Very active Beardie not eating.

[MichelleStewart]

I have a beardie that is about nine months old. Puff the Magic Bearded Dragon has stopped eating for about a week now. He is very agitated and scratches at his tank all of the time. I have been feeding both him and Jackie Paper greens, crickets and superworms. Now she has stopped eating also. She is about three years old but I got her after I got Puff. She is very docile but he will spike you if you don't hold him in a towel. This morning very early (3am) he sat on my chest for over an hour. Is it too early for brumation? He is extremely active for that. He mostly scratches the end of the tank where the TV is. I don't know if he can see the colors but that is the end he prefers. I do have the UVB and UVA lights. I also have some ceramic heating lamps that I took off of the tank because they get too hot. Today I gave both of them a bath but I didn't notice him drinking. She did have a bowel movement in the tub. He had a "smear." After that, I drain the tub and refill it. After their bath I wrap them in towels and hold them for a while. Right now they are doing the arm waving and head bobbing.

I don't know if puff is going into puberty or what. He did "connect" with Jackie a couple of months ago but there was no clutch. I presumed he was just too young. My main concern is that they aren't eating. I offer them the food and the greens dry up and the crickets and worms die. I don't know what to do with him but he remains extremely active. When he claws at the glass after a time, I take him out of the tank. I do have a large critter ball that I put him in to roll around the house in. Jackie has mastered the ball but Puff hasn't yet.

I don't want to force feed him if this is a normal part of a beardies life cycle. I do have some caloric supplement but I will wait until I hear from you before I give it to him. He isn't even really "tasting" everything like he used to. He has had two very small stools in the tub and "urine" today but that is it. I presume that since he isn't eating that he won't evacuate his bowels.

Please help!!

Thanks,
Michelle

 

[CooperDragon]

Since they are active it sounds more hormone related than brumation or illness. I'd keep offering food but let them take what they want. It's important to keep them separated and out of sight from one another. Otherwise I'd keep them on regular routines as much as possible and wait this phase out. It lasts different amounts of time depending on the dragon.