Getting beardie to eat, drink, poop and be merry?

[ronni1221]

He is definitely more active, wakes up when it warms up, basks like he should. He's doing ALOT better. However, my new problem is he only want to eat mealworms. He doesn't want phoenix worms. He spits them out as soon as he picks them up. He doesn't want crickets. I'll have a couple in the tank for an hour, and he refuses to chase after them. Yesterday a runaway mealworm crawled across the floor and Brutus jet from his basking to eat it. How do I get him to eat regular crickets?!?! He's being difficult.

 

[smaug85]

try locusts?

 

[zimbabwepegasus]

try locusts?

LOL! We can't get them over here! No locusts stateside.

To get him to eat crix, just don't feed mealworms- he'll get hungry enough that he'll go for crix. And a day or two without bugs will be fine for him- I actually doubt he'll hold out that long though! Mealworms are pretty hard on a young beardie's intestinal track and they don't offer a whole lot in nutrition. As much as I love my beardies- they're sorta chow hounds. I keep thinking I could train Sinclair to "come" with waxworms.

 

[smaug85]

try locusts?

LOL! We can't get them over here! No locusts stateside.

To get him to eat crix, just don't feed mealworms- he'll get hungry enough that he'll go for crix. And a day or two without bugs will be fine for him- I actually doubt he'll hold out that long though! Mealworms are pretty hard on a young beardie's intestinal track and they don't offer a whole lot in nutrition. As much as I love my beardies- they're sorta chow hounds. I keep thinking I could train Sinclair to "come" with waxworms.

No locusts? ah well..

 

[ronni1221]

The problem is that a few weeks ago, he was not eating at all. This makes me want to feed him what he'll actually eat. I don't want to starve him. I feel like something's better than nothing. Should I go ahead and not feed him the mealworms to see if he comes around for crickets?

 

[smaug85]

The problem is that a few weeks ago, he was not eating at all. This makes me want to feed him what he'll actually eat. I don't want to starve him. I feel like something's better than nothing. Should I go ahead and not feed him the mealworms to see if he comes around for crickets?

how about butter worms??

 

[zimbabwepegasus]

Yes!
Don't feed the mealies! He'll cave, I promise!
Mealies are sorta like feeding your two year nothing but.... let's see... I'm trying to think of something with little to no nutritional value and the ability to screw up your digestive tract...
Either way- mealies are NOT providing your beardie with nutrients. It's like staying alive on twinkies.