Out of sorts ...NOT wanting ANY bugs!

[kimmie]

Angus just doesn't seem to be himself lately. He's not eating as much but isn't shedding or getting ready to from what I can tell. He usually would eat easily 10 - 15 supers at each meal and often 3 meals a day along with his salad. But not lately. Lately If we can get him to eat 15 a day that's good, still seems to munch on his salads though.

But he's also not wanting to hang out on his basking spot as much. Usually he'd spend 99.99% of his time there but not lately. Last night I found him in his makeshift cave I made and he had already tucked himself in under his covers. Usually he falls asleep on his basking spot and we just cover him up and I'd uncover in the morning before I left for work.

This morning he was awake but still in his cave so I got him out and snuggled him for awhile. He felt so cold but was alert and eyes wide open! He even tried to get onto my chest partially. When I finally had to leave for work I put him on his basking spot. Hopefully he'll stay there and get warmed up.

Now he's not that old - maybe 7 months (guestimating that since the petstore never told us how old he was).

Is it possible he's getting ready to brumate? I know or read you start to limit when the lights are on, but do you leave a heat source on? I have a CHE I could plug in just to keep some heat in his viv.

As I said, he seems fine otherwise. He gets a bath daily (by my son) while I'm at work. Eats his veggies (somewhat) but just isn't interested in his supers.

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

I will assume since you are on here quite a bit that your set up is good. If you want to go over it though, we can do that.
What kind of temps are you getting? Sometimes as beardies get a little older they prefer lower basking temps. Just a thought! At 7 months he may be going through a puberty stage, which they can behave a little different during.
How long has he been eating the supers? Are they appropriate size for him? Is he still pooping?
It is a tad bit early for brumation already, but whose to say, these beardies have minds of their own. :roll:
Here is a great article on brumation that you may want to read http://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/brumation/

 

[kimmie]

Thanks Dawn.

His temps are fine - between 80-90 on the warm side, basking temps are 105. His UV (which is a ReptiSun is maybe 10"-11" from his basking spot and is 36" in length (I plan on dropping that down some so it's closer to him).

I use an Accurite gauge plus a heat gun for figuring the hot spots. We did have to play around with the basking temps when we shut off the ac and then when it went back on again. I have a 75w basking bulb that's on a dimmer. Actually had a 50w but that seemed to peter out and not do as well. The Reptisun tube is 4 months old.

He's pooping fine and often rather large ones (I swear there's a puppy in there somewhere sometimes). There have been some smaller poops as well (the ones I get to clean as my DS usually catches the others).

He's been eating supers for a couple of weeks now, large ones. But he's never had a problem with eating or digesting them. Unless he's getting tired of them. I've offered him hornworms but he wasn't as interested in them as he used to be. And he's totally turned off crickets, thus my giving many of them away to someone else!

I'm hoping it's just a puberty thing (like I need another thing to go thru that, have 2 kids going thru or soon to be as well LOL)

Oh - cool end of the viv is in mid 70's. Humidity is around 40%

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

Well your set up sounds spot on. Maybe try and get the coolend up a bit, 78-82. You could even try lowering his basking temps a few degrees to see if that does anything.
If he is having regular bm's, then we can rule out the supers giving him problems. He could be tiring of the worms, we all know how they can be stubborn and picky when it comes to eating, LOL.
That's great that he still wants his veggies. Have you tried to slip a few worms in with those?
Like I said he could be going through puberty already. I understand that all too well, have a 13 y.o.,LOL
I'd say just keep an eye on him and see if any other odd behaviors show up. He may just be going through a phase.
Let me know how he does.

 

[mickeysmomma]

Going thru the same thing with one of mine! Used to love her salads...she would run for them! Now, she just looks at it, and leaves it alone.

I also find her on the cooler side of the tank, laying down resting. She seems totally fine other wise.

 

[kimmie]

Yeah he's fine bm wise, goes maybe 2 - 3 times a day and usually LARGE in size! Eats his veggies (if he doesn't play with them first, like scattering things around). I do need to change his veggies as he's been eating just collards and butternut squash, have to add or mix in other goodies.

Not sure how I'll raise the temps on the other end, but then he also doesn't go to that other end either. He hangs out on the warmer side and that's also where his cave is:

That's a pic of the structure I made for him. He usually hangs out on top there (that's his basking spot).

The past few days he's been underneath the steps and then last night for the first time ever, he went into that cave on the left where there was a blanket. He hid underneath that and fell asleep last night.

I ordered some Phoenix Worms and will toss those into his salad in the morning. I just talked to DS and he said he ate 8 supers. He's always eaten so much more than that so 8 seems like a small amount (usually it's around 15).

 

[kimmie]

Well that was strange! Usually lights out for Angus has been around 8pm, but 30 mins ago he was scratching in his cave (like he was digging) and then burrowed himself under his blanket to go to sleep!

I've since adjusted his timer for lights out at 7pm instead of 8pm. Hope this is all part of the puberty thing!

 

[fez09]

Has he had a fecal exam??? Those were some of the first signs for Mojo when he had pinworms....My beardies also prefer it a little cooler at that age also, try and lower his basking temp to 101 and see if that helps...Good luck!

 

[kimmie]

No he's never had a fecal but I can take a sample in on Monday and have them test it. He's just be so weird lately. Today he tried climbing all over the back wall, even the side walls (that are melamime) and then apparently jumped or fell onto his salad dish because there were collard greens ALL over the place! Plus the dish with his supers was knocked over and those were ...out and about. He's only eaten 1 or 2 supers today as well. Did take some more greens from me but that's it.

He seems fine otherwise, just weird acting!

 

[spurlee01]

Lilly was acting like that before I moved her UVB light closer. You may want to try that. I had it about 12" away and on top of a screen, but moved it into her tank.

 

[kimmie]

Lilly was acting like that before I moved her UVB light closer. You may want to try that. I had it about 12" away and on top of a screen, but moved it into her tank.

I might have to try that. His is inside his viv though - not having to go thru screeening, it's maybe 10-12 inches away from his basking spot. Lately he's not been wanting to stay there much either. He's been wanting OUT of his viv like crazy as well. Comes to the doors and if you open them, he'll almost jump out.

 

[spurlee01]

Lilly was like that at the time too, I don't know why :?

 

[kimmie]

Well he still won't eat the supers. He's eating his collard greens but no protein. I have grubs/phoenix worms shipping Monday so hopefully he'll like those. I don't know what else to do! He's alert and all, eating salads. But won't eat his supers and I haven't tried to feed him a roach yet (don't have many nymphs). He didn't want his hornworms AT ALL - they actually ended up dying so they got tossed!

 

[kimmie]

Well it's 1pm and he still doesn't want any bugs!

He had some collards this morning, didn't want squash or even cantalope. But he WILL not even LOOK at the supers!

How long can they go w/o protein? I mean he seems fine otherwise - except for his weirdness of wanting to be OUT of his viv more, climbing the walls, hiding in spots he usually has never gone in! I've adjusted the temps to be lower (under 100) in his basking spot but that still hasn't done anything. HOPEFULLY I can get a stool sample tomorrow and run it to my vet. They'll be able to test it but they aren't a herp vet.

 

[kimmie]

Ok - first off, I've given in to the fact that Angus is most LIKELY an Angie! Still no BUMPS that say she's a he!

She's not eaten ANY bugs (supers) since yesterday at breakfast when she had 1 super. She's eating her collards though. BUT noticed that maybe 5 inchs of her tail are dark like she's going to shed soon. I'm HOPING that's ALL it is with her weirdness or not wanting to eat! I DO know she insists on being out of her viv more often as well.

She did this before - not wanting to eat bugs as much - drove me nuts, but it was NEVER to this degree. I'm hoping when the PW's come, she'll eat those like crazy! Gosh what we do for our critters - go to ALL lengths and so forth for them!