Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey everyone,
I just got a tiny little six week old beardie...my question.
How on earth do I make this little thing eat?
...I have 2 other adult beardies, but I have NEVER purchased a baby so tiny before, and I'm absolutely clueless!
Help!
I've given her some tiny pellots, but of course, they're just too large, and even when I soaked them, there's no way she'd eat those nasty things.. haha...
i've also purchased some tiny tiny crickets for her..which she doesn't seem to know what to do with! They're the correct size, but it seems she doesn't know how to 'hunt' yet.
Should I just give her baby food for now?
I just want to ensure she's eating--she seems just a bit clueless at the moment, as I do!
HELP!
-----
Lindsay//

Sometimes hatchlings are very finicky. You actually have to find out what makes them tick. Too small a cricket and they will not eat or too large of one and they will not eat. I have even had some that will only eat dusted crickets at times. Try different size crickets. Like 1/4 inch or 3/16 inch or 3/8. Try dusting them. Sometimes the white against a darker background will help.
Reed's Reptiles

hi
i use a syringe without needle then take it apart so you can put in the back the soaked pellet.
then i use the tip of syringe to open the mouth .
in one hand the beardie chest on my dumb and his head just hanging over it.
you can also try to freez the cricks 1,2 min til they slowed down most of time they go for them if they r abit slower.
you also can try to give some kaytee babyparotfood in a syringe .
hope this helps !!
byeeeee

Lindsay,
I recently also purchased a teeny baby from a petstore. It weighs only 6 grams & is about 4.5 inches long. It was one of the bigger babies in the tank, so I knew it knew how to eat but with the trip home & the new environment of my set-up, it got a little shy. So, I would suggest trying all the other suggestions with cricket sizes, dusting, etc but also not to feed it in it's regular tank.
I would remove the baby and put it in a 6" x 6" little rubbermaid/tupperware enclosure with the crickets dropped in 1-2 at a time. The smaller size of the enclosure made it easier to hunt, not such a vast looking area. Also, dropping the crickets in after the dragon was already in, really caught it's attention & with such a small area to hunt in, the dragon has been pretty successful. I also make sure the feeding bin is warm and well lit. OH....it won't eat if we watch, either! (must be a female

Good luck!

Sharla

Lindsay,
I recently also purchased a teeny baby from a petstore. It weighs only 6 grams & is about 4.5 inches long. It was one of the bigger babies in the tank, so I knew it knew how to eat but with the trip home & the new environment of my set-up, it got a little shy. So, I would suggest trying all the other suggestions with cricket sizes, dusting, etc but also not to feed it in it's regular tank.
I would remove the baby and put it in a 6" x 6" little rubbermaid/tupperware enclosure with the crickets dropped in 1-2 at a time. The smaller size of the enclosure made it easier to hunt, not such a vast looking area. Also, dropping the crickets in after the dragon was already in, really caught it's attention & with such a small area to hunt in, the dragon has been pretty successful. I also make sure the feeding bin is warm and well lit. OH....it won't eat if we watch, either! (must be a female

Good luck!

Sharla