Gizmo won't eat!

[Nikki1292]

He has been eating fine but today he hasn't eaten anything! I just changed his bedding from sand to carpet yesterday, could that be the problem? The sudden change? I'm worried about him.

 

[crickest]

I know that changing things in the viv can cause relocation stress, which can throw off their appetitte. Or it could be something else that just chose this minute to manifest. The answers to a couple of questions might help narrow down the problem.

What kind of feeders have you offered? How old is Gizmo?

What type of UVB bulb are you using? I know when I had a bad bulb my beardie's appetitte absolutely plummeted.

Are your temps still good? Changing the flooring of the viv can change the temps in the viv and it might be throwing him off.

When was his last poo?

 

[Nikki1292]

Gizmo eats crickets. I don't know how old he is but he is 9 inches long.
Powersun 100wat. But it is now only on 5 hours a day while his heat light and my bedroom light are on 10 hours a day.
The cool side is 80F and the hotside is 90F with the basking spot at 100F.
He pooped this afternoon right after I cleaned the carpet lol. I had to clean it all over again.

 

[crickest]

Are you offering him greens?

I would also suggest searching this site for the Powersun bulb. I've never used it, but have seen threads where it is being used and is linked to health problems for the dragons. You might do some investigating and see if the symptoms you are seeing are related to the bulb. I know my dragon was fine one day and lethargic, not hungry, inactive the next. I turned off the UVB bulb I had and he was back to new in fifteen minutes. It was all in the bulb. It would be the first thing I would check.

 

[Nikki1292]

Oh, yes, I forgot to mention that I do feed him greens. Normally he eats very little of it (he is just starting to like them) but didn't eat any today. I have heard that the powersun has caused problems. I use to have it on all day but stopped today when he wouldn't eat, I'm only going to keep it on for 4-5 hours and see what that does. If it doesn't change anything I am taking it back and getting something else. I also know he isn't dehydrated. I bathe him every 3-4 days and there is water in the tank though he doesn't touch it.

If it does turn out to be the powersun, what bulb do you think I should use or could I just take him outside for actual sunlight an hour a day and not have a uvb bulb?

 

[zebraflavencs]

The Mega rays are comparable, even better in my opinion, as I just got two and my dragons are slap happy !
I got the 100w, self ballasted.
Janie.

 

[crickest]

Or the other bulb to get would be a Repti-sun 10.0 flouresant tube bulb. However, if you go that route you have to use a calcium supplement that includes D3. If you use the Megaray you won't have to use the calcium with D3 - you would want to be sure to use the calcium supplement that doesn't include D3. If you got the Megaray I am assuming (having never used them) that you wouldn't have to change your fixture.

I'm not sure on the whole "take the lizard outside" thing. Part of the viv is heat regulation for the dragon, he can move in and out of the heat. I suppose if you were to supply the same conditions outside for the dragon, you could leave him outside. I wouldn't do it, but that's just because I really worry about him being healthy and safe. I think it would also be harder to regulate the amount of UVB they receive. I think it would be a great idea until you can get a good bulb, but that I wouldn't rely on it. Of course, other people may have a different point of view.

 

[Nikki1292]

What I mean about going outside with him is that he would be on my shoulder the entire time. I've walked around the house with him and sit and read while he walks around on my shoulders, my lap, and on top of my head lol. I wouldn't leave him alone or in a tank outside. I was just curious. I am going to keep the powersun on less and see what happens. I'm only going to leave it on a few hours a day instead of 8-9 hours.

 

[Nikki1292]

So far I was able to get him to eat 2 crickets so at least he ate something. It's only 11:50am so I will try again later. I'm going to see if his lack of appetite is due to the powersun so I am leaving it off today.

 

[spurlee01]

When you leave the powersun off does he have any source of heat? What are the temps in the tank without the powersun? If it's not warm enough, he probably won't eat b/c he won't be able to digest.
Sara

 

[Nikki1292]

The cool side is about 80F while the basking spot is 100F. The area around the basking spot is about 95. The temps are fine and he is perfectly fine otherwise. The reason I have the powersun off is because he is active in the morning before it is on but once it is on he won't move from his rock all day and keeps one eye closed. Since it has been off today he has been walking around and he doesn't close his eye as much.

 

[spurlee01]

Okay so those are the temps without the powersun? What are they with the powersun?

 

[Nikki1292]

With the powersun the cool side is about 87, sometimes 90 so I would have to keep an air conditioner on most of the time which kept the temp cooler but the hot side stays close to the same. I was able to get Gizmo to eat more. He has eaten 8 crickets today but I had to hold them in my hand or he wouldn't go after them, though he did chase and eat 2. He still refuses to touch his salad. Also, he was acting weird while eating. I don't know how to describe it so I will video tape him eating tomorrow and put it on youtube then put the link here. But I think it was caused by the powersun, since it has been off today he has been more active and doesn't close his eye much if at all now. Next time I am able to go to petsmart, hopefully soon, I am returning it and buying a Repti-sun 10.0.

 

[crickest]

When you go to Petsmart be sure they have the Repti-sun and not the Repti-glo bulbs. The Petsmart here only carries the Repti-glo and its easy to get them confused. Just a heads up. The Repti-glo won't help, it would just compound the problem.

 

[Judah'sHuman]

Hello~

I just wanted to mention that the newer PowerSuns have been changed recently and many people have been having problems. Lethrgia, eye problems etc. all from the new type of Powersun bulbs. I guess they just changed how they made them recently and lots of problems are popping up. Since the Powersun Is a Merc Bulb you can Buy a Solor Glo from Exoterra with out having to change the fixture. Megarays are the best but also expensive Solor Glos are still very good and only $25 at Reptilesupply.com This is prolly why he is keeping one eye closed and not eatting.