Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My girlfriends beardie has stopped eating almost overnight! It's been about 3 or 4 days since she's seen him eat and he's getting way too skinny. Crickets, mealworms, greens, nothing is working. He seems healthy otherwise though. I don't know much about the lizards but I know losing weight this fast is dangerous. Any ideas how to get him eating again? or what could be the cause?

Weight loss is never good. He needs to see a vet along with a fresh poop sample (if available) to determine if parasites are responsible for his lack of appetite.
Try giving him water or Pedialyte to keep him hydrated by dripping it on his nose with an eyedropper or syringe. Warm baths wouldn't hurt either.
Is his set-up correct?
Basking temp at least 100 degrees (essential for proper digestion), with a cool end of 85?
UVB light?
Has she been dusting his crix with Calcium w/D-3 and also a multivitamin?
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Signature file edited. [phw 9/2/04]

his set up is correct and she has been dusting the crickets. It's got me totally confused. The vet is a given, any ideas on what to do in the meantime to make sure he makes it long enough to make it to the vet? And the pedialite, cut it with water or just give it to him as is?

If he won't eat, try force-feeding. Very carefully open his mouth and put in one small cricket at a time, make sure he gets it down. Try this until he eats about four crickets a day. This will be enough to get him through and will keep him from losing drastic amount of weight. Hope I helped.

Matt Widrowicz
MLB-2003

**What is living without reptiles?**

2.3.4 bearded dragons
1.1 ball pythons
1.1 panther chameleons
1.0 veiled chameleon
1.2 boas
1.0 sugar glider
2.2 dogs- a norbert, golden retriever, collie, and a [bleep]zu

Try chicken or turkey baby food. drop it on his nose with a dropper or syringe. Rarely do they not like it.
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www.classylizard.com

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Signature file edited. [phw 9/2/04]