help new bearded dragon owner & my Beardie isn't eating

[mybeardieacorn]

Hi, Im new to owning bearded dragons, I've had a leopard gecko before but I rescued a 5 year old Beardie! his name is acorn and he's the sweetest, ive done a lot of research and have done my best to provide to correct UVB lights and a good basking spot. He acts healthy, he's very curios and will run around my apartment, he sleeps on my chest every night before I put him in his cage. He's been two weeks on Friday and hasn't eaten anything, he once had a bite of mustard greens I sat next to him when he was hanging out on the couch, and once bite a piece of green pepper but other than that has not eaten any bugs I've offered him silk worms, Dubia roaches and has shown no interest. when I let him out to explore and run around he attacks green things I have like this green outlet or the green part of a floaty thing but when ever I present food he just doesn't want it. He's pooped a couple times and from the research I've done they look normal, I've given him a couple baths and those are the only times he's really drank water. Is there something I can do to help him want to eat? I worry he's sick or somethings wrong but also know he is still settling in.

 

[mybeardieacorn]

Hi Kaylynangel thank you for responding! so when I got him the people I adopted him from were using basically just house bulbs for his tank, right now he is in a 50 gallon, it is in my living room on the floor. He is an adult (about 18 inches) so I'm in the process of making him a larger terrarium that will be off the ground. I have a 75 watt zoomed basking bulb, and a zoomed tank hood 15w UVB but it is only one third of the length of his tank because when I went to the pet store that was all I could afford but to compensate I put another UVB coil but good to know those are not good, should I order another tank hood? It is sitting on top of the screen should I cut the screen out of that part of the cage? I also use a ceramic heat emitter to keep the temp up (I live in a colder place). his cage is placed right by a window and gets lots of sunlight. Thank you for your help ive been scrambling trying to make sure I correct all the wrongs ASAP bc he's such a sweet guy. (also he will climb to get as close to his lights as possible is that bad should I not have his wall go all the way up?) Also ! after I posted that he ate a silk worm! progress

 

[mybeardieacorn]

awesome, yeah I have a 100W bulb on the way in the mail and ill get rid of the UVB light. I will also take him off the floor that's a good recommendation that I had not thought about or seen online anywhere. its a 14" hood and has 15W 12"reptisun T5 HO lamp. he basks on his hut he has but will climb the wall to get close to both the UVB and heat lamp, probably because both aren't correct. thank you for helping! me and Acorn appreciate it so much

 

[mybeardieacorn]

Im starting plans on building him a terrarium and it'll be 42" by 45"so he will have a lot more room. Im debating since it'll be such a big space to keep this hood with the light and I can just invest in another hood and light to place somewhere else in his tank? I was planning on having one near/next to his basking light and then maybe one in the middle? or do you think just one big one for the hole tank, I also think im going to put in two basking spots in his new tank, just so the space stays the right temperature. I am however giving him lots of places to escape light and heat with tunnels and hide outs ledges fake plants and stuff. thats a really good idea on how to hang it !

 

[mybeardieacorn]

Its 42x 45 18.5 inches high, I'm not sure exactly how many gallons im building it out of an existing frame I have.

 

[mybeardieacorn]

No that was all SUPER helpful thank you sm for all those tips. For the time being in his 50gallon im using the 75w basking bulb but it isn't getting the tank hot enough could I put another 75w basking bulb next to it to insure his basing spot is hot enough?

 

[mybeardieacorn]

Ok, thank you so much I really appreciate all your help and tips.Me and Acorn are very thankful