When to get concerned

[auntiedeb99]

Hi all,

Is is normal for bearded dragons to eat sporadically? The one I have is probably a few months old and I posted already once about him. But, yesterday he was prowling the tank a lot, so I kept dropping more crickets in (and he'd eat 1 or 2 before freezing in place). Of course, I found a lot of live crickets still in his tank when I cleaned it in the evening. But today, I have probably seen him eat all of one cricket---although he has eaten a couple of tablespoons of mixed greens.

So, should I be concerned? How do you know if he is underfed? How do I judge his health? How do I know if I am doing things right or doing it all wrong. I know with rawfeeding both my cats and my dogs, I look at the waist, coat, and poops. When my babies were young and breastfeeding, I looked at the quantity and quality of their output to determine if they were getting enough. But how do you judge a reptile? They are not mammals! My bearded dragon is pooping daily, at least. Is it normal for them to have variable appetites?

I can't believe how lost I am trying to care for this critter. And my husband dared to tell me today of a coworker that is looking to rehome an 8-week-old kitten someone abandoned! I am too stressed with this lizard to consider another cat! Tell me this gets easier. Please...

The crickets I bought have grown too big and I think they are multiplying. I had to move them to a bigger tank because I couldn't fit my hand in to change out their food and water goop. How do you manage caring for insects alongside caring for the reptiles?

Thanks all for the help I have gotten so far! I couldn't have managed this past week without your help.

Deb A.

Deb A.

 

[ladyknite]

You haven't had him long right? He could still be acclimating.

I know you've answered these before..................
UVB?
Temps?
Age of Dragon?

 

[auntiedeb99]

I know you've answered these before..................
UVB?
Temps?
Age of Dragon?

I still have the Repti-Glo 10.0, which I understand isn't too good. I haven't been back to the petstore to buy the REpti-Sun 10.0 (Or did I get those backwards?). The only temp gauge I have is an analog thermometer stuck to the wall of the aquarium. My husband has promised to bring his multi-meter home from work today so I can use it with it's thermo-probe (also works great for making great candies!). I tried measuring temp with my meat thermometer, but that doesn't work well for measuring air temp. So, perhaps a better UVB source and higher basking temps might improve things.

The age of the dragon is estimated to be 3-4 months old and he is 8 inches long. Undoubtedly he is still acclimating, but that is my problem. I had planned to leave him be to acclimate for several days to a week, then found out I should be bathing him daily and removing uneaten crickets daily---neither which can be done without removing him from the tank. Hence my frustration.

Naturally, as soon as I wrote the above message, I gave him a very successful bath in the sink. He not only drank water, but he seemed to enjoy running through the deepest water and almost swimming. And this morning as I was removing all the tank furniture and replacing the paper towels, he ate maybe as much as 10 crickets and let out a big poop.

Maybe he just eats more on some days and less on others? He seemed to really enjoy the mealworms I bought last week (and since thrown out, due to impaction concerns), maybe he wants more variety in his bugs. I will look into silkworms and roaches.
Thanks!

Deb A.

 

[renich]

Hi, Deb. I feel your pain. Take a deep breath...we'll get you there.

It does appear to be complicated at first, but once you get the basics down, you will think it easy to care for bearded dragons.

I think once you gauge the right temp and switch your bulb, you will see great improvement in your beardie. Lighting and heat are key in their appetites and digestion process. The stick on thermometers can be off by 20 degrees. You can get a digital probe thermometer for a couple of bucks at a pet store or even Wal-Mart.

Stay away from mealworms. They are not good for beardies and even worse for young beardies. You can try dubia roaches. Not all beardies like crickets.

 

[auntiedeb99]

Thanks again for the advice. I think he definitely needed to acclimate more. This past week as been easier and less stressful. He is eating quite a bit of crickets and phoenix worms each day (maybe 20-30 of medium-sized crickets and worms), plus about 1/2 tablespoon of salad. Today I learned he loves bell peppers.

I am learning his hungry cues---he leaves his basking place and starts stalking around the tank. Sometimes he seems to enjoy getting sprayed with water and he is not frantic in his bath (and perhaps enjoys it a little).

Thanks again!

Deb A.

 

[renich]

Glad to see things are turning around for you. Keep up the great work.