MY NEW BABY BEARDIE WONT EAT BY HIMSELF!!

[TinyCreaturesRescue]

I just got a six week old beardie on Saturday, November 19. I tried to feed him some crickets, baby superworms, and a little salad that consists of collards and carrots(chopped very finely). He ate about two or three crickets and maybe four superworms, and very little of his salad. I knew he should eat way more than this but hence it was the first day I thought maybe they had already fed him that day, so I didn’t worry too much. The next day I tried again and he may have eaten one cricket, but now nothing else. This continued into two more days. It was Tuesday now, and I was having to force feed him crickets and superworms(babys of course), that day I left because we went to a movie, when we got back I went upstairs to check on him, he was lying near the front glass/window of his tank and he had pooed about three times. They were quite large poos and I could tell they weren’t normal, they had nothing but pieces of cricket and superworm. I now fix him a purée that consists of collards, crickets dried mealies, and superworms. I know it may be the stress of moving to a new home, I don’t think that that would last this long! It is Friday now and he still won’t eat. I have been trying to force feed a variety of whole, live crickets and his purée. I also try to always have a salad and some superworms in dishes in his tank just incase. Does anyone know what could possibly be wrong and what I can do to fix it?

 

[destiny1998]

Hi. You really need to let him settle. He probably has relocation stress and it can take a week or two for him to settle. Stop force feeding him. And make sure he has no feeders bigger than the space between his eyes. As long as your set up is correct he should bounce back. Make sure you drip some water on his snout so he stays hydrated. Can you give a rundown of his set up?

 

[TinyCreaturesRescue]

Thank you so much for replying!
I can give you a rundown but I do have a question, how will I get him to eat since he won't ingest anything unless I force feed him. I'm ok with stopping but is there another way?
His setup is brown reptile carpet, a strip therm on the cool side, probe therm on basking area, large fake rock for basking, multiple fake plants around his cage, water bowl, large red heat bulb( the kind used with baby chicks), blue uva bulb, 20 Gallon long, on top of metal shelving with my hamster on bottom shelf and my guinea pig beside the shelf.
Again thanks soooo much for replying I have tried on several forums and waited for two days with nothing. I hope this will help you help me figure this out!

Btw, Oscar IS a rescue from petsmart, when I got there he was the only one not basking so i decided to rescue him.

 

[Gormagon]

Go ahead and stop force feeding him, he will come around. It is most likely relocation stress causing the issue and force feeding is going to make acclimation that much harder.
I saw no mention of a uvb bulb in your rundown on the setup. Does he have a uvb? Also red lights are not very good for dragons ( have you ever walked into a room lit up with a red bulb? This is how he sees it too )! Only use a white light "uva" along with a long tube type uvb light (not the coil type uvb). The coil type does not produce proper uvb for bearded dragons and is also bad for their eyes. Do not use any type of light emitting bulb at night, it disturbs their sleep patterns. If your temps get below 65° in your house at night, use a ceramic heat emitter to keep the temp at 65° or 70° as they like it cool and dark at night. It slows their metabolism down and allows them to sleep properly.

 

[destiny1998]

Thanks for answering. First you need better lightning. Get rid of the colored bulbs. He needs a good uvb light and a bright white basking light. For my tanks I use a reptisun 10.0 Long Tube. I use the older version which is the t8 and that needs to be mounted in the tank so he can be 6 to 8 inches away from it. I use command hooks and a light fixture from Walmart. For a bright white basking light I use a halogen flood bulb. Also does your thermometer have a wire probe at the end? That way you can get a accurate reading of his basking temps on the basking spot.

 

[Gormagon]

This continued into two more days. It was Tuesday now, and I was having to force feed him crickets and superworms(babys of course), that day I left because we went to a movie, when we got back I went upstairs to check on him, he was lying near the front glass/window of his tank and he had pooed about three times. They were quite large poos and I could tell they weren’t normal, they had nothing but pieces of cricket and superworm.

If you are seeing pieces of crickets and super worms, he vommited them up it was not poop. Poop would be in one pile not three.

 

[TinyCreaturesRescue]

Thx for all the replies it all really helped!
I'm getting a reptisun 10.0 soon and getting rid of my red one.
Also is there anything I can do for him to maybe help him acclimate to his new surroundings? I still need a way to feed him because I know he can't go without food for another week, and he won't hunt or eat the salad I fix him.
So is there a different option for feeding him? He also doesn't eat the purée when I drop it on his nose.
Again thx! I really hope Oscar grows up big and strong with all your help!
Also no he doesn't have a uvb, at least I don't thing so, I don't know if the red bulb is uvb or not. I'm getting a new one anyhow!
And yes, my therm does have a probe at the end and I always make sure to get the correct temp: usually between 105 - 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

[destiny1998]

Yeah the red light is not a uvb light. Make sure you replace that with a bright white basking light. You also need to give him calcium of even with the uvb he can develop metabolic bone disease. Make sure the uvb is a reptisun 10.0 tube 18 inch long. No coil or compact. Those don't put off the proper amount of uvb.

 

[TinyCreaturesRescue]

Ok, I'll buy the reptisun but, until then can I give him extra calcium or something? Again, is there another way to feed him other than force feeding and him hunting?

 

[JessPets]

Just give him time. They take a while to readjust to their new environment. When he does start eating, dust one feeding with calcium powder a day

 

[TinyCreaturesRescue]

So he'll be okay until he adjusts? Without eating?

 

[JessPets]

Keep trying to feed him everyday, and when he gets hungry he'll eat. Offer live food 2-3 times a day as a baby, and put some greens in there for him to munch on if he likes. Don't be worried if he doesn't eat them now, they aren't too important.

 

[TinyCreaturesRescue]

That's what I tried but when I put the live crickets in there he doesn't even react to them he just sits there and even if I leave for fifteen minutes he still doesn't move or go for them.

 

[Gormagon]

That's what I tried but when I put the live crickets in there he doesn't even react to them he just sits there and even if I leave for fifteen minutes he still doesn't move or go for them.

How many are you putting in with him at a time and what size are they? To many at once could look like an army to him and he is scared!

 

[TinyCreaturesRescue]

I put about five in there and they are pre-wing so almost juvenile, I am getting pin heads in a couple days but I was cutting them in half until destiny and gormagon said not to force feed. Is that okie-dokie?