Tiny baby not eating still

[Puffybeardie]

Hey,

So I posted on here recently about my baby beardie not eating. We have had her 6 weeks and were told she was 6 weeks then. She was eating pretty well at first we got small brown crickets. But then she started to get a bit scared of them, she would run up her log or jump away and stopped eating as much. We tried dubia roaches and she would get a couple now a day. Then we got calci worms 3 days ago. We try her every couple hours to eat and she will only eat 2 max at a time. The most is 6 for the past couple days except yesterday she ate 3 She’s only 4 1/2 inches long. She’s thin, she had water fine. She poo’s still.

On advice from here I got a reflector, and she has an Arcadia 10% UVB bulb.(I had that already is that the right one?) it’s a T8. She has basking temps of 105- 110 she does bask but mostly likes to sit under the uvb light on the log a lot. I have included a picture of her set up. I know that the heat bulb is low and i am waiting for my partner to return to drill the hole to bring it up but I lowered the log and she’s a good 5 inches from it.

Should I take her to the vet? Will she gradually eat more and more. It is definitely increasing in volume but yesterday not so much and I’m worried she’s not growing.

Thanks for any help!

 

[Puffybeardie]

I meant to add I have to feed her by putting her on the tile and dripping the bugs in front of her. She will either eat one or two then jump on the log or just straight away jump on the log.

 

[KarrieRee]

I meant to add I have to feed her by putting her on the tile and dripping the bugs in front of her. She will either eat one or two then jump on the log or just straight away jump on the log.

Are you offering any salads now? Nutrition Content ignore the kale thing its a good staple feeder-- If not please start and please get her some BSFL also known as calci worms phoenix worms or nutri grubs--- DO NOT dust them - use them as lures to the salad bowl but you will need a bowl that she can get into and the worms cant get out something like this
https://www.amazon.com/MACGOAL-Rept...uGQB&pd_rd_wg=tLkwE&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_d
Feed as many as you want they are a great staple feeder- the crickets make sure your dusting those and the roaches w/ calcium 5 x per week ONCE per feeding lightly coated and vitamins w/ beta carotene 2 x per week ONCE per feeding lightly coated - feed them before your crickets / roaches you want her eating some salad - the insects are the main diet for now but you do want her eating some salad
It is good she is eating and has not stopped its when they stop eating there is a issue- it sounds like shes still going thru relocation stress -- shes basking too thats good --- make sure she is hydrated -- either by offering water on her nose or bathing her - but I really dont recommend that as it will stress her out more -- so I would drop water on the nose to see if she will drink-- rinse your greens before serving that is the main way they get hydration - the roaches will stay in the bowl that I posted -- make sure you drop the BSFL in the bowl in front of her it will get her attention - just keep feeding her but I do recommend a different bowl the one in the tank looks like she cant get in -- can you post a pic of her so we can see her whole body you said she was thin

 

[Puffybeardie]

Thanks for your reply.

That dish is just one I had there to put the worms in while I drop them on the floor for her. I have several shallow dishes but she won’t eat from them. I offer her a dish of kale chopped up or pak Choi everyday she used to eat some but has stopped. I still offer it though.

I give her a combination of calci worms and dubia roaches. She won’t eat crickets anymore.

I dust the roaches but not the worms.

I’ll take a picture in a bit as I have popped out

 

[KarrieRee]

Thanks for your reply.

That dish is just one I had there to put the worms in while I drop them on the floor for her. I have several shallow dishes but she won’t eat from them. I offer her a dish of kale chopped up or pak Choi everyday she used to eat some but has stopped. I still offer it though.

I give her a combination of calci worms and dubia roaches. She won’t eat crickets anymore.

I dust the roaches but not the worms.

I’ll take a picture in a bit as I have popped out

Ok add the worms to the tops of her salads the movement will get her to the bowl - first use the BSFL -- does she like the BSFL? She likes the roaches better?

 

[Puffybeardie]

Will do that from now on. She loved the roaches then went off them but now likes them again. She likes the worms but as I say she only eats 2 then runs off to her favourite log.

Thanks for the help.

 

[KarrieRee]

Will do that from now on. She loved the roaches then went off them but now likes them again. She likes the worms but as I say she only eats 2 then runs off to her favourite log.

Thanks for the help.

As far as the 10% bulb I would see if you can get a 12% bulb and go that route - its still the T 8 I believe and keep the same distance

 

[Puffybeardie]

As far as the 10% bulb I would see if you can get a 12% bulb and go that route - its still the T 8 I believe and keep the same distance

Ok i will get one. Here’s a picture of her.

 

[KarrieRee]

Ok i will get one. Here’s a picture of her.

She is really tiny and I was looking at the back tail bone - at the base -- I am going to flag your post and see what AHBD recommends as far as getting more food into her -- the UVB bulb may make a difference in the appetite especially if shes doing a lot of basking under it --
@AHBD

 

[AHBD]

Hi there, that's a very nice set up and hopefully she'll get over whatever is ailing her. I always suggest starting a tiny baby out in a smaller enclosure so there is no chance of getting too far from the heat or uvb. It would be good to have another low watt heat bulb on the other side to brighten it + add a little more heat.
Her size is a concern, I have hatched babies that came out at 4-4.5 inches so wherever you got her from is selling babies too young + small, it makes it increases the chance of them not thriving if something is off even a little bit in their care. BTW, is her tail broke at one point ? As far as a vet, I would only take a tiny baby to a VERY experienced reptile vet that has good reviews on treating beardies. Otherwise the vet can do more harm than good.

 

[Puffybeardie]

Thanks for your replies.

Her tail has always been like that I think. Now I have been researching even more I had thought she was too young. I will get another bulb on the other side but will that mean less of a cool side? What wattage would you suggest? She only spends time on one side of the vivarium really.

She’s such a lovely beardie. I have spent most of my time trying to get her to eat so I hope she catches up. I will give her a bit more time before I got the vet route.

 

[AHBD]

You are doing a really good job taking care of her/him and she really is a sweet looking little thing, it's very easy to get attached. She was probably a little younger than what they told you and since she isn't eating much she's stunted but can recover. It's good that you offer a variety, always be sure that the crickets and dubia are smaller than the space between her eyes. Do you know what the temp. is on the cool side floor ? And is her tail bent in 2 different places ?

 

[Puffybeardie]

It’s around 80 degrees on the cool side.

Thank you, it is troubling to see her not eat. Her tail does have two bends one near the bottom too. I was worried it was calcium but I have been dusting though thinking of that she doesn’t eat much so if probably still not getting enough. I do get small roaches as she is tiny.

Not sure how to get her to have more calcium.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

She is a little cutie. Everything looks good in her tank. It is sometimes really hard to get them to eat right! If you feel she could use a bit
more calcium you can dust her green a little if she eats greens or consider a liquid calcium, either way.
Hopefully her tail wont get any worse, as long as her system will absorb calcium properly.
Let us know how she is doing.

Tracie

 

[Puffybeardie]

Hello,

She is a little cutie. Everything looks good in her tank. It is sometimes really hard to get them to eat right! If you feel she could use a bit
more calcium you can dust her green a little if she eats greens or consider a liquid calcium, either way.
Hopefully her tail wont get any worse, as long as her system will absorb calcium properly.
Let us know how she is doing.

Tracie

I think she’s just so adorable! She has only eaten two calci worms today. But I’ll keep trying. No greens. I have ordered some liquid calcium! Thanks for the tip. Do you think I could mix it with water as she likes drinking from syringe.

Thanks again.