Hi all. My BD is about 1 year old now as I have had him for about 10 months and I bought him when he was about 2 months old. I've fed him everything from crix to mealworms to cut veggies for these 10 months with no problems. He has switched his diet to favor veggies, expected from maturing BD's. However, I've noticed in the past week that he has not eaten a single thing. I give him a fresh pile of veggies every morning and when I come home at lunch, it is untouched. I also keep a small dish of mealworms in the corner of his cage that he seems to be ignoring as well.... Noticing this a couple days ago, I became concerned and went to the store to get some crix thinking that he just might be stubborn .....well I bought 2 dozen crix and they have all perished because he didn't eat those either. He has never been a fan of pellets, but I have been able to trick him by grinding up the pellets into powder and sprinkling it on top of his veggies....he usually eats them that way. I have also routinely dusted his crix and mealworms when he was younger and ate crix more (he doesn't eat crix and mealworms as much any more). It just seems that all of the sudden he decided he wasn't going to eat! I don't know what the deal is.
Here's the twist. He seems to be acting fine (other than not eating). He's very alert and his personality is still the same. By the way, he has a lot of personality....my neighbors love him. I can still take him out and let him run around my living room couch without noticing any side effects. He's fat and relatively healthy, but I am starting to notice a few wrinkles on his side that weren't there weeks ago....that's starting to concern me. Is it normal for BD's to just not eat for a week or so?
Here's another thing. He hasn't pooped in about 5-6 days either. Thinking this might be due to impaction, I have put him in the bathtub everyday this week, hoping it might relieve him. Not so far. I have lights on top of his cage providing a basking area of about 100 degrees and a cool area of about 80 degrees (both on opposite ends of the cage). In the middle of the cage I have a UV light as recommended. My BD has been around this set up for his entire life....and it baffles me that this would happen all of the sudden.
I have made some juice out of veggies (collard greens, kale), pellets, and water that I have blended and I have been feeding to my BD by hand (with a medicine dropper)for this whole time to try to give him some nutrients while he's under this spell. He takes it willingly, but doesn't seem to want anything in his cage. Is it normal for BD's to not eat for a period of time? I don't think he's brumating....any one have any ideas??? Thanks in advance for all your advice / ideas!!!!
LW
