Not eating on his own?

[keschete]

I have had my little bearded dragon for two weeks. Of course I read three books and set up the cage with sand and a zilla slimline CFL.

At first, he was eating crickets and even some Phoenix worms for the first week. Then he started with some gaping. So after reading all the stuff here, I removed the sand, removed the Zilla light. He quit gaping (I think the dust from the sand was making him have resp difficulty).

Problem : He hasn't eaten live food in 4 days on his own. If I open his mouth and stick a PW in, he eats, he ate one small must green piece yest and he licked chicken baby food off his nose. He gives me the evil eye about the live food. I have been forcing about 8 med PW's and a few crickets per day. Of course this makes him mad and he shows his beard.

The vet couldn't see him today. I am gonna try Tuesday...they stay late tuesdays. But he seems alert and I have been taking him outside and letting him sit on my knee to bask in real sun for 1 hour per day. He likes it....he looks around and seems content.

He is on white newspaper print, 30 gal, waiting on repti sun 10, has a 75 w basking light, basking temps anywhere from 95 to 110. Gradient of 75 to 85 on other end. I run a ceramic heat bulb at night.

I even put up paper around the cage today, thinking my cats are stressing him. I bath him daily, letting him soak. He is 6 inched head to tail and 2 inches SVT.

Am I over analyzing all this...should I let him get hungry on his own....I am scared he will starve. I give him chance to hunt the crickets and pw's and he just gives me the stink eye.

Here is a picture of the setup:

 

[Embee]

Hello,

I'm sorry your beardie isn't eating well. I have been there, and am a worrier by nature. You have my sympathies, as over thinking is one of my very best things! :wink:

UVB is often the culprit for diminished appetite. When we swapped out our Zilla (compact) for a ReptiSun tube, our beardie began eating better within days, but it did take her some time to get back up and going. It's great that your taking him to be under the sun for a time each day, but I imagine once he has a chance to bask for the better part of the day under a quality bulb like the ReptiSun, you will see some really positive changes. The appetite usually grows incrementally, which is normal as it isn't good for them to gobble after not eating well for a time... so don't worry if it takes some time... a few more each day, maybe a slow day, and then back on up to more feeders... it seemed to go like this for us.

For now, keep offering food (the babyfood can really help while you're waiting), keep him hydrated. How is his behavior otherwise? He is alert, somewhat active?

Do keep us posted!

The best,
Em

 

[keschete]

Hello,

How is his behavior otherwise? He is alert, somewhat active?

Do keep us posted!

The best,
Em

He is very alert during the day. When we bask outside he looks all around and even wants to be on my shoulder.

Someone on pet hobbyist said that the set up I have is like a beef jerky machine and that aquariums with screen tops loose too much humidity and that I should cover the tank with a towel, except for around the lights.

They said that the humidity and heat get sucked out of the tank by the screen top, and this can cause trouble with appetite. I am soaking him in water for ten minutes 2 x's per day and force feeding the phoenix worms.

I am so confused....all these books and advice...so many contradictory opinions....hopefully the reptisun 10 works..it will be here wednesday. I figured natural sunlight was better, so we will spend as much time outside as I can do.

I have a bunch of exotic, bird and aquarium exp....and I feel like an *****. The beardies are supposed to be for beginners and I am scared I am killing him. Thank God I didn't get a chameleon!!!!

Is what really sucks is that my friend has a 2 foot 3 year old beardie in a 20 gal aquarium with only a basking light and he is bullet proof. I am struggling with all the "proper" setup........I just don't want to be responsible for killing him.

 

[jscott]

its good you ordered reptisun, its a straight one right? no spirals...

you have that compact off right? id take it out and just use a heat lamp for now. keep taking him outside for sunlight.

when you bath him, dont fill the water higher than his armpits. some dragons arent used to the experience and must be watched closely the first time.

these animals live in dry, arid environments. i dont think the humidity is supposed to be more than 30 for them right? your not trying to keep them moist so i dont think the towell is necessary. alot of petstores group all reptiles together and think they have the same needs when actually they come from entirly different latitudes and therefore have entirely different UV, humidity and heat requirements. as long as your giving them fresh veggies and insects they should be recieving moisture. your giving him baths too so thats a big help. the austrailian outback isnt a steamy jungley place. from what i read, they are lucky if they happen to find a permenant body of water where they live.

i offer both of my dragons water from a dropper on a daily basis to make sure theyre staying hydrated. it works like a charm, they start lickng their lips as soon as they see it :mrgreen: .

when you get a bigger cage, you might consider selling(or giving) that 30gallon to your friend for a cheap price. maybe hed go for the deal and give his dragon a little bigger world.

good luck with everything, its a little tricky at first but once all the misleading info is seperated from the true stuff it becomes easier :wink: .

 

[keschete]

its good you ordered reptisun, its a straight one right? no spirals...

you have that compact off right? id take it out and just use a heat lamp for now. keep taking him outside for sunlight.

when you bath him, dont fill the water higher than his armpits. some dragons arent used to the experience and must be watched closely the first time.

when you get a bigger cage, you might consider selling(or giving) that 30gallon to your friend for a cheap price. maybe hed go for the deal and give his dragon a little bigger world.

good luck with everything, its a little tricky at first but once all the misleading info is seperated from the true stuff it becomes easier :wink: .

Yes, the compact light is off. We are going outside. I am monitoring baths like a mom with a toddler. Warm water and up to his armpits.

I have seen your dragon, and you are FANTASTIC!

I guess I read stories like yours and can't figure out what is my problem.

I won't give up, I will figure this out. I have a lot of rescues and exotics so this will not beat me

Thank you !

 

[jscott]

no problem, just here to help.

and about LG, hes my only dragon to be healthy for so long without complications(knock on wood :shock: )... i feel really lucky that he hasnt had any problems health-wise, besides the obvious physical trauma he experienced so long ago.

dont beat yourself up; ive had my share of confusion and i know what it feels like to not know what to do.

just keep positive and keep making updates here so we can give you as much support as possible :wink: .