Beardie update

[bracey91]

My beardy Spyro hasnt eaten for a while, Ive only had him about 2 months, but he finally starting eating again the other day and I was just wondering if I should give him a meal worm or even a pinky or something to fatten him up a bit as hes gotten pretty skinny?

Hes about 7 months old, 10 inches long and only weighs about 50 grams :?

Thanks, Josh

 

[gregcranston]

Jeepers, that is light! A few mealowrms or even super mealworms (make sure not too big) couldn't hurt. A pinkie (or 2) is a great idea if he will take it, just make sure it's not too big for him, they have heaps of calcium and protein. Dust all his food with plenty of calcium and vitamins if you have them. Then try get him out in some natural sunlight on nice days, that will up his Vit D and hopefully increase his appetite and activity.

 

[bracey91]

Ok thanks, I tried to feed him everday but he just had no interest in eating anything....I take him outside into the sun almost everyday for 10 mins or so, and I dust all his food with calcium and as far as im concerned his enclosure and everything is fine, has basking spot of 40-45, a cool end of about 23ish, has a log and stuff. It was a bit worrying because its my first beardie ever, but he ate 8 crickets today which is a start and they were all dusted with calcium, and hes started moving around alot more instead of just sleeping all day and night. But yeah hes pretty small and Extremely light for his age so I just wanna do something to get his weight back up

 

[gregcranston]

He may have gone into brumation over winter, and if the temps were still kept high, he will lose weight. But sounds like he's coming out of it. Also just to make sure I would get a faecal done on him, he may have some parasites! Mealies and Pinkies are great for fattening up.
Also try more like 20-30 mins in natural sunlight!

 

[TahneeMaree]

pick his weight up slow and steady... if you do it too fast he'll get fatty instead of growing muscle tissue...

 

[bracey91]

Yeah I was thinking brumation aswell, but because im new to all this, I didnt know to take the temps down so I just left them, hopefully this does mean hes coming out of it, and doesnt have stunted growth or anything because of it, Ill go pick up some meal worms and see if he will take them.

Thanks, Josh

 

[gregcranston]

Ill go pick up some meal worms and see if he will take them.

Just try giving him 2-3 to start with and then a couple of days later try 4-5, etc. Feed plenty of other food too, as mealies are not great as a sole sourcce of food. What about a small pinkie or 2?

 

[bracey91]

Yeah obviously ill keep him on crickets, I just want to use meal worms or something to fatten him up a bit.

Do you think a pinkie would be a good idea?. Only problem is they come in packs of 10 and i'd probably just chuck out the ones he doesnt eat, thats if he even eats one.. thats whats making me think to just by mealworms?

 

[gregcranston]

I still think that pinkies would be a great idea, if he'll take them, as they have more protein and loads of calcium.

 

[Lollypop]

Hi, good to hear he's eating.
What about silkworms - they've just come available here, good healthy meal & the beardies love em.
Also, I find woodies fatten them up better than crickets. Mealworms for one so skinny aren't as nutritional as woodies kept on a veg & dog bikkie diet by u - much better for one so skinny. There's no waste (know what u mean about the pinkies there lol) & easier to feed re releasing them one by one & directing them straight past your beardie, thus he's not using energy chasing his food either, & u know exactly how many he gets.
I agree with TahneeMaree to take it steady - u really will be surprised with how quickly he puts on weight again, so no need to rush things.
Keep us posted! - Kathy

 

[gregcranston]

What about silkworms - they've just come available here, good healthy meal & the beardies love em.

Yes, I should have mentioned them, i'm feeding my beardies silkworms at the moment, they love them and they are very healthy for the dragons!

 

[bracey91]

Yeah I noticed they have silkworms at my local pet store aswell now and they didnt before, so Should I get him Woodies as a staple for a while and also try some silk worms? and of course all the usual fresh veggies

 

[Lollypop]

that's what I'd do, & have done in the past.
Only buy one thing of silkworms at a time if u don't have a mulberry bush in the backyard, they're hungry little suckers!

 

[lemonz]

with pinkies, can you just use what you need and keep them stored in the freezer like them come in the pet shop? just follow the used by date. i do that and they last me about 2 weeks

 

[bracey91]

Hey guys, went out and got the silkworms and woodies today, the pet store was great, they gave me a bag of leaves to feed them with, so how many should I give him?

Also looking into breeding woodies or something to save money, is it really hard to do?

 

[Lollypop]

Great to hear! Give him up to 3 silkworms for today, then some woodies this pm. If his poo's normal tomorrow, keep it up to him.
Woodies are dead easy - put them in an escape proof container, no substrate, egg cartons for hides, feed veg - greens & carrots - & dog biscs or weetbix, u can put water in if u want, but they do drown themselves so I use a sponge in a bowl. If u can get a hold of some fluon, it stops the woodies from escaping, or a smear of vaseline around the top of the container. If you've neither of these, I just use old fly mesh or shade cloth weighted with some fish sinkers to go over the whole of the top - that way, they get heaps of ventilation too.
Now u can just sit back & watch your bearie grow!!!

 

[bracey91]

so if I just do that they will breed? sounds simple enough.
Ok thanks Really appreciate the help
Will keep you updated on how it all goes

 

[Lollypop]

Only thing - best to have 2 containers of woodies, one u don't touch for feeding your beardie - these can breed uninterrupted, feed from the other.
U can buy starter breeding colonies for this purpose - can't think of the names of those who sell on here, someone else will, otherwise search woodies on here, there's been heaps of info re setups & where to buy.
And do keep us posted! - Kathy

 

[=bECS=]

code red has woodies i think, hes in sydney too

 

[merdelhuck]

Australian Silkworms Website

Hey i found a good silkworm site

www.aussiesilkworms.com

bought worms off em last season
they were great

though they will have worms in stock in a few weeks