New baby hasn't eaten for going on two weeks, so worried

[cwinter0311]

Hi everyone!
I'm new to this site and new to bearded dragons and I could really use some help from experienced beardie owners! ?

I'm so worried and stressed for my new little guy/girl! I got him from a chain pet store (bad plan, I know) nearly two weeks ago, I have no idea how old he is but quite small about 4 inches, and since being home he hasn't eaten hardly anything. The first few days he ate a few little bits of mustard greens and then that's about it. He refuses any crickets or worms or any protein and after the first day he hasn't eaten any more greens. He has however pooped almost every day so there must be something in his tummy???

I've read pretty much every thread on here about "baby not eating" and tried to rectify each thing the replies have suggested and I have tried to tell myself it must be relocation stress but it's been almost two weeks of me trying not to handle him and let him get used to his environment but I'm so scared he can't hang on much longer without eating. I'm trying to just keep him hydrated by spraying him with water a few times a day and I have given him a soak and he drank some of that water too. To make things worse we keep getting conflicting advice from the pet stores: feed meal worms/don't feed meal worms, use a coil UV, don't use one, etc. I'm just at a loss!!

Here's what I'm doing.
He was in a 40gal but a pet store employee told us that was too big so now he's in a 20gal. No clue what is correct.
His basking spot is about 9-10 inches from the basking lamp and according to the temp gun is 103-105 degrees, cool side is 85-87. His tank fluctuates between 20 and 30 % humidity.
He has a coil uv light inside the tank not obstructed by the mesh on the top of the tank although reading this forum it seems a tube reptisun would be better?
His lights are on a 12hour day night cycle.
I've offered calcium covered crickets and meal worms and mustard greens. Terrified he's not getting any protein or any calcium since he's not eating.

What can I fix to help him eat???
Thank you in advance for your help!

 

[Claudiusx]

Hi there,

I know it can be scary so let's go over some things

Firstly, a baby is fine in a 40g tank. There is no such thing as the tank being too big as long as you are able to provide proper temps and uv lighting.
Moving him into a 20g could have been enough to restart his relocation stress.

85-87 is pretty hot for the cool side. That doesnt give him any real area to cool down. Another downfall of the smaller tank that you most likely wouldn't have with the 40g.

You are correct, the reptisun 10.0 tube would be better. The couls can work occasionally, but when there is a dragon acting off, the first thing to do would be upgrade the bulb. It's more of a better safe than sorry thing. But we have seen dragons do a complete 180 after lighting gets upgraded.

Have you tried offering the feeders without calcium? Sometimes they get picky and wont eat the dusted ones. How big are the crickets you are giving him? They should be basically pinhead to small crickets for a baby that size.

It's good that hes pooing, he must be eating something.

-Brandon

 

[cwinter0311]

Hi Brandon!
Thank you so much for your reply! I love him so much already and just want to make him happy and healthy!!

I totally see what you're saying about the tank change re starting the relocation stress! Poor little dude! I will go tomorrow and upgrade his UVB for sure. With his cool side being too hot, but not wanting to cause even more stress should I move him back to the 40gal or just upgrade the UVB and see if starts doing better before I move him again?? I have tried a few bugs not covered in calcium, the crickets are the super tiny pinhead ones, but I'm just so scared of accidentally giving him MBD I've mostly been offering ones with calcium! ??

 

[Claudiusx]

If he will eat them uncovered, I'd do that for now just to make sure hes eating you can always sneak calcium in later, or another way such as making sure you're feeding the crickets a good diet too!

In regards to the tank, that's a hard decision and I honestly could go either way with it. They both have their own pros and cons.
I'm leaning towards putting him back in the 40g so that his temp gradient is better, and so that the tube and fixture you buy will work with that. Youd have to upgrade the tank size eventually, and that means youd have to buy another fixture and tube for the larger tank.

If you were feeding him crickets in his tank, you might consider feeding him outside the tank such as in a bin. That prevents the small crickets from disappearing in a larger tank.

Curiously, what is your basking surface? A rock, branch, brick?
Does he seem to be active and basking?

-Brandon

 

[cwinter0311]

Yeah I see what you're saying there, it seems like getting the temp gradient and UVB right in the 40 gal would be worth another move for the poor thing! Will definitely try feeding non dusted crickets in a little tub! I did get a cricket diet gel thing to feed them to gut load them??

He has like a plastic basking rock with a stick leaned against it that has different levels of areas for him to sit if that makes sense? So he can get different levels away from or closer to his heat light? He seems pretty alert and does bask and go up and down the stick but doesn't really run around or anything. As first time bearded dragon mommy I'm not sure what a "normal" amount of activity is! ?

 

[Claudiusx]

Well it sounds like hes acting normal! So that's a good sign.

I asked about the basking surface material because certain materials dont read well with the regular temp guns. To avoid getting too technical, all materials have different characteristics. Most temp guns come calibrated to a general common amount of materials, but some materials are outside of the calibration range for the temp gun, which will lead to inaccurate readings. Good temp guns have a setting where you can adjust for the type of material you are measuring.
Just to make sure, It wouldn't hurt to also get a digital with probe end to verify the temps. The probe heats up to the air around it, so it's a good indicator of the temps your dragon will feel sitting under the bulb. Luckily those probe thermometers are so cheap now, so it's nice to have both options!

Keep us updated on him. Hoping to hear that hes only bringing you joy and happiness and not worry!

-Brandon

 

[cwinter0311]

Ok that sounds good too!! I have one of the little probe ones I just haven't been using it because I thought the gun was probably more accurate! ? I'll starting using both! Thank you so much for your caring and excellent suggestions! I'll let you know how he's doing! ???

 

[kingofnobbys]

Hi everyone!
I'm new to this site and new to bearded dragons and I could really use some help from experienced beardie owners! ?

I'm so worried and stressed for my new little guy/girl! I got him from a chain pet store (bad plan, I know) nearly two weeks ago, I have no idea how old he is but quite small about 4 inches, and since being home he hasn't eaten hardly anything. The first few days he ate a few little bits of mustard greens and then that's about it. He refuses any crickets or worms or any protein and after the first day he hasn't eaten any more greens. He has however pooped almost every day so there must be something in his tummy???

I've read pretty much every thread on here about "baby not eating" and tried to rectify each thing the replies have suggested and I have tried to tell myself it must be relocation stress but it's been almost two weeks of me trying not to handle him and let him get used to his environment but I'm so scared he can't hang on much longer without eating. I'm trying to just keep him hydrated by spraying him with water a few times a day and I have given him a soak and he drank some of that water too. To make things worse we keep getting conflicting advice from the pet stores: feed meal worms/don't feed meal worms, use a coil UV, don't use one, etc. I'm just at a loss!!

<<<< ignore the petstores , 99% of the time their staff are clueless and only interested in making a sale and getting as much commission as possible.

<<< how old is the dragon ?
<<< how much does it weigh ?( put in a clikclak tub and weigh it on the kitchen top scales in grams)
>>> photo so we can see it's condition

for very young dragons under 3 months old I'd be buying the follow LIVE insects
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=242393
>> BSFL ( the whitish very wriggly ones )….don't need to dust these , just need dry worm escape proof feeding dish, handfeeding is breeze with these too.
>> Blow fly gents (see above)
>> small ( 1" long ) silkworms , don't need to dust these.

>> crickets ( a 7 to 15g hatchling will handle 20 day old crickets ( 6mm long = 1/4 size ) , these need to be dusted (DAILY) and gutloaded with calcium rich greens
>> roaches similar size
>> locusts similar size

Under 3 months old , at least 2 meals of insects per day , even if you have to handfeed .
Here's how to handfeed : viewtopic.php?f=18&t=235583

I wouldn't worry about a very young dragon ignoring the greens and veg , offer , if it's nibbled , consider it a bonus.



Here's what I'm doing.
He was in a 40gal but a pet store employee told us that was too big so now he's in a 20gal. No clue what is correct.
His basking spot is about 9-10 inches from the basking lamp and according to the temp gun is 103-105 degrees,
>>>> what is kind of material is the basking spot ?
( it's important as different materials absorb radiant heat differently ie have different emissivities , and this can mean the reading from the gun is out sometimes by 30%)
>>>> does the gun have wide or narrow spot ( will be defined as spot 1:10 or 1:18 or something like that)
>>>> describe your measuring technique , also important.


cool side is 85-87. His tank fluctuates between 20 and 30 % humidity.
He has a coil uv light inside the tank not obstructed by the mesh on the top of the tank although reading this forum it seems a tube reptisun would be better?
His lights are on a 12hour day night cycle.
I've offered calcium covered crickets and meal worms and mustard greens. Terrified he's not getting any protein or any calcium since he's not eating.

What can I fix to help him eat???
Thank you in advance for your help!

 

[cwinter0311]

Well it sounds like hes acting normal! So that's a good sign.

I asked about the basking surface material because certain materials dont read well with the regular temp guns. To avoid getting too technical, all materials have different characteristics. Most temp guns come calibrated to a general common amount of materials, but some materials are outside of the calibration range for the temp gun, which will lead to inaccurate readings. Good temp guns have a setting where you can adjust for the type of material you are measuring.
Just to make sure, It wouldn't hurt to also get a digital with probe end to verify the temps. The probe heats up to the air around it, so it's a good indicator of the temps your dragon will feel sitting under the bulb. Luckily those probe thermometers are so cheap now, so it's nice to have both options!

Keep us updated on him. Hoping to hear that hes only bringing you joy and happiness and not worry!

-Brandon

Brandon!!
Your advice was spot on!! I went ahead and moved him back into the 40 gal tank and upgraded him to the tube reptisun and got the temperature gradient dialed in much better so he has a legit cooler side and then I put him in a small plastic tub with about 5 tiny crickets and he ate them all!!!! I was so relieved I started crying!! You are a life saver!! Here's my 6 year old son holding him!

 

[Claudiusx]

That is awesome to hear I'm so happy for you and your son and the little baby!

Thanks for the update! Made my night!

-Brandon

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

He is a cute little one! It sounds like you are making a lot of great improvements for him. A lot
of them do go through relocation stress but the tiny ones seem to be more stressed than the older
ones are.
As already mentioned, once you have the temperatures & gradients all correct in his tank I am
sure he will start doing very well. Since he has eaten that is a great sign he is feeling better & is
starting to adjust some now.

Tracie