Lost appetite

[cygbeardie]

Hi everyone,
Our beardie named Poppy is about 5 months old. She is our very first reptile and has been doing well most of the time. Recently we’ve noticed her appetite is reduced. She used to eat almost everything (greens, crickets, mealworms, soldierworms, wax worms, dubia roaches, etc). Now she won’t eat crickets and most worms except wax worms (but they’re fatty so we can’t give her much) and very little veggies. She’s also less active, usually just rest/bask on her hammock under the UVA/B light. The temperature is perfect (a bit on the toasty side). Don’t think she’s in hibernation either. If we take her out of her space she would still cruise around the house without problems. Also, she hasn’t shedded for over 3 weeks. Are these behaviors normal? Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Cynthia

 

[Skybug]

Hello Cynthia, welcome to the forum can you please go over your lighting with us(coil uvb bulbs are a Big no no) tell us what veggies and supplements he’s getting, babies usually should be active all the time, it could be possible he’s going through a “full body” shed, when my beardie was a baby she didn’t eat for 3 days cause her whole head was in shed, its quite possible hes “testing you” to see uf you’ll crack under pressure and give him the fatty better tasting bugs(beardies are surprisingly smart)

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum, Cynthia!

 

[Sadie]

5 month dragons do not brumate and as Skybug asked please go over the lighting and how your taking the basking temps-- NO stick ons please -- digital probe thermometers are the most accurate -- the basking temps and the UVB are the MOST IMPORTANT things in the tank - they control the overall health and behavior of the dragon

 

[cygbeardie]

Hello Cynthia, welcome to the forum can you please go over your lighting with us(coil uvb bulbs are a Big no no) tell us what veggies and supplements he’s getting, babies usually should be active all the time, it could be possible he’s going through a “full body” shed, when my beardie was a baby she didn’t eat for 3 days cause her whole head was in shed, its quite possible hes “testing you” to see uf you’ll crack under pressure and give him the fatty better tasting bugs(beardies are surprisingly smart)

Hi,
Thanks so much for responding to my post. We are using the mercury vapor (MV) light that should cover both UVA&B. I use a temperature gun that measures between 95-110F depending which part of her hammock I’m aiming at. The veggies she’s having are usually kale, mustard greens. She’s not very savvy about hunting her bugs. So she doesn’t go after jumping crickets. She loved Dubia roaches but they’re on national shortage. We put calcium powder on the bugs. Not much else supplements. She had a full body shed a few weeks ago and then hasn’t shed since.
Cynthia

5 month dragons do not brumate and as Skybug asked please go over the lighting and how your taking the basking temps-- NO stick ons please -- digital probe thermometers are the most accurate -- the basking temps and the UVB are the MOST IMPORTANT things in the tank - they control the overall health and behavior of the dragon

Thanks Sadie,
Yes we use the digital thermometer that points and reads.

 

[cygbeardie]

Hello Cynthia, welcome to the forum can you please go over your lighting with us(coil uvb bulbs are a Big no no) tell us what veggies and supplements he’s getting, babies usually should be active all the time, it could be possible he’s going through a “full body” shed, when my beardie was a baby she didn’t eat for 3 days cause her whole head was in shed, its quite possible hes “testing you” to see uf you’ll crack under pressure and give him the fatty better tasting bugs(beardies are surprisingly smart)

Hi,
Thanks so much for responding to my post. We are using the mercury vapor (MV) light that should cover both UVA&B. I use a temperature gun that measures between 95-110F depending which part of her hammock I’m aiming at. The veggies she’s having are usually kale, mustard greens. She’s not very savvy about hunting her bugs. So she doesn’t go after jumping crickets. She loved Dubia roaches but they’re on national shortage. We put calcium powder on the bugs. Not much else supplements. She had a full body shed a few weeks ago and then hasn’t shedded since.
Cynthia