SPOILED BRAT....what do I do now?

[packfan74]

HELP - I created a monster! Hi, I'm new here and am in need of some reasonable advise. I've got a 10-11 month old boy that has been suffering from parasites since November. We've seen a vet many times and are currently finishing his third round of meds. Next fecal exam is scheduled in about 2 wks. - but this isn't really my problem. See, I've created an issue with feeding. When my guy got sick, he went off crix completely! I have managed to keep him eating supers (here's where the problem starts) but now THATS ALL HE WILL EAT!! Despite the fact I give him salad daily (todays mix was chard, beet & mustard greens sprinkled w/red bell pepper and pumpkin), he has not eaten a single bite of salad in over 2 months! Before that, he only ate a piece or two a day, starting about mid-October thru December.

I bought him as a hatchling of about 4-5 weeks old. He ate everything in sight, including his greens and 75-100 crix a week until he got sick in mid-October. Now I'm stuck with a guy who refuses to eat anything ON HIS OWN except superworms. In December I resorted to feeding him jar baby food (spring greens and fruits) via a dropper - which he is happy to consume but only 4-5ml everyother day or so!....in addition to his 20-25 supers per wk. (which are dusted)

His lighting is good. PowerSun 10.0 w/UV AND a ReptiGlow 10.0 UV tube (both bulbs are only 2.5 months old). Viv cool side digital temp reads 82F / hot side is 103F. He gets a soak in the tub every day for 15-20 minutes. He is on a 11/13 hr. light schedule. He gets outside viv time (playtime) of about 2-3 hours per day. He is 16.5" long, about 360ish grams. He is NOT a special breed, just your average run-of-the-mill guy (nothing fancy). He is very sweet - not moody AT ALL; he likes lots of attention and will let you kiss and huge on him as much as you want....very laid back.

QUESTION IS: How do I get him to eat his veg on his own???? (I simply can't keep doing the baby food thing). Also, how do I get him back on crix? I bought 5 last wk hoping he'd get interested since I think the meds are making him feel better (he's more active) but they died in the viv after about 7 days...he never ate a single one!!

HELP

 

[ziggy23]

I wouldn't try and force anything until he gets a clean bill of health with a good weight and eating a good amount daily. Change is stressful and his body doesn't need any more strain.

After that, I gradually try and balance their diet more, if that doesn't work in a reasonable amount of time, then I go for tough love. They'll eat when they're hungry enough.

 

[wckdbtch]

I agree with Ziggy, but only when they aren't eating because they are spoiled. If they are still feeling sick, I would carry on giving babyfood.

 

[TASTIGER]

PowerSun 10.0 w/UV AND a ReptiGlow 10.0 UV tube (both bulbs are only 2.5 months old).

you dont need 2 UVB bulbs the reptiglo bulbs are crap and iv never heard of a powersun bulb i would suggest taking the reptiglo bulb off they are known to cause eye problems and lethargy

have you tried feeding him in a seperate bin its really not good to leave crickets in the tank they have been known to nibble on dragons

 

[packfan74]

Totally agree that two lights are overkill BUT every single person I talk to on various forums all keep suggesting I use both, in attemps to help stimulate his appetite. Do you think I'm doing more harm than good?

UP-DATE: Today was our 1st really warm day (70F - woohoo!!). I treated my guy (Henry) to a half hour sun & fresh air time. And do you know, that little bugger tried to eat every single green thing in sight!! He was jumping up and trying to eat the bushes, the grass, the spring flowers, etc. I got excited and when I put him back in his viv, I gave him a big bowl of salad.....he didn't even look at it!!! Do I have a diva or what - lol...or should I say, a Charlie Sheen!

 

[TASTIGER]

i would suggest getting the reptisun 10.0 tube its the only one that gives off the proper amount of UVB 2 bulbs cant do that. what i see from your update is once he was in the natural sunlight getting UVB he wanted to eat. try turning your UVB lights off for a few days and see what happens

 

[nena]

lol on the Charlie Sheen comment!!! funny thing is my guy is named Charlie!!! :lol: Now "My Charlie" is going to be 2 years old in April but a year ago he got sick with parasites and had the same issue, he just refused to eat anything at all... and just like your guy he got hooked on supers... it took some time but eventually he picked up the veggies again, when they are sick they take advantage of the extra attention just like you got extra ice cream when you were sick as a kid :wink: As long as he is getting good nutrition through the baby food and he doesn't loose any weight I wouldn't sweat it. Try diff bugs, like hornworms or dubias, as he gets older he's gonna stop eating so many bugs and eat more veggies. I hope everything goes well!! all of us beardie parents have a tendency to spoil our babies! but if we don't spoil them who will!?

 

[BeardieGrandma]

Hey pacfan - I got some of the same issues going on - ever since I introduced supers into Joga's diet, she's been particular about crickets. She still eats them, but she tries to wait me out to see if I'll give up a super here and there. She also has historically been a challenge eating greens, but last couple of weeks seems more interested in them. Her cricket consumption has gone down in the last month from 35-40 2X day to 10-15 2X (if I'm lucky) some feedings she passes entirely on the crickets - but I know she's hungry because if i throw a super in there or a dubia she goes after it crazy like. So I'm just going with it for now, trying to figure out if she's slowing down and if I should feed her feeders 1X a day and just give the salad in the AM.

As far as outside green eating is concerned, same thing with Joga, she tried to eat a bush leaf as soon as she got out there. I brought out some mustard greens outside and she ate 5 bites OUTSIDE (it's the same stuff in your foodbowl Joga), which I thought was kind of funny...