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#568040
Salem
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Help! Beardie Not Eating! 
I have a 2 month old beardie that is very lifeliss and doesn’t seem to have an appetite for the last week. He was eating crickets ok and then just stopped. He is in a 20 gallon tank, sand covered floor with water bowl and proper heating elements. I put him in the water bowl for hydration and have romaine and crickets available everyday. He doesn’t seem to want to eat even if I put a cricket close to his mouth. He looks like he is losing weight and sleeps all the time. The light is on a timer so he is getting 8 hours of UV and heat each day. I’m very worried - does anyone have any ideas?!
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12/08/05 08:44pm
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#568047
Nails2
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Message To: Salem In reference to Message Id: 568040
 Help! Beardie Not Eating!
Is it a UVB and what strength?
Get rid of the sand it can cause impaction not allowing him to pass any thing. Use a solid substrate like non-adhesive shelf liner, or reptile carpet or news paper. That is if the news paper is printed with non-toxic ink. Make sure the crickets r not to big for him. Feed him only things that are as small as the space between his eyes.
If I left anything out, please will someone fill in what I forgot.
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12/08/05 08:52pm
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#568056
Heartmountain
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Message To: Salem In reference to Message Id: 568040
Help! Beardie Not Eating!
Ya, plenty of ideas. 1st, lose the sand and put down paper towels for now, they’re easy to clean and won’t hurt him like the sand will. 2nd, how big of crix? Nothing larger than the space between his eyes I hope. 3. Double check basking temp is at 110 and cool end is at 85, what do you mean by heating elements???? It’s not his problem right now but also lose the romaine, he needs greens if he eats his veggies at all - turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, see a pattern here... Have you taken him to a vet for a fecal yet? if not I’d be doing that asap, a heavy parasite load could easily manifest these symptoms. What kind of lights? UVB, UVA, spot, regular bulb, etc. and have you been dusting his food with Ca and does your Ca have d/3? That should get us started on trying to figure out what’s wrong with him.
Sean
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12/08/05 09:03pm
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#568063
Salem
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Message To: Nails2 In reference to Message Id: 568047
Help! Beardie Not Eating!
Yes, I have a 50 watt heat lamp and a UVA, UVB light. Do you think a higher watt is needed? 60W? Thanks for the info on the sand. I don’t think he is impacted as of yet (will change sand) because he is passing. The crickets are pins. I did give him 1/4" at first but I quickly realized they were too big. At times he just seems dead and then another minute alive, but not for long. Very weird. Thanks for your feedback.
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12/08/05 09:10pm
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#568072
Heartmountain
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Message To: Salem In reference to Message Id: 568063
Help! Beardie Not Eating!
I can’t really tell you on wattage, each bulb by different manufacturers is different. The important thing is to check the surface temp at the basking spot and the ambient temp on the cool end with a good (digital) thermometer. Ok, crix aren’t too large so we can rule that out. Still possible on impaction from the sand but since he’s passing I’d say probably minimal on that. Best guess is parasites at this point, you’ll need to take him into your vet with a fresh fecal sample. Is the fecal well formed or runny, how does it smell? (sounds like a stupid question but it’s important, of course it smells like sh** but is it really really rank?) Have you been bathing him in warm water, maybe even some warm pedialite?
Sean
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12/08/05 09:19pm
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#568076
Salem
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Message To: Heartmountain In reference to Message Id: 568056
Help! Beardie Not Eating!
I think at this point it’s getting him to eat anything rather than what greens to feed him. I think though that a trip to the vet may be in order. Thanks for your input.
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12/08/05 09:23pm
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#568085
Salem
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Message To: Heartmountain In reference to Message Id: 568072
Help! Beardie Not Eating!
Fecal matter seems solid, haven’t notice on the odor. No on the baths - will that get him motivated?! Thanks again.
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12/08/05 09:28pm
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#568088
Heartmountain
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Message To: Salem In reference to Message Id: 568085
Help! Beardie Not Eating!
Baths can’t hurt, they’re the general cure all (band aid) for dragons. About pee warm and only as deep as his armpit, keep an eye on him so he doesn’t drown also.
Sean
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12/08/05 09:31pm
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#568097
Heartmountain
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Message To: Salem In reference to Message Id: 568076
Help! Beardie Not Eating!
I said the greens weren’t his problem right now, just something to think about for the future. Ok, so you don’t bath him... do you mist him 3-5 times per day? Proper hydration is essential and they don’t really drink out of dishes at this age, they can’t see standing water so until they figure out that that particular dish means water the water dish doesn’t do much good. A dehydrated beardie would also act like this. If you’ve got some pedialite around or can get some easily I would try a little of that in a syringe and put a drop or 2 on his mouth and try to get him to lick it up, if he starts go ahead and let him drink as much as he wants. If not the bath should at least help rehydrate him and can’t do any harm even if it doesn’t do any good.
Sean
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12/08/05 09:39pm
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#568113
Salem
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Message To: Heartmountain In reference to Message Id: 568097
Help! Beardie Not Eating!
I haven’t gotten the sray bottle yet, but as I mentioned I put him in the water bowl a couple of times a day for hydration. He seems to drink the water with no problem. I’ll try the bath and pedialite until I get him to the vet. I hope he pulls through!
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12/08/05 10:03pm
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