Baby Bearded dragon will not eat?

Question

I purchased a small bearded dragon a few weeks ago. I've dusted crickets (small ones) meal worms and give him a fresh salad every day. He has plenty to drink. The problem is, I've only seen him eat ONCE (a meal worm) since I've had him (about 3 weeks). He's active about an hour every day, other than that he lays by his basking lamp and seems content. Most of my crickets die from boredom in his cage...they crawl on him and he ignores them totally. I've even had to get an extra cage so that the crickets don't bother him at night. He has his NIGHT house and his Day home where he is offered different foods. He's just a baby and I want to keep him healthy, but he's so uncooperative!!! Someone said that there are other things you can try, does anyone have suggestions?????

Thanks!!

Answer 1

well i have a friend who has a bearded dragon and she feeds him the same things u r feeding urs so u should try calling a vet and just TELL the vet whats wrong and if the vet doesn't know u should make an appointment for ur dragon. maybe his inviorment doesn't make him feel happy. good luck!!

Answer 2

He lives in two tanks? Did I read that right?  The stress of moving between tanks could easily not let him relax enough to eat.  Would you like to move twice a day? There are other reasons besides stress that could slow his eating habits, brumation (hibernation), not enough heat-could be if he spends all day under the basking light, or some sort of impaction or parasite.  Since you only got him a few weeks ago I would stop transfering tanks, if you want a day and night cycle put the different lights on the same tank, check the temps is the basking spot around 95-100 and the rest of the tank should be 80-90 during the day and no lower than 65-70 at night.  If you make these changes and after another day or two he still hasn't improved get a hold of a vet in your area and take him in.  Make sure that when/if you go to the vet, you tell him everything about the way you are keeping the lizard so he gets the best care.  Good luck.

Answer 3

Why are you putting him in a different habitat by day and night????  You are probably stressing him out with that and causing the fast to continue.  Just have one large one with a basking side and a cool side.  Turn off the basking side for 12 hours a day.

Also, only put in the number of crickets or other live food he'll eat in a few minutes.  Are the crickets too large for him?  Or the mealworms?  He needs food that is smaller than the distance between his eyes.  He could be impacted if you've given him too many large insects with thick exoskeltons.

You need to always keep your feeder crickets in their own habitat with good food and plenty of water.  Don't leave them in the lizard habitat - they'll bug (even bite) your beardie and otherwise irritate him.

Why are you giving him different foods in different habitats?  Also, do not offer him food within a few hours of "lights out".  The food can turn rancid in his stomach as he sleeps at night.

Try a tiny bit of raspberry (fresh or frozen) on your fingertip while you're holding him.  He should lap it up.

Answer 4

First i think he is scared of you so did you tame him yet { pick him pet him } when he's fully tame he won't try to bite or open his mouth to you, but if this isn't the problem try putting some of the food in front of its face and see if he bites it

Answer 5

just try to feed him with tongs, if that doesnt work take him to a reptile vet hope it helps :P

Answer 6

does he have enough heat. if theyre too cool they wont eat

Answer 7

Well,I Would say he is just nervous some reptiles go up to a couple of months without eating.

He will eat when he really needs to.

Good Luck