How do you get your beardie to open their mouths?

[LunaFierce]

Helix has been a problem eater ever since she was 3 months old. As a baby she was never into crickets, roaches, or butter worms, but she was such a veggie freak. Now she has gone into eating a few crickets here and there, and pretty much sworn off plant life. I have tried to mix everything up. All different varieties... and still nothing. I have taken her to two different herp vets. Had a myirad of tests done from fecal tests to x rays, and all they can tell me is that she is "burmeating" (she's 1 year and 3 months old). But I have never had a herp that "burmeated" in the SUMMER! She has been acting like this since August. The weird part is that she is very active. Her husbandry is as it should be: 75 gallon tank, slate tile floor, Reptisun 10.0 UVB =1 month old, basking temp 103 degrees, ~65 at the coolest end, 20 minute baths every other day.

I am at my wits end! So I am going to try the baby food and mix in her vitamins. I tried smeaing the mixture on her "lips" and she bats at my hand and rubs the food off on the floor of her tank. How can I open her mouth (or get her to open it) with out painfully forcing it?

Crazy Helix...out of all the herps that I have ever owned, she is the biggest pain... but I love her the best (....shh don't tell Az).

 

[bugaboo]

I had to give mine dewormer and found that if you push lightly on the corners of their mouth they will open it. Don't get your fingers in the way though, I did and got pinched. Ouch!

 

[TheDragonKeepers]

When syringe feeding Kyle when she was down, or in fact encouraging both to eat cabbage (they're not keen) I gently use my thumb on the lower lip and slide towards the jawbone. This tweaks the lip side down, and gives you a little space to slide in a small nozzle or bit of firm veg - wiggle it gently towards the front of the mouth and they can't help but open up. Some are smart and will spit it out or push out with the tongue, but a bit of practise and you'll be quick enough to deliver a good squirt or mouthful of veg.

 

[LunaFierce]

Hmmm, I will have to try those suggestions. Wish me luck.

 

[bdchip]

my dragon has a calcium deficiency and i have been giving him liquid calcium to do this i use a method i saw the vet do when he checked out my beardie. he took a q-tip and put it on the front part of his mouth then slid it forward into his mouth my beardie will open his mouth and thats when i slip in the syringe and squirt the calcium in his mouth.

 

[peera]

You already got good advice on the feeding, so I'll just chime in about the brumating... Remember that dragons are originally from Australia, and their seasons are the oppisite of the US, so while it is more normal for them to brumate during the shorter winter days, in some of them instinct takes over and they go to sleep during the summer instead. However, if she was actually brumating, you wouldn't NEED to be feeding her, so that's probably not what's going on. You might think about bumping your temps a bit on the cool end, 65 is kind of cold for a day temp.

 

[LunaFierce]

The only reason that I don't think that she is burmeating is because she is just way too active and she has lost a little weight. But the two exotic vets that I took her too, don't seem too concerned. Even though she is my own first beardie, I have help raise and breed several with my friend, and I have also owned a myraid of other herps in the past. My gut instinct is saying that something is not right just from experience. That is why I am feeling this way. As for her temp of ~65 at the cool end, that is how Helix likes it. She gets real irratble when her temps are spot on with what is "normal".

Thanks again to all on your ideas for trying to feed. The only herp that I had to force feed was a baby Hognose snake that I rescued from being King Snake food.... that was difficult.