Help! Refusing to eat

[NikOverton]

This is the 3rd week Perseus has refused food, during first week he would eat one superworm and maybe a couple bites of turnip green but then the 2nd and 3rd week he's stopped eating all together. He turned 1 yr on January first and is 21in long, & doesn't seem to be losing weight. He glass dances and literally runs around his cage for the majority of the day, which is abnormal for him, he would usually only move a couple times a day, now it's constant. I've been giving him liquid calcium and zilla's jump start caloric supplement and appetite stimulant by syringe but most of the time he refuses to eat it and doesn't take it the syringe. One day while taking him out to bathe him I thought I saw a tiny bug crawl on the top of his head. So I immediately treated him for mites and his enclosure for mites but I'm fairly certain he did not have mites, I found no mites in his cage or on him at all. I'm not sure what to think at this point. He has a vet appointment tomorrow.

 

[BEARDIESandCOFFEE]

The vet will definitely answer all this better. just make sure you have all the basic info ready. I.e. enclosure set up, temps, feeding pattern before hand, feeders, last time he pooped…ect.

??? Which just got me thinking. when was the last time he pooped if he hasn't been eating? you said he has been super active, and from my experience, more activity running around gets their bowel movements up. before you said how active he was being, i was thinking it may be the start or brumating, but now I'm unsure. ??? :study: :study: :study:

 

[NikOverton]

The vet will definitely answer all this better. just make sure you have all the basic info ready. I.e. enclosure set up, temps, feeding pattern before hand, feeders, last time he pooped…ect.

??? Which just got me thinking. when was the last time he pooped if he hasn't been eating? you said he has been super active, and from my experience, more activity running around gets their bowel movements up. before you said how active he was being, i was thinking it may be the start or brumating, but now I'm unsure. ??? :study: :study: :study:

Thanks for the reply and you are correct when he runs around his cage like that he has a bowel movement, but it has been very very tiny bowel movements, almost non existant. Hes been having them almost everyday with the exception of today. In his bath today I am almost certain what I found was a mite floating in his water, I checked all over him but have yet to find any more. Also today during his feeding he bit the tip of the syringe off and I'm sure he swallowed it, does anyone know if this will cause him any harm? I can definitely feel that he has lost a lot of weight.

 

[SunRey]

Please share what your vet says because this sounds EXACTLY like my girl this last few weeks! About a year old, suddenly stopped eating about 3 weeks ago, but still runs around and climbs the glass and although she's not pooping as often as yours they are all small ones. Where do you live? It's strange that our beardies are having the exact same problem at the same time, so maybe it's geographical/weather related somehow? I'm in Montana and my indoor temps have been fairly constant but we just had a major freeze outside.

 

[ArmyAJ]

Yes please share what the vet says, I too am have the same exact problem and was about to contact a vet. My beardie is also just over 1 year old and the same thing started about a week and a half ago. I know it is not the temps or reflection which I have heard elsewhere. I am in New York btw.

 

[NikOverton]

Wow it's strange that this exact same thing it happening to two other owners. The vet told me he is in perfect health and he doesn't have mites he was checked over by the vet and vet tech they assured me they did not find any mites on him or any bites, they told me his scales are in very good condition. He is at a healthy weight and in tip too shape. She told me his behavior could be from a change in pressure in the environment that reptiles can sense but humans cannot. Has anyone heard of this before? He has a follow up appointment in two weeks and if he is not eating by then they will draw blood work.

 

[ArmyAJ]

Thank you so much for updating us, yeah it is strange that 3 of us are having the exact same problem at the same time. Not only that but it is also weird that all 3 dragons seem to be the same age too, just over a year. On a good note my beardie, Steve, seems to be doing a bit better today, eating more and glass dancing much less. I will still be keeping a close eye on him and this topic to see how yours is doing and if mine slumps back. Thanks again and glad to hear your beardie is in tip top health.

 

[Tonja]

The syringe tip should pass with no problems, many a beardie on this forum has done that without any problems at all. Also its that time of year where hormones rage with spring fever. Days are getting a bit longer with spring approaching even if its still cold and snowy in many parts of the country.

 

[NikOverton]

Thank you so much for updating us, yeah it is strange that 3 of us are having the exact same problem at the same time. Not only that but it is also weird that all 3 dragons seem to be the same age too, just over a year. On a good note my beardie, Steve, seems to be doing a bit better today, eating more and glass dancing much less. I will still be keeping a close eye on him and this topic to see how yours is doing and if mine slumps back. Thanks again and glad to hear your beardie is in tip top health.

I'm glad to hear that Steve is doing better, Perseus isn't eating yet so I'm crossing my fingers he will start to eat on his own. Tonja, thank you for your insight I will definitely keep everyone updated. Also does anyone know if Perseus being 861 grams considered overweight? Last time I measured him he was 21in on Jan 8th

 

[ArmyAJ]

- Steve

He's in a 36x18x12 viv, hot side temp 90 - cold side temp 82 - basking temp 111, feed him salad a mix of kale/turnip/collard greens - phoenix worms - sometimes crickets, just had a bath couple of days ago. I want to add more stuff for him to climb on and play with. Been scratching a bunch today but overall good. Got him when he was six weeks. Take him out often and we play, loves to climb all over me and hang on my shoulder or on my heart when laying down.