Baby Beardie Help

[AmyMW]

Hello - I just got a baby Beardie on Sunday (4/26/2020) and I'm new to this. I measured Cricket (that's his name) and he's (I don't actually know what gender) about 6 inches long and he weighs 6 grams. Now I'm no expert but that seems to be really underweight... And so far he's only been eating around 4 pinhead crickets a day. Also, he's spent a lot of time hiding in his rock cave and he's extremely jumpy and skittish and won't let me hold him or touch him anymore. When I got him he was fine with it and now he's crazy and hides and I feel like he's underweight and doesn't eat enough. I was told he should easily eat ten crickets a day??? He seems healthy enough but I'm worried about his weight and I'm a bit upset that he's been so skittish and jumpy lately; he let me hold him and wasn't crazy the first couple days I had him...

The temperature in his tank is around 100-105F during the day (8AM to 10PM) and 90-95F at night (10PM-8AM)

 

[N W]

I'm new too, so bear that in mind...but I'm thinking he was too nervous to protest being held at first and not used to his tank yet but now is starting to associate his tank with safety - not a bad thing. It really does take a while to get them acclimated. Maybe try a more gradual approach - only (slowly) putting your hand in at first until he doesn't think it's something he needs to be scared of, then progress to picking up. Make sure you are coming at him from below or sides - predators come from above so they are leary for anything else to.
HTH.

 

[AmyMW]

That makes sense! I guess I'm just a little too eager to have a cuddle buddy.

The metal tongs I ordered came today and when I tried using those to feed he downed 6 crickets and two wax worms... I'm feeling a lot more hopeful about his weight and eating habits now!

 

[AmyMW]

Update: So far he's absolutely refused to eat today and he's spent the majority of the day hiding in his cave.
So far, this is his eating schedule since the day I got him:
April 27th: two crickets and three wax worms
April 28th: 9 crickets
April 29th: 4 crickets
April 30th: four crickets and three waxworms
May 1st: Eight crickets (four calcium dusted)
May 2nd: two cricket two wax worms
May 3rd: 5 crickets (two calcium)
May 4th: Six crickets four waxworms
May 5th: Nothing, as of 2:00 in the afternoon

He ate a bit of kale Saturday but that was it with that.

I understand that babies can be skittish but it was concerning me that he was THAT skittish and won't even let me touch him and ate so little but it's stressing me out even more that he now just hides all day and won't eat at all.

I don't know what to do! I want him to be healthy and happy but I'm at a loss now.

 

[Crabs Mcjones]

Just give him time. He's in a new environment and likely stressed out. It took my baby almost 15 days to start eating consistently. as long as he's taking something in, and doesn't look skinny or malnurished, i wouldn't be to concerned. Just make sure his husbandry is where it should be and give him time to adjust

 

[Bostonfinest]

He still may be adjusting to the new environment, let him/her be for like a week but continue to put fees food in his tank. Babies should be eating 20% veggies and 80% protein. What I do is offer fresh veggies 2 hours after the lights come on and in the evening give him his bugs. You have to interact with him to gain his trust by talking to him so he can get use to your voice, hand feed him. Some people put a t shirt in the enclosure so their beardies can get use to their scent

 

[Bostonfinest]

Update: So far he's absolutely refused to eat today and he's spent the majority of the day hiding in his cave.
So far, this is his eating schedule since the day I got him:
April 27th: two crickets and three wax worms
April 28th: 9 crickets
April 29th: 4 crickets
April 30th: four crickets and three waxworms
May 1st: Eight crickets (four calcium dusted)
May 2nd: two cricket two wax worms
May 3rd: 5 crickets (two calcium)
May 4th: Six crickets four waxworms
May 5th: Nothing, as of 2:00 in the afternoon

He ate a bit of kale Saturday but that was it with that.

I understand that babies can be skittish but it was concerning me that he was THAT skittish and won't even let me touch him and ate so little but it's stressing me out even more that he now just hides all day and won't eat at all.

I don't know what to do! I want him to be healthy and happy but I'm at a loss now.

Be careful feeding him Kale they are calcium binders. Try collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens dandelion greens, cilantro. I would mix those up with some bell peppers and squash, bearded dragons will sometime stop eating because they are tired of eating the same thing over and over. Instead of crickets all the time try BSFL and Dubia Roaches, be careful with the wax worms because they have a lot of fat they are like junk food and should be given as a treat. Try hornworms as a treat also they help keep your dragon hydrated

 

[Stardraco1]

Be careful feeding him Kale they are calcium binders. Try collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens dandelion greens, cilantro. I would mix those up with some bell peppers and squash, bearded dragons will sometime stop eating because they are tired of eating the same thing over and over. Instead of crickets all the time try BSFL and Dubia Roaches, be careful with the wax worms because they have a lot of fat they are like junk food and should be given as a treat. Try hornworms as a treat also they help keep your dragon hydrated

Are you dusting the crickets with calcium with D3 they need that for their bones.