New Dragon Will Not Eat

[malkin]

Hello all,

Long time lurker, first time poster here. I recently purchased a baby Bearded Dragon (5 days ago) and it will not eat a thing.

I purchased this setup:

http://www.zoomed.com/db/products/EntryDetail.php?EntryID=344&DatabaseID=2&SearchID=1

I have since added a UTH primarily for night time heat, and a red night bulb which I no longer used since reading this sight. I have had a heck of a time getting the air temperature to be in the 105 to 115 range, and I have still not gotten it there. However, when I rest one of my 2 digital probe thermometers on the basking rock, the rock temps get upwards of 110 to 115.

My dragon is quite lethargic, and has zero interest in crickets, mealworms, collared greens, grapes, etc. I have not seen him eat since we got him, nor have I seen much evidence of him going to the bathroom. I have bathed him a couple of times, and I have dripped water on his nose, which he has drank.

I am lost, and don't know what to do next. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[igotit]

one of my dragons would eat 1-2 crickets one day,then sometimes skip a day of eating.i tried regular 3 leave clovers....he attacked hem instantly.
now my dragon eats other greens,5 meal worms a day and 30 crickets on schedule.

im guessing my dragon had a vitamin balance issue....and simply didn't want to eat crickets,meal worms and typical greens.once I found the clover the he loved.....his eating turned around and hes now growing fast.

 

[bunnyrut]

well for starters that habitat is all wrong.

sand is a no no. any loose substrate is bad. bearded dragons lick everything. which means that if it is small enough it will be digested. and sand can cause impaction, which is lethal.

the light is bad. compact bulbs cause eye problems. and a 10.0 is the minimum UVB output for bearded dragons.
you want a reptiSUN 10.0 tube for the UVB. mounting it inside the tank will give maximum output. the screen tops filter out a lot of the UVB.

UTHs are not recommended either since beardies (and most reptiles) cannot feel heat from beneath them. this usually ends up with them burning themselves. if you need to keep the temps up you can get a Ceramic Heat Emitter (CHE). they put out heat without the light, so they can be used at night.

most beardies go through relocation stress. it can take them up to 2 weeks to get used to their new homes. but the fact that your seems lethargic suggests that there might be another problem.
where did you get him/her from?
if from a pet store it is strongly recommended that you visit a vet. this goes for any animal. there is a high probability that he/she could have parasites.

eventually you will need to upgrade to a 40 gallon breeder. see if it is at all possible to return the set up you bought and go to petco, they have a $1 per gallon sale until the 25th. that's some big savings there.

 

[malkin]

I should have put in my post that I did not put in the sand, although it came with the kit. I did get him from a pet store, and perhaps I should go to them. They are responsible for its condition for 14 days after the day of purchase. I am going to get a heat emitter, as I have heard prior that UTH's are not the way to go. The day I brought him home from the store he seemed to have quite a bit of energy, and now he is very sluggish.
What is the difference between a 40 gallon breeder, and the 40 gallon tank I have?

Thanks for your help!

 

[bunnyrut]

The one in the link is a 20 gallon

 

[malkin]

Update for anyone interested. I returned my original dragon today to Petsmart, and was informed that the last batch of December were all parasitic, and that they ALL have died. They exchanged mine, I brought it home, and within minutes it was eating crickets and running all over the place. I also replace my compact UVB with the Tube. Thanks for everyones help!

 

[lichjen]

It scared me , but my male Beardie did not eat (or barely ate) for about a week after we brought him home. We had gotten a female at the same time and she ate like a piggie. He now chows down like a normal guy should


That is horrible about the ones at Petsmart - glad they exchange it for you

 

[Drache613]

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