Trivial Question

[beardiesrawsome5]

the reason your beardie isint eating much because its stressed from going to enclosure to enclosur you should switch your substarate to newspaper or calci sand as he is a baby and i had the same problem now my beardies eat around 12 to 14 crickets in less than 40 seconds they go jurassic park on them crickets.

 

[spurlee01]

Try turning the repti-glo 2.0 off and see if that helps. It may not make any difference because, to the best of my understanding, that bulb basically does nothing. I do agree that newspaper or paper towel (my choice at the moment) would be much better for your dragon, but I know that you know the debate so I won't go there. My honest guess is that lack of appetite has something to do with lack of UVB or temps not being what you think they are.
Sara

 

[Benedict]

Is there any reason to believe that when I put the the thermometer itself directly under the basking lamp, it would be inaccurate? (also, I actually have two different ones with which I can check). And for the record, the dragon will sit directly under the lamp.

Also, if it's lack of UVB, would taking him outside for a while to bask in natural sunlight help? Where I am, the peak temperature is about 96 degrees right now.

--edit--

Further, if the heat was problematic, why hasn't it happened before?

 

[spurlee01]

I have heard of people who put a probe thermometer in the same exact spot where they had their stick-on and found it to be a 20*F difference. Being outside will definitely help. If your dragon is gaping a lot, it's time to move to shade or come inside. A few short 15 minute sessions would be better to begin to get your dragon used to the outdoors. Heat fluctuated a lot depending on room temperature. My boyfriend's room and mine are only different by a couple degrees, but when we moved tanks, it made a difference of about 10 degrees. You would be surprised at the difference a few degrees makes for a dragon. My girl started acting funny today and the first thing I did was tape down the probe so she would stop moving it and I could get a good reading. Is your dragon still not eating?
Sara

 

[Benedict]

No, he finally has eaten, although it was only when I changed feeding methods. I tried the bowl again, and it's like he can't see them right in there. So what I did, was I picked him up (gently, of course) and held him right in front of the cricket holder and he jumped in and ate about 6 or 7 of them.

I get the feeling that this an issue with the shedding, more and more, because he still happily basks on his rock and it kind of seems like he can't see as well as before.

--edit--

By the way, would a reading from http://www.petmountain.com/product/...o-med-digital-thermometer-for-terrariums.html be considered accurate enough, in your opinion?

 

[ajo]

--edit--

By the way, would a reading from http://www.petmountain.com/product/...o-med-digital-thermometer-for-terrariums.html be considered accurate enough, in your opinion?

Yes, that will be much more accurate, yet still affordable. You can do us all a favor and place the probe of said thermometer next to the stick on thermometer and take a picture after 45 minutes.

While on the petmountain website, I suggest picking up a reptiSUN 10.0 UVB bulb, it is affordable and will give you proper UVB light. You can also get a fixture for it on petmountain or pick one up Walmart.

Some beardies are more comfortable eating in a separate area. However, I believe that your beardies lack of appetite has to do more with his current shed and relocation stress. Just feed him as much as he will eat in a 5-15 minute period, as long as he shows any interest in food you shouldn't have a problem. In time you will wish he ate less... as they become quite ravenous eaters. "If" or should I say "when" you get fed up with buying crickets, PM me and I can tell you all about the benefits of roaches.

 

[Benedict]

For the record, the moment I get paid, I'll get all this stuff (including the Reptisun 10.0 fluorescent), but for right now, I simply have to make do with what I have.

 

[Benedict]

Update. He ate five more crickets last night and six this morning.

 

[zebraflavencs]

Ah better and better ! Hurray for pay day !
Janie.

 

[Benedict]

It has officially started shedding, at least from its legs, and ate 6 more crickets.

 

[Benedict]

Okay, update. I finally got all that stuff, Reptisun, thermometer, etc. I also got a few different kinds of worms: phoenix, silk, and very small supers (which came directly recommended to me by the woman that runs Atomic Lizard Ranch). I managed to get a few phoenix worms from a friend a few days ago, and have been only feeding two a day to it for the past three days so its stomach can get used to it.

For the record, ever since I started feeding it phoenix worms, its uptake in crickets has dramatically increased. I think he just needed variety.

Anyhow, I just got the other two types of worms today, and I know you're only supposed to feed it one or two for the first few days, but I wasn't sure if it was safe to introduce both types at the same time.

 

[Benedict]

Two other questions. Firstly, is it okay for him to eat the silk of the silkworms? Secondly, he does love the Reptisun, but maybe a bit too much. He'll try to get as close to the bulb as he possibly can (like, within an inch) and when basking in it turns weird, brownish black colors, almost completely losing any hint of orange, is this normal?

 

[spurlee01]

I know nothing about silkworms, sorry. But as for the reptisun, it is recommended that they get no closer than 6" (some people say 4"). My beardie and my boyfriends do turn a darker color when basking, I think it helps them absorb heat.
Sara

 

[Benedict]

Also, this thermometer is giving me really inconsistent readings. I'll put it in the hotspot and it'll take thirty minutes to get a stable reading, and then adjust it slightly, and it'll go up to 130 in 5 minutes, and there's not really enough heatsource in there to produce that kind of temperature.

 

[spurlee01]

What wattage bulb do you have? How close is it to the basking spot?