Feeding a 6 month old

[sapperbloggs]

I've had my beardie for about 4 months. He's just on 40cm (16 inches) long and 6 months old now.

Up until a few weeks ago, I was feeding him 20-30 crickets, twice a day. In the past few weeks however, the amount he's eaten has declined rapidy... down to maybe 10 per day. I'm also offering him greens (bok choy, squash, and occasionally carrot), which he usually doesn't touch. He's otherwise just as active as ever, and still pooing, though ever second day instead of every day now. Other than his drastically reduced diet, he's acting and appearing perfectly healthy.

I figured the weather would be playing a large part (I'm Australian, and we're coming into winter now), so a few days ago I installed a 75w ceramic heat lamp to keep the temperatures up overnight, and gone from a 75w to 100w heat lamp during the day, meaning his tank temps are high 30C's (~100F) in the day, and mid 20C's (~75F) overnight. Though I've only had those in for a few days, he seems to be eating a little more now than he has been.

I've also been told that beardies eat less (and are fed less) as they grow older. If so, should I be trying to get him to eat as much as he was a few weeks ago? And should I be worried if he isn't doing that?
Otherwise... how much should a 6 month old beardie be eating?

 

[ajkry2]

eating amount goes up and down. changing in seasons affects appetite, shedding affects appetite, could be anything. don't worry. your pooper will come around soon enough.

just to be on the safe side --
what kind of UVB are you supplying (tube, compact, mvb, etc)?
how are the basking temps?
what type of substrate (flooring) is your beardie on?

if all of these are reasonable, could just be a moody beardie

 

[sapperbloggs]

what kind of UVB are you supplying (tube, compact, mvb, etc)?
how are the basking temps?
what type of substrate (flooring) is your beardie on?
if all of these are reasonable, could just be a moody beardie

The tank is 3ft. I've got a Reptile One UVB 10.0 tube spanning the length of the tank.
The heat lamp is 100w. Thermostat in the basking area is set to 42C (108F), tank air temp at the warm end is 38C (100F). Cool end air temp is 34C (93F). He spends most of his time perched right in the middle of the tank with his back arched back towards the heat lamp, basking, but not directly under the light.

Substrate WAS red sand, but he didn't seem to like that much (spent half his time digging around, the other half sitting there looking dark and ****ty) so I got rid of it. He didn't stop pooing or being active while that was in... but that's when he started eating a lot less. Floor is now white laminate board, and he seems a lot happier.
Since I put the 75w ceramic heat emitter in for night heat, his eating has begun to pick up a bit (up from 10 to 15 crickets in one sitting). He's still barely touching his veg.

How much (and of what) does an average 6 month old beardie eat?

 

[lilguysmom]

Hi! My beardie is about your beardie's age and he eats about 10 crickets a day and a salad that is made of a large collard green leaf ripped up into bite size pieces and a little of some other veg.
He has just recently started to eat a lot more of the greens and gets really excited when i show them to him. He would probably eat a lot more crx if i let him, but my vet recommended about 5-7 a day when he was smaller and to very gradually increase the amount as he gets bigger. I know that opinions vary on this, but he is very happy and healthy and i am sticking with this method.

I do notice that when he is going to shed he is not as interested in eating and his poops could be every other day for a week or so. As soon as he sheds though, he sometimes poops twice a day!!

Hope this helps!!!