Feeding question.

[Byte]

My brother got a baby beardie a few days ago and it hasn't been eating very good at all. we moved him into a small containter and put 6 baby crickets in the container to see if that helps.....

My question is... Will the beardie get shy and not eat if somone is watching it too closely?

-Kayla

[mr~python]

have you only offered smaller crickets? try some bigger sized crickets.

[Byte]

The beardie is only 3-5 inches long... He is just a baby. Are you sure it can eat bigger crickets. We also have meal worms in the tank but it hasnt really eaten them either....

[mr~python]

yes, im sure. my ackie took a mouse fuzzy that was 2-3 times the size of his head yesterday.

[BP's Rock]

What a monitor eats vs. what a baby BD eats is irrelevant - give it time to adjust - thats kind of a small bd to take in, however I've taken in some small ones as well - medium crickets and mealworms are good for his size, however the mealworms are harder to digest - offer the salad as well daily...

[mr~python]

i was using my monitor as an example to show him the crickets weren't too big.

[Byte]

We have greens in his feeding bowl he wont touch them either...

[BP's Rock]

Well - I'm not sure what you are housing it in now, for that size a 10 gallon should work for a while - make sure your basking temps are good - 100-105 for a baby should be fine - You can bump that up just a few as it gets bigger - make sure it has a cool side to retreat to as well - and a good uva/uvb bulb is neccessarily as well - Once that is set up correctly, and he's settled in - he should be eating - I would offer both veggies and dusted insects daily to get him eating and get some weight on him - Good luck

[Kilo]

He is in the 20gl tank with a basking spot and a cool side. I do have a UV light... which is seems to love! I offer veggies, crickets and meal worms on a daily basis.

[Jeanne]

Baby beardies who are not started off well tend to have eating issues like you are experiencing, it also can mean your baby is younger than it should have been sold at, which is common in petstores. I have had a few come from a breeder that swore they were eating well, and when I got them home, found out that they actually were not.

If you have had the baby for less than a week, it is most likely not settling in, and dealing with some sort of stress issues. If neccessary, cover the side of its enclosure making it harder to see in/out to reduce stress... Check its temps, make sure you are misting a few times a day to keep him/her hydrated. If he/she does not start eating by this weekend I would start to worry. Has it eaten at all since you have had it? How much? You may have to start hand feeding it chicken or turkey baby food to get its energy up enough so it may feel like feeding on its own. IMO, a 10 gallon is not really a good size to start a baby beardie in, 10 gallon tanks are notorious for being baby cookers cause they are so small they do not have the right room for thermoregulation.