My new baby bearded dragon won't eat!?

[LuckyTwentyTwo]

So I recently bought a baby bearded dragon (about 3 inches head to toe) and since I've had him on Wednesday I've seen him eat 3 bugs? He won't eat?! I've put him in with a few crickets and he just watches them run away and goes back to bask? And another thing, I changed his bulb to a 100w basking bulb because I was told it was better and even though the temp is at like 54-56c he still stands underneath as if he is cold or something? I only see him in the cool end when he's sleeping? I thought he was supposed to be in 40-41c heat under his basking light? I've changed his bulb back anyway and he's back under there but I don't know what to do? I've put some rocket in there for him to eat with some pre packed beardie food mix from the pet shop and I don't know if it's him or that crickets that have eaten it? He seems quite lovely whenever j put my hand in to change his water? And I can hold him without any fuss but I can't get him to eat? Any ideas will be appreciated and thanks in advance!!

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Can you run over your tank setup with us, such as the type/brand of UVB, supplementation, etc. Are you using a digital probe or temp gun to measure the temperatures? How large is the tank?
Do you have any pictures of his setup we could see also?
They often take a 1-2 week adjustment period though when they are relocated. Stress from moving can affect their appetites.
The 54-56C is way too high. The basking ranges need to be 35-43C with a cooler end of 26-28C. I have a feeling he is getting too hot so he will be dehydrated.

Tracie

 

[LuckyTwentyTwo]

Hello,

Can you run over your tank setup with us, such as the type/brand of UVB, supplementation, etc. Are you using a digital probe or temp gun to measure the temperatures? How large is the tank?
Do you have any pictures of his setup we could see also?
They often take a 1-2 week adjustment period though when they are relocated. Stress from moving can affect their appetites.
The 54-56C is way too high. The basking ranges need to be 35-43C with a cooler end of 26-28C. I have a feeling he is getting too hot so he will be dehydrated.

Tracie

I've since changed his basking lamp to a 75w and the temps are now reading at between 43-46c from a temp gun! His cool end is reading 26c? His uv is an Arcadia UBV 10% which, along with his basking lamp, is on for 12 hours a day? He has a 3 foot viv but due to his size it's massive compared to him? I found out he is not 11 weeks because he is too small!! He is about the length of my index finger and he is "apparently" 11 weeks old which I highly doubt? But it's massive for him at the mo and I am prepared to upsize when he gets bigger but for the time being he is fine, i don't know how to attach a pic from my phone? But I've recently added a desert substrate because the kitchen roll wasn't working and he wasn't eating off the floor anyway? For the past couple days he just lies around with his eyes closed? I've tried dripping water on his snout and he runs away, I've tried on several occasions to feed him crickets of the right size and he just tries to run away and jumps up the back and sides of his viv? I really don't know what's up with him? Everyone says he is just settling but he doesn't eat? I've left him rocket and peppers chopped up and the only thing that eats it is the bloody crickets!! His viv has a few guests as he doesn't hunt for them he just watches them run away? Any help would be fantastic! Thanks

 

[LuckyTwentyTwo]

Hopefully you can see these??

 

[Ancalagon]

If he is as long as your index finger, then he is probably around a month old. Whoever told you 11 weeks grossly misinformed you. But that's okay! Baby beardies are a different and fun challenge and although they can be frustrating at times, they will prove you a better beardie owner because of it!

He might be freshly hatched and if that's the case, he is still full from the egg sack. They come out pretty satiated, so you don't really have to worry about feeding them for the first week. Just offer food and if they don't want it, they don't want it. They will come around eventually. And don't worry about him not eating enough, just as long as you feed them 3x a day, he'll eat what he wants. Sometimes my guy eats 2 worms in a sitting, sometimes he eats 15.

Crickets are scary to a baby beardie! One chased mine around his tank! Disable them by ripping off a leg or too. It'll keep them from running away and hiding underneath things. Or you can switch to a squishy, non-scary feeder like Phoenixworms!

He won't be interested in greens, but still make them available because it'll be easier for you when he gets older.

He's going to climb the wall, his basking spot, his hide. I found my baby on top of his plant, scaling the cord to his UVB, on the edge of his tank when I turned my back for 2.7 seconds. :shock: Everything is scary and new and just overwhelming and it'll be like that for the first couple of weeks to a couple of months. He's in survival of the fittest mode right now. He just needs time to realize that your hand, the cricket, and his shadow aren't predators looking to eat him. Just try to cover his reflection in the glass, as that'll freak him out and move slowly when your hand is in his tank. Try not to grab him from behind either as his third eye picks up on shadows and stuff.

His basking temps can be kept a little higher (115F) otherwise, you should be good! He'll grow like a weed and in no time you will have a gigantic, cuddly dragon!

 

[LuckyTwentyTwo]

That's how big he is in correlation to my hand! I think your right about his age, he really isn't 11 weeks! I've seen pics of 11 W/O beardies and they're much bigger! I don't know if he is afraid of the crix because I've seen him eat one on the second day I had him? He ran over and gobbled it up, but none since? I've even done what I read online, I stick the crix in a tube, sprinkle some calci dust in a shake them up so they are really slow for him but he still just watches them crawl past him and hide?? He's been still a lot today, he has just been sat on his basking wood with his eyes closed pretty much all day? And his eyes look lethargic and tidy? I've given him a bath in the sink which he seemed fine with, and then I held him today so he can get used to me and he decided to play dead!! I put him back in and he scuttled away? He must be terrified of me and everything else!! I'm gonna get some worms or something tomorrow to feed him and hopefully then he will eat? When you say feed him 3 times a day, do you mean put crix in 3 times regardless of wether he eats hem or not? Thanks for the reply as well!!

 

[Ancalagon]

Yes 3 times a day, 10-15 minutes at a time. I put one bug and then another and then another until he doesn't want anymore. If you are feeding him in his viv, be sure to remove any uneaten crix because they can bite him

He's a little guy! He might be a couple of weeks old. Definitely not 11 weeks though!

And his frigidness is moving stress. Leave handling him to a minimum right now until he gets comfortable with his new surroundings! He'll fall into a routine and get comfortable. Over-handling him will stress him out, unfortunately, and then you will have a grumpy baby on your hands!

They're going to sleep a lot too for the first couple of months! It's exhausting growing as fast as they do!

 

[destiny1998]

Hi. I'd change that subtrate. It might be getting into his eyes and beardies lick everything. Thats how they explore their environment. I use ceremic tiles. They look nice and very easy to clean. Do you know if his basking bulb is coated with neodymium?