Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all! I'm new to this forum, and was wondering if I might be able to get some advice... Okay, I'm now up to 5 igs and 2 beardies... the beardies are housed separately, but get to free roam occasionally. 2 of the igs are babies, housed separately because of their size, they're TINY. The remaining consist of 1 adult male ig, 1 really-small-for-his-age male ig(juvenile size) and a juvenile unsexed spiny-tailed ig. These 3 free roam together in a spare bedroom, one basking spot, and several warm spots (basking has mercury vapor bulb, others are ceramic heaters, and belly heat) They each share the basking spot evenly, piling on top of each other, and occasionally slink off to a dark warm spot individually. My question comes to feeding the different species. The spiny tailed ig needs insects, and seems to prefer only that over any greens, starving himself until I give in and give him insects. With his size, he loses weight rapidly, so I give in easily. I understand their diet to be very similar to the beardies, so put them together to see how things would go, being similar in size. They got along very well, but Diesel, the spiny tail, HATED being in a cage, and would not eat. After a week and a half, I put him back to free roaming. Unfortunately, I do not have a place to feed Diesel separately, and any place Diesel can get, Nemo can get, and Nemo LOVES insects... so I've discovered. SO... with only one room to use for free roaming space, and 3 igs who HATE cages.... Exactly what should I do to keep Diesel's food safe from Nemo without separating them? Also, how do I get Diesel to eat greens, so that he may get water? He's dehydrated, I've been soaking him, but no change. He WON'T drink on his own, I've been syringe feeding him 1cc of pedialyte every 3 days just to keep his hydration up, but his tail is still very sunken in. He's been to the vet, checks out fine, no parasites, and the pedialyte is per vet's order. But this is the first spiny tail I've ever dealt with, and was wondering if any of you might have suggestions...? I'm used to the overwhelming appetite of my green igs, but is it normal for a spiny tail to eat so little?? Even the insects he only shows interest in maybe twice a week. I keep them available at all times, just in case. I did try a pinkie mouse, to see if he would respond to that, and oh my, he loved it. I've only given him two, but if they trigger a strong feeding response, and will help to put weight back on him, should I continue to offer them? How often? Sorry for the novice questions. I'm by far not a novice herper, but a mere novice with this species. He was a rescue, from my back yard. (Neighbor kid's, his mom made him let it go)
Thanks for any and all help!
Alli Marie

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