Beardie and hydration...

As most of you know I recently aquired a beardie. I have a few concerns right now.

First, I'm wondering how I know if he's being properly hydrated. The crickets get gutloaded and I use that gel stuff to hydrate them. They all actually look a lot beefier after a few days than when I bought them at the store. Emo will only eat about 5 or 6 a day.

Also, he just nibbles on the salad I give him. I've been offering kale every day. He eats just a few pieces here and there. I'm not sure if I should try another kind of veggie or if he's just not having an appetite.

I tried letting him drink from a dripping sink faucet, but he wasn't interested.

So do older dragons eat and drink less than younger ones? All the caresheets I've read make me think my dragon has a very low appetite.

Do you know what I like to do for hydration? I soak some bearded dragon pellets in water for a bit. I drain most of it out, but it is still pretty saturated with water when he eats it. http://www.petfooddirect.com/store/i...9019106_lg.jpg
Ya still gotta give him salad and crickets but this way I know he is getting some water. Beardies dont drink a whole lot so if you dont ever see him do it, im sure he is fine.

Thanks greenman, I've never kept a beardie before or any lizard for that matter, and I guess I just want to make sure I'm not doing something wrong w/o even knowing it.

Good for you. Lizards are a different bunch arent they? I love my beardie but to tell ya the truth I am snake hearted...

Just remember they are warm weatherd lizards. They dont need alot of humidity or water. I like to keep fresh water in there even if I never see em drink it for my own peace of mind though.

So do you have any pics yet? Beardies are way cute!

Here ya go!

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...1/f81bbea1.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...9/f81bbea2.jpg

Awsome looking beardie! He looks like he has a lot of yellow on his face.
What kind of subsrate is that? Im still on the lookout for a good beardie substrate. I havnt found anything that I am particularly fond of yet...

You'll be happy to hear this......washed and screened childrens playsand from home depot.......$3.97 for 50 lbs. CAN'T BEAT THAT!!!

And he has yello in him when he feels like it....he's changing colors from light to dark all the time....i don't know whats up with that....

Haha, yeah, playsand is the greatest when you've got desert critters. As far as getting him to eat more of his veggies, you have to be just as stubborn as the beardie and always give veggies before bugs. If he's hungry he'll eat whatever you put in his cage, he might just have to do a little fasting before he realizes that the fun food comes second. Also, if you get him some of the pellets and he turns his nose up at it, soaking them in a little fruit juice (peaches, pears, apple, etc.) usually gets their attention pretty quick.

I've learned a lot from working with fussy babies at my store... can't wait until my eggs hatch! ;)

Emo is very very cute! Beardies were just made for the camera :D
Like most herps, they change their coloring depending on their mood and body temperature. Bright coloration usually indicates warm and happy, while they show their darker colors when they're sleeping, stressed out, or cold.

Good idea on soaking the pellets in fruit juice, MJ...I'd never thought of that!

Brad, I sprinkle some pellets on top of his salad and spritz the salad with water. I give him his salad in the morning and then crix later in the day. You should also try a variety of veggies. They do have favorites. My beardie's favorite green is turnip-greens. He also loves romaine, but that's not as good for him, so he doesn't get it very often. His favorite veggie besides lettuce is green bell-pepper.

They do change colors some. Not like chameleons, but definitely some changes. Mine is dark brownish/gray when he's unhappy...less dark when he's relaxed....and a bright peachy color when he's really happy chasing crickets!

I've got him on paper-towels for now, but will switch him to the playsand when he gets his new home. (He gets his new home when we get OUR new home next month! LOL)

I think he's starting to come around, he hadn't been eating much since he changed owners and I was worrying a little. Yesterday he ate about 6 crix in the morning, cleaned his veggie bowl throughout the day, then ate another 15-20 crix in the late afternoon. So I think the appetite is coming back around. He still has kept his darker color display though, I want him to hurry up and start to feel at home!

Most lizards especialy those acustomed to living in dry areas get most of their moisture from the bugs they eat. That is why it is so important to gutload the crickets before you feed them off. I have been thinking about getting a bearded dragon but i want to start to try breeding my Veiled Cham first.

I've notices a few wrinkles in the his skin lately. Is that normal? They go away when he flattens himself out obviously, but when he's just walking around theres come very obvious winkles. Anyone have any pics of what dehydration actually looks like?

Beardies are just wrinkly critters. I think it would take a LOT of neglect to visibly dehydrate a desert lizard. And I'm quite sure there's NO neglect going on at your home, Brad! Shaggy has wrinkles too...which look more pronounced when he's getting ready to shed.