Picky beardie

[alysaa123]

I'm concerned. Before this week my beardie would eat up to 20 crickets each feeding (fed twice a day) but all of the sudden she has cut down to 5-8 and she'll only eat more if they are dusted in calcium. Sometimes she won't even eat the the crickets at all unless they are dusted in calcium. It's like she is no longer interested in them. Is this normal? Is there anything I can do to get her to eat during the times she won't?

 

[CooperDragon]

How old is she? Do you see signs of a shed coming on? Sometimes that can put them off of their appetite for a bit.

 

[alysaa123]

How old is she? Do you see signs of a shed coming on? Sometimes that can put them off of their appetite for a bit.

I'm not entirely sure how old she is but I got her at the end of November 2016, 6-7 months maybe? She just finished shedding a few days ago. I'm just worried.

 

[CooperDragon]

What do you have in place for lighting for her? What are the temps in her tank? Maybe something is off that has her upset.

Can you post some photos of her and her setup? You can upload photos here https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ and post them to your thread using the XIMG button.

 

[alysaa123]

What do you have in place for lighting for her? What are the temps in her tank? Maybe something is off that has her upset.

Can you post some photos of her and her setup? You can upload photos here https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ and post them to your thread using the XIMG button.

Right now her basking spot is about 90 and the other half of the tank is about 70.

 

[JessW]

Those temps seems a little low to me. That could be affecting her appetite. I believe basking temps should be over 100 and cool side around 80

 

[Gagewiebe]

Alysaa, mine wouldn't touch crickets at around the 6-8 month stage. I used worms and veggies during this picky phase. Those temps are low for the lizard. May I ask what you are using to measure temperatures. Also when was the last time she has shedded? Does the lack of appetite happen in spurts or is this the first time? Also is she lethargic since this has started?
- I'll help with what I can but going by knowledge from reading forums and visiting vets.

 

[traildrifterphalanx]

Is the second dome light on the opposite side of her basking spot the uvb? If so this is too far away to be of any use to her, please move this right up against the basking light so she can absorb both at once. Also, the low temps along with the type of uvb light will affect her overall health and appetite. Bump up the bulb wattage or lift the basking platform to put her at 105-110 degrees. Just be sure not to get her too close that she can get burned.

The uvb appears to be compact if it fits into that dome, and unfortunately the compact uvb lights are very inadequate, especially through a screen. Move this over as recommended for now, but as soon as you can afford it I highly recommend upgrading your uvb to a reptisun10.0 t5 or Arcadia t5. Once doing so you should notice an improvement in her activity and appetite.

You can try mixing up her insects to dubia roaches, calcium worms, silk worms, etc, but avoid mealworms completely, and superworms only when she's over 16" as a treat.

 

[ThatLizardLady]

90 for the basking spot and 70 for the cool area are quite low for a beardie. Bearded Dragons live in the dessert, where temperatures reach up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. 100 degrees for the basking spot and 80-85 for the cool area is a good temperature. You said you feed her twice a day? Maybe that's the reason. You feed her too much so she's never really hungry, and the only reason she eats crickets with calcium is because they have to have it to survive. I feed my beardie Mystic crickets every Monday and Thursday, I feed him veggies and berries every Sunday, Wednesday, and Saturday, and give him his food pellets every Friday. If she eats too many crickets not only will she never be very hungry but she's also getting a bad diet. Beardies need to have 60-70% veggies and berries, 10-20% crickets and other insects, and of course food pellets and occasional treats to make it a 100% complete diet. But there are some veggies that beardies can't eat, so It's good to look up a good list of veggies and berries that a bearded dragon can have. Also make sure to look up a list of treats for you beardie. A great brand of diet pellets I would recommend is "All Living Things", which you can find in stores like Pet Smart and Petco. Make sure that she's getting her correct diet, because that might be the reason, okay?

 

[traildrifterphalanx]

ThatLizardLady, with all due respect I need to correct your diet recommendations before the OP gets the wrong idea.

A bearded dragon NEEDS to be eating a lot of insects up until they're an adult. I fed my youngest 3 times a day until his appetite slowed down, and now it's twice a day with a large majority of it being insects. I'm unsure where you got your diet information from, ThatLizardLady, but it sounds like it would be a great idea for you to look into the diet you are supplying.

Dragon diet is 80% insects 20% greens and veggies until they're an adult, about one year, and then those percentages switch around. Commercial pellets should not be provided as a main meal unless in a pinch.

The issue with the OP's dragon's appetite is likely due to basking temp and UVB. Please refer to my earlier post on this topic.