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There is only one thing that I cannot stand about breeding beardeds. Its the worry I have every time I feed the baby hatchlings that someone is going to get a tail or toe nip. I worry about it before the babies even hatch and for some reason no matter how hard I try and how much I do to prevent it, it still happens! Last year I had 2 tail nips and 1 toe nip. That was out of 93 babies or so. But each time I cried and felt so horrible. Yeah I know, im sensitive.

This morning I was feeding the babies and in the rubbermaid bin I noticed a cricket walking across the middle of the floor (instead of along the sides). It was close to the huddle of babies basking. As I was going to reach in and shew it away one of the babies went for it on anothers tail and accidently got ahold of the babies tail! He/she bit real hard on the side of its cagemates tail. I immediately grabbed the baby, who didnt even seem to notice (I can never understand that). Anyways, the chewed portion of the tail wasnt completely severed. I soaked it in a betadine solution and then applied neosporin. I feel so horrible. The couple nips last year and this one this year all happened while I was feeding them crickets. Each time I wasnt fast enough to move the cricket out of a bad situation for the babies.

I feed them 3 times a day and dont have many to a cage at all. They have greens in their cage at all times (which I have seen them eat). I even hand feed them daily, or every other day. Is it my bad luck? Or am I over reacting? Is there something I am doing wrong? Poor little fellow

well I just needed to vent. I feel horrible. If anyone can help or think of something I can do differently that would be great. Also are there any breeders out there that are willing to tell how many nips they have had or average per clutch or so many babies? Just curious. Most probably wont tell. Take care, Lindsay

ps. Will the baby definitely lose that prtion of his tail? (From the bite down) or is it possible for it to heal? I will continue to soak it daily, for the next week or so.

sorry, ive never bred bearded dragons before, but i am this week (yes i know exciting!!) lol, but im j/ as sensitive and i know im gonna worry so much! so i hope more ppl answer this post, cuz im curious too!
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~David - KDRKreatures
1.2 Bearded dragons (Ralph, Artemis, Cheech)
1.0 Veiled Chameleon (Chiquito)

KDRKreatures-Home Page
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It really depends on how severe the bite is. If it is just a teeny nip, then it has a fair chance of healing. A big chunk has a higher chance of dying.

I have had four clutches of babies. They were from last year.
All four of the clatches were different. My techniques for feeding
them also changed with the batches. The first two batches were fine,
no tail nips, nothing. I fed them inside their tank, just threw the
crickets in and that was it. The third batch waw different. The
babies came out of their eggs with their mouths open trying to attack
me! They took awhile to learn that I was not going to hurt them and
that I was their caretaker. They mellowed out but then tail nips started
to happen. It wasn't when I was feeding them and they were pretty bad
nip/bites. I guess they were not getting enough food or somthing even
though I thought they were. I tried giving them more food and it kept
happening. It wasn't that many bites like 5 or so but that was way too
many for my likeing. I found the culprit and I seperated him from the
rest and that solved my problem. The last batch was also fine. I think
it is a matter of the genetics and things that you have no control over.
As long as you feed them well and don't keep that many to a continer than
I think a nip once and awhile it to be expected. Feeding your babies
in a seperate container with not as many should help. sry for so long

vic

Hi
last year i got my first babie dragons !
i noticed when i dropped in jumping alive and kicking cricks a short of eating freanzy startert like you see with sharks !!!
so they looks what move and jumps and if they see a toe moving then they go for the toe ,a acident most of time .
lucky i not got a bited of toe but i saw the change whas there !!
so then i dicide to cool of my cricks just til they jsut stop move there legss for small cricks is 20-40 sec enough look every 20 sec .
then i dropt them in and put calsium powder on it it also stick good then .
after 4-5 min they start to move again but they r slower ,so also the hunt for the beardoe go slower .
they reconize more the crick,and not wil bite by acident on a other beardie so fast !!
i hatch now round the 90 beardies and not one lost a toe r tail .
i have a feeling tis the way i give the cricks to them.
and afcourse i feed them much .
hope he doing wel goodluck with the beardie !
byeeeeeeee

Even if you keep optimal conditions for your baby dragons you're still probably going to get the occasional nip as long as you have so many baby lizards. It's like the law of probability or something. Sooner or later, one of those dozens of babies you breed each year is going to think another's tail or toe is a cricket and so the occasional bite is hard to prevent.

It sounds like you're doing a good job, 2-3 bites out of 93 babies sounds good to me!

I know accidents happen and its bound to happen, but I just feel like I try sooooooo hard and I let them down when it happens. Its my responsibility to keep them safe

I am not sure whether or not he/she will lose that portion of the tail, but I will try my hardest so that he/she doesnt. I soaked the tail again today and applied a small amount of neosporin again. If I didnt see it happen I would never of noticed it, its hard to see.

I will also try b22 suggestion about freezing the crickets a little, so it slows them down. Anything is worth a try. Thanks again everyone! Take care, Lindsay

ps. I am also going to buy another aquarium just to be a little safer! I know I worry a lot!