Losing Weight

[neonerd336]

I posted this in feeding but nobody seems to be helping so I'll move it here. Anyway...
Titus has never had a big appetite but lately he has been losing weight. His tail has been getting skinnier at the base and his back legs are getting skinny. I feed him and he'll eat a couple small pieces of greens then walk away. I am starting to worry. His cage temps are normal and his UVB is new. I have tried all kinds of different foods and it's always the same. What can I do?

 

[diamc]

Hi there, sorry to hear that your beardie is losing weight. If you could give us a rundown of your setup and exactly what you've been feeding, that would be helpful. Also, how old is Titus?

 

[neonerd336]

Well, he is in a 65 gallon enclosure, and I posted a question about my UVB. I was told that a UVB 10.0 was too strong so I switched to a 5.0. I will switch back if necessary. I have been trying to feed collard greens and squash but as I said, he doesn't eat like he is supposed to. And he is 4 yrs old.

 

[spurlee01]

Are you feeding any live feeders (crickets, worms, roaches)? Also, what UVB are you using? Is it a tube or a coil? Also, have you had a fecal exam done lately?
Sara

 

[diamc]

Also, what are the tank temps and what type of thermometer are you using? Would it be possible to post a picture of him in his tank?

 

[neonerd336]

I used to feed roaches but my colony died and he has no interest in crickets, hates them as a matter of fact. I have not been able to get a fecal done. The UVB is a 5.0 ReptiSun tube. I can't get any pics up for a little while. As for tank temps, I can't give you a definite, I had a lamp die and am in the process of getting a new one. What temps should I be shooting for exactly, I've had many different answers to this question.

 

[diamc]

Do you suppose he doesn't like the crickets because they jump? I have 3 adults and I have to remove the back legs because if they jump, they won't bother with them & get very annoyed. Perhaps you should try feeding them again. Other choices of feeders would be hornworms, silkies, butterworms. Your petstore might even carry superworms. How long has it been since he's had any live feeders? Have you been feeding him any babyfood?

What type of thermometer are you using? What wattage basking bulb are you using in the 65 gallon tank? Adults like the temps cooler than babies, so a basking temp of about 100 and cool side of about 80 would be good. What have the temps been running? Have you been bathing him?

 

[neonerd336]

It's been close to 5 months without live feeders and my temps are right around what you suggest. I feed him squash baby food and he loves it, it's the only thing he will eat with gusto. I have tried the whole put greens in the baby food and he will get used to them and that didn't work. Can I feed baby food as a staple? I wasn't sure if I could do that. I was also told that superworms caused bowel issues because of the shell. I have a digital probe thermometer that I use to check temps. It's not mounted in the cage.

 

[diamc]

Well, if he hasn't had any live feeders in about 5 months, that would explain why he is losing weight quite quickly. Don't know if you were aware, but adults can have as many as 50 small feeders (like crickets) or 35 large feeders (like superworms, hornworms, silkies) a wk. As adults they still need protein. If an adult beardie is well hydrated and the tank temps are right, he shouldn't have a problem with eating & digesting supers. Do you know if there is a petstore near you that has them? I suspect that he is very thin and if you don't get some protein into him soon, he may not make it. Since he hasn't had the protein in a while, you will need to go slowly though. If you can get the supers, start out with only feeding 3 a day then make sure there aren't large pieces of undigested worm in his poop. So, you could start with a few supers and also pick up some chicken or turkey stage 2 baby food and mix a smaller amount of one of those with a larger amount of squash baby food. You can also add a pinch of calcium with D3 but phosphorus-free to the mixture and thin with a little water or Pedialyte. If you heat the mixture in the microwave for a few seconds, he may like it better. Use a plastic medicine dropper or needleless syringe and put drops on his nose for him to lick off.

What greens have you been feeding? Did you ever try sprinkling a little Cilantro on top of the greens to entice him? That just may work.

How long has it been since you checked the tank temps? What wattage basking bulb are you using and is it a white or colored bulb? How often do you bathe him?

 

[neonerd336]

Well, currently he has 2 60 watt bulbs in his basking spot because my basking bulbs always burn out too fast, they are white bulbs. He hasn't had a bath in a while because he always freaks out when I try to bathe him. I do spray him on a regular basis and he drinks out of a dish regularly. I have stuck with collard greens because they seem to be more interesting to him than any of the others. I will buy supers ASAP because yes the PetCo here sells them. Sadly PetCo is the best I can do. I will try cilantro also. Thanks so much for your help and I will get him on supers again.

 

[diamc]

It's actually fine to use household lightbulbs for the basking bulbs, I use them in 2 of my tanks. There is really no reason to pay extra for the reptile basking bulbs as they're really no different than the household bulbs. I think it would be a good idea to double check his temps, be sure to wait about 45 min for the temp to stop rising before you get the final readings. I always have to adjust bulb wattages or the height of the basking area during the weather changes, especially during the change of seasons.

It's good that you're misting him, make sure you don't do it in the tank though or it could raise the humidity too high which can cause an upper respiratory infection. Good to hear that he drinks out of his water dish too. I would highly recommend that you start bathing him and as soon as tomorrow would be a good idea. To get properly hydrated, they absorb water through their vent (where they poop). A 15 to 20 min bath is very beneficial. Make sure you put a washcloth or hand towel down in the bottom of the sink or container to keep him from sliding around which helps them feel more secure. Hold him in the palm of your hand and slowly lower it in the water. Test the water by the inside of your wrist, our males tend to like it a little cooler than our female so make sure it feels warms but not cold or hot. If he acts like he'd prefer to just stay in your hand, lower his back end so that his vent is right down in the water at a slant. Hopefully he will want to sit in it so add enough water to cover his front legs. He might even surprise you and get a big drink from the bath water. I have had lots of experience giving beardies baths and they all love them, will stay in for about an hr if I allow it, adding warm water as it cools off. I use the kitchen sink but I clean it very thoroughly before and after. It works very well. Sabrina actually dives in the water and Gizmo swims around and whips his tail like an alligator. :mrgreen: Bathtime is no quick task in our household. Something else you could try is putting a small rock or a hollowed out log in the bottom on top of the cloth and that way he could hang onto that which might help him relax more. Let me know how it goes.

For the greens, I use a variety from here: http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html Favorites here are dandelion, escarole, collards, endive, mustard greens, turnip greens and a little kale. You can also put a little fruit on the top like slices of apple, any type of melon, strawberry slices, mango, etc. Changing things around keeps them interested as the adults do get bored with their food as you have found out.

Great that you will be getting some supers. Might be a good idea to pick up the chicken or turkey baby food too to have on hand. Good luck. I look forward to an update tomorrow. :wink:

 

[jbowers]

How old is he? Are you offering crickets as well as greens? Have you had a fecal check done for parasites?

 

[diamc]

Any updates for us?

 

[neonerd336]

UPDATE: I put Titus back on superworms and upped his cage temps. He is now eating with gusto and has a lot more energy. He is already gaining back some of the fat on his tail and he is doing great now! Thank you guys for all the help!

 

[diamc]

That's great that Titus is eating much better now and has gained weight already. 8) Seems like adjusting the temps made a difference. Be sure to keep him well hydrated as that will help him a lot too.