Not eating when sheaddine

[Qibli-Bib]

My bearded dragon qibli is sheading at the moment like all over his face and stuff and he won't eat! He will eat peces of carrot of o offer it to him by hand but won't go over to the salad himself and today I tried to feed him roaches and he won't eat any just try to escape is this normal?!.

 

[IAmAMirage]

Lets get some forum members to help you out!
@Chris.
@xp29
@BPSabelhaus

 

[xp29]

Lets get some forum members to help you out!
@Chris.
@xp29
@BPSabelhaus

They can be prickly when shedding but it has never really stopped mine from eating. Usually it comes back to lights that aren't optimum, they are board with that particular insect, or lack if enrichment or sometimes parasites. Also older dragons sometimes just don't want as much food. My 4 year old will often go for days and not eat at all then gobble everything in sight for a few days.
Let's go over your setup and rule out anything there first. It might be a good idea to drop a poop sample at the vet to check for parasites if you haven't done that in awhile. Take a sample in though, what ever you do DO NOT let them do an enema to get it. It's much to dangerous.

 

[BPSabelhaus]

What is he being offered aside from roaches and carrots? Alex can be pretty picky. She likes clovers, blueberries, dandelion greens and is coming around on kale. The fresh young greens are more palatable. She's not a fan of mustard or mint. Makes the "ew sour!" face. She loves squirmy wormies. Mealworms, waxworms, superworms are all greedily taken. That said the carapace isn't very digestible for them (think corn for us lol). Black soldier fly larvae trigger the same reaction of greed, but are much much much better. Also a lot cheaper but they come in bulk and pupate pretty fast. 500 for $10 or so vs $5 for 50-100 wax etc... I buy mine from Symton (sp?) based out of Texas. Great supplier. They can eat the pupae and adult flies if you can catch them lol Alex loves the adults. I think the buzzing wings are like fizzy candy or something lol The pupae may take a little getting used to. But once it moves a little they will get interested and realize it's yummy.

 

[Chris.]

Mine will be picky sometimes with roaches as well. Try mixing it up as well, superworms and locusts will get mine eating every time. Also they often like to be left alone when in shed, so taking them out to feed them might be a little too much stress at that point....

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Locusts.... Must be European lol I envy that you can just get them. We can get crickets, grubs overpriced roaches easily. But locusts? That's a seasonal treat I have to catch and feed. Tried to keep and raise / breed them but no luck so far I can't even order them online

 

[xp29]

Locusts.... Must be European lol I envy that you can just get them. We can get crickets, grubs overpriced roaches easily. But locusts? That's a seasonal treat I have to catch and feed. Tried to keep and raise / breed them but no luck so far I can't even order them online

Same here. I go out into the desert and catch them.

 

[Chris.]

Yeah, that was an example, I know they are hard/impossible to get in most of the US. A shame, because they are awesome
But just find something your dragon won't say no to. For mine its superworms and locusts

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Illegal in all states as far as I know. I assume culturing native ones would be legal, but vaguely worded policies like "locusts" rather than the following scientific names rules all lol
Gunnars younger friend is always happy to help catch them. She'll knock on the door with her hands clasped together and a huge smile "can I feed Alex?" Not can Gunnar play, can Alex eat lol

 

[Qibli-Bib]

Mine will be picky sometimes with roaches as well. Try mixing it up as well, superworms and locusts will get mine eating every time. Also they often like to be left alone when in shed, so taking them out to feed them might be a little too much stress at that point....

I refresh his greens every morning mostly kale for the main base then carrot capsicum really anything he can eat on top

 

[Qibli-Bib]

He has never shead this much in the time I have had him only really his legs but this time its his whole face do you think he's just confused or overwhelmed?

 

[Qibli-Bib]

What is he being offered aside from roaches and carrots? Alex can be pretty picky. She likes clovers, blueberries, dandelion greens and is coming around on kale. The fresh young greens are more palatable. She's not a fan of mustard or mint. Makes the "ew sour!" face. She loves squirmy wormies. Mealworms, waxworms, superworms are all greedily taken. That said the carapace isn't very digestible for them (think corn for us lol). Black soldier fly larvae trigger the same reaction of greed, but are much much much better. Also a lot cheaper but they come in bulk and pupate pretty fast. 500 for $10 or so vs $5 for 50-100 wax etc... I buy mine from Symton (sp?) based out of Texas. Great supplier. They can eat the pupae and adult flies if you can catch them lol Alex loves the adults. I think the buzzing wings are like fizzy candy or something lol The pupae may take a little getting used to. But once it moves a little they will get interested and realize it's yummy.

I only give him woodies you cant get dubia in Australia and mabye the occasional solder fly larvae if I get them

 

[BPSabelhaus]

How does he do with hand feeding? Sometimes that helps. Has he had a good soaking yet?

 

[Qibli-Bib]

They can be prickly when shedding but it has never really stopped mine from eating. Usually it comes back to lights that aren't optimum, they are board with that particular insect, or lack if enrichment or sometimes parasites. Also older dragons sometimes just don't want as much food. My 4 year old will often go for days and not eat at all then gobble everything in sight for a few days.
Let's go over your setup and rule out anything there first. It might be a good idea to drop a poop sample at the vet to check for parasites if you haven't done that in awhile. Take a sample in though, what ever you do DO NOT let them do an enema to get it. It's much to dangerous.

He has had parasites before when I first got him and we got him fixed up early 2024, is it possible for him to get them again? Or could he just be grumpy.

 

[Qibli-Bib]

How does he do with hand feeding? Sometimes that helps. Has he had a good soaking yet?

He's well with hand feeding and will take foods he likes from my hand and I gave him a bath yesterday, which allowed me to get his beard shed off easily.