About a week ago I switched over from sand to the Eco carpet for easier cleaning purposes. However, ever since then my beardies, I have 2; have stopped eating. The temperature spots have not changed and should not be the problem. Basking spot is 100-110f. Night basking is 70-85f. And I have a daylight lamp for them which ranges from 80-95f. These temperatures have stayed the same. Would the cause of them not eating be from the sudden switch to the Eco carpet? Or could they be going through a dormant period? Someone please get back to me!!
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Beardie not eating. Help!
- Thread starter FBREHM1
- Start date
- Messages
- 4,493
- Location
- North America
Major changes to their enclosure will often bring on the need for an acclimation period, where the symptoms you are describing can happen, similar to first bringing a new BD home, for a week to 10 days..
Are you housing them together?
If so, here is some good info that you should very seriously consider ...
Is Bearded Dragon Co-habitation a good plan?
Good Luck
Yes they are housed together. One is smaller then the other but the bigger one is also older so I just thought he was maturing faster. As far as I've seen I try to feed them both the same amount of food when they did eat. This is the first time I've changed anything with the cage. Any other suggestions?
- Messages
- 4,493
- Location
- North America
On top of the fact that beardies are not communal creatures, BDs of different sizes should never be housed together.
Did the pics in the link & photo-vid not give you any idea of the serious danger you are subjecting them to?
You may come home to carnage you won't soon forget ...
Posting pics of their home, showing the lighting orientation in comparison to the rest of the enclosure, may help in pinpointing other issues that may be causing appetite problems.
What size enclosure are they in? How old are they? What size/length (nose to tip of tail) are they? Sex? Are they siblings? What type strength UVB are you using? Basking temps should be in the vicinity 110F for juveniles, 95-105F for adults.
A few other good links that may help get you started out on right track ...
Basic BD Care Sheet - A Place To Start
Bearded Dragon --- Exclusive Care Info Library
Beautiful Dragons Nutrition Chart
How to sex a Bearded Dragon
How To Sex A Bearded Dragon
Good Luck
Did the pics in the link & photo-vid not give you any idea of the serious danger you are subjecting them to?
You may come home to carnage you won't soon forget ...
Posting pics of their home, showing the lighting orientation in comparison to the rest of the enclosure, may help in pinpointing other issues that may be causing appetite problems.
What size enclosure are they in? How old are they? What size/length (nose to tip of tail) are they? Sex? Are they siblings? What type strength UVB are you using? Basking temps should be in the vicinity 110F for juveniles, 95-105F for adults.
A few other good links that may help get you started out on right track ...
Basic BD Care Sheet - A Place To Start
Bearded Dragon --- Exclusive Care Info Library
Beautiful Dragons Nutrition Chart
How to sex a Bearded Dragon
How To Sex A Bearded Dragon
Good Luck
- Messages
- 4,493
- Location
- North America
The fact that they were once the same size, with the same diet/lighting/temps & one is now dwarfing the other, is one of the classic detrimental issues of cohabitation. Of one BD having been dominated by the other, the larger BD being the more dominant Dragon, getting the best of everything through intimidation/domination.
Please make arrangements for separate enclosures, for the sake of your BDs.
Good Luck
Please make arrangements for separate enclosures, for the sake of your BDs.
Good Luck
- Messages
- 1,122
- Location
- Mungi's World- Dayton,Ohio
Welcome!
Regardless of their age, size or sex the point is, as Germ has already brought up and shown you evidence, that these creatures should never be housed together, regardless of what you may have been told when you purchased them.
They are in reality creatures that in the wild and by choice live solitary lives as well as being dominance based and territorial. They only come together for brief times during mating season in which to breed and once breeding time is done they return to their solitary lifestyle.
They are not nurturing creatures and they have no need for a companion of their own kind to share their life with.
When forced to unnaturally share space with other dragons their is a constant stress put on them because in their world the biggest and strongest most dominant dragon rules and the other is forced to settle for what is left and what they can scrounge for.
It is a very common mistake that people make with bearded dragon because when they go to the pet shops the see all the cute little dragons apparently happy and basking together in the same enclosure or they see some of the pictures the internet is filled with of them basking together and apparently being affection to one another by snuggling.
What you are really seeing are dragons that are jockeying for dominance. The one on top is dominant one and gets the best of the sunlight they love and need. The one on the bottom is being dominated.
It is a situation that at best keeps the dragons constantly stressed and in a competing state with one another and in which at any moment can erupt in an all out battle which can end in severe injury to both and even death. And that battle can and will happen in a flash, without warning and without time enough to stop it before injury or worse occurs. Please to do not mistakingly think that you would be able to just watch them closely and be there to break up any squabbles. Far too many keepers have made that mistake before you and sadly failed. Besides no matter how vigilant a keeper you are the fact remains that you can not be there watching 24/7.
Those are the realities of these beautiful "docile" creatures that we all love and adore. Kept separately housed as they should be they are perhaps one of the most amazing and rewarding reptiles available as pets and also one of the least demanding as far as requirements for their housing, nutrition, care and husbandry.
Those requirements though must be heeded to ensure their safety, well-being and their ability to thrive.
I do hope that you will do the right thing for your dragons and get them in properly sized, setup and separate enclosures as quickly as possible.
Adding to what else has already been offered as far as your original question I would agree that their going off food does have in part to do with the substrate change you made in their current enclosure.
Dragons stress easily when changes like that are made in their environment and need a period of reacclimation to the new change.
The number one common sign of stress and usually on of the first things a stressed creature does is go off food. Add the stress of the major substrate change to a creature that is already in a state of constant stress do to improper housing such as your co-habitating them and it is a recipe for trouble.
I would also like to see pics of your dragons and of their enclosure set ups. We do love pics
If you have any other questions or concerns you are definitely in the right community now to get the correct info and advice you need so please don't hesitate for a moment to shout out. The BDF Community is packed with experienced, eager and enthusiastic "Beardie Folk" and we are glad to have you as a member
Enjoy
Regardless of their age, size or sex the point is, as Germ has already brought up and shown you evidence, that these creatures should never be housed together, regardless of what you may have been told when you purchased them.
They are in reality creatures that in the wild and by choice live solitary lives as well as being dominance based and territorial. They only come together for brief times during mating season in which to breed and once breeding time is done they return to their solitary lifestyle.
They are not nurturing creatures and they have no need for a companion of their own kind to share their life with.
When forced to unnaturally share space with other dragons their is a constant stress put on them because in their world the biggest and strongest most dominant dragon rules and the other is forced to settle for what is left and what they can scrounge for.
It is a very common mistake that people make with bearded dragon because when they go to the pet shops the see all the cute little dragons apparently happy and basking together in the same enclosure or they see some of the pictures the internet is filled with of them basking together and apparently being affection to one another by snuggling.
What you are really seeing are dragons that are jockeying for dominance. The one on top is dominant one and gets the best of the sunlight they love and need. The one on the bottom is being dominated.
It is a situation that at best keeps the dragons constantly stressed and in a competing state with one another and in which at any moment can erupt in an all out battle which can end in severe injury to both and even death. And that battle can and will happen in a flash, without warning and without time enough to stop it before injury or worse occurs. Please to do not mistakingly think that you would be able to just watch them closely and be there to break up any squabbles. Far too many keepers have made that mistake before you and sadly failed. Besides no matter how vigilant a keeper you are the fact remains that you can not be there watching 24/7.
Those are the realities of these beautiful "docile" creatures that we all love and adore. Kept separately housed as they should be they are perhaps one of the most amazing and rewarding reptiles available as pets and also one of the least demanding as far as requirements for their housing, nutrition, care and husbandry.
Those requirements though must be heeded to ensure their safety, well-being and their ability to thrive.
I do hope that you will do the right thing for your dragons and get them in properly sized, setup and separate enclosures as quickly as possible.
Adding to what else has already been offered as far as your original question I would agree that their going off food does have in part to do with the substrate change you made in their current enclosure.
Dragons stress easily when changes like that are made in their environment and need a period of reacclimation to the new change.
The number one common sign of stress and usually on of the first things a stressed creature does is go off food. Add the stress of the major substrate change to a creature that is already in a state of constant stress do to improper housing such as your co-habitating them and it is a recipe for trouble.
I would also like to see pics of your dragons and of their enclosure set ups. We do love pics
If you have any other questions or concerns you are definitely in the right community now to get the correct info and advice you need so please don't hesitate for a moment to shout out. The BDF Community is packed with experienced, eager and enthusiastic "Beardie Folk" and we are glad to have you as a member
Enjoy
- Messages
- 4,493
- Location
- North America
We can also only go by what you post. Help or advice is only as useful, as the info provided, is accurate. If they were the same age at one point in their lives, that will never change, one will not start being older than the other, as time goes on.
BDs under 10" in length should never be on a particle substrate of any kind, kudos to you for getting them off of the Sand at this young age & small size.
You have been provided with some very good, solid information. For the sake of your Dragons, i do hope that you will take the time to go over it all. You & your BDs will all be the better off for it & have a better understanding of them & their proper care.
Good Luck
