Need Suggestions - baby not eating well

[jthmdepp]

Alright, I bought a baby bearded dragon from Petco about a month ago and was told he was 4 weeks at the time. Kuja is only about 3.5 inches, and has not shed once in the month that I've had him. He also seems like a very picky eater. It seems as if he ate more crickets when I first got him and now, whenever I put crickets in his vit (dusted with calcium + D3) he just stares at them. He'll run down about 2-3 crickets, but then he'll just sit there. If a cricket walks by him, he'll half heartedly try to eat it and if he misses he pretty much stops eating completely.

I offer him collard greens but he will not eat them for the bowl. If I tear tiny pieces off he'll eat about 5-6 pieces out of my hand when offered one at a time.

I bathe Kuja daily and he'll shove his head underwater for about half a minute and drink the water also so I don't think he's dehydrated. I have a Repti-Sun 10.0 UVB bulb running the length of the vit, and his basking temp is reading 106 with a digital probe underneath the heat lamp.

I'm at a loss as to why he isn't eating well. I've been reading, and was thinking I should start offering Phoenix worms if his appetite doesn't kick into drive soon.

Here's a pic of the lil' bugger, kinda blurry but he's a cutie!

Any other suggestions or ideas from any of you experienced beardie owners out there?

 

[DragonsInKansas]

Try feeding him some baby food. You can dab a little on the tip of his nose and he should lick it off. 3.5 inches is much smaller than 4 weeks.

 

[jthmdepp]

I wanted to add that the other day when I was playing with Kuja outside of his cage, he lunged towards the carpet and bit onto it and flailed around a little bit. It was like he was attacking it and trying to eat it. He seems to do that whenever I put him down on carpet so I've been keeping him away from carpeted surfaces.

I was just wondering if he were to of accidentally swallowed carpet fuzz or something if this might be causing his decrease in appetite. He's still pooping everyday.

 

[TheDragonPilot]

I would suggest babyfood aswell, ive seen so many stories about babys losing apatite and then finding it again when they were fed babyfud

 

[TheDragonPilot]

I am not completely sure as i am not exactly an experienced beardie owner... in fact i do not have a beardie... yet (hopefully!)

But i would suggest baby food, ive seen others do that

 

[jthmdepp]

Alright, I've tried EVERYTHING and Kuja still won't eat.
I have tried the following:

Squash baby food
Chicken baby food
Phoenix worms
Crickets
Collard Greens
Carrots

He's eating one cricket a day the past week or so, and he's getting pretty lethargic and skinny. . .

Are there any underlying problems that might be contributing to his lack of appetite?

I know his viv setup is correct, like I said 105 in basking spot, 85 on ambient/cool side, and a repti-sun 10.0 UVB lamp with a 75 watt heating lamp. The substrate is reptile carpet, so there' no sand to cause impaction or anything. He's having bowel movements once a day or every other day. . .

 

[Okiemavis]

+1 for squash baby food, it seems to be a hit with the sickly baby beardies.

Also, Pheonix worms and baby hornworms are great. Try feeding any food on an attractive color plate. Whenever my beardie is refusing to eat I feed him on a neon green plate and he can't resist! (Although usually he tries to eat the plate too lol)