Non-eater

[kahaj]

Our 7-week-old beardy will barely eat. He'll go a couple of days w/out eating and get real skinny. We try to let him go a day or two w/out forcefeeding him in hopes that he'll start eating on his own better. But that just doesn't seem to happen.
He'll eat on his own a little, but not nearly enough. Soo, we end up having to forcefeed anyhow.

Anyone have any tips on what we could do to try and get him eating any better?

[benttoe]

Re: Non-eater

try giving him some baby food chicken flav. then touch it on his nose. just a little bit he should lick it off. that is how i feed my crested geckos but they eat fruit flavor baby food. it works for me. if your really hard up you can make a juicer (a lack of better words) of mealies and crickets ground up in a spare blender if you have one. that paste or liquid can be push through a feeder type needle. Good luck Kahaj

[kahaj]

Re: Non-eater

We've been getting him to eat, but I'd really like to get him eating on his own; so that we don't have to forcefeed him.

[SaKSTa]

Re: Non-eater

Try Wax Worms.

They like them more.. I think, maybe you just got a sick one, or one that doesnt eat good in captivity, you never know, but if anything doesnt work, take is back in for a trade, even though half the people here would probably flip a lid if they heard me say that. lol
Peace

[Ryedog]

Re: Non-eater

Just out of curiousity what is your setup like...heat, lighting, substrate........also what are you trying to feed him and how often. With a little more information i might be able to help. Also, if you feed waxworms, don't rely just on them, they are basically fat, it would be compared to use eating doughnuts everyday.

[kahaj]

Re: Non-eater

SaKSTa, we breed them. So, taking this one back wouldn't be an option. ;D

As for our setup, it's the same as it has been for all of our clutches that we've had. We've had dragons for a couple of years now.

I like the worm idea. She's still not too big on crix. But a worm might catch her attention a bit better. I think I'll try some small mealworms, though. They're a bit more nutritous <sp?> than the wax worms.

Also, Suzy & I got to thinking. This was the firstborn of this clutch & she was born a good ten days than our firstborn of most other clutches. And w/out a yolksack. Since she's sort of a preemie, that could have a lot to do w/ it. Anyhow, gonna' get some worms tomorrow and give that a try.

[SaKSTa]

Re: Non-eater

Ryedog your wrong, waxworms are fat but are the fastets way to bulk up a skinny gecko.

[SaKSTa]

Re: Non-eater

oops i ment beardy

[benttoe]

Re: Non-eater

hey Kahaj How is it going with that LiL one? hopefully its all good s9.gif

[kahaj]

Re: Non-eater

I was just thinking today that I needed to post on this. ;D Yeah, she's doing better. She's readily eating the mealworms when offered. She's now eating the lettuce & Repcal better, too.