out cause I don't want any harm to come to "THE DUDE"! Oh and he spends alot of time in middle of cage...doesn't really bask. I don't have a hide away in there yet...planning on getting one soon though. PLEASE HELP!
-THANKS FOR YOUR TIME!

 

[ryuk]

well it could just be that he still needs some time to adjust to his surroundings.. my beardie didnt eat for a week when i got her.. i hope that helps.. :mrgreen:

 

[pyffersnpaws]

couple of things... 1st.. the red night lite, they need complete darkness to sleep so if you need a heat source during the night then try a ceramic heat emitter... they put out the heat without any light. 2nd... they should be offered as much protien as they can eat in a 15 min period, he could just still be settling in before he really starts to eat... also, you can try using the dubia roaches (my 3 perfer them over the crickets), phonix worms if he is just refusing the crickets... make sure what ever you are feeding him is no wider than the space between his eyes. 3rd...make sure that he can get up to his basking light within about 6" of it... Keep us posted on how he settles in... and if you have pics we would love to see them Congrats on your new family member!

 

[pyffersnpaws]

Here is a great website for what types of food they should have so you can offer him a variety so he doesn't get bored... make sure you offer him some salad every day. http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html sorry for all of my imput, but hope it helps some.

 

[WKKD1]

first of all thank u for ur answerers...loved the input. However now he is not eaten any greens or vegies...not sure but I think he is brumating. He is massive so i know it's not cause food is to big. Gonna try and not use red light tonight and see how the temp goes overnight. I'm just really concerned cause he is know part of the family and don't want anything wrong with him. He seems to be sleeping alot or just resting with his closed...lol I don't know. Just added a hideout to his encloser and don't think he realizes its there though...he didnt realy have one growing up from what the lady I got him from said. Just a worried new daddy...lol. Gonna try and add some pics I took of him...Once again thanks for your time and I will def. keep u infored. How do you add photos ?

 

[Kalyn876]

Just to clarify: you have a warm basking bulb and a UVB correct? If so what brand is the UVB? Tube or coil? How old is it?

Edit** you only need a night time heat source if your temps drop below 65F

Also they need to be able to get within 6-8 inches of their UVB not basking light.

Kalyn

 

[pyffersnpaws]

there is a link in the photo section on how to upload the photos.... easier to do if you have a photobucket account. Kalyn... thanks... you are absolutely correct... I did mean to say needed to be 6" from the UVB light.

 

[Kalyn876]

I didn't want to sound snoody lol I've made that exact mistake before

Kalyn

 

[pyffersnpaws]

You didn't at all.... I appreciate all the help on here as I'm still fairly new to the bd's... just been doing so much diggin on here, and if I can pass info on that's great...so I have no issues if I said something that might be "wrong" if it's corrected... its all good, as we all want the same thing... happy, healthy beardies

 

[WKKD1]

I got everything the lady that gave him to me had...exo-terra compact top canopy uvb-coil and dome basking light that stays between 100-105. Since I have had him he chills laid up on one of his branches and looks to be sleeping most of the time. Just want him to eat...nice big poop pile the morning so i started feeling better but know he wont eat anything...is this brumating?

 

[WKKD1]

Kalyn, the lady i got him from had him from baby and she said she had him a yr and a half...but my wife and I think he might be older cause he is huge. Although he did grow up and still lives in a huge reptile enclosure so I think he so grew to the size of his enclosure.

 

[pyffersnpaws]

if you have the coil UVB you might want to change that out to a tube... there have been cases reported that the coil actually does damage to the beardies...make sure when you do the lighting that it is inside the setup and not on top of the screen as the screen will block out the UVB light which he needs in order to digest the food

 

[pyffersnpaws]

they usually get to be around 2ft long.... and he is a big boy... might have a bit of giant in him