?? Need a bit of help ??

[diegothediggy]

Hi all just a little thing that im unsure on. Some times when I put Diegos bugs (locus size 3) in his viv some days he will eat them as soon as they go in n other days he will watch them run around n sit there n do nothin. He will eat them off the tweezers if I offer him them. Slightly confused so I skipped a feed yesterday n I didnt feed him at dinner time (well he constantly has greens I ment no bugs) n still when I fed him later on he sat there n done nothing. My BF fed him them off the tweezers after bout an hour n he eat them so he was hungry but didnt chase them. Is this normal???

 

[atochats]

Well it is a lot less work for him to sit back and be hand fed. When he chases them down eagerly, he's very hungry...but when he's not hungry enough to chase them down on his own and only casually eats if hand fed, IMO I wouldn't worry too much. He's just not super hungry right then. Make sure your basking temp is good as this being too low can affect appetite. Keep an eye on how often he poops too. As long as environmentlal factors are right, slight changes in appetite from day to day shouldn't be anything to worry about. If he will eat absolutely nothing. ..well thats a different story but it doesn't sound like this is the case.

 

[diegothediggy]

No he is always willing to eat just not always willing to eat on his own. His temps r 43.3 degrees celsius basking spot and. 25.5 degrees on cooler side he poops every couple of days but he had bin quite dark bearded the past coupleof days.

 

[atochats]

There's nothing wrong with a bit of "encouraging" to eat...yours is still rather young, right? I'm no good with conversions from C to F, I'd have to wait till my tank warms up and check her probes lol but your eating and pooping habits sound just fine

 

[PatsyB]

As they grow their habits change. Luci was always waiting for me at the bottom of her tank waiting to pounce on her crickets. Now a month later she waits awhile before she goes after them. When Dexter was small I used to call her "hoover" because she would run around her tank and eat up every bit of salad that fell out of the bowl, now at 14 months I'm lucky if she eats a piece of it! I wouldn't worry too much about Diego, as long as he's eating something and he's hydrated and pooping normally he should be fine.

 

[diegothediggy]

Well usual I feed Diego once in the mornin around 6-10 size 3 locus qnd again around tea time he eats different amounts each day depending on how hungry he is. So this mornin I had a thought: instead of feeding him twice. I gave him fresh bowl of salad in the mornin and didnt feed him any bugs till around 4 ish and he eat about 14-16 bugs ad fast as I was puttin them in he was chasing them and eating them it was so gud to watch him eating on his own n running around chasing his food. Am I ok 2 continue to feed him like this or is this not gud? Thanks for all the help

 

[PatsyB]

How old is he? If he's still a juvenile you should keep trying to feed him at least 2x a day as much as he wants to eat in 15 minutes.

Every one is different though. In my experience, Dexter ate 3 times a day 10-15 crickets when she was a juvi. Now she eats once a day or every other day. Luci on the other hand likes to eat breakfast and lunch 10-15 crickets and won't eat after 5pm. She wears herself out so much during the day that she is ready for bed by 5!

 

[diegothediggy]

Well hes 6 months but hes quite a fatty he was 5 months wen I got him. Wen I went the reptile shop there was another 4 in the viv with him I held a few. But I new as soon as I seen him that I wanted him. He was very alert he was scranning the cricks as quick as he could he was active. But like I sed if I feex him early to dinna time he just isnt interested. But he is at tea time I give him as many as he wants I just like the fact that hes chasing them dwn n not just sat there lookin at them. I mean look ........

So ur sayin not to feed him in 1 sitting altho he ready for it???

 

[atochats]

Personally I offer a salad as a first meal of the day, I leave it in for 2 hrs before offering live prey. This encourages her to eat her veggies. Then I feed her first live prey meal, and she gets a second live prey meal offered later in the day, along with another fresh salad. At 6 months I agree live prey should probably still be offered twice daily If Diego isn't interested in the second live prey meal when offered, that's ok but at least it's being made available. Is he eating any veggies yet?

 

[diegothediggy]

Yeh he eats a full dish of vegg thoughout the day its not his second meal he not interested in its his first n I usual give him fresh salad in the morn leave it a couple of hours then put sum bugs in but he dnt wanna chase them rnd he will let them walk all ova him. He will eat off tye tweezers so its not that hes not hungry. Ob after a while he will eat them but hes not eager or chasing them rnd. Wel he isnt usually but like I sed I only fed him once yesterday n waitin till around 4 n he was all on them? I havnt a clue wot to do.

 

[atochats]

Maybe wait a bit longer in between his morning salad and his first live feeding, but I'd still offer live prey twice a day...not just once. Try not tweezer feeding, just let him go after what he wants. Leave the crix in for twenty minutes or so, then take out what he doesn't eat. He needs to understand that the crix aren't going to be available for a VERY long time and if he wants them, he'd better get to chasing. Just remember also that whatever changes you make to his feeding schedule...stick with it. Do the same thing, the same way, everyday that way he has a steady routine. Changes in their husbandry can affect their behavior. Offer often, don't spoil, and stick to a plan

 

[diegothediggy]

Ok thanks for the yreat advice but it is hars wen he not had any bugs for ages. He tends to chase them idlf he not in his viv aswel am I ok 2 feed his out of his viv ? Thanks again

 

[PatsyB]

Atochats has given real good advise. You want to try to keep them on a schedule and let them decide if they want to eat or not. As long as your routine is steady and they are at least eating something and gaining weight and poops are normal, don't worry too much.

One thing to consider about feeding outside the tank is are you prepared to ALWAYS feed outside the tank even when the Diego is 20" long? He may start to feel that eating crickets is only to be done outside the tank and stop eating them inside.