Baby refusing to eat

[RobynMariee]

Hello! I recently adopted at baby beardie. I was told he was about 1 month old at the time. The first 2 weeks were flawless.
He was eating probably close to 20 crickets a day.
Last week that stopped. He starting eating maybe 2 or 3 crickets a day (this was a day or two after he shed so we thought maybe related).
When he didn't come back around we asked the pet store for advice and was given the typical things to try.. ie meal worms, checking his enclosure temps and humidity levels. He currently hasn't eaten at all in 2 days.. i'm making sure he's drinking and he seems perfectly fine.. running around lots, super energetic outside of his enclosure. You'd never know something was wrong.
Nothing we're doing is making a difference so i thought id come to the experts before trying to get into an exotics vet.
Where i live we're currently in lockdown and the closest one is an hours drive outside of where i'm "allowed" to travel.


Please help Dudley

 

[Skybug]

Welcome to the forum, can you tell us what lighting ur using? Temps and distances? Vitamins? So we can rule those out, he should be eating you out of house and home, no mealworms (these are hard to digest, because of their hard exoskeleton) have you tried feeding him BSFL? (Black soldier fly larvae) these are really good for babies and dont need to be dusted with calcium, crickets are a really nasty feeder :/

 

[Skybug]

No compact coil uvb bulbs (these offer little to no uvb, and cause eye problems) have you noticed him closing one eye?

 

[Sadie]

Please go over the lighting in the tank like Skybug has asked --- those basking temps and UVB are the two most important things in the tank--- you want basking temps being taken w/a digital probe thermometer NO stick ons please ---- your dragon will go thru relocation stress and eating will be off but he should be eating something --- correct basking temps and UVB he will be eating you out of house and home active basking and pooping ---

 

[RobynMariee]

Welcome to the forum, can you tell us what lighting ur using? Temps and distances? Vitamins? So we can rule those out, he should be eating you out of house and home, no mealworms (these are hard to digest, because of their hard exoskeleton) have you tried feeding him BSFL? (Black soldier fly larvae) these are really good for babies and dont need to be dusted with calcium, crickets are a really nasty feeder :/

We bought the Thrive setup as recommended from the pet store. we've learned how.terrible they are since doing our own research. Temps have been a struggle since bringing him home. We've bought a 150w bulb instead of the 100w until we can replace the top on his enclosure. We're going to handmade a top with chicken wire. His heat usually sits at 94 and humidity is 47.. it's been a struggle. Is basking decor sits about 6 inches under the light. His vitamins are Fluckers calcium with vitamin D3
Welcome to the forum, can you tell us what lighting ur using? Temps and distances? Vitamins? So we can rule those out, he should be eating you out of house and home, no mealworms (these are hard to digest, because of their hard exoskeleton) have you tried feeding him BSFL? (Black soldier fly larvae) these are really good for babies and dont need to be dusted with calcium, crickets are a really nasty feeder :/

 

[Sadie]

The UVB should be a long tube like a Zoo Med or Sunblaster or Arcadia --- w/ a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 bulb --- w/ the new screen that T 5 can sit on top of the screen w/ a distance of 8-10 inches directly above the basking decor piece -- try that at first and see I know the chicken wire is pretty wide open -- so if she starts to not bask as long under it w/ that distance you may need to have it 12-15 inches -- that distance is for the UVB being not blocked at all -- temps should be taken w/a digital probe thermometer and they should be 105-110 for a baby ---- your humidity is fine -- please get a digital probe hygrometer and place the probe on the back center wall of the tank - it will read your whole tank - you want humidity around 30-40% is optimal you dont want it over 70% and under 20% -- insects should be dusted 5 x per week w/ the calcium D3 and vitamins w/ beta carotene 2 x per week -- the calcium D3 given up until hes about a year old then depending on the UVB your using it will need to be cut back to two days / week w/ regular calcium w/ out D3 NO phosphorus-- calcium is absorbed and synthesized w/ the help of the UVB and if your using a T 5 you will not need to give the D3 as often and if they are eating dark leafy greens that helps as well --

 

[RobynMariee]

No compact coil uvb bulbs (these offer little to no uvb, and cause eye problems) have you noticed him closing one eye?

The UVB should be a long tube like a Zoo Med or Sunblaster or Arcadia --- w/ a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 bulb --- w/ the new screen that T 5 can sit on top of the screen w/ a distance of 8-10 inches directly above the basking decor piece -- try that at first and see I know the chicken wire is pretty wide open -- so if she starts to not bask as long under it w/ that distance you may need to have it 12-15 inches -- that distance is for the UVB being not blocked at all -- temps should be taken w/a digital probe thermometer and they should be 105-110 for a baby ---- your humidity is fine -- please get a digital probe hygrometer and place the probe on the back center wall of the tank - it will read your whole tank - you want humidity around 30-40% is optimal you dont want it over 70% and under 20% -- insects should be dusted 5 x per week w/ the calcium D3 and vitamins w/ beta carotene 2 x per week -- the calcium D3 given up until hes about a year old then depending on the UVB your using it will need to be cut back to two days / week w/ regular calcium w/ out D3 NO phosphorus-- calcium is absorbed and synthesized w/ the help of the UVB and if your using a T 5 you will not need to give the D3 as often and if they are eating dark leafy greens that helps as well --

Do you think the Uvb could be the reason for him not eating?

 

[Sadie]

Do you think the Uvb could be the reason for him not eating?

If its a coil ABSOLUTLY!! What are you using?

 

[RobynMariee]

No compact coil uvb bulbs (these offer little to no uvb, and cause eye problems) have you noticed him closing one eye?

If its a coil ABSOLUTLY!! What are you using?

Sorry, I posted all the info in my response to the other person. We followed the suggestions of the pet store where he was purchased and bought their 40 g Thrive set up.. the are coil bulbs. I feel so terrible for not doing our own research as well

 

[Sadie]

Sorry, I posted all the info in my response to the other person. We followed the suggestions of the pet store where he was purchased and bought their 40 g Thrive set up.. the are coil bulbs. I feel so terrible for not doing our own research as well

Please get rid of the coil bulb --- get what I posted get a 24" fixture -- for your 40 gallon tank when and if you decide to upgrade that UVB will go right in to the next tank --- please let me know what you get and I will help you place it in the tank - they require certain distance and placement --- please get the digital probe thermometer and get your basking temp -- take the probe set it where the dragon bask and leave 10 minutes then get the temp -- 105-110 for a baby -- PLEASE DO NOT LISTEN to the pet store people anymore -- they have not a clue as to how to take care of a dragon!!
https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/zoo-med-reptisun-t5-ho-terrarium-hood.html this comes w/ a 5.0 bulb hang on to it it can be used as a back up --- distance and placement is different from the bulb you need
22" https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/zoo-med-reptisun-10.0-uvb-t5.html
or this fixture and bulb https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/arcadia-prot5-uvb-kit.html
they are both good --- but you need to get this replaced ASAP -- your dragon will not eat w/ out proper UVB and basking temps -
they are crucial to the health and behavior of your dragon ---

 

[Skybug]

Coil bulbs are definitely contributing to his behavior, i have personal experience in this, (i had coil uvb for 2 months and noticed it affecting my beardie) coil uvb can be “””okay””” for other types of reptiles, but NOT for a beardie that stays under the light 70% of the time.

 

[Emilia Thuet]

definitely do change the uvb to what Sadie recommended. I’m not for coil bulbs because they can be bad for beardies but in the beginning I also had a coil bulb for Starbucks and maybe I got lucky but nothing happened with him. That being said do look at other possibilities too, one thing that you didn’t mention was when was the last time he pooped? He could be impacted and that may be whats causing him to eat less. Starbucks is potty trained to go in his bath, and if I accidentally forget to give him one the next day he eats less or not at all as a reminder that he needs a bath so he can poop . He’s very spoiled . Anyways hope I was able to help and calm some of your nerves