Thanks for answering the questions. It sounds like you're very attached to him already so let's see if we can get him doing better. I did notice some things in your setup that could help make him healthier.
If you could get a measurement on Waldo from his nose to the very tip of his tail, that would be a good idea because I don't think he's only 1 inch long.
The 10 gallon tank is ok for him now since he is so young but once he starts growing, he will outgrow it very quickly. The minimum tank for a full sized beardie is a 40 gallon breeder so would probably be a good idea for you to start looking around for one while you have a little time.
The reptile carpet that you were using before would be much safer for him than the calci-sand as that is very dangerous. Because it contains calcium, it encourages them to lick it then hardens in their bellies like cement and since a baby has a kink in his digestive/intestinal tract, it is extremely hard for him to pass it which causes a very severe impaction. You would be better off going back to the reptile carpet, using paper towels,
non-adhesive shelf liner or slate tiles. Any loose substrate is an impaction risk especially for a baby because they lick a lot & are also clumsy eaters. I suggest you remove the calcium sand right away and can even replace it with paper towels for now.
I was glad to hear that you are using a fluorescent UVB rather than a dangerous coil or compact bulb. Unfortunately, there have been some problems with the Repti-Glo 10.0 fluorescent though. The safest way to use it until it needs replacing in about 5 months, is to make sure that it is right alongside a bright white basking bulb and that it is
10" from your baby when he is in his basking spot. A distance of only 4" from that bulb can cause all kinds of health issues with the most common one being eye symptoms where they close their eyes a lot and can even do some eye damage.
Any type of stick-on thermometer isn't giving you accurate readings and they are only measuring the glass temp which isn't as important to know as the basking & cool side temps. The only 2 ways to get a good reading are with either a temperature gun or a digital thermometer with long wire & probe end. Here's a picture of the digital with probe that I bought at Walmart for about $12.00 and it is the AcuRite brand, well worth the price because it gives you the temp of the basking & cool side at the same time and also has a humidity readout which is a good thing to know.
The way you use this is to lay the thermometer part over on the bottom of the cool side with the probe end resting on the basking surface, wait about 45 min for the temp to stop rising, then the "out" reading will be the basking temp and the "in" reading the cool side temp. It's extremely important to get accurate readings especially for a little baby because if the temps are off, it can increase his chances of getting an upper respiratory infection, prevent proper digestion, decrease in appetite and even cause impaction issues. So, I recommend you get a good thermometer as soon as possible so that you know what the temps really are.
Here's a site that shows the best greens to feed:
http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html You can also throw some fresh greens in with the crickets and they will consume them too.
For a baby, you should be dusting his crickets with calcium with D3 but phosphorus-free 5 days a wk but only 1 feeding a day and with vitamins the other 2 days a wk but only 1 feeding a day. Most of us use the Rep-Cal brand supplements.
http://www.petmountain.com/product/vitamins-supplements/105551/rep-cal-ultrafine-calcium-with-vitamin-d3.html
It's good to hear that Waldo is pooping 1 to 2 times a day. It's a good idea to make sure he is well
hydrated and will also help with a possible impaction from the calci-sand. When you
bathe him, make sure his vent area (where he poos) is right down in the water for about 15 to 20 min for proper
hydration and a
bath 3 to 4 times a wk is a good idea. Make sure you test the water temp by the inside of your wrist, should feel warm but not cold or hot. You can add enough water to cover his front legs but be sure to watch him very closely as they can drown very quickly.
I know this is a lot of info to absorb but making the changes as recommended will make a difference in his total health. Once you get a good thermometer, we can help with adjusting the temps and because he is making some clicking sounds, we might need to raise his temperatures up a little but you can't really do that until you find out what the actual temps are now. It would be a good idea to make sure he is kept warmer at night so you could take a sock, fill it with rice, microwave for about 15 to 20 seconds (test the temp by the side of your cheek to make sure that it's not too hot), wrap the rice sock up in a washcloth or small towel then wrap your beardie and the sock up together in a big fluffy towel. You can reheat the sock as often as needed. It is also possible that he is opening his mouth quite a bit because his tank is too warm. So, there are some things that we can go over once you get the other thermometer. Also make sure to move the
UVB light so that it is no closer than 10" from him. But, if the clicking sounds from his mouth continue, he should see a vet to have him checked for an upper respiratory infection because if he has one, he will need antibiotics to help it clear up.
If you have any questions, let me know. :wink:
