Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got my first two beardies this weekend. One is from the same clutch as the picture shown just below by Cornelus85.

So far this one has not been a good eater. I have offered him small crickets 3-4 times a day and he has only eaten one one occations. He did also eat a mouthfull of greens but only once that I have seen. He is drinking water though.

I feed him in a small tank (5.5 gal) by himself so that he does not have to compete with the other beardie I bought which is slightly bigger/older.

The other one is a great eater and they are both active and alert so I don't know if it has anything to do with their enclosure. Any tips on what to do?
-----
Oilfan94 - Big Mike

Mike, the fact that the smaller/younger one is in with the larger one most the time may have an affect on his eating, even if you are taking him out and feeding him separately.

Its not unusual especially if they were not together before for one to be intimidated of the other and cause him not to eat. Any way you can separate them for a few days and see?

Thanks for the reply,
It turns out that, like most non-feeding problems, the key was patients on my part. The little guy is eating a lot more now. He's not an eating machine yet but hopfully soon. I had thought about the stress factor because of the other dragon but when I watch them together in the enclosure I get the feeling that the little guy is more comfortable than the bigger one. Still I might try seperating them.

What did seem to work was putting a heat lamp right on the small feeding tank while he is in there. I didn't measure the temp in there but I'm sure it would get warmer than 110. I don't leave him in there too long...just long enough to heat right up and see if he's going to eat.

>>Mike, the fact that the smaller/younger one is in with the larger one most the time may have an affect on his eating, even if you are taking him out and feeding him separately.
>>
>>Its not unusual especially if they were not together before for one to be intimidated of the other and cause him not to eat. Any way you can separate them for a few days and see?
-----
Oilfan94 - Big Mike