5 MONTH OLD NOT EATERN FOR 6 DAYS

[phill81]

hi i got my bearded dragon 23 of December and all was fine , but now he is not eating anything, he still bask es, drinks a bit ,likes baths,but it has been six days now,he has started to shed around his head and mouth that started 2 days ago could that stop him eating? have all correct lighting and heating ,thermostat, 4ft wooden home , he was pooing but now its just the white bit which he does in the bath, can anyone help?

[perfectly_flawed]

They often lose their appetites while shedding, but just to double check that everything is correct could you answer a few questions please?

What is the basking surface temp and what are you using to measure that temp?
What brand, rating, and type (coil, tube, etc) is your UVB light?
How close to the UVB light can the dragon get?
Is the enclosure brightly lit with white light, or is there a colored bulb, or a dim enclosure?
What insects are being offered?
Are all insects smaller than the space between his eyes?
What substrate (floor covering) is he on?
How often do you soak him?

[phill81]

hi his uvb strip light is 4ft long same as viv and its a repti glo 10.0,he has a 100 watt komodo baskin bulb , he has two areas he can climb the cold end witch is kept at 80 to 85f and he is about severn inches away from uvb bulb he also has on the warm side somwere too climb and is 6 inches away from uvb his baskin temps are between 100 to 115f which i use a digi probe too meassure,i bath everyday as ive noticed he is shedding, also sprey twice a day was feeding him on small crickets and locus and a small amout of meal worms which he liked but would never eat his veg but i put that down to being 5 months old , he is still refusing food, he has calcuim sand ,he was pooing everyday but as he has not eatern he only has the white bit that is normally at the top of the poo, which he does in the bath i think that is every think

[zebrajanie]

The glo is your problem... Change that out for a ReptiSun 10.0 and you should be fine.  In the mean time, go ahead and turn off that glo until you can change out tubes, no more than a month though please.
you can find cheap priced Reptisun 10.0 at www.petwarehouse.com, under reptile lighting.
Janie

[phill81]

ok but i live in the uk and all my pet stores near me sell repti glo. thanks

[phill81]

will he start eating again?

[zebrajanie]

Not a problem... Arcadia 12% should be at hand.. those are the best.. Now, you could still be dealing with relocation stress, as well as a shed perhaps.
I'd get the new tube in or at least ordered, if your local shoppe won't order it in, I have links I can get you in the next day or so... I'm not on my home pc, so I don't have them at hand, so to speak
Janie

I believe so.  If the tube is changed out, or turned off, then the negative effects of the output should start to change in days.  Keep offering daily those insects and salads, get the new tube ordered or installed.  We'll see what happens in a few days, okay dear ?

[phill81]

thank you

[zebrajanie]

Very welcome... Keep me informed of this little darlin's progress please.
Janie

[perfectly_flawed]

A couple other things - you'll need to remove the calcisand. It's one of the most dangerous substrates out there as well as extremely unsanitary. Just replace it with paper towels for now. Eventually you'll want textured ceramic tiles. They're completely safe and available anywhere that sells flooring for homes. This picture is why we recommend no calcisand - this dragon died from impaction caused be the stuff.



Also mealworms are a no for these guys. They're high in fat and hard to digest. Stick with crickets or locusts for his regular feeders.