Not eating, very worried!

[tee2020]

Oliver is a male, about 7 1/2 - 8 months old. We got him when he was around 8 or 12 wks old. He always ate well, calcium/vitamin dusted crickets (about 30-50 / day) and sometimes phoenix worms. Also collard greens, mustard greens, kale, chard, and some yellow squash. He went through a period beginning about 4 weeks ago that he hid a lot and was very lethargic. He would still eat, just not very much (about 8-10 crickets / day). I thought he must just be in a brumation. He was pooping only about 1-2 times per week, (and still is). Prior he pooped twice a day. The last 4 days or so he has been extremely active and digs at the door a lot, but refuses to eat AT ALL.

I originally had a megaray mercury vapor bulb and a regular florescent bulb in there, but he started acting weird so I figured the mvb wasn't functioning properly.

I replaced it with a 75 watt UVA incandescent basking bulb (the center one in the picture). Then I put in a ReptiSun 10.0 (on the right part) and left a 75 watt halogen on the far left. The halogen is sort of directed up a bit because the heat is too intense if it's pointed too far down. Temps are about 101-102 degrees F at the highest point in the basking area, and the cool side is around 78 degrees F. I gave him a bath twice this week in hopes it would help him, but that didn't seem to work.

I had read on one of the threads that some olive oil will help them have a bowl movement, so I dipped a couple of crickets in olive oil (this was about 10-14 days ago). Did I do harm by doing this?? I just can't figure it out!

Oh, also at night I replace the halogen on the far left with a 30 watt ceramic heat bulb just so it doesn't get too cold.

His leg function is good, and he moves around a lot. His color seems good... no stress lines or anything. I'm really worried about him!

Here are some images to see the set up and him.....

 

[jfm08]

i would say he was brumating but based on how you said he was active im not too sure about it anymore... So you replaced the Megaray how long ago? Maybe the megaray was wworking a little but the switch he is getting used to??? I would try and give him a nice bath and rub his tummy while he is in there then place him back and offer food... thats just what i would do tho

 

[tee2020]

Yeah, I thought he was brumating too... and he may have been, I'm not sure how long they typically do that. I replaced the Megaray around the first of November.

I've done the bath, but I will try rubbing his tummy as well then offering food, thank you.

Anyone else have some ideas?? I really need help for this little guy.

 

[msmaui]

I'm sorry I don't have any suggestions for you. I just wanted to tell you what a pretty little dragon you have and the viv you've fixed up for him looks wonderful. That's a beautiful home for him. I certainly hope he starts eating. I know how frustrating and worrisome that can be.

 

[Ethelia]

Hello there,

Firstly Id like to say how gorgeous Oliver is. He looks like a very healthy boy with plenty of fat stores to keep him going through winter.
Im no expert but to me it sounds like one of two things. The first would be brumation.
Here is a link to a wodnerful article on it which might help you:
http://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/brumation/

Secondly, although this has recently happened to me so I might just be transferring it to you, is that you might have a girl on your hands. I adopted a "male" adult beardie and firstly her appetite dropped off, then she refused to eat at all, then she started digging like crazy and bolting around her viv like she was hyper on pixie stix.... a week or so later I was greeted by 21 infertile eggs. So Dexter became Dex! Are you certain of his sex? If you're certain he IS male then we can rule this one out pretty quickly /wink.

Hopefully it could be something as simple as he's gone off her food. Have you tried offering him other live feeders? Dragons are notoriously finicity eaters.

Keep us updated and try not to worry too much x

 

[tee2020]

Thank you very much... I really appreciate the advise. We went out and got superworms which we have never tried with him before and he ate 2. So I guess that's better than nothing! That's really interesting about the sex. I thought I had a male, but now I question it! I just thought because his beard gets black sometimes when he puffs that it meant he is a male.

Hopfully he gets his appitite back here really soon, he's really worrying me. I got some repta-aid so we'll see if that helps. If anyone has additional advise, I'd love to get it! I'll keep an update on how he's doing.

 

[Ethelia]

Eating something is definatly better than eating nothing!
Have you changed his veggies around too?

Theres another great sexing article with pictures here:
http://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/sexing/

Hope Oliver picks up.
Do keep us updated x