Force feeding

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road8514

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I am to the point were I think I have to force feed my dragon. He is not getting enough food with me dripping it on him while he is in the warm water bath. What is the easiest way to make him open his mouth with out hurting him. Is there any other tricks to make him open his mouth. I am using baby food chicken and squash, and green beans.
thanks
Road
 

spyder79

Extreme Poster
i luckily havent had to force feed my dragons but when i did have to give dr. evil his meds about a year and a half back for parasites the vet showed me a way of lightly pulling his mouth open. you hold his back against your chest head towards your head. and hold his beard between your thumb and forefinger. gently pull (lightly) open his mouth. this should work for feeding but im not sure. hopefully someone else on here can clarify.
 

NegativeCreep

Sub-Adult Member
I'm confused. Maybe there is a thread somewhere else about why your dragon isn't eating. But, have you ruled out the reason? Are you trying to feed him in the bath??
 

road8514

Member
Original Poster
I was trying to feed him while he was in a warm water bath. He was not eating a whole lot that way. I have thus tried the one method posted and he ate 2-3 times as much as when he was in the bath. I just hope he makes it. I dont know why he stoped eating. He is pooping out small yellow green pellets and that is it.
any clues would be great!
 

NegativeCreep

Sub-Adult Member
What are his cage conditions like?
What are his temps? How do you measure them?
Do you have a UVB source? Can you tell me more about it: brand, type (coil, compact, linear tube, MVB) and the number on it?
What were you trying to feed him? How long has it been since he hasn't eaten on his own?
 

road8514

Member
Original Poster
cage is a front slider 50gal w/ sand in the bottom and it is not cal sand. Warm side temps are between 95-105 the cool side is 75-80.
There are two heat bulbs on the warm side. One is a red heat bulb that is one 24 7. the other is a white heat bulb that is on for 11 hours. there is a 18 in 10.0 uvb bulb. he hasnt eating in a long time on his own I would say over a week and a half or 2. Temps are taken with a temp gun.
thanks
joe
 

NegativeCreep

Sub-Adult Member
Strange. Have you taken a fecal sample in for testing. I would recommend taking the animal in, but if $$ is tight, then a fecal test would be cheaper. What brand is your UVB light? The red light isn't good for beardies. Beardies can, in fact, see the light they produce and it interrupts their sleep. Their temps can safely drop into the 60's at night, so the extra heat may not be necessary. You can use a larger bulb to attain the proper temps, or use two white lights. Either way, that is probably not why he is refusing food...

At this point, yes, you will need to force feed him. I have a syringe without the needle that I use to give Blaze meds. I pull her bottom lip down around the back of her mouth and poke it in there and then move it up towards the front. This usually causes her to open her mouth on her own. This is the most gentle way I have found and she still gets pretty angry at me.

Have you used a product called jump start? It is supposed to be an appetite stimulant. Also, there is a 'recipe' around here somewhere that people use to rehab dragons. It has chicken/turkey baby food, jump start, calcium and some other stuff. I will see if I can find it.
 

road8514

Member
Original Poster
thanks you so much. Maybe I will change out the red for another white bulb.
thank
road
I would love that reciepe
 

NegativeCreep

Sub-Adult Member
Some folks use a product called Repta-Aid that you can get from Petco/Petsmart. It apparently comes with a syringe and mixing bowl. It also is more of a protein-based, critical care, food replacement serum. You might see if you can get a hold of that stuff. I will keep looking for the other recipe, though.
 

NegativeCreep

Sub-Adult Member
Also, to be sure he's not impacted...
Rub, gently, on his belly, on the right side, from his armpit to his vent and see if you can feel a lump or hard spot. He could be refusing to eat if he is backed up. If so, see if you can get him to eat a bit of applesauce w/ a bit of olive oil mixed in. There are other things to do if he is impacted, so if you feel a lump or hard spot, let me know.
 

road8514

Member
Original Poster
I didnt feel any lumps or hard spots yesterday when I fed him. But I will check again. I will also look for the stuff at petssmart.
thanks
 

road8514

Member
Original Poster
++++Update++++
I picked up some of that Repta-aid. However I got the one with out directions in the box. Just my luck. Anyways I mixed the repti-aid with some chicken and squash baby food. He took about 1.5-2cc of it that was it. I have been feeding him baby food with a dropper before hand. He is still hardly even active, but his belly is filling in a little bit. Will this repti-aid stuff help him to get his energy up? I would really like to get him on something solid asap. But I am really worried about his energy.
thanks
road
 

NegativeCreep

Sub-Adult Member
Offer him the mix 5 or 6 times a day if you can. Continue to offer him his 'real' food.
Until then, have you had a fecal done? He really could have parasites.
How are his poos now?
 

road8514

Member
Original Poster
I have not had a fecal done. He is still pooping those small green yellow pellets and alot of water with it.
I will keep feeding him that repti-aid as many times a day as I can
thanks
road
 
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