What should she be eating?

[ABLuvsKatie]

I'm sorry, I guess I'm too methodical for guesswork - guesswork scares me. We brought home our 18 month old female (she's about 18 inches nose to tail) yesterday. I'm trying to give her time to adjust, trying not to worry that she hasn't eaten. But I'm also wondering what I should expect her to eat and how much should be "normal" and how long I should let her go without eating before I worry.

The man we got her from, tossed his last two live crickets in the tank as we loaded her up yesterday. One either got out or died under the sand or stuff in her tank...the other my daughter took out this morning because it was just sitting on her back...hopping all around but she wasn't interested. She's had veggies, they said sweet potatoes are her favorite, but she hasn't touched them. We also put in a couple dried mealworms and a dried cricket - hoping she'll go for those. She doesn't seem anxious or stressed by the move but she's not interested in the food either. I'll give her some time, though.

But, what should her normal routine/diet be? At 18 months - what SHOULD she be eating daily? Do I put the vitamins and calcium on everything I give her?

 

[gandhi]

Hey - As knowone has answered you I wanted to bump up your post so someone can. Has she started eating yet? If not I can help a little -

BD's can suffer really badly from relocation stress so give her a week or so before you worry - just keep offering her food! If she still hasn't eaten you can try giving her squash baby food (either from your finger or a needless syringe). that should at least give her a bit of food.

As for how much food - I'm not entirely sure about an adult because mines still a baby but id guess at about 2-5 large crickets a day and as much salad as she wants - Someone else can confirm this for you

I would add that any live crickets she doesn't eat make sure you take them straight out because if they get hungry they will bite your little BD.

Hope this helps a bit

Gina

 

[ABLuvsKatie]

She's eating turnip greens - but mostly just when they're hand fed from my daughter. And I don't think a lot - nothing to compare it to. Her previous owner said she loves sweet potatoes but we're not having any luck with that or the squash. She did eat some live crickets yesterday - maybe 4 or 5 but I'm not at all sure. I'll try more crickets tomorrow I guess.

She's pooped twice since we got her Saturday - joy, joy.

I should've mentioned too that she didn't have a UV light till last evening. They gave us a bulb that had "just" burned out but I don't know how long they'd had that bulb and how long it might not have been actually giving her any UV. But she should be back on track with that so hopefully she'll settle in and start to feel better than ever really soon!

 

[gandhi]

Ok - Well that great that she's eating something! Gandhi hardly ate a thing for 2 weeks when I brought him home! here are a list of different veggies you can try (take note of the colour key!) http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html
Keeping leaving a bowl in there and she will start eating on her own eventually.

The UV light will have made alot of difference so hopefully now she'll come round. What UV light are you using? It needs to be a strip type (not a compact coil) most people use a reptisun 10 (not reptiglo as these are also proven bad bulbs).

Poop sounds good too!!!