Enforcing Feeding Ritual

[ScottSB52]

Hi Everyone,

I have a ~7 month old beardie, and he has recently (within the last 6 weeks) stopped eating in front of me. If I put the roaches in his bowl (they cannot escape) and leave the room for an hour or more, he will eat 10-15+ roaches at every offered feeding.

If I try to enforce a feeding schedule (10-15 minute dubia buffet, 2-3x a day), he will eat for MAYBE one of those feedings and only eat about 4-5 roaches. He is just clearly uncomfortable eating in front of me (both me watching, and in the room). Since he grew skittish, I have never tried doing this for more than one day at a time. He used to have no problem eating in front of me.


I want my beardie to eat his fill, especially at this age, but I am growing a little more irritated at having to leaving my room and leaving the dubia roaches in his cage all day while I am at work just to accommodate him. Part of the fun of having a beardie is watching them light up and enthusiastically eat their bugs

Does anyone have any tips? Should I just enforce the 10-15 minute feeding periods and remove the bowl after that time?

 

[kingofnobbys]

Check the tank temperatures .

How old is the UV bulb ? if it's older than 6 months old , it needs replacement .

Exactly what are you using as a UV source ?

Worth checking through this too : viewtopic.php?f=6&t=236150&p=1815390#p1815390

 

[ScottSB52]

Thanks for the reply!

UV bulb is about 2 1/2 months old - it's a T5 reptisun 10.0, mounted over the screen of his cage in a fixture w/ a relfector back. His basking spot surface is approximately 10 inches from the bulb.

Temperatures are good too! 105-107 basking spot --> 80 cool side.

 

[CooperDragon]

That is a good uvb light and is at the proper distance. That should last at least 12 months before needing replacement. You might try offering a different feeder as a treat and feed by hand to help get him used to you being around at meal time again. Maybe order a small cup (12) of hornworms and see how he likes those. My guy goes nuts for them.

 

[ScottSB52]

Thanks for the advice! I actually just put in an order for some hornworms about 10 minutes ago! Maybe those will do the trick.

For now, I think I am going to stick with only offering the dubia roaches for those 10-15 minute feeding times. Tuco also has salad offered throughout the whole day, so he can't complain about being starved.