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Thread: my beardies won't eat =(

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Tampa, FL
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    Default my beardies won't eat =(

    my two beardies haven't been eating much lately...
    they eat maybe 1-3 crickets a day (when i'm not looking), and ate waxworms not too long ago, but refuse to eat since. i've had them for two weeks, and there has been little growth...

    i'm greatly concerned, what could be the cause?
    and how can i fix it?
    their temps at 105-110 f basking, and the cool side is 80...

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    chicago,il
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    Default

    how big/old are they,? you may have to seperate them they might ne stressed! when i first got my beardie he was 2 wks old and he only ate about 3 crix a day then, also wax wors can be like crack to some baby reptiles i had th same problem; i gave him a wax worm when he was smaller and he refused crix for a while, i just didnt feed him for a few days and reintroduced them and he started eating them again!
    0.1 Black and white ~ Rayne
    1.0 Exterme giant ~ Storm

  3. #3
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    Jan 2010
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    Tampa, FL
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    Default

    they are roughly 7 or 8 weeks old.
    what's weird though is that we offered both waxworms and crickets the last few days, and they have denied either one.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    chicago,il
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    i have found that some baby beardies will get bored when fed the same foods; what are all the foods you offer, just those two? many people say that they will get impacted from it, but i feed mines meal worms w/o any problems what so ever, i also give him earth worms. i will soon be adding some phoenix worms, horn worms,butter worms and dubias to the mix, for variety and the fact that they are all high in nutrition!
    0.1 Black and white ~ Rayne
    1.0 Exterme giant ~ Storm

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Central FL
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    What size crickets are you feeding? I would try smaller crickets and gut load them with greens before feeding so that they are nice and juicy. Also offer some finely cut greens to your beardies in the morning, with maybe a little bit of carrot for color. Also try Phoenix worms for a variety, they are higher in calcium and wiggly.

    Some things that can affect appetite are temperature, UVB/calcium, and dehydration. How are you measuring the temps? If it's a stick on gauge, forget it. Make sure the temps are accurate and the basking temp should be OK. Provide a stick or platform under the basking site so they can get higher or lower if they want. Unflitered, quality UVB is a must. No screen filter unless it's a Mercury vapor, and the UVB needs to be the proper distance, which is about 8" if it's a long tube. The compacts just are too controversial for my taste. At this age, all the crickets and worms should be dusted with a calcium supplement that does not contain phosphorous. Little guys get dehydrated easily, so giving them a bath may perk them up and help them poo. Put them in lukewarm water up to their armpits for about 15 min. You can take them out sooner if you see them drink. I also would bathe them separately since beardies tend to sit on top of one another and dunk someone. Then I make sure that I sprinkle water on their greens to add water to the diet.

    Hopefully that gets them going. Are they housed on sand and are they pooping?
    Laura R (FL)
    1.0.0 Colombian Tegu
    1.4.0 Argentine B&W Tegu
    1.2.0 Red Tegu
    1.2.0 B/WxRed Tegu
    1.0.0 Green Ameiva (yet another teiid)
    7 other lizards
    1 little gator
    3 FL box turtle
    1 Sulcata tortoise
    16 snakes
    5 fuzzy pets
    4 little frogs
    a bunch of creepy bugs
    and a partridge in a pear tree

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Tampa, FL
    Posts
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    Default

    We have them housed on news paper, because we were afraid of them getting impacted.
    the greens we feed are dandelion greens or alfalfa (varies day by day), butternut squash or yellow squash, and papaya - with bearded dragon pellet food sprinkled around it (i fed them to my beardies when i worked at petsmart, and they ate it up). their food gets watered and the insects get reptical calcium dust.
    the crickets are small - not pin sized. but the wax worms they are were rather large...

    one note that we have is that their stool is rather runny...

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Central FL
    Posts
    4,349

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    Diet sounds good...maybe a fecal check from the vet?
    Laura R (FL)
    1.0.0 Colombian Tegu
    1.4.0 Argentine B&W Tegu
    1.2.0 Red Tegu
    1.2.0 B/WxRed Tegu
    1.0.0 Green Ameiva (yet another teiid)
    7 other lizards
    1 little gator
    3 FL box turtle
    1 Sulcata tortoise
    16 snakes
    5 fuzzy pets
    4 little frogs
    a bunch of creepy bugs
    and a partridge in a pear tree

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    chicago,il
    Posts
    223

    Default

    another thing to consider is the type of uvb lamp you are using, i went through this with gizmo changed his bulb and took him out for some natural sunlight and after a few wks he started eating more, he still dosnt eat as much as most others beardies his size, but he is growing, shedding and pooping fine. he is now 8.5" and was 3.5" when i got him at the end of january, i was assured that a long as he isnt skinny or not pooping he would be fine! good luck!
    0.1 Black and white ~ Rayne
    1.0 Exterme giant ~ Storm

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Tampa, FL
    Posts
    160

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    well, we've had them for two weeks. they started at 5" long, and are now 6", so they're growing and eating somehow...
    i'll try the sunbathing thing tomorrow. thank you for the advice!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Sin City
    Posts
    252

    Default

    try looking on beardeddragon.org for info on your new guys. It is a great site for anything you would want to learn about beardies.
    Toki Tegu
    Scorch Dragon
    Nadine Columbian Boa
    2 Herb freak Teenagers & 1 Beardie loving Hubby

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