Dragon not eating?

[sean8172]

I want to preface this with saying that I am already owned by two adult dragons. Last month, the wife fell in love with a baby at the pet store, so she got Gemini for her birthday (we were there getting new lights for the fish tank). Gemini ate voraciously for the first two weeks. He ate his greens very well (almost ate add much as the adults) and was eating 49-60 dubia nymphs a day. He was eating so much he would sometimes poop twice a day. The last five days, he's barely eaten at all. He'll take a few bites of greens, but he only looks at the dubia. He watches them, but he just doesn't eat them. He's growing quite rapidly, so he looks incredibly thin. Grown the inches in less than a month. I took a reading, and his basking site is 110.8 right now. Any idea why he isn't eating? Picture below of his enclosure.

 

[PatsyB]

Hey Sean.. sorry to hear about little Gemini. Have you tried feeding him something else? Maybe he doesn't like dubia's at the moment. Luci did that to me about a month ago, didn't want to eat crickets anymore. I started giving him super worms and hornworms, I can't even get the container of hornworms open before he is trying to jump out of his tank to get them!

 

[sean8172]

I was feeding him both crickets and dubia, and he lost interest in the crickets, so I stopped feeding them. I don't think he's big enough for any worms especially supers. I might try some meal worms today. At least that would maybe put some weight on him.

 

[Elemental Dragon Lord]

Meal worms are bad, to much chitin. Try some wax worms to fatten him up and give a variety. If you feed the same thing all thr time they can get bored of eating that food, I always try and mix what mine eat from day to day

 

[diegothediggy]

Aw sorry to hear. Is ur little 1 hydrated?

 

[sean8172]

I've been soaking him every other day hoping that will keep him hydrated. He is a little dehydrated, but not to where I'm worried...yet. The only issue I have with variety is I need to get him eating now, and there isn't much variety available locally.

 

[Canicke]

Try using a syringe – without the needle – to get some fluids in him.

 

[Canicke]

Sorry I hit the send button too quickly – to get some fluids in him by mouth. Little bit of Pedialyte little bit of Gatorade. Try dropping it on his nose and let him lick it with my girl I have to pull down the side of her mouth and squeeze it in and let it slide down her throat. I also recommend using a towel on your lap. Don't force it and do it drop by drop. It's going to take some time. Be patient hang in there

 

[Luvthemanimal]

Do you dust your dust your feeders with calcium with d3 and vitamin powder???

 

[sean8172]

I dust feeders and greens, but I skipped them today because he hasn't really eaten much at all the last five days. Once he took a bite of his greens, I put some on it. It's just not in the picture.

 

[Luvthemanimal]

Your UVB is on top of a screen? How old is it?

 

[sean8172]

It's about a month old

 

[sean8172]

I order several at a time, and change them every six months, like clock work

 

[Luvthemanimal]

Is it loosing weight?

 

[sean8172]

He's not losing weight, but he isn't gaining either. Has stayed 25 grams for the last week. Well, six days, to be precise.

 

[PatsyB]

Has something changed in the house that might be stressing him out? How often does he see your beardie?

 

[ilovebeardies]

Maybe getting ready shed?

 

[sean8172]

Patsy. He's only seen the others once or twice. They're in separate rooms. When he saw them, he just bearded out or waved. I (stupidly) left the top of his tank open a few days ago, and when I turned around, our male cat was inside with him. I thought that may have something to do with it, but I'm almost certain that he wasn't eating well before that. I tried feeding him wax worms. It appears he ate one (or it got under his carpet. I'm checking when I wake up).

ilovebeardies: He just finished his first shed maybe a week ago. About the time this hunger strike started. It's quite reasonable for me to think he's just a little freaked out. It just confused me that he was eating so well before. I'm going to break down and get more crickets to see if he'll eat them.

Thank you all for your responses!

 

[PatsyB]

It's possible the cat freaked him out. That would have been one of those situations where I would have been really mad at the cat but would have to get my camera and take a picture before I got it out of the tank!

What about enticing him to eat with some fruit. Strawberries, blueberries, watermelon, something bright. I also read here long ago that green beans was a good thing to get them to start eating again. Maybe if you can get him to eat a bit of fruit and veggies he will start on the live food again.

 

[ilovebeardies]

I would try turkey baby food it really helped my baby dragon get back to eating well again.