Tummy Troubles & an array of other difficulties...

[Amber & Sunny]

Hey all!

My 2 month old (maybe 3 months? The pet store was so vague on his/her age) beardie is about 6 inches long and seems to be having some trouble with his food. I turn his light on at 8am and offer kale, parsley & some mix of fruit (pear) or veggies (peas) promptly at 9am. He will eat a little if I hand feed him, like 2-3 small pieces of kale and one bite of fruit/veggie. This morning he bit the hell outta me trying to get a piece of pea stuck on my finger nail...

Then I serve mealworms/dried crickets between 1-2pm. Now, he's been eating about 5-7 mealworms a day, maybe takes one dried cricket every other day. Is this normal? It seems like he should be more hungry?? Then, he only poops in the bath so I give him one everyday and rub his belly when he's in it. Last night he had a huge poop in the tub and when he was finished it looked like a little hemorrhoid came out.. it went away within 2 minutes outside the bath but now I'm really concerned. I'm guessing the meal worms are not going out too smoothly for him so I'm looking into another feeder today. I read silkworms are good for digestion but they are so big and only last a couple days. I'm wanting a staple feeder I get in bulk and store like I do the mealworms, little maintenance and lives in the fridge up to a few months. Any shelf stable or fridge stable feeders you can suggest that will be easy on his tummy? I really don't want to deal with the nasty little crickets..

 

[rob.kolm]

I recently switched to roaches for my little guy. I put them in a small Corningware ramekin (roaches can't climb it) and put it up next to his rock climb. He leans over and munches them whenever he likes.

 

[Canicke]

Good idea!

 

[PatsyB]

Sounds like he needs more fluids. He's not getting food that has enough liquid in it. The meal worms are all shell and the dried crickets are just, well dry. Mist him daily, in his bath drip water on his nose and he will (hopefully) lick it off. That little "hemorrhoid" that you saw come out is called a prolapse. It's basically his anal gland coming out because he had to stain to hard. You got lucky that it went back in. I've never had a prolapse with any of my dragons but I have a frog that is prone to them and it is not easy getting them back in. Switch to dubias, or even live crickets. You can put the crickets in glass bowl too and they won't climb out. Small super worms might work too, night crawlers cut into pieces, phoenix worms are all things you can buy at the pet store.

 

[Amber & Sunny]

Sounds like he needs more fluids. He's not getting food that has enough liquid in it. The meal worms are all shell and the dried crickets are just, well dry. Mist him daily, in his bath drip water on his nose and he will (hopefully) lick it off. That little "hemorrhoid" that you saw come out is called a prolapse. It's basically his anal gland coming out because he had to stain to hard. You got lucky that it went back in. I've never had a prolapse with any of my dragons but I have a frog that is prone to them and it is not easy getting them back in. Switch to dubias, or even live crickets. You can put the crickets in glass bowl too and they won't climb out. Small super worms might work too, night crawlers cut into pieces, phoenix worms are all things you can buy at the pet store.

thank you for addressing my issue. In the time I was waiting anxiously for med advice on my beardie I did some searching and ordered 2 tubs of phoenix worms. They should be here today, tomorrow at the latest. I feel so bad "starving" my little guy until then. I read phoenix worms have no concern for impaction? Is this true? All around the reviews and testimonials on the phoenix worm site looked great. And he gets all his daily calcium in them so that was a big decision factor. What's your opinion on crickets vs phoenix worms vs dubias? Obviously I don't think the small phoenix worms will be enough for his appetite in adulthood but for now, as a juvie?

 

[PatsyB]

Phoenix worms are a good feeder and so are dubias. Phoenix worms are good and perfect for a smaller dragon. I like to give a variety of different foods. Right now it's mostly super worms but they get hornworms, night crawlers, phoenix worms and crickets. I tried feeding mine dubia's and they weren't any more interested in then than they are crickets so I don't buy them (they creep me out).

 

[beardieX0]

Please be careful with meal worms. Feed 2 times a day as many as he can have. I spray mine down 2 times daily and a bath every three days. ^^ good advise above

 

[Heather1979]

I was told never to spray them in there viv because of the humidity ? Also I've been told never to feed dry or dead live food surely it can't be good because you can't gut load them . My 4 month old isn't keen on salad and fruit yet which is normal till they hit about 1 when they become more interested . My beardie is afraid of crickets so he has locusts nicely gut loaded and covered in a powder supplement and he poos daily he won't drink but is doing fine .

 

[PatsyB]

I think 30-35% humidity is good....I'm not completely sure of that number. As long as misting doesn't elevate the humidity too much a light misting should cause a problem.

 

[beardieX0]

I think 30-35% humidity is good....I'm not completely sure of that number. As long as misting doesn't elevate the humidity too much a light misting should cause a problem.

When I mist it doesn't mess with the humidity to much. I just do it because he's a baby and he sheds a lot lol. Your tight about the dried bugs. I wouldn't recommend the dry ones as a staple. I also really enjoy watching my beardies catch their prey lol it gives them some exercise

 

[beardieX0]

Oh an misting helps when they aren't drinking water! They lick the water off their lips and absorb some through their skin. Someone correct me if I'm wrong because that's what I've heard. I don't want give false info

 

[Heather1979]

I bath mine every other day and was told they absorb the water through their skin. My last beardie never drank but was never dehydrated because I would bath her .

 

[PatsyB]

They get their water orally whether it's from eating salad or juicy bugs. When you mist them they may lick the water off their nose or off the glass of the tank. In the bath even if you don't see them lick or drink the water the water may still be getting in their mouth. My girl Dexter doesn't open her mouth in the bath but when I drip water on her nose it runs down her lips and into her mouth.

Giving them baths helps keep the skin hydrated and helps it shed. It also helps them poop.

 

[beardieX0]

Can someone take a look at my new topic "sand"