My baby bearded dragon didn't eat and died in 2 wks. Now my new one isn't eating. What should I do???

Question

I had a baby bearded dragon and he woudn't eat any of his food and died after 2 weeks. Now I have a new one and he isn't eating either and I don't know what to do to make him eat. I give him crickets and collard greens and the little dragon food pellets and he still won't eat and I don't think he's drinking water either. PLEASE HELP!!!

Answer 1

if this is happening w/ another one, you need to look at what you're doing and your set up. DO you have a UVB light? what is the temperature and humidity in the tank? What size of crickets are you giving them and how big are these bearded dragons? we unfortunately cannot answer or help w/out some of this necessary information

Answer 2

Hmm, maybe the temp. is off or the humidity isnt quite right so that may be whats causing them to not eat. Check your humidity and temperature and things like that.  

Answer 3

yeah id make sure you know how to care for these kinds of animals before you go buyin em, esp since one just died, make sure your set up is right, youre feeding the right kinds of crickets (try micro crickets the tiny ones) nd make sure they are live, make sure hes getting the right supplements in powder and that he has water, its not too hot etc.

Answer 4

well it could be a lot of things. The most likely ones are

1. When they are that small moving them causes a lot of stress and many die any way you. As a rule try to buy beardies 6 inch's or longer.

2. Did you disinfect the cage it could have been passed on from the first lizard to the second through the cage.

3. look at what your doing to thermo regulate the hot side of the tank should be 105-110 and the cool side should be 80-105. With out these extreme temps the baby dragons cannot properly regulate their body temp.

Answer 5

Baby dragons need to be warm.  About 90 degrees is comfy when they're tiny.  Put the basking light and all the heating elements at one end of the cage and leave the other to be on the cool side.  That way he can pick where he's cozy.

If he spends more time in the darker, cooler side, the heat may be too much.  Make adjustments if needed.

They MUST have a UV light.  They don't survive captivity without it.

Food is key.

It needs to be smaller than the space between their eyes.  TINY!

What size is the tank?

10 gallons is only good for the first few months.  

Babies get lost in large cages.  Meaning if the cage is too large he could forget where to find the food dishes and basking spots.

Where did you get the baby and was it eating before you got it?  

Baby reptiles are very fragile and can be born with birth defects.  Sometimes, there is a "failure to thrive" and they die of natural causes.

Sometimes, the stress of a new home freakes them out and they die of the shock.

Always buy from breeders or SPECIALTY reptile pet stores.

Petco, Petsmart and other pet stores don't take good care of their animals.  He may have been dying when you got him.

Try this to save him:

A vet.  Vets have special equipment and medicines that may save him.

Turn the basking lights and heaters on and cover as much of the tank as you safely can.  He wants to be alone and warm right now.

EDIT TO ADD:

If you're doing everything right, and he's still not eating, you are looking at sickness, a genetic defect, or poor care before you got him.

You mention he seems healthy and alert, well, reptiles hide sickness and pain until they're almost dead.  By the time they seem sick, it's often too late to save them.

A vet will help.  Without one, he may not make it.

If this one dies, DON'T buy another one from the same place.  Go somewhere else.  

Don't bring another dragon home unless you've SEEN it eat.  Good breeders have no trouble demonstrating this.