New beardie mom - Help please :(

[byork1604]

I need some help or ideas! I bought a young beardie (his name is Zeke) at a reptile expo on the 28th of February. We estimate he's about 3 months old now. When I brought him home, he was eating fine but Wednesday of last week he started showing NO interest in any of the food offered to him. Live crickets (small-from Petco), bell pepper, mango, strawberry, blueberry, mustard greens, grapes, or carrots - he wanted none of it. I took him to the vet on Monday, he's too small for any tests to have been run on him but the vet said that he looked good. She gave me some critical care powder food. I'm supposed to mix it with water & syringe feed it to him but that's proving really hard to do. He's so tiny & apparently has GREAT jaw strength. On Wednesday this week he ate 4-5 live mealworms, which made me excited but after that, he's gone back to zero interest. He seems so weak and so tired like he just looks at the live food moving around and walks away. I only put the little water dish in the enclosure when I soak him. I figured it'd be more comfortable & less stressful for the little dude. Any help is greatly appreciated, I'm running out of ideas.

 

[byork1604]

The substrate at the bottom of the enclosure is a reptile carpet that came with the tank along with the driftwood piece and the food/water dishes. I bought the grey log so that he could have different spots to bask in. The lighting is a dual dome fixture. I've done some reading and I'll be getting the long tube UVB light - currently, I have a coil bulb; which I've read isn't enough.

 

[Dexter_Dragon]

So sorry to hear you're little guy isn't doing well. Experienced peeps will chime in to make sure your husbandry is correct. Heat and UVB play a key role in keeping them healthy. Even a bit off may affect eating as I discovered with a heat bulb that was too strong. I wouldn't want to give incorrect advice about that so I'll let them provide accurate info.

I do see the veges in the tank and I'm thinking the pieces may be a little too big for your baby. When my guy was that little I had to almost puree his veges. Not that he was eating them, the little snot. His bugs (crickets and roaches) were very small. No bigger than the space between his eyes). Not sure your bugs are size appropriate so thought I mention that.

I did feed my guy baby food veges for quite a while when he was a baby. You might try that. They taste good so . . . . The organic kind with no additives. Get small jars as big jars spoil to quickly. Water it down so it's got flavor, but isn't too thick. I mostly did the greens (peas, green beans, and such) as my vet told me it's easier for them to digest when they are little. I did include a bit of baby food fruit in his syringe feedings too (pear, apple, and such) as a kind of treat. I'd dab a bit on the tip of his mouth at first, but once he realized what it was, all I had to do was hover the syringe over his mouth and he'd start eating. Also, adding water to food will help keep him hydrated.

Hope your lil guy is doing better soon! Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

 

[Dexter_Dragon]

So sorry to hear you're little guy isn't doing well. Experienced peeps will chime in to make sure your husbandry is correct. Heat and UVB play a key role in keeping them healthy. Even a bit off may affect eating as I discovered with a heat bulb that was too strong. I wouldn't want to give incorrect advice about that so I'll let them provide accurate info.

I do see the veges in the tank and I'm thinking the pieces may be a little too big for your baby. When my guy was that little I had to almost puree his veges. Not that he was eating them, the little snot. His bugs (crickets and roaches) were very small. No bigger than the space between his eyes). Not sure your bugs are size appropriate so thought I mention that.

I did feed my guy baby food veges for quite a while when he was a baby. You might try that. They taste good so . . . . The organic kind with no additives. Get small jars as big jars spoil to quickly. Water it down so it's got flavor, but isn't too thick. I mostly did the greens (peas, green beans, and such) as my vet told me it's easier for them to digest when they are little. I did include a bit of baby food fruit in his syringe feedings too (pear, apple, and such) as a kind of treat. I'd dab a bit on the tip of his mouth at first, but once he realized what it was, all I had to do was hover the syringe over his mouth and he'd start eating. Also, adding water to food will help keep him hydrated.

Hope your lil guy is doing better soon! Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Peeps here have also suggested using baby food chicken and such to ensure he gets some protein. When they are younger they need lots of protein. My guy mostly ate crickets and roaches, but others here have mentioned that black soldier fly larva is a great protein feeder. I've gotten some and noticed they are quite small. (Even the large size). My guy is big enough now that he just looks at them with an eye roll. hahahaha Not worth his time, unless I sprinkle them on his salad. You might think about getting some of those.

 

[byork1604]

Peeps here have also suggested using baby food chicken and such to ensure he gets some protein. When they are younger they need lots of protein. My guy mostly ate crickets and roaches, but others here have mentioned that black soldier fly larva is a great protein feeder. I've gotten some and noticed they are quite small. (Even the large size). My guy is big enough now that he just looks at them with an eye roll. hahahaha Not worth his time, unless I sprinkle them on his salad. You might think about getting some of those.

Thank you! I'll have to try the baby food and see how he likes it. At this point I'm willing to try anything.

 

[Dexter_Dragon]

Sorry, keep thinking of things. Every beardie is different, but when my guy was younger and started eating his veges he wanted greens. Not the fancy salads. His preference was parsley, bok choy, collard greens, dandelion greens and the like. He'd eat around the peppers, cucumber bits, and such. Maybe include more greens in his salads. Also, fruit should be given sparingly. More as treats than staple food. High in sugar and is probably not a good idea as a daily staple. I've heard that carrot should be given sparingly as well. Something about carotene or such. Not exactly sure, but my guy doesn't like them so he'll only eat a bit anyway. Thought I'd mention.

Now that my guy is older he likes the salad additives like pepper, cucumber, carrot bits, but when a baby he was more picky. lol

 

[byork1604]

Sorry, keep thinking of things. Every beardie is different, but when my guy was younger and started eating his veges he wanted greens. Not the fancy salads. His preference was parsley, bok choy, collard greens, dandelion greens and the like. He'd eat around the peppers, cucumber bits, and such. Maybe include more greens in his salads. Also, fruit should be given sparingly. More as treats than staple food. High in sugar and will dehydrate.

We've offered both collard greens and mustard greens. I offered spinach once (the first time I fed him) then later read that it wasn't good for him but that was the first leaf he ate & he hasn't really touched the greens since. Guess I'll just mix thing up and try some other greens. You know I'd done a bunch of research before bringing him home but all that knowledge seems to have gone out the window lol

 

[Julee1971]

I need some help or ideas! I bought a young beardie (his name is Zeke) at a reptile expo on the 28th of February. We estimate he's about 3 months old now. When I brought him home, he was eating fine but Wednesday of last week he started showing NO interest in any of the food offered to him. Live crickets (small-from Petco), bell pepper, mango, strawberry, blueberry, mustard greens, grapes, or carrots - he wanted none of it. I took him to the vet on Monday, he's too small for any tests to have been run on him but the vet said that he looked good. She gave me some critical care powder food. I'm supposed to mix it with water & syringe feed it to him but that's proving really hard to do. He's so tiny & apparently has GREAT jaw strength. On Wednesday this week he ate 4-5 live mealworms, which made me excited but after that, he's gone back to zero interest. He seems so weak and so tired like he just looks at the live food moving around and walks away. I only put the little water dish in the enclosure when I soak him. I figured it'd be more comfortable & less stressful for the little dude. Any help is greatly appreciated, I'm running out of ideas.

View attachment 26362View attachment 26363View attachment 26364

Oh my goodness; he needs UVB do u have a Reptisun 10.0 T5? Without UVB he cannot absorb calcium or vitamin D, which gives them energy and strong bones; without it, He will have brittle/weak bones, little to no energy, unable to eat or walk, which is MBD then eventually death. And also, without proper heat temps he will not eat; it takes 1-2 hours to warm up in the AM before U can feed him & it takes 2hours to digest the food after feeding him. He needs heat and UVB; the best heat lamp is the clear zoomed basking bulb & the temp should be 105-110; more like 105 when he gets to be 9mnths old the temp should be 95-100 only. Get a digital thermometer & digital hygrometer for humidity which should be 30-40 never over 40. The uvb reptisun is a long tubular bulb, the length u order shoidl cover 70 percent of the tank & he needs a hideaway to hide under, u can get a basking platform with a hideaway or get a hammock and place a soft terry cloth over it so underneath is his hideaway and place a soft fleece blanket underneath they love soft. Never ever use colored or coiled bulbs it burns their eyes. In the winter, Leave both the UVb & heat lamp on for 10-12 hours more like 10 & in the summer both on for 13-14 hours. At nite pure dark & quiet as a baby till 7mnths old use a ceramic heat emitter at nite if temp drops below 82 when he gets older liek 8mnths the temp at nite can be 70 but not lower than 70. U won’t use the heat emitter in the summer either, coz u won’t need it. Follow all this & you will see a huge change. Now at his age he needs lots of proteins he should be eating 4 servings per day of crickets & Dubia roaches (Smalls) feed till he stops eating , like 20-30 crickets/Dubias per feeding. As he turns 5mnths old go to medium crickets then larges eventually; these are the best proteins; u can place the roaches in teeny dish so he doves for them & gets his water intake too. Never ever feed mealworms it impacts them & is bad for their tummy. You are doing great feeding him the greens/veggies always do a fresh plate daily & place it on the cold side switch it midday or so cuz it gets wilted. Omit the fruits only give that as treats twice a week; too much Sugar is bad for them; & the best fruits are blueberries & papaya, mango is good too. U can even oalce the blueberries in a small water dish & he wil Go for it & get his water too. The best everyday greens are: mustard greens, dandelions, collard greens, yellow squash, butternut squash, greens beans & snap peas, & bell peppers are good to. Just omit the carrots or give it once per month; its toxic due to the vitamin A in it. Def add the yellow squash & green beans or snap peas & butternut squash in addition to the mustard greens. And Limit the fruit. Also cut them up into tiny pieces the rule of thumb is never ever feed anything bigger than the space between his 2eyes. 4-5 times per week dust the crickets once per day in REPCAL calcium powder & feed him & use Herptivite once per week/day on a non calcium day. As he gets older u do the calcium pwder 3-4 times a week & still do the herptivite once/week. Best way is make a slit with a knife on the aluminum cover and sprinkle the proteins till they are lightly covered like sprinkling salt on fries. Don’t calcium the entire bag of crickets, pour like 25-30 in a big ziplock, sprinkle, shake & feed & on the next feedings for the day u won’t dust then with calcium only once per day every other day. As far as baths, in a few weeks or so when he’s healthy u bathe him in a clean sink, or bathtub; In Lukewarm, dechlorinated water for 15min minimum 2times/week; do more baths when he’s shedding. If u don’t have a water filter system in the home; buy REPTISAFE & place a few drops for every cup it kills th chlorine which harms & dries out their skin. U can play mediation/spa music also to relax him & brush him lightly downward with a Soft toothbrush, then pat him dry with a Soft cloth and place him under the basking heat lamp. Also, his poop should be firm & dark & the irate which is pee, should be white; if it’s bot white he’s dehydrated or being given too much calcium powder. If the dark poop is smelly or runny he has Coccidia/another parasite which he needs a vet for asap. If all this does not help, take him to a Reptile vet make sure u find a good one. Here a pic of the Reptisun & the calcium powder the vitamin is called herptivite also & a pic of my cage. Also I hope your tank is at least 40 gallons, at 7mnths or so get him a bigger tank like 4feet long & 1.5-2feet high & 2feet deep 120 gallon is recomended u can order online and get one with the doors that open in the front; it’s easier to feed & clean & pic up the poop & will be less scary to the dragon they don’t like being approached from up top. Also tank needs to be super clean/sanitary; they like the poop picked up instantly & it also it avoids parasites (Google Coccidia) and bacteria to the dragon/cage. Here are pics my reptisun runs along th back & heat lamp In the front. Good luck & u will see a huge change with the correct Uvb and correct temps & above info. If not; take him to the vet asap for a stool sample.

 

[Dexter_Dragon]

I've never given my guy meal worms as I heard first thing they are hard for babies to digest. There's debate about that, I guess. I never wanted to test it so didn't bother. He was happy with his roaches and crickets.

He might have an easier time with the bsfl and small roaches than meal worms. I didn't start giving my guy any type of worms until he was around 10-11 months old, I think.

 

[Dexter_Dragon]

We've offered both collard greens and mustard greens. I offered spinach once (the first time I fed him) then later read that it wasn't good for him but that was the first leaf he ate & he hasn't really touched the greens since. Guess I'll just mix thing up and try some other greens. You know I'd done a bunch of research before bringing him home but all that knowledge seems to have gone out the window lol

Hahaha, I hear you on that. I think I must have read a hundred times the correct husbandry and even set my guy up as peeps suggested here, but still can't recite what it's supposed to be.

Never given my guy spinach. I do give him kale sometimes, but not as a staple. There's debate on kale too, I guess. Mainly get some protein into him. Don't worry too much about veges. My guy was very stubborn, but suddenly one day, bam started eating them left and right. Now at about a year old, he eats more salad than protein.

Keep your guy hydrated if you can. Hydration will affect eating, too. My guy will not drink from a bowl. I have to sprinkle water on his salads or give him some via a syringe still to this day. Also, don't forget his mistings. My guy luvs his mistings and it will help keep them hydrated.

 

[Julee1971]

I've never given my guy meal worms as I heard first thing they are hard for babies to digest. There's debate about that, I guess. I never wanted to test it so didn't bother. He was happy with his roaches and crickets.

He might have an easier time with the bsfl and small roaches than meal worms. I didn't start giving my guy any type of worms until he was around 10-11 months old, I think.

Never ever feed mealworms you are correct; it’s a cheap/fatty protein that impacts them, makes the fat & is horrible for their tummy. And yes u are correct; u can never feed worms prior to 1 year of age their digestive system cannot handle; only after a year old u can give superworms meh oh are very good but high in fat so in moderation & some hornworms 1-2 per week as treats they love them. The hornworms should be bright blue like a gummy worm; otherwise they’re rotten, a lot of pet stores sell rotten ones so be careful. Rule of thumb is never feed anything bigger than the space between their two eye. U are doing great with crickets & Dubias always also In Addition place the fresh daily plate or two of fresh greens/veggies.

 

[Dexter_Dragon]

Oh my goodness; he needs UVB do u have a Reptisun 10.0 T5? Without UVB he cannot absorb calcium or vitamin D, which gives them energy and strong bones; without it, He will have brittle/weak bones, little to no energy, unable to eat or walk, which is MBD then eventually death. And also, without proper heat temps he will not eat; it takes 1-2 hours to warm up in the AM before U can feed him & it takes 2hours to digest the food after feeding him. He needs heat and UVB; the best heat lamp is the clear zoomed basking bulb & the temp should be 105-110; more like 105 when he gets to be 9mnths old the temp should be 95-100 only. Get a digital thermometer & digital hygrometer for humidity which should be 30-40 never over 40. The uvb reptisun is a long tubular bulb, the length u order shoidl cover 70 percent of the tank & he needs a hideaway to hide under, u can get a basking platform with a hideaway or get a hammock and place a soft terry cloth over it so underneath is his hideaway and place a soft fleece blanket underneath they love soft. Never ever use colored or coiled bulbs it burns their eyes. In the winter, Leave both the UVb & heat lamp on for 10-12 hours more like 10 & in the summer both on for 13-14 hours. At nite pure dark & quiet as a baby till 7mnths old use a ceramic heat emitter at nite if temp drops below 82 when he gets older liek 8mnths the temp at nite can be 70 but not lower than 70. U won’t use the heat emitter in the summer either, coz u won’t need it. Follow all this & you will see a huge change. Now at his age he needs lots of proteins he should be eating 4 servings per day of crickets & Dubia roaches (Smalls) feed till he stops eating , like 20-30 crickets/Dubias per feeding. As he turns 5mnths old go to medium crickets then larges eventually; these are the best proteins; u can place the roaches in teeny dish so he doves for them & gets his water intake too. Never ever feed mealworms it impacts them & is bad for their tummy. You are doing great feeding him the greens/veggies always do a fresh plate daily & place it on the cold side switch it midday or so cuz it gets wilted. Omit the fruits only give that as treats twice a week; too much Sugar is bad for them; & the best fruits are blueberries & papaya, mango is good too. U can even oalce the blueberries in a small water dish & he wil Go for it & get his water too. The best everyday greens are: mustard greens, dandelions, collard greens, yellow squash, butternut squash, greens beans & snap peas, & bell peppers are good to. Just omit the carrots or give it once per month; its toxic due to the vitamin A in it. Def add the yellow squash & green beans or snap peas & butternut squash in addition to the mustard greens. And Limit the fruit. Also cut them up into tiny pieces the rule of thumb is never ever feed anything bigger than the space between his 2eyes. 4-5 times per week dust the crickets once per day in REPCAL calcium powder & feed him & use Herptivite once per week/day on a non calcium day. As he gets older u do the calcium pwder 3-4 times a week & still do the herptivite once/week. Best way is make a slit with a knife on the aluminum cover and sprinkle the proteins till they are lightly covered like sprinkling salt on fries. Don’t calcium the entire bag of crickets, pour like 25-30 in a big ziplock, sprinkle, shake & feed & on the next feedings for the day u won’t dust then with calcium only once per day every other day. As far as baths, in a few weeks or so when he’s healthy u bathe him in a clean sink, or bathtub; In Lukewarm, dechlorinated water for 15min minimum 2times/week; do more baths when he’s shedding. If u don’t have a water filter system in the home; buy REPTISAFE & place a few drops for every cup it kills th chlorine which harms & dries out their skin. U can play mediation/spa music also to relax him & brush him lightly downward with a Soft toothbrush, then pat him dry with a Soft cloth and place him under the basking heat lamp. Also, his poop should be firm & dark & the irate which is pee, should be white; if it’s bot white he’s dehydrated or being given too much calcium powder. If the dark poop is smelly or runny he has Coccidia/another parasite which he needs a vet for asap. If all this does not help, take him to a Reptile vet make sure u find a good one. Here a pic of the Reptisun & the calcium powder the vitamin is called herptivite also & a pic of my cage. Also I hope your tank is at least 40 gallons, at 7mnths or so get him a bigger tank like 4feet long & 1.5-2feet high & 2feet deep 120 gallon is recomended u can order online and get one with the doors that open in the front; it’s easier to feed & clean & pic up the poop & will be less scary to the dragon they don’t like being approached from up top. Also tank needs to be super clean/sanitary; they like the poop picked up instantly & it also it avoids parasites (Google Coccidia) and bacteria to the dragon/cage. Here are pics my reptisun runs along th back & heat lamp In the front. Good luck & u will see a huge change with the correct Uvb and correct temps & above info. If not; take him to the vet asap for a stool sample.

@Julee1971 Calm down please. Goodness! Her tank size is fine for the size baby she has. Giving appropriate lighting and heating suggestions takes a sentence or two and you should probably ask what is being used before you start stating everything she's doing is all wrong. Assuming she doesn't know the rest of the basic care info is insulting. Geez!

 

[Dexter_Dragon]

Never ever feed mealworms you are correct; it’s a cheap/fatty protein that impacts them, makes the fat & is horrible for their tummy. And yes u are correct; u can never feed worms prior to 1 year of age their digestive system cannot handle; only after a year old u can give superworms meh oh are very good but high in fat so in moderation & some hornworms 1-2 per week as treats they love them. The hornworms should be bright blue like a gummy worm; otherwise they’re rotten, a lot of pet stores sell rotten ones so be careful. Rule of thumb is never feed anything bigger than the space between their two eye. U are doing great with crickets & Dubias always also In Addition place the fresh daily plate or two of fresh greens/veggies.

Yeah, I thought so. Read it here, I think. My guy thinks the super worms are chocolate dipped in sprinkles now. They are quite large so I wouldn't have thought to give them to him sooner. Haven't tried horn worms yet. Thinking I might wait until he's over a year old. Thanks for the tip on color. I've never fed my guy anything bigger than the space between his eyes. He's never had an impaction issue, thank goodness!

 

[Zontar’s Mom]

Never ever feed mealworms you are correct; it’s a cheap/fatty protein that impacts them, makes the fat & is horrible for their tummy. And yes u are correct; u can never feed worms prior to 1 year of age their digestive system cannot handle; only after a year old u can give superworms meh oh are very good but high in fat so in moderation & some hornworms 1-2 per week as treats they love them. The hornworms should be bright blue like a gummy worm; otherwise they’re rotten, a lot of pet stores sell rotten ones so be careful. Rule of thumb is never feed anything bigger than the space between their two eye. U are doing great with crickets & Dubias always also In Addition place the fresh daily plate or two of fresh greens/veggies.

I second Barb’s response in regards to answering the actual question the member is requesting as opposed to copy/pasting the whole reptile guide. Thanks!

 

[Julee1971]

Yeah, I thought so. Read it here, I think. My guy thinks the super worms are chocolate dipped in sprinkles now. They are quite large so I wouldn't have thought to give them to him sooner. Haven't tried horn worms yet. Thinking I might wait until he's over a year old. Thanks for the tip on color. I've never fed my guy anything bigger than the space between his eyes. He's never had an impaction issue, thank goodness!

Yea definitely wait till he is a year old for supers or hornworms

 

[byork1604]

This is the light fixture that came with the tank. However, like I said earlier I'll be getting the long tube UVB light & the baby food to try to feed to him. Should I mix his critical care powder (which I got from a vet) into the baby food before I feed him?
My boyfriend is home with our little dude right now and said that he's currently hiding behind his rock/log. We have him in a 20 gallon enclosure at the moment, I planned on getting him a 40 gallon in May (he'll be about 5-6 month old then) that had the doors on the front. Currently the enclousre has a sliding mesh screen on top.

 

[Sadie]

This is the light fixture that came with the tank. However, like I said earlier I'll be getting the long tube UVB light & the baby food to try to feed to him. Should I mix his critical care powder (which I got from a vet) into the baby food before I feed him?
My boyfriend is home with our little dude right now and said that he's currently hiding behind his rock/log. We have him in a 20 gallon enclosure at the moment, I planned on getting him a 40 gallon in May (he'll be about 5-6 month old then) that had the doors on the front. Currently the enclousre has a sliding mesh screen on top.

View attachment 26373

Stick w/ the critical care food make sure you water it down real good so hes getting hydration you may haft to cut the tip of the syringe off --- but slowly feed so he does not aspirate-- you do not need the baby food --- my guess its the lighting in the tank thats causing him not to eat coil UVB's are BAD --- basking temps should be 105-110 taken w/ a digital probe thermometer --- NO stick ons they are inaccurate -- what UVB bulb did you order - those bulbs have certain distances and placement requirements--- those two things the basking temps and UVB are the most important thing in that tank -- it controls the overall health and behavior of the dragon -- please let me know when the UVB comes in so I can help you get it placed in the tank

 

[byork1604]

Stick w/ the critical care food make sure you water it down real good so hes getting hydration you may haft to cut the tip of the syringe off --- but slowly feed so he does not aspirate-- you do not need the baby food --- my guess its the lighting in the tank thats causing him not to eat coil UVB's are BAD --- basking temps should be 105-110 taken w/ a digital probe thermometer --- NO stick ons they are inaccurate -- what UVB bulb did you order - those bulbs have certain distances and placement requirements--- those two things the basking temps and UVB are the most important thing in that tank -- it controls the overall health and behavior of the dragon -- please let me know when the UVB comes in so I can help you get it placed in the tank

I was planning on going to Petco after work and getting it. I'm impatient and not willing to wait for an amazon order lol - I planned to get the one that I've seen suggested TONS on this forum, the Reptisun 10.0 T5. The stick-on that came with the tank - yes, very inaccurate - won't come off the glass now but I'll be getting a digital thermometer & hydrometer when I go to get the UVB bulb. I'll probably get a different syringe too because the one that the vet gave me seems big and I'm having a hard time getting it into his mouth. I've watched a bunch of videos on how to properly force/syringe feed the little guy but I get more food on the outside of his mouth than in it.

 

[Sadie]

I was planning on going to Petco after work and getting it. I'm impatient and not willing to wait for an amazon order lol - I planned to get the one that I've seen suggested TONS on this forum, the Reptisun 10.0 T5. The stick-on that came with the tank - yes, very inaccurate - won't come off the glass now but I'll be getting a digital thermometer & hydrometer when I go to get the UVB bulb. I'll probably get a different syringe too because the one that the vet gave me seems big and I'm having a hard time getting it into his mouth. I've watched a bunch of videos on how to properly force/syringe feed the little guy but I get more food on the outside of his mouth than in it.

Ok try going into the side of his mouth or have someone help and use a credit card to get in between his lips he will open - most pet stores do not carry the fixtures for T 5's- they will carry the T 8 which will need to go into.the tank--- T 8's are not as strong as the T 5- what size tank is he in?

 

[Dexter_Dragon]

I was planning on going to Petco after work and getting it. I'm impatient and not willing to wait for an amazon order lol - I planned to get the one that I've seen suggested TONS on this forum, the Reptisun 10.0 T5. The stick-on that came with the tank - yes, very inaccurate - won't come off the glass now but I'll be getting a digital thermometer & hydrometer when I go to get the UVB bulb. I'll probably get a different syringe too because the one that the vet gave me seems big and I'm having a hard time getting it into his mouth. I've watched a bunch of videos on how to properly force/syringe feed the little guy but I get more food on the outside of his mouth than in it.

Yes, Sadie's right, he should get the food the vet gave you if you can. Probably full of the right kind of nutrients. My suggestions are an alternate that couldn't hurt and may even get him to eat the critical care once he got used to eating from the syringe with a tastier food. Wouldn't get more than 1 or 2 jars if you try it. I'd get the chicken one if anything. At least get some protein into him. You'll probably find that once you adjust your husbandry that he'll eat like a little piggy anyway. Once I adjusted that one bulb so his basking temp was at appropriate temp Dex started chowing down on his bugs. Look out they are quite the little chow hounds when they get going. hahahaha

Hear you on the stick-ons. My guys tank came with two and they are still there. lol

Thankfully my guy took to a syringe quite well. Dabbed a bit on the top of his mouth so it kinda dribbled down into his seam a few times and finally he licked it off. It was a go from there. He was like yummmm, gimmie gimmie lol His was a very small syringe.