Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This will probably get long, so bear with me:

I have a 3.5 month old and a 5 month old beardie. The 3.5 month old is actually bigger than the 5 month old, she's small and a very picky eater.

I just got some silkworms in hoping they'd coax her to eat more, and she acts like she can't even see them. They're about 1/2" long. The 3.5 month old, who's a very agressive male and a great eater (we're talking 75 crix per day) also doesn't even seem to notice the little wormies wriggling around on a plate. I'm thinking that the worms are too small to induce the hunting instinct. My dragons won't strike at crix that are too small either. I'm going to feed the worms up to about 1-1.5" and then try again. I'm not so worried about the 3.5 month old, he's almost 11 inches long and has a fat tail and big jowels. He's going to be pretty big.

My little 5-month old worries me. We got her when she was 3.5 months old and 9.25", she's only 10.5" now and has only gone through one shed with us. She's in her own tank, with good temps, paper towel substrate, proper UV lighting and supplimentation, prey that is the right size, and everything. She just does NOT eat much at all. Maybe 10-20 crickets per day on a good day, and half her salad. I don't know what I can give her to help her appetite. I was thinking of ordering some acidophilz, do you think that would help? I don't think she has a parasite problem, there is no diahreah and her stools are regular. I thought the silkworms would perk her appetite up but she acts as if she doesnt even see them.

Any ideas? I'm such a worrywart.

I would bring a fecal to the vet just to make sure she doesn't have any parasites.

Try tweaser feeding the silkies, wiggle them in front of her face and see if she takes them.

How hot is her basking spot, i know you said the right temps but just to be sure, they should be around 95-110degrees, if they are not this high, try raising them and that may increase her appetite.
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1.0 green iguana-Deitrich
1.1 Common Boa-Un-Named, Ursula
1.0 Ball Python-Anabell (go figure!)
1.0 Red Tegu-Uteg
1.0 Albino Cal King-Pig
0.1 Mexican Black King-Morticia
1.1 Bearded Dragons-Unnamed, Hanabil
1.0 Albino San Diego Gopher-Unnamed
0.1 Hermans tort-Esio
1.1 JCP-Milton, Medusa
1.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn-Unnamed
0.1 Snow Corn-Unnamed
1.0 Hypo Okeetee Corn-Unnamed
0.1 Motley Okeetee-Unnamed
1.0 Western Hoggie-Wyrm
0.0.1 Rose Hair Taruntla-Unnamed
2.0 Leopard Geckos-Reptar, Pogo
4.1 cats-Tucker,Poe,Abhib,Emerald, Felicity
0.1 Bullmastiff-Asha

Her basking temps are usually between 97* and 104* depending on the ambient temp in the room, I have a digital thermometer with a probe that I use directly on her basking log. It takes a 200-watt household light bulb to get it that warm, and she generally doesn't even sit in the warmest spot. I tried tweezer feeding the silkies to both of them and neither would bite. It's frustrating because they aren't cheap little buggers and if they dont get eaten, they just go to waste

Do you think she could still have parasites if her bowel movements are normal and not stinky at all? I always thought there were clear symptoms of a parasitic infection.

there are all sorts of different parasites that BD's can have, and sometimes you cant tell. Fecals are not that expensive to get done, so i would do it just in case, especially where she isn't eating much.
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1.0 green iguana-Deitrich
1.1 Common Boa-Un-Named, Ursula
1.0 Ball Python-Anabell (go figure!)
1.0 Red Tegu-Uteg
1.0 Albino Cal King-Pig
0.1 Mexican Black King-Morticia
1.1 Bearded Dragons-Unnamed, Hanabil
1.0 Albino San Diego Gopher-Unnamed
0.1 Hermans tort-Esio
1.1 JCP-Milton, Medusa
1.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn-Unnamed
0.1 Snow Corn-Unnamed
1.0 Hypo Okeetee Corn-Unnamed
0.1 Motley Okeetee-Unnamed
1.0 Western Hoggie-Wyrm
0.0.1 Rose Hair Taruntla-Unnamed
2.0 Leopard Geckos-Reptar, Pogo
4.1 cats-Tucker,Poe,Abhib,Emerald, Felicity
0.1 Bullmastiff-Asha

Yes, the silkies are to small. It would be a waste to feed any silkies less than an 1" in lenght.... I would try running her through a treatment of parazap. Make the tea and use it for at least 7 days. You can also try some b12 liquid vitamin. That is also a known appetite stimulater. Also, it took my beardies a few days before they would even mess with the silkies. You might have toi stop crickets for a day or two and just offer salad then introduce the crix back for dusting purposes as the calcium d3 powder doesn't seem to stick to the silkies as well in my experience.

Later,
Robert
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A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,
adored by little statesmen, philosophers and divines.
Ralph Emerson

Acidophilz sure would not hurt her any.
A fecal would be advised, also.