need advice ASAP

[ilovemypets1988]

Hi all, as you all know, I've recently got 3 bearded dragons and they will not eat any crickets at all and 1 of them will not eat anything.
The adults are loosing weight as only 1 of them will only eat mealworms and the other won't touch a thing.
However the baby is eating mealworms twice a day and seems to be bulking out slowly and vet said tails nothing to worry about either.

[murrindindi]

Hi, are they all housed together, and can you give details of the temps etc, and have you been handling them much?

[Falconeer999]

How many days has it been that they've not eaten? All the lizards I've gotten have not eaten the first 4-6 days I've had them home. Have you been handling them? If so, stop until they've eaten a few times. They could just be stressed out and need time to acclimate to a new environment.

Have you tried other feeding items besides the mealworms and crickets? Wax worms, Phoenix worms or roaches are all good alternatives (and healthier than mealworms).

Have you noticed them eating any vegetables? Sometimes when mine won't eat many insects, I've noticed it is on days when she's eaten a lot of veggies.

How are you feeding them the crickets? Mine is a picky eater and won't eat much if I just drop the food in the cage, but if I offer by hand or with tweezers will eat like crazy.

Finally, make sure your temperatures are good. If it's too cool, they won't eat. Make sure your basking temp is 110 or even as high as 120-130 (if you have good enough temperature gradient - offering them someplace hotter than 'usual' is okay since they can regulate themselves).

[ilovemypets1988]

Oops yh sorry, forgot to add the usual info, they are housed separately, the adults in a 3 foot viv each, no substrate, some logs to climb on, 10.0 uv tubes, basking temp is between 103 and 107, ambient is around 85, full water bowls with fresh water every other day, each viv yes opened for half an hour each day (not at the same time) and only handled when there put back in there vivs.

The baby is in a exo terra tank (30 x 30 x 45cm) purely due to babies size, basking temp is between 90 and 95 with a cool area of around 85, fresh water every day and as logs to climb on.

All lights go off at night for a 9-12 hour day cycle.

[murrindindi]

Oops yh sorry, forgot to add the usual info, they are housed separately, the adults in a 3 foot viv each, no substrate, some logs to climb on, 10.0 uv tubes, basking temp is between 103 and 107, ambient is around 85, full water bowls with fresh water every other day, each viv yes opened for half an hour each day (not at the same time) and only handled when there put back in there vivs.

The baby is in a exo terra tank (30 x 30 x 45cm) purely due to babies size, basking temp is between 90 and 95 with a cool area of around 85, fresh water every day and as logs to climb on.

All lights go off at night for a 9-12 hour day cycle.


Hi again, if the ambient in the coolest parts is 85f it`s too warm, you only need it around 21 to 24c (72 to 75f) during the day, it can drop to around 19c (68f) at night. Why is the hatchling`s basking temp lower, they need exactly the same range as the adults, also, you cannot possibly get a good temp range in a tank that small, it should be in an "adult sized" enclosure.
If you`re opening the tanks for 30 mins at a time all the heat is gone (why are you opening them for that time)?

[ilovemypets1988]

There vivs are open for that long as they like to go in and out, room temps usually at 23.5c hence the high cool end temp

[murrindindi]

There vivs are open for that long as they like to go in and out, room temps usually at 23.5c hence the high cool end temp


These animals will lose heat in minutes, moreso the hatchling, and leaving them out for 30 minutes will have a drastic effect on their core body temp. Just because the room feels warm to you doesn`t mean it`s warm enough to them!
You may need to find a different type of heat bulb because the coolest ambient temps you offer aren`t suitable (too high as I said), they need a specific range both day and night.
You do understand these are poikilothermic animals that rely on their keeper (you) to provide the conditions that allow them to thermoregulate/function efficiently at all times, it`s extremely important you make some changes asap.
Can you put a few photos up of the enclosures and tell me what type of heat bulbs you`re using?

[ilovemypets1988]

I'll upload pics tomorrow as my cam needs charging

[Aaron_S]

You do understand these are poikilothermic animals that rely on their keeper (you) to provide the conditions that allow them to thermoregulate/function efficiently at all times, it`s extremely important you make some changes asap...

Didn't you know that reptiles are just like cats and dogs? Need to roam free every day. To hell with proper environments all the time!

[Valvaren]

I just want to chime in my two cents. I really think part your husbandary and part the fact you were sold animals that might have been less then healthy. I allow my bearded dragon out for as long as she wishes, she glass dances to come out when she needs to poop, she has 'learned' that this gets my attention and I put her in the bath which is the only place she will poop. After a bath I will put her back and if she turns right back to come out she stays out for a bit, when she wants to go back she will head for her viv.

My dragon has never had any problems, I also keep her enclosure closed while she is out so there is a difference.

Honestly you were told in your first thread these animals did not look the best, combined that with husbandry and I can see why you are having problems.