Oh and I do want to mention, maybe while your at it, pick up a digital thermometer with probe end. They are pretty cheap, you can find them on amazon for like 5 bucks.
I always recommend having one, especially if you have an IR thermometer. Reason being is that (without getting too technical) IR thermometers rely on the material they are measuring to be within their calibration range. So if you are measuring an item that doesn't fall within that calibration range, your reading can be way off.
So if you have a digital with probe end that you can use to also measure with, you can verify at least that your IR gun is reading the surface material properly.
Honestly I'm not sure, but proper lighting plays a big role in appetite too (and a host of other things for dragons) so there is a good chance you will start seeing some changes in behavior at least pretty rapidly. We've seen people come back here a day after switching their lighting to tell us how different and active their dragon is.
It's good that he is young and you are figuring this out early before some real bone issues start to occur.
Do you have a calcium powder that you use too? That will be important alongside the proper UV.
I agree, he is probably having some calcium absorption problems. As already suggested,
when they are not receiving adequate UVB exposure, their body isn't very efficient at
synthesizing enough D3 & can't really absorb calcium very well. When that starts to happen,
their calcium to phosphorus ratios get out of sync which further complicates the problems.
Once he receives a stronger UVB source hopefully his system's metabolism will improve.
This is a pretty common problem though.
Do you use the calcium powder just one time daily?
I agree, he is probably having some calcium absorption problems. As already suggested,
when they are not receiving adequate UVB exposure, their body isn't very efficient at
synthesizing enough D3 & can't really absorb calcium very well. When that starts to happen,
their calcium to phosphorus ratios get out of sync which further complicates the problems.
Once he receives a stronger UVB source hopefully his system's metabolism will improve.
This is a pretty common problem though.
Do you use the calcium powder just one time daily?
Ok, that is fine then! I was just making sure you were not over doing it on the calcium, too.
They can get too much calcium which can also cause some complications also.