Help - my beardie has stopped eating :(

[steveyrockstar]

Hi there

I am new to the forum so many greetings everyone!

I am the proud owner of an 18-month year old bearded dragon called Arturo, a miserable bugger but he does give me lots of pleasure. However, I have become very worried by his recent behaviour.

I live in England. When the temperature suddenly dipped around October, Arturo's normally ravenous appetite also dipped. He'd suddenly only eat maybe 5-6 morio worms or 3-4 crickets a day, and a handful of salad. I was concerned that it wasn't hot enough inside his vivarium given that the flat outside was cold, so I since I upgraded the heating lamp to make it nice and warm for him. However, still his appetite only temporarily picked up.

When I put him in my local reptile store over Xmas they told me he ate LOADS. They also commented that he was of perfect weight and looked healthy.

However over the last 2 weeks Arturo has stopped eating COMPLETELY. He is also not pooing either. He shows NO interest in any food whatsoever. Yet other than that he looks and behaves relatively normal. He still looks quite healthy and in the daytime, he's very active and likes to run round my flat for as much as 2 hours a day. However, he is very tired in the evening as soon as it's dark outside.

So what's wrong with him? Even when his appetite dipped, he was still eating something. Now he's not eating at all. The reptile store said he's probably just brumating and that I shouldn't worry. Someone else suggested he may be compacted? I had been switched to aspen substrate which could be a cause, although generally I was feeding him in a separate container, bar his salad (and that stuff could easily get mixed up with his salad). I've now switched to woodchips.

I've tried not to worry and just left him to get on with it. But after nearly 2 weeks, I am getting worried. He had one bit of collard greens about 3 days ago but as with his food recently, he licked his lips after eating one shreed with a look of disgust on his face.

Anyone got any ideas? Much appreciated in advance!

S

 

[Canicke]

Sounds like it could be brumation. My boy (my avatar) started slowing down in mid oct. just started to come back a couple of weeks ago. he has never eaten as much as my girl (who is also brumating) but during his rest, he ate NOTHING. He was not active - he slept on the cool dark side of the viv and would pretend to be awake when i took him out every couple of weeks to offer him water. Your boy may be impacted - i think most of the folks on this forum would recommend either slate tiles or repticarpet. it may not be as "pretty" but i think it's safer. have you tried warm water baths to stimulate defecation? also - try gently rubbing his belly - from chest to tail. You might also consider checking with a vet. Keep us posted, please

 

[steveyrockstar]

Thanks for the feedback. I may have to go the vet route if he doesn't start to pick up. When he first slowed down his eating he showed signs of brumation by burrowing in the substrate. But he doesn't do that so much now, especially since I upped the temperature in his tank. And as I say, he shows a lot of energy during the daytime, running around his viv and wanting to come out. When he does he'll run around for 1-2 hrs then find a dark place in the room and go to sleep. He doesn't exude the character of an ill animal, either, except maybe in the evening when he just seems very tired.

 

[steveyrockstar]

UPDATE: He just ate ONE morio worm.

I think the really weird thing I'm noticing is that when he does eat something, he aggressively licks his lips afterwards with a deep sense of consideration and suspicion on his face, pretty much like a human does after he's trying something that he's really not sure about.

It's as though he's not enjoying the taste of anything he eats, which is why he's just stopped eating. Could this be a vet job?

Other than that, he's full of energy - he rampages round my living room like a schoolkid high on caffeine at times. I don't get it...

 

[Mushuandcricket]

Welcome! Is he shedding?

 

[PatsyB]

UPDATE: He just ate ONE morio worm.

I think the really weird thing I'm noticing is that when he does eat something, he aggressively licks his lips afterwards with a deep sense of consideration and suspicion on his face, pretty much like a human does after he's trying something that he's really not sure about.

It's as though he's not enjoying the taste of anything he eats, which is why he's just stopped eating. Could this be a vet job?

Other than that, he's full of energy - he rampages round my living room like a schoolkid high on caffeine at times. I don't get it...

That sounds like my girl Dexter after she eats a morio! She licks her lips as if she has to make sure she tastes every bit of it. Like she's trying to figure out what it tastes like. She tilts her head and then it's like she's fallen asleep, I have to tap her head to snap her out of it to eat another!

 

[steveyrockstar]

Hello there!

No Arturo hasn't properly shed for a couple of months or so (or he may have shed a bit of his chin not so long ago).