What to do next?

[Sandraorlando]

Ok got my beardie yesterday, he ate a couple dead crickets I gave him but won't eat the live( I feed him in a separate container) he ate a couple veggies but today nothing, not even the dead ones. I thought they eat about 30 a day. He is also very dark I understand that may because of stress. I have his temps 90 warm side, 82 cold side, 108 for the basking. Now I'm using two digital thermometers and a temp gun lol so hopefully my temps are accurate and I give him veggies in a bowl. It's chopped up collard greens, mustard greens, kale, and turnip greens, with chopped up red peppers to give it color. I'm just worried if he goes to long without eating he could hurt himself. I do have chicken babyfood but I was told to only use that if it gets really bad. Any advise on what to do now? I just wanna make sure he eats. And I don't use sand, I use paper towels as substrate. Thank you!!

 

[AHBD]

Hi Sandra....it's very common for new beardies to go through " relocation stress" and they may not develop a good appetite for a week or two average. Just give him time to settle in. Did you kill the crickets before feeding ? Or were they canned crickets ?

 

[Sandraorlando]

Some of the crickets were dead already so I just put them on his basking Rock and he ate them all. It was only like 6. Now he is a baby bearded dragon. Can they go a week without eating?

 

[AHBD]

If the crix were just freshly dead it's O.K, but you don't want to use ones that are dead for hours in the cricket bin. Are the crix very small, no longer than the space between his eyes ? That's how small they need to be....if they are too large that can cause impaction. He will probably eat some more before a week goes by. See how he does tomorrow. You can also dribble some water on his snout to give him a drink.

 

[Sandraorlando]

Well he did just poop lol so I think it's a good sign. And I did use a piece of kale and dunked it in the water and he was licking the kale. And how about freeze dried crickets. Are they ok?

 

[Sandraorlando]

this is the black color

 

[AHBD]

That's good that he licked the water off the kale. Make sure to offer more water in a similar way, or with an eyedropper or feeding syringe. His color is typical if he's a bit nervous....he looks healthy there,just give him some time + he should do fine.

 

[sandstorm10112]

I was reading some articles and i saw you have to dust with calcium dust. Do you dust the crickets when they are alive? I have had my bearded dragon for a few weeks and i haven't been doing that. i have been feeding her/him live crickets and meal-worms with no calcium dust. I have no clue if she/he is a Lawson or regular beardie. So i don't know if that will effect.She/he is probably a few weeks old according to pet co. PLZ HELP!

 

[AHBD]

Hi Sandstorm....If you start your own thread you can get answers to all your questions and it won't get mixed up with this beardie's situation. But yes, you do need to dust the insects with calcium....and be very careful with mealworms, they can cause impaction in baby beardies.