Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We just got a baby Bearded dragon 3 days ago and so far we have been unable to get it to eat. The person we got him from said she had been feeding him about 5 meal worms a day. But so far he has not eaten anything for us. What should we do? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

It isn't usual for a dragon not to eat within the first week of being brought home. Tell us about your setup, this way we can advise any changes if needed, before it becomes a problem.
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PHLdyPayne

Forum Princess

we have a small hide that the person was using that he likes to bask on. We have a 10 gallon tank right now. She was using a 5 gallon. Didn't want to go much larger than that to start.we are keeping the temp. between 95 and 100. we also put a small bowl with a little water just in case it wanted extra water. I am also misting 3 to 4 times a day. We have another small flat bowl that we put the meal worms in that is large enough he can fit in as well. Also tried hand feeding with tweezers still no go. We are going to try some Kale this evening as well. This is our first read the books but still trying to figure out some things. We have had snakes for awhile now but never had trouble with them not eating. Thanks for the help.

number one, ive always been told not to feed bearded dragons millworms they say that there is to much sheell for them to digest. and also buy some crickets and feed them that mine eats them all the time but she doesnt like millworms.

Okay thanks will try the crickets. We were using the milk worms because that was what she was using. This is day 4 starting to get a little worried. Should we try hand feeding with tweezers? Right now we are trying to just leave the food in a small flat dish large enough for him to get in with the food. Also tried just laying food in the tank on the paper towels. Still no go. I have Kale in their as well. Still no go.

Okay the cricket worked finally. Feel a little better. Now about how many baby crickets should I feed a day? I knew to feed about 3 to 4 meal worms not sure on crickets.

Feed as many crickets as it will eat in a 5-10 min period. Offer crickets 2-3 times a day, morning afternoon and early evening (at least 2 hours before lights out).

I would also get yourself a 20-30 gallon long tank and set it up. Depending on how big your dragon is now, it won't take long to out grow a 10 gallon. Also, its hard to maintain a good temperature gradient in a 10 gallon. By the time you get the basking temperature up to the recommended range of 100-120G for babies, often the cool end is too warm for the cool end (around 75-85F during the day).

Right now your basking spot is on the low side..I think you listed it as being around 90F?

Go straight with small crickets for babies, they tend to respond to them better than mealworms...and mealworms do have a high shell to meat ratio..and tend cause impactions should husbandry conditions not be ideal.

Don't bother with Kale, its not a good green to give to dragons daily, much less alone. Good healthy greens that can be offered every day are dandelion greens, collard greens, mustard greens and others. Chop very fine and remove any large stems and veins (such as those found in Collard greens), this makes it easier for baby dragons to eat. Mist the green lightly too, which helps ensure your dragon gets enough moisture. Baby dragons also may not even eat greens, but good to keep a little in the cage all day long.

Crickets should not be longer than the space between the dragons eyes...so hatchling dragons typically need about quarter inch long crickets...or smaller. Pin head crickets can be offered but I find they are too small..and hard to transfer from container to cage etc without squishing or losing some.

Once a day dust the crickets with calcium powder with Vit D3 and no phosphorus. Also, fed the crickets well on a commercial bought cricket gut load, or just offer fresh greens (same as those recommended for dragons) crushed dry cat/dog food, fish flakes, chicken mash or similar. Feed the crickets on this about 12 hours before feeding to your dragon. This ensures they are well fed before you feed them to your dragon. Often store bought or even mail ordered crickets, run out of food or are just not fed once shipped, so they can loose all their nutritional value.

Ease up on the misting too...though it is good to hydrate your dragon, misting it too much can raise humidity in the cage too high, especially in a small tank like you have now. Well cut loaded crickets and fresh greens will ensure your dragon stays hydrated. If you are worried, use an eye dropper to drip water at the corner of your dragon's mouth...or drop it right at the tip of their snout (away from the nostrils, you don't want them to inhale the water).

Other good insects to offer your dragon are Phoenix worms. These are often eaten without problems and their soft bodies and high calcium content make them great for even every day feeding. The come in 100 count containers...and most pet stores should have them or be able to get them. Or you can mail order them.

If you find your dragon starts eating alot of crickets, ordering online may be a better option for you. If buying alot in bulk, you could buy a size too small and let the crickets grow up, or split with a friend who also has young dragons or other animal that likes small crickets.
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PHLdyPayne

Forum Princess

Thanks for the help. We are looking into getting a bigger tank. She had it in a 5 gallon tank so we did not want to move up to quickly. We had a 10 gallon already. We figured since he was still so small we would wait a few weeks before moving up to the larger tank. Did not want to make to much of a drastic change right away. I will try some collard greens tomorrow. I will also cut back on the misting. Was just worried about him dehydrating without eating anything. A friend of ours is selling all of her supplies that she had for beardies. So looking to get bigger tank from her. I am happy to say he appears to be very energetic today climbing and everything. So I am feeling relieved that he is okay.

Glad to hear he's getting more active. There is an adjustment period for dragons recently purchased where they may not eat much or anything. Usually its about a week so since yours is getting more active...sounds like he's getting used to his new environment. Just wanted to make sure the husbandry etc is not causing unnecessary stress.

The 10 gallon will be alright for maybe a month at the most..depending on what size he is now and how fast he grows. I always felt 10 gallon is just too small and the need to upgrade to something larger often puts another 'move' stress on the dragon, when moving to a 25-35 gal long tank makes a good home till the dragon reaches about 14" in overall length or usually once they are around 8 months of age (or younger if they are fast growers). Then its safe to move to the adult/life long cage of at least 4'x2' of floor space (height can fall between 18-24"
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PHLdyPayne

Forum Princess

We are already looking at getting a larger tank.Just didn't want to go to extreme right away. I checked the tank she had him in it was only about a 1 to 2 gallon tank. Tiny tiny. He is doing great still doesn't like the veggies though. Trying different things. Maybe we will find something he likes eventually.