Baby dragon not eating very much

[pdugery]

I just got my bearded dragon and he isn't eating much. I gave him crickets three different times, at about noon, 5 PM, and again at 9:30 PM (I got him today at around 10). He was eating, but only normally 2 crickets with the exception of the first time where he ate I believe 4 crickets. I also tried putting him in a separate container and feeding him, but it didn't help. He still only ate two crickets. He has not eaten any of the different vegetables I have given him, either. I've tried carrots, celery, and kale but none of them have sparked his interested. I also put his food on the cool side of the tank, near his water. Should I move it to the warm side of the tank?

Finally, I was wondering how to tell if my bearded dragon wants to go back into his tank or whether he wants to remain outside and play for a tad longer. I can't tell so I played it safe and put him back in after a few minutes, but wasn't sure if that was what he wanted.

Please let me know! Thanks for your help!

 

[PatsyB]

They go through a little bit of relocation stress where the first few weeks they may not eat as much. Once they get settled in then they get on a good eating schedule. You want to make sure that he is on a light cycle, 12 hours on 12 hours complete darkness (no colored lights at night). When you feed, make sure the last feeding is at least 2 hours before the lights go out so that he has time to digest his food before the tank cools off.

In the beginning you don't want to let them out of the tank for too long. They need to get used to their new home and surroundings. I would only hold him for a few minutes a day outside of the tank and then keep adding time on to that. I usually limit time out to about an hour or less, once their belly is cold to the touch, I put them back in.

Check out this website, beautiful dragons.com. There is a nutrition chart there that will help you choose great healthy food items. Carrots are okay occasionally and kale is okay if mixed with other healthy greens. Celery is just a no go because it really offers no nutrition. Things like collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens are all great staples. You can add in other veggies such as squashes and bell peppers. Some fruits are okay, but only as a once in awhile treat.

 

[pdugery]

They go through a little bit of relocation stress where the first few weeks they may not eat as much. Once they get settled in then they get on a good eating schedule. You want to make sure that he is on a light cycle, 12 hours on 12 hours complete darkness (no colored lights at night). When you feed, make sure the last feeding is at least 2 hours before the lights go out so that he has time to digest his food before the tank cools off.
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In the beginning you don't want to let them out of the tank for too long. They need to get used to their new home and surroundings. I would only hold him for a few minutes a day outside of the tank and then keep adding time on to that. I usually limit time out to about an hour or less, once their belly is cold to the touch, I put them back in.

Check out this website, beautiful dragons.com. There is a nutrition chart there that will help you choose great healthy food items. Carrots are okay occasionally and kale is okay if mixed with other healthy greens. Celery is just a no go because it really offers no nutrition. Things like collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens are all great staples. You can add in other veggies such as squashes and bell peppers. Some fruits are okay, but only as a once in awhile treat.

Thank you for your reply. I used a blue light that I bought because it was advertised for nighttime last night. I won't use it again tonight. I will keep the lights on from 9:30 to 9:30. The thing is, at night, the temperature will drop to about 66-68 degrees in our house and in our room. Is this acceptable or is this too low? Today I fed him crickets but he didn't eat a single one. He did poop, so I think that is good because I believe he may have eaten some veggie while I wasn't looking.

 

[PatsyB]

They need a temp drop at night to rest. It helps to reset their brain and further process the D3. The tank should be between 65-70 degrees at night, anything lower, use a ceramic heat emitter. It puts off heat with no light. My guess is that he is tired during the day because of the blue light. You'll see in the next few days, he will have his appetite back.

They have a gland on top of their head, it's that funny looking scale in the middle, that lets them see lights and shadows. So while they are resting, they can still tell if a predator is coming overhead to eat them. They can see all sorts of light spectrum, even ones we can't see, and so lights at night create shadows around them and keeps their brain awake and on alert.

 

[pdugery]

They need a temp drop at night to rest. It helps to reset their brain and further process the D3. The tank should be between 65-70 degrees at night, anything lower, use a ceramic heat emitter. It puts off heat with no light. My guess is that he is tired during the day because of the blue light. You'll see in the next few days, he will have his appetite back.

They have a gland on top of their head, it's that funny looking scale in the middle, that lets them see lights and shadows. So while they are resting, they can still tell if a predator is coming overhead to eat them. They can see all sorts of light spectrum, even ones we can't see, and so lights at night create shadows around them and keeps their brain awake and on alert.

Thanks again! Finally, I was wondering what to do about the cooler side of my tank. It is at 68 degrees (the temp of our house) constantly. I have a 150 watt basking lamp and a UVB bulb on the right side where he basks where the temperature at his spot is around 110 degrees. It doesn't seem that any of the heat is transferring to the left side of the tank (I have a 75 gallon tank that is 4 feet wide). Should I buy something to heat it up on the left side slightly? If so, would you be able to link me it on amazon?

 

[PatsyB]

What are you measuring your temps with?

 

[PatsyB]

I also just saw your other thread about the tank. Did you go with the 55 gallon?

 

[pdugery]

I also just saw your other thread about the tank. Did you go with the 55 gallon?

No, I purchased a 75 gallon aquarium tank. I am using two digital thermometer and have a separate humidity gauge.

 

[PatsyB]

Okay good! I saw the other tank you were thinking of getting and it was too high for a bearded dragon. They need something with more floor room than height.

 

[pdugery]

Okay good! I saw the other tank you were thinking of getting and it was too high for a bearded dragon. They need something with more floor room than height.

Thanks for your help! I tried to feed him twice today (9 am and noon) and he didn't eat either of those times. I came back home at 8:30 and fed him then. He ate about 6 crickets. Better than nothing!

But I was still wondering about how to heat the left side of his tank. Because it is so wide, the 150 watt basking lamp isn't heating up the left side at all. Only the right side. The ride side, on the top of a branch thing I bought and his hammock, reaches about 110 degrees. The bottom of the tank under the heat lamp is about 85. The other side though, remains room temperature because I can't get it to heat up with the basking lamp. Is there any good heater I can put under my tank that will help keep him warm at night and heat the left side up?

 

[PatsyB]

Since the tank is so big, you can get another heat bulb for the other side. Just something to get it into the 80 degree range. It will also brighten up your tank some having a light on both sides.

 

[pdugery]

Since the tank is so big, you can get another heat bulb for the other side. Just something to get it into the 80 degree range. It will also brighten up your tank some having a light on both sides.

Ok. Would you recommend another light or rather a heating mat so that I can use it at night? I currently keep the house at about 68 degrees so if I don't get a heating mat, that will be the temperature at night.

 

[PatsyB]

No heating mat. The mat only heats the glass not the air in the tank. Beardies can’t feel heat in their belly and can burn themselves sitting on a mat because they won’t know to move off of it.

 

[Kim G]

Thank you for your reply. I used a blue light that I bought because it was advertised for nighttime last night. I won't use it again tonight. I will keep the lights on from 9:30 to 9:30. The thing is, at night, the temperature will drop to about 66-68 degrees in our house and in our room. Is this acceptable or is this too low? Today I fed him crickets but he didn't eat a single one. He did poop, so I think that is good because I believe he may have eaten some veggie while I wasn't looking.

I keep my blue light on, as long as it’s blue and not red It’s not bad for your pet. My house has horrible chills because of the bad windows. The way I see it since I get very cold in my house I don’t want to put my bearded dragon through that. And she seems to do very well with the light. It’s just about managing that temperature.
As for the eating as the person above said relocation is the problem, give it a few days and you’ll be like wow, I can’t believe bearded dragons eat so much! My girl was born around August, and now she nearly it’s a full bowl of greens, which include her favorite bok choy, spinach, and from time to time collard greens. Then I dice up one strawberry and put it in her salad, she loves it. Since she’s gotten older she also loves hornworms, which you can buy on Amazon, much cheaper then you get in a store like four times cheaper!
The most complicated thing that I found was keeping quick it’s alive long enough to feed her, without having to go every day to the store. Now I have the large keeper and two bowls inside them, one for the food with calcium, and the blue gel right next to that at the store which is their hydration. I never knew how much crickets were savages, they will eat each other if they’re hungry, if they’re bored, if they want to be king of the hill, but there’s no hill. ( for that use the cardboard they give you when you pick up crickets and just place it in your keeper)

Everyone who is new with the bearded dragon has the same questions, you will be great. They are a great addition to your family

 

[PatsyB]

Any colored light can hurt hurt your dragons eyes, they see all sorts of light spectrums that we can't even see. Even though the blue light looks clear, it is still putting off a color that they can see. Colored lights during the day don't allow their pupils to constrict properly and at night it disrupts their sleep cycle by creating shadows over head. Plain white light during the day is the only light that should be used.

 

[Angelaelebron]

Has he started eating yet? Tomorrow will be my 5th day with our baby girl & the first couple days she only ate a few crickets and a few roaches, yesterday she ate the most she has 7 crickets and a roach plus some greens.. but today she only ate 1 cricket.. on her last feeding. I’m hoping this relocation stress period ends soon.

 

[Stephen Baker]

I’m 7 days in. And my 2 month old has only eaten every 2 days and no more that 5 crickets a day. I feel your pain hoping it end by another week