Very low appetites

[ColdBloodedLove]

Hi Everyone!

I am new to the forums and would appreciate a little advice.
I have two male bearded dragons, they're about 4 years old. Each is housed in separate 4x2x2 enclosure with non-adhesive self liner, a 10.0 reptisun fluorescent bulb and a 5 watt white light heating bulb. They have access to water, a cool/hiding spot as well as perching directly under the heating bulb. Everyday they are offered greens (and sometimes fruit) as well as super worms and wax worms.

Two weeks ago I've moved from my summer home to where I live during school. Both before and after this move, they have both been very finicky and don't seem to want to eat much of anything. I am offering super worms and waxies at least 3 times day and replace their greens (either collard greens or kale and arugula) every morning. SOMETIMES I can wedge a piece of fruit into their mouths and get them to eat it, but I end up chasing them all around- they really aren't willing participants.

In the past they have been very good eaters, but stubborn non-eating-ness is their new trend. Nothing suits them anymore. I've tried silk worms, Phoenix worms, meal worms, crickets and 2 kinds of roaches. Everything they get sick of. One lizard (Scooby) seems afraid of fruit, he runs away every time I try to hand him some. And the other lizard (Sandy) will only eat fruit if I physically put it in his mouth- he doesn't seem able to scoop it up into his mouth on his own, he just shoves it around the cage floor, smearing it around.

So, I am at a loss. What should a good lizard mom do? They aren't losing weight- they still move around and are alert. No one has pooping problems. So I am really concerned. I don't want them to starve themselves, but I don't know what else to offer!

If you have any experience in this, or any suggestions or tips I would GREATLY appreciate any input!!

Thanks everybody!

 

[bumblebee]

This might be a silly question, but have they brumated before? Here's the link to the article about it: http://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/brumation/ My boy is only about 7 months old, so he's never brumated before, but it's getting to be that time of year.

Have you had a fecal exam done on them recently? Lack of appetite can sometimes be caused by parasites.

 

[ColdBloodedLove]

They've never TRULY brumated before... I have not been comfortable/confident enough to try! It seems weird to me to just file them away for a long time and not have them eat/be out...
I know they're reptiles... and I'm projecting my emotions onto their biology.. but I'm too afraid I will do something wrong, or something bad will happen.

But reading the full article makes me feel like this is definitely the case for Sandy. He keeps going under his log and has actually scraped away the top half of the shelf liner!!

So maybe I shall just leave him be... I will soak him once a week, but if I see him up I will offer him food...

Scooby on the other hand has not been hiding and isn't sleeping. He's a rather big dragon and has a good amount of meat on his bones. So I am not AS worried about him not eating, because he is still very much active and alert. I just wish I could get them to have a better diet than superworms and wax worms. Apparently they haven't read the dragon book that says they're supposed to LOVE fruits and veggies...

 

[bumblebee]

I'm glad it sounds like Sandy is just slowing down and brumating

Fruits really should only be offered occasionally as a treat because beardies don't handle a lot of sugar well. You can try different greens and see if you can find something else they might like. Turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, dandelion greens, endive, and escarole are all great staple greens for beardies. Kale isn't that good because it contains oxalates, which bind calcium. Squash is also really good for them. I've tried acorn squash and butternut squash with my beardie, and he loves butternut squash on top of his greens. This website is really helpful in knowing what foods are good for them (it's even color coded ) http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html

Another trick some people find helpful is not offering live bugs every day. At 4 years old, they should be getting around 35-50 feeders per week (depending on the size of the bug - crickets would be closer to 50, while supers would be closer to 35). So you can spread the number of feeders out over fewer days (for example, offer about 7 superworms every other day, rather than 5 every day). You can also try offering the salad first thing in the morning, and waiting to feed them bugs until later in the day, so they are more likely to eat the salad. You mentioned waxworms as well - they are high in fat, and should be another occasional food.

Hope that helps!

 

[Esther19]

You can give Sandy a washcloth or soft piece of blanket to scratch around with. One of mine is brumating. I wake him weekly for a drink, and when he returns to his hide he likes to rearrange his blanket.

 

[battlenation]

You mentioned you are using a 5 watt for basking right. Have you checked there basking temps to see if there 100-105. I don't think a 5 watt would get them close to 95 degrees. 95 degrees is the minimum temp to digest there food. Hope this helps with your situation. Really think this could be your problems with both. Great that you have them housed separately. I just seen two juvies fight at the pet store earlier bad. Tap the glass and stopped and happy to be at the right place at right time. Manager took care of it housed alone now. Even apologied for me seeing this happen.

 

[ColdBloodedLove]

Bumblebee-
The lizards do only get fruit offered to them occasionally, because neither of them are that crazy about it. This is also the first time I have ever offered them Kale... I just was trying different things to see if I could get them to eat SOMETHING. They like the arugula best. I've tried endive, escarole, collard greens and a few others. And like you had mentioned, all of the greens are offered first thing in the morning. then whether they eat it or not, I offer bugs in the evenings/late afternoons. They don't seem to like much :/ they're just brats when it comes to food!
About once a week or so, they will scarf down 7 or 8 super worms, but other than that, it's only 1 or 2 a day. If that. I know they aren't reaching 35 a week. I only offer wax worms as a last ditch effort when they won't have any super worms. So I don't know what their deal is. To me, it feels like they aren't eating as much as I think they should be, especially when I hear about what other owners do. I will have to try the squash, like you suggested. see if a totally new food item would spark their interest in veggies again!

Esther19- I will have to offer him a little blanket to ruffle up! Thank you for the suggestion! Maybe that will make him happy instead of tearing holes in my lovely shelf lining...

Battlenation- I think that was a typo on my part. The heating bulbs are 75** watt- not five lol The cool end of the enclosure is about 86 and the basking temp is about 101 to 104, depending on the ambient temperature of my apartment. So, that part they should be okay.
And yeah- they have to be separate- they seriously hate each other, even though they are brothers lol Thankfully I witnessed the beginnings of what would have been their first fight- so they've been separated from an early age and have had no active combat roles like the ones in the pet store haha

thank you all for your feedback- I really appreciate the insight and suggestions! Puts a worrying mind at ease

 

[bumblebee]

Glad we could help

 

[battlenation]

Dragons like to take a break from the lights and heat. So your cool end should be 78-80 and basking seems good. That's really good to try different things like most even us people have are favorites and hopefully you come a cross that for them. I did dubi and mustard greens. I usually have to stop feeding she doesn't on her own mainly because she has been throwing up lately. Avoiding the vomiting

 

[ColdBloodedLove]

Avoiding vomit is generally a good life strategy! Mine have never done that thankfully- it would scare the bejesus outta me.

I'm currently working on finding replacement batteries for my little hanging/cord thermometers, so once they're back up and running, i will put one of the cords under the hide and see if thats cooler than 80 under there. Hopefully it is otherwise i will have to devise some larger shading/cooling devise for them...

 

[battlenation]

Your talking about the probe right as the cord you mentioned right. There like little dime batteries and not to hard to find found mine at jewel cost a bit tho then double A's. I hate when she vomits twice now but just doesn't know when to stop eating. I only feed once daily now and seems to stop with vomiting. The cool end is just a hang out area and they like to thermo regulate so if they wanna cool down go and hang out at the cool end grab some greens and feel like basking and they do what they feel. You use any nighttime bulbs for them. As long as your house temp doesn't go below 65 degrees at nite there's no need for added heat. Other then that best wishes to your two guys and to you take it easy.

 

[snazzyglasses]

Apparently they haven't read the dragon book that says they're supposed to LOVE fruits and veggies...

Lol apparently our dragons haven't read it either! They're such brats about anything that isn't a feeder... :\
And fingers and toes are crossed for you and your beardies! <3

 

[ColdBloodedLove]

Yes, exactly- the probe thermometers with the cords leading to the display.
I just haven't gotten a chance to go to the store yet!

My apt. Complex is super warm, so unless I run my AC, it's never colder than 71 degrees in here. Which is nice for them, so I don't have anything running at night.

I'm hoping the squash idea and letting Sandy hunker down will settle some of these''disagreements'' we've been having.

Thanks again and have a good weekend!

 

[battlenation]

Sounds great and best regards with everything. You have a great weekend too.

 

[miloandrufusdragons]

My dragons have a fairly low appetite too when it comes to veggies. They eat like up to 6 pieces of greens like 4x a week. Other times one just picks out carrots. They're 3 years old.