Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just got my three baby dragons Wednesday. I had been preparing for two solid months and the dragons looked good while in their 20 gallon tank with paper tower on the bottom, a basking rock, 110 degree basking temp and 78 degree cool end. I decided to feed them all seperately in a feeding tank twice a day and the male and the smaller female eat like pigs, but the larger female hasn't eaten since her first day, and she only ate 8-9 1/4 inch crickets. She is really getting thin and I though it might be parasites, but she is very young and her last two dropping looked completely normal. When she is in the feeding tank, she just ignores the crickets and claws the glass. I've tried putting more or less crickets in with her, covering the sides of the tank, and giving her plenty of time to eat. I'm really concerned and frustrated, please help me

Some of the basic questions, are all three housed together? If so could be stress. Are you leaving greens in their tank with them? Will she eat superworms or other insects? Maybe I forgot but how old are they?

First and foremost I doubt if she is sick so maybe that will bring you some comfort.

Secondly, I think she is probably stressed and that's why she's not eating. It could be from a few different things. One being her cage mates. Maybe one or both of the other two are causing her stress which might make her lose her appetite. Not neccesarily just during eating time but other times as well.

Maybe it's her environment that is causing her stress. She's in this brand new environment and it make take her a week or so to settle in and become comfortable enough to eat on her own.

Or it could be because she's sick but from what I gather that's probably the least likely cause of the problem right now.

You may have to seperate her from her cagemates. At least for a while until she gets a chance to settle into her new environment. Keep in mind you will need to seperate the male from the females in the future anyway so now may be a good time to some supplies and get the stressed girl out. Maybe when she calms down you can try and reintroduce her back to her cagemate. Sometimes animals just get stressed in new homes.

You could take a good look at the environment she's in. Is there a lot of traffic, noise, etc? Maybe try covering the sides of her tank (not just the feeding tank) so it doesn't look so open all the time.

I don't think 2 days is anything to be overly concerned about with food but make sure you get some water in her regardless of anything else you do.

Has she had a drink lately? You might want to go get some pedialyte to replace the fluids she has lost. I really think that should probably be your first step if she seems dehydrated or hasn't taken a drink since you've had her.

If she still doesn't eat in a day or two I'd start feeding her some mashed up pellets or chicken baby food by a syringe. If she's still dehydrated you can mix some pedialyte in there as well. Oh yeah, throw a little calcium in the mix while you're at it(just as you would dust the crix).

Hope this helps some. Forgive me if some of this is confusing. It's almost time to go home on a Friday afternoon and my brain is not functioning at full speed right now.

I you need me to clarify any of this let me know!

Good luck with your little guys! Dragons are just awesome pets!
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Rob Talkington

I agree it sounds like stress. I had one girl that was in stress for 3 weeks after shipping what happened is that she freaked out any time that anyone came into the room.even though she was in a 40 gal breeder by herself with good temps and fed well she would not eat. the baby food /pedalite mixture saved her life until i could calm her down to normal. She is now doing fine. My nigerian uros are the ones giving me fits now. SIGHHHH! it never ends

"SIGHHHH! it never ends "

It never ends because as soon as it seems like there's more free time, that must mean there's more time for another addition to the family. Like tanks and space. God forbid there would be an empty tank or an area without a reptile in my apt! I mean one by itself maybe, but both a free tank and an empty space? It's time for a new animal!!
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Rob Talkington

It could also simply be that she doesn't feel safe in the feeder tank. If it is plain glass and nothing for their feet to feel solid on, that could be it. I know mine doesn't like feeding in another tank anymore.

Just a thought..

Denise
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Denise (Mom) and/or Jared (son)
Take care!

1.0 Ball Python - Jake
1.0 Bearded Dragon - Merlin
1.0 Pixie Frog - Pixel
2.0 Chinese Fire belly Newts - Fred n' Ed, and Ed n' Fred
1.0 Black Cat - Shorty
1.0 Anery Kenyan Sand Boa - coming soon (completing brumation with present owner before joining our home)
0.0.4 Tanks waiting on us to decide what is going in them! LOL