Hi and welcome to the forum. I moved your thread from the Health forum where it was at the end of "The Important Questions about beardie care." I gave you your own thread so it would get more attention.
Wow, that's a small baby. We rescued one that was only 3 1/2 inches from nose to tip of tail and he is now 19" long. :roll: I did want to mention that one of the most important things for a baby, is to make sure it is well
hydrated. Giving a
bath 3 to 4 times a wk or even more often is suggested. We use the kitchen sink. Make sure to put a hand towel or rubber mat (we use one with suction cups) down in the sink or container for them to feel more secure and to prevent sliding around. Would be a good idea to hold him in the palm of your hand the first few baths to get him used to the water little by little. For proper
hydration, you have to make sure the vent area (where they poo) is right down in the water for about 15 to 20 min each time. The water should feel warm, tested by the inside of your wrist. Babies can drown very quickly so you have to keep a close eye on him.
To answer your questions/concerns. Most babies don't show any interest in greens until they are several months old because their body is calling for protein from crickets to help them grow at a fast rate. But, it's still a good idea to offer fresh ones daily cut into tiny pieces. Here's a site that shows the best to feed:
http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html Make sure to mist the greens and put them in an area where the bulbs aren't beating down on them to keep them fresh.
Heat pads are not recommended especially for a baby because they can burn them. They only sense heat from overhead and from their basking bulb. I would suggest you unplug it to prevent any burns.
Good to hear that you have the Repti-Sun 10.0 strip light and that is the best strip light you can have. The UVB should be at the most 10" away from him but no closer than 6". You could get him closer to that bulb by picking up a log or a tree root with branches on it as they love to climb. Or, you could pick up a lizard hammock that has suction cups and that could be attached to the glass to bring him closer. Of course, you would need to use a log to help him to be able to climb to it. If he is preferring to spend most of the time on the floor, I'm thinking that the temps may be inaccurate. If you're using a stick on type thermometer, like a strip type or round gauge, they can be as much as 20 degrees off either way. You will need to get either a digital thermometer with long wire & probe end or a temperature gun. Either of those can be found at WalMart, Lowe's or Home Depot. I have the digital that I bought at WalMart and the brand is AcuRite. It cost $8.00. You will need a basking temp of 105 to 110 for a baby and a cool side of about 80 degrees. Accurate temps are an absolute must for a baby. He should be wanting to bask and needs to so he can properly digest his food and to get closer to the UVB. The proper temps also increase their appetite and activity level.
He may still be going through relocation stress but once you get accurate temp readings, UVB at the right distance and keep him well
hydrated, he could be eating anywhere from 30 to 100 crickets a day. Make sure the crickets are no larger than the space between his eyes and that you remove any uneaten ones or they will chew on him causing nasty sores.
Babies tend to lick everything so if you're using any type of loose substrate on the bottom of his tank, I would suggest you remove it & replace with non-adhesive shelf liner, slate tiles, reptile carpet, newspapers or papertowels.
I covered the basics but if you have any further questions/concerns, please let us know. Good luck with your new baby. :wink:
