Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just bought a baby bearded dragon two days ago. It hasn't eaten since I have brought it home! How long until I should start worrying? I have numerous reptiles, a corn snake, a brazilian rainbow boa, a ball python, blue tongue skink, and a crested gecko... I have never had these kinds of problems before! I know some reptiles can go days and weeks without eating... My temps are good ~ 80 on cool side, 110 at highest basking spot ~ I got it from my work, we have had them in for weeks now and this one never had a problem eating before, as it was the biggest one we had. Could it maybe still be trying to get used to its new surroundings? Are there any tips to get my beardie eating? I have been trying small crickets 2-3 times a day. The beardie is only like 5 inches, but looks in great condition. Someone please give me some tips!
Scott

Sounds like your temps are good.. wmake sure he has a nice basking spot. what kind of uv bulb are you using? Make sure it has both uva and uvb (i like reptisun 5.0... has highest output) and also, it shouldn't be more than 6 months old. the bulbs should be replaced if so. this bulb will stimulate the appetite.
Is he pooping?? This is something to monitor. If he hasn't been pooping he could be impacted or have parasites. In that case, I would put him in a warm shallow bath and rub downward on his belly. This usually gets them to poop. Spymptoms of parasites include not eating, not pooping, laying in one spot all day, generally not looking well, dark color. In this case, a vet visit would be the thing to do. Parazap is also a great natural product to consider as a preventative for parasites. www.parazap.com
i've given mine a bit of chicken babyfood with some mashed up dry beardie food (kaytee brand or other brands of dry pellets for beardies). i offer it on the tip of the nose and they lick it off. once they start licking i'll actually shove some in the mouth with a medicine dropper (needless syringe type).

katharine
Link

After just two days i would say he is still adjusting to his surroundings. Make sure you have a good UVB light like the above poster said. Leave him alone for a good 2-3 days, you can offer food if you awnt but it wont hurt him to go with out food and it may be less stressfull for him to not have your hands in the tank dropping in crickets and scooping the uneaten ones back out again. Make sure his tank is in a quiet place out of traffic and just really leave him be...no handling or even staring at him too much. After a few days try feeding him again and he should eat.

A couple other things:

Make sure he has some secure hides he can get under to get away from the world if he wants to. You may even want to cover part of the tank with a towel to give him some quiet darkness.

What kind of substrate is he on? And what was he on at the store? Make sure it is nothing he could possibly injest like sand or bark chips.

When he does eat and then poop i would take a fecal to the vet. Even if he was doing great at your store or even if he had a fecal done at your store times of stress can cause parasitic infections and moving to a new house is very stressfull on a baby beardie.

Good luck!

~Mim
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0.1 Bearded dragon
0.1 mexican Black kingsnake
1.1 Leopard Gecko's
0.0.1 Tokay Gecko
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink
0.0.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn
0.1 Anerythristic Corn
0.0.1 Red Tegu
0.1 Bullmastiff
4.1 Cats

I have all of the proper requirements. Sorry for not mentioning that earlier! I have a 7% UVB lighting hood on it. It is on paper toweling right now. I was trying to feed outside of the tank, so the crickets wouldn't try and hide... Should I just feed inside the tank? ANy other ideas from anyone else? Thank you for the help so far!
Scott

I would feed him in the tank for now. The less stress, the better. Keep handling to an absolute minimum. Once he starts eating reguarly, you can try a separate feeding bin again.Instead of paper towels, try Duck brand shelf liner. It can be found at Wal-Mart. Lots of ppl use it. It's easy to keep clean...and the crickets can't really hide under it.
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We chase misprinted lies
We face the path of time
And yet I fight...
And yet I fight
This battle all alone
No one to cry to
No place to call home
-!ALICE IN CHAINS!-
1.1 Bearded Dragons: Gordo & Chiquita
2.2 Cats: Zeus, Remi, Kiki & Delilah
1.0 Betta

My Cheeky Girl

I agree, taking him out of the cage to try and feed him is probably really stressing him out. Stick to feeding in the cage until he is settled. You can try using the shelf liner, or what i have found works well is Diva brand paper towels, they are heavier and flatter than most paper towels and if you apply pressure to them as you set them in the tank they seem to rally cling to the bottom of the tank, this is what i use for one of my leos.

You could also try indoor/outdoor carpeting, although its a bit of a pain to clean.
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0.1 Bearded dragon
0.1 mexican Black kingsnake
1.1 Leopard Gecko's
0.0.1 Tokay Gecko
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink
0.0.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn
0.1 Anerythristic Corn
0.0.1 Red Tegu
0.1 Bullmastiff
4.1 Cats

Thanks everyone for your help! I left him alone in his/her cage for a day... and tonight I saw him running around his tank, possibly searching for food, so I tossed some crickets in there. Sure enough, he gobbled them all up, only 6 of them, but better then none. I have read many different articles online... some say that baby beardies eat 40-50 crickets a day??? Why isn't mine eating that? Do any of yours eat that many? Will it take him/her some time to really settle down before it is eating that many? It sleeps in the weirdest place too! I need to get a picture of it. Right after it was done eating it jumped off of its basking log right into its sleeping spot, on the top of a suctioned cup fake plant, and closed its eyes. Once I know my baby beardie is settled down I will get some pictures for you all! Again, thank you for the help... I am sure I will have more questions along the way, and hope sometime to be able to help others as well.
Scott

Good to hear he/she is eating something. Yes...they can regularly eat that many and more. Gordo ate 100+ crickets a day until he got older. Chiquita only eats about 20 or 30 crickets a day...but her thing is silkworms. Have you tried them yet?
Just give him some time and I'm sure he'll start eating better. I would take a fecal into a vet though...just to be on the safe side. You can never be too careful. Get used to finding them sprawled out in weird places...they never cease to be a source of comic relief! Good luck and keep us posted.
-Nicky

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Knocked down but I have enough hate
to breathe, down your throat and steal your energy
You took everyting but my will to be
Now the loss of your god won't make me bleed
I am alive
ALICE IN CHAINS!
1.1 Bearded Dragons: Gordo & Chiquita
2.2 Cats: Zeus, Remi, Kiki & Delilah
1.0 Betta

My Cheeky Girl

Mine only eats 50 or so crix a day plus silkies. I don't leave much green s in there all day, but they are usually goone by the time i get home from school or work. Once, i couldn't fin her! she had buried herself underneath the driftwood! and another time, during the day, she had latched herself to the screen cover! they are drfinitely greta pets!
-Sara