Superworms

[lizardboi17]

I have no idea if I did something wrong with my beardie or not. A few days ago I was holding him and I wanted to feed him. I had some superworms from a failed attempt to get him to eat veggies. He was looking at them intently like how he does with crickets so I decided to give him one. I gave him four and he crunched down on all of them eagerly. He seemed fine for a few days, but yesterday I noticed he was dehydrated. I am bathing him and feeding him water and he perks up instantly after he becomes hydrated. He's alert but he's still not eating. This is the first bearded dragon I've owned and I read that beardies can eat superworms with no problem. Is he just full? Or is something more serious happening?

Information about him
Age: 3 months and 10 days
Length (head to tail): About 10 and a half inches; about 28 centimeters
Weight: 1.39 ounces; 39 grams
Enclosure size: 36"x18"x12"
Substrate: Reti-carpet and sometimes paper towels when cleaning
UVB bulb: Zilla desert bulb(I'm changing it to a reptisun bulb, I'm just waiting tell I can mount the light inside the enclosure)
Cricket count: 30 a day
Vegetable: Endive
Humidity: I try to keep it between 40% and 50%
Basking temp: I try to keep it around a hundred degrees Fahrenheit
Cold side temp: I try to keep it at 80 degrees Fahrenheit
Night time temp: It tends to stay around 80 degrees Fahrenheit
Basking bulb: Zilla 75 watt basking bulb

 

[destiny1998]

Hi. Superworms should only be fed to adults and only as a treat. Phoenix worms, silk worms, crickets and dubia are way better. Remember feeders should be no bigger than the space between the eyes.

 

[lizardboi17]

Alright thank you for telling me. I do feed him crickets, I just fed him the superworms once cause I thought he'd like them. Will he be okay? Is he just not really eating cause he's full from them?

 

[EllenD]

You've got a major UVB light issue. The Zilla 50 Desert 18" tube doesn't put out even close to adequate UVB light for a bearded dragon even if it's mounted unobstructed and within the correct distance from his main basking spot (within 6-8"), and you've got that already too weak UVB tube mounted on top of a mesh screen lid which is blocking up to 50% of the already too weak UVB light. So he's essentially been getting no UVB light at all, and this will no doubt kill his appetite and reduce his ability to absorb any nutrition, including any Calcium and multivitamin powders you're giving him. Plus, the Zilla tube fixture comes with a clear plastic safety cover on the fixture that covers the UVB tube, and it blocks 100% of the UVB light emitted by the tube (don't ask me why Zilla does this). So if you didn't remove that clear plastic safety cover then he's definitely gotten zero UVB light.

During their first year bearded dragons do their most growing and developing, and as such they need adequate wavelength and strength UVB and UVA light for 12-14 hours every single day so that they grow properly and their bone density develops properly. So you absolutely must #1 remove that clear plastic safety cover on the Zilla Slimline fixture if you haven't already, #2 mount the Zilla Slimline fixture and UVB tube INSIDE THE ENCLOSURE AND UNDER THE MESH LID IMMEDIATELY using 3M Command Hooks or 3M Industrial Strength Velcro rated to 16 pounds AND GET THE UNOBSTRUCTED TUBE WITHIN 6-8" OF HIS BASKING SPOT, and #3 get an 18" Reptisun 10.0 (never 5.0) T8 UVB tube in that same Zilla fixture ASAP (it also must be mounted inside the enclosure and within 6-8" of his basking spot), or better yet order a Reptisun 10.0 (never 5.0) T5 High-Output UVB tube and matching T5 rated fixture on www Amazon.com ASAP, which can be on top of the mesh, but must be within 11" of his basking spot...

 

[lizardboi17]

You've got a major UVB light issue. The Zilla 50 Desert 18" tube doesn't put out even close to adequate UVB light for a bearded dragon even if it's mounted unobstructed and within the correct distance from his main basking spot (within 6-8"), and you've got that already too weak UVB tube mounted on top of a mesh screen lid which is blocking up to 50% of the already too weak UVB light. So he's essentially been getting no UVB light at all, and this will no doubt kill his appetite and reduce his ability to absorb any nutrition, including any Calcium and multivitamin powders you're giving him. Plus, the Zilla tube fixture comes with a clear plastic safety cover on the fixture that covers the UVB tube, and it blocks 100% of the UVB light emitted by the tube (don't ask me why Zilla does this). So if you didn't remove that clear plastic safety cover then he's definitely gotten zero UVB light.

During their first year bearded dragons do their most growing and developing, and as such they need adequate wavelength and strength UVB and UVA light for 12-14 hours every single day so that they grow properly and their bone density develops properly. So you absolutely must #1 remove that clear plastic safety cover on the Zilla Slimline fixture if you haven't already, #2 mount the Zilla Slimline fixture and UVB tube INSIDE THE ENCLOSURE AND UNDER THE MESH LID IMMEDIATELY using 3M Command Hooks or 3M Industrial Strength Velcro rated to 16 pounds AND GET THE UNOBSTRUCTED TUBE WITHIN 6-8" OF HIS BASKING SPOT, and #3 get an 18" Reptisun 10.0 (never 5.0) T8 UVB tube in that same Zilla fixture ASAP (it also must be mounted inside the enclosure and within 6-8" of his basking spot), or better yet order a Reptisun 10.0 (never 5.0) T5 High-Output UVB tube and matching T5 rated fixture on www Amazon.com ASAP, which can be on top of the mesh, but must be within 11" of his basking spot...

If I don't have the command hooks can I wait until the rest of the supplies get here to mount the fixture in the tank? I bought a reptisun bulb and of course, am planning to mount it inside of the enclosure, I can replace the zilla bulb with the reptisun bulb now and mount it inside the tank as soon as the other supplies come.

 

[EllenD]

You also need to bump up his basking spot temperature to between 105-110 degrees (110 is max), his Hot Side ambient temperature between 88-93 degrees, and make sure that you're measuring his temps using only a digital probe thermometer or a temperature gun, no stick-on thermometers that are off by up to 20 degrees or more...A baby/juvenile beardie needs a basking spot temperature higher than an adult to properly digest his food, especially anything with a hard shell or exoskeleton. 100 degrees is at least 5 degrees too cold. No nighttime heat source needed as long as his enclosure is at 65 degrees, and pitch black at night. Make sure the bright white basking bulb (you may need to go up in watts, just buy a regular household halogen indoor flood bulb at Lowes for $5-$10, they work great) is right alongside the UVB tube and both are over his basking spot, as you're trying to replicate natural sunlight as closely as possible, so he must get both at the same time...But your first step must be getting him proper UVB light as he hasn't had any during this time he needs it the most, do not wait to get that safety cover off that fixture, and get that Zilla UVB tube under the mesh and within 6" of him ASAP, it's a very, very weak tube.

Stop the superworms, he's not large enough to handle them, especially when not getting high enough temps and no UVB light, but mainly he shouldn't eat anything larger than the space between his eyes. Superworms are hard for them to digest properly and they shouldn't have them until they're around 16" long. No mealworms at all either, both are a lot of shell and fat. Superworms make a great treat for adults, but you want to gutload crickets or dubia roaches with healthy greens, beardie pellets, etc. and feed those. BSFL/Phoenix Worms/Calciworms are also great staple feeders. But not superworms at his size.

 

[lizardboi17]

You also need to bump up his basking spot temperature to between 105-110 degrees (110 is max), his Hot Side ambient temperature between 88-93 degrees, and make sure that you're measuring his temps using only a digital probe thermometer or a temperature gun, no stick-on thermometers that are off by up to 20 degrees or more...A baby/juvenile beardie needs a basking spot temperature higher than an adult to properly digest his food, especially anything with a hard shell or exoskeleton. 100 degrees is at least 5 degrees too cold. No nighttime heat source needed as long as his enclosure is at 65 degrees, and pitch black at night. Make sure the bright white basking bulb (you may need to go up in watts, just buy a regular household halogen indoor flood bulb at Lowes for $5-$10, they work great) is right alongside the UVB tube and both are over his basking spot, as you're trying to replicate natural sunlight as closely as possible, so he must get both at the same time...But your first step must be getting him proper UVB light as he hasn't had any during this time he needs it the most, do not wait to get that safety cover off that fixture, and get that Zilla UVB tube under the mesh and within 6" of him ASAP, it's a very, very weak tube.

Stop the superworms, he's not large enough to handle them, especially when not getting high enough temps and no UVB light, but mainly he shouldn't eat anything larger than the space between his eyes. Superworms are hard for them to digest properly and they shouldn't have them until they're around 16" long. No mealworms at all either, both are a lot of shell and fat. Superworms make a great treat for adults, but you want to gutload crickets or dubia roaches with healthy greens, beardie pellets, etc. and feed those. BSFL/Phoenix Worms/Calciworms are also great staple feeders. But not superworms at his size.

Alright I just replaced the zilla bulb with the reptisun bulb, I don't have anything to mount it for now , but the supplies should be here on the third. I'm getting the right thermometer for him tomorrow as well as a new basking bulb. I normally just feed him crickets dusted with calcium as well as endive. I feel so bad for putting him through this, I honestly thought I was doing everything right.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Unfortunately, things can happen & you are definitely trying your best. Are you going to be
mounting the new tube bulb underneath of the screen, correct?
Superworms can be used as a good feeder, along with other insects, but only after they are at least 16 inches in length. Their intestines have a small curve when they are young which makes them more
vulnerable to impactions or other GI tract troubles.
He should be fine, it might take him a few days to feel better. You can feed some canned pumpkin or sugar free applesauce to help get things moving through, if you are suspicious of a slight impaction.

Tracie

 

[lizardboi17]

Hello,

Unfortunately, things can happen & you are definitely trying your best. Are you going to be
mounting the new tube bulb underneath of the screen, correct?
Superworms can be used as a good feeder, along with other insects, but only after they are at least 16 inches in length. Their intestines have a small curve when they are young which makes them more
vulnerable to impactions or other GI tract troubles.
He should be fine, it might take him a few days to feel better. You can feed some canned pumpkin or sugar free applesauce to help get things moving through, if you are suspicious of a slight impaction.

Tracie

Yes I am definetly mounting my UVB bulb into the enclosure, I was going to do it earlier but the store's nearby didn't carry what I needed so I had to order these things online. I'm getting him a stronger basking light today as well. I'm definetly not going to be feeding him superworms anytime soon. He doesn't seem to have impaction, but I'm going to get him some baby prun food to help things along, I read that can help. He's doing much better today thankfully.