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My first dragon - and he won't eat! HELP!!

S

Sssnakemom31

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I just adopted a handsome retired breeder boy at the NARBC show last weekend in Tinley Park. I was assured that he was 100% healthy, and he appears to be! BUT - he has eaten little or nothing since I got him home.

His set-up is a 40-gallon long breeder tank, with a basking spot and 10.O ReptiSun bulb on his basking area. Sand is the substrate. There is an under tank heater as well, positioned under his log hide, for if he needs it when lights are out. He is in my reptile room, which stays in the low 70's at night.

I make him a salad twice a day, of mustard, collard , turnip and dandelion greens; thawed mixed frozed vegies; and a small garnish of cactus fruit and mango. I have offered him crickets, superworms and waxworms. NOTHING gets his attention, and it doesn't appear that the salad is eaten at all when I check on him several times daily. He is basking, and alert. He loves a bath soak, and drinks well when he is in his bath water.

What am I doing wrong, and what should I do differently!?!?!?

Kathy
 
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Hi Kathryn....he may just need some time to acclimate,I've had larger dragons go for 2-3 weeks without eating much when I first brought them home. It may be that he's ready to brumate,too. What temp. and what type of bulb besides the 10.0 are on the basking side? Also,you can ditch the undertank heater,they need to cool down at night.
 
Sssnakemom31 said:
BUT - he has eaten little or nothing since I got him home.
Click to expand...

Not unusual moving an older dragon to a new home. they may not eat for 3-4 weeks after a relocation. its only a few that will do this not all.

Put a couple large roaches in with him , that will almost always break the hunger strike.

Good luck with him!:)
 
Thank you!

I just got some roaches to begin a colony - I will try him with them, I am not certain if he has had them before ... thank you for the encouragement! I am seeing a bit of weight loss, so I have been worried ... he has tured up his nose at waxworms even!

Kathy
 
Kathryn,just be sure that he has a hot basking spot...we humans think that 85 is hot for us so it should be hot for them,but it's not. The basking spot should be 105-110 for them to function+digest food properly and the heat should come from above,not underneath. The cool side of the tank should be around 75-80. So be sure to check the temps.
 
Thanks, Angie ...

I'm sorry I didn't respond to your suggestion before! I do have a good basking lamp on him, the lamp is on top of the screen top and his log puts him roughly 8" below the lamp bulb. He is in a 40-gallon breeder tank, which is 48x13x12. The reptile room stays in the low to mid 70's as an ambient temperature, and his lights make even the "cool" end of his tank, in the upper 70's. This is the set-up I have been advised to use by beardie breeders, does this sound alright to you? His substrate is sand.

Kathy
 
Yes,that sounds good [ although some people won't use sand,I do in some of my cages] Just be sure that you can actually check the basking temp. rather than guessing,that way you can be sure of it.
 
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