Leaving for three days?

[chelsmm]

We are going away from a Thursday night to a Sunday night. Our beardie is new to us- only been with us two weeks. He is about 4-5 years old. His lights are on timers. He hardly is eating- maybe a worm a day or a couple every few days. I do give him a fresh salad each day. Could
I have a friend check on him daily and give him fresh water and salad? Is that enough? I think moving him to a friend's would be way more traumatic than having him stay alone. Thoughts? Thanks.

I wouldn't have anyone hold him or take him out. He has been snapping at me and isn't comfortable with us yet.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

That would be fine to leave fresh greens/veggies in for him daily & some water.
Your friend can just change that daily. You don't have any superworms or phoenix worms, you could leave in there for him?
What type of set up do you have for him, does he seem stressed from being in a new home?

Tracie

 

[chelsmm]

I have both super worms and phoenix worms. I usually put a few in each morning, but he almost never eats them. He's really not eating well since moving in with us. His previous family only had him for three months, but in those three months he went from eating crickets and phoenix worms to eating only super worms. I give him a gorgeous salad (collards, arugula, endive, all the stuff on the list!), and he hardly touches it. Well, sometimes he walks through it. He will eat a super worm every few days. And he will eat a blueberry every few days. He has had a total of 5 Phoenix worms in the two weeks that we have had him. But I put fresh ones in his bowl every day. So I will put some in Thursday when we leave. they are usually alive for a couple days if he doesn't eat them. They can't seem to climb out. He's active enough that he seems healthy. When I take him out of the tank he runs around the house exploring. A few times he has charged me, and twice now he's bitten me. But we are working on getting him to feel comfortable with us. So I won't have our friends touch him or anything, just change out his food and water and make sure the lights come on and all. He's in a 50 gallon tank with repticarpet. He has a heat lamp that makes his perch area 95 usually. His cool side is around 80-83. He has a hiding spot. He has a UVB Reptisun 10, I think it's called. It's the one recommended here. The lights are on timers. He has no heat at night, but our house is warm enough that he's fine. It's summer here and warm. Probably 70 in the house at night.

Thanks.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Sometimes they do take time to adjust. Some may take longer than others.
The UVB light you have which is Reptisun 10, is it a tube bulb or a compact/coil light? Are you using a bright white light also for him to bask under too?
The salad does sound great! Maybe eventually he will become more interested in it. Perhaps you could try drizzling a little bit of juice over it, to see if that peaks his interest, or maybe some chicken or turkey babyfood dabbed into it.

Tracie

 

[chelsmm]

It's a tube light, and there is also a heat light. That's a 100watt reptile light. His basking temp is usually around 95.5-96 degrees. Thanks.

 

[warhawk]

When we go on vacation we will feed a little heavier for a few days before we go, the day we leave we fill up the bowl and we get back offer worms or crickets.

In your case if he isn't eating really good I would fill the bowl with his salad and if your friend could change it while your gone that would help.

Like Drache said some times they take time to adjust to their new home. Just a thought do you mist him every day or bath once a week? I have noticed if our dragons are dehydrated they don't eat well.

 

[10yearoldvet]

Hi. Leaving him alone is definitley out of the question. I think a friend coming to feed him would be a lot better or leave it at a reptile store if they do bording. Beardies dont like to be alone so a friend that the bearded dragon knows would be great. I think you should be offering the bearded dragon more then salad and water if he is not eating as much protein keep offering it to him and eventually he will eat it.

good luck ,

10 year old vet

 

[chelsmm]

I'm offering his fresh, organic salad from the list of "feed every day" that is posted here- so collards, mustard greens, etc. Good healthy stuff. Plus super worms and Phoenix worms. He has been offered crickets and won't eat them. But I do offer them. I offer everything he should be getting , he just won't eat it. But it is available to him.
He doesn't know anyone except his previous owners. He doesn't really even know us yet, since we have only had him for two weeks. And we don't know the previous owners unfortunately. they gave him away because they were going away for the summer, or that's what they told us. We will only be away Thursday after he's asleep until Sunday. Our neighbors are going to come over each day to change his veggies and water and worms and make sure his lights are working and all. I bought spare bulbs just in case. And I am only 90 min away.

 

[chelsmm]

Our little guy did fine while we were gone. The neighbors actually came over a few times each day because the little girl was worried he would get lonely. He didn't get out for exercise, but up until this week he wasn't really easy to handle anyways. Now that we are home, we are taking him out daily, taking him outdoors, and getting to know him better.

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

That is great he did so well while you were gone. I guess he is no worse for the wear then? How is his appetite doing now?
I am sure he is enjoying the extra attention he is getting, too.
Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie

 

[chelsmm]

Thanks.
I actually started another thread on his lack of appetite. I'm hoping in the next few days he will start to eat now that he seems to be getting use to us a bit.