Question Re: Feeding Habits

[Zdogs]

Hi all,

My little bugger BD just turned 8wks and now has slowly taken a disliking to being fed his crix in a separate feeding tank. He used to go crazy pacing watching me getting them ready, now when I put him in there nothing he'll only have a couple if any, then wants out. His appetite seems to have dwindled too, not having near as many as he used to.

Just wondering If It may be a temporary thing or not? Don't really like the idea of leaving crix in his enclosure as It will make It harder to monitor how much he Is eating, and the fact there are heaps of places for them to hide etc.

He's In a 3ft glass viv, with meshing on top and on each side as well, his temps atm are basking 37, cool end 20, warm around 26, having probs keeping warm end a little higher now that It's getting cooler with the weather.
He has UV, up until this morning It was a 2ft flouro inside viv, but he rarely used It, so have put that one now on top of viv and added a new compact fluoro that's meant to work up to a distance of 50cm and have paced It near his basking spot as that's where he seems to hang out most of the day

Much appreciated for any advice
Edited for my shocking spelling

[Spikie wanna cricket]

try woodies my lil ones used to love crickets and them slowly got bored but then i got woodies and they went nuts for them so every few months i change between the two

[Chris1]

the compacts are meant to be crap,...
50cms is ok for and MVB though, u sure thats not what u got?

a bit of time in teh sun is better than any globe though, always try to suppliment the with natural sunlight (which doesnt pass thru glass or plastic, if u have a sunny flyscreened window he can sit up there on a heaty bag)

Kyro hated the feeding bin, for a while i fed him on the mesh top of his cage, maybe try that,..

for a few weeks teh only way either of my bubs would eat was chasing roaches on the kitchen bench under a heat light.

these days everyone except Kaida get fed on the balcony in the sun,...but shes fussy and i'm back to feeding her on the mesh top of their old cage.

try a few different locations, but yeah, crix in the enclosure is a bad idea.


otherwise maybe the drop in temps is affecting his appetite and you'll have to raise his basking area a bit of get a higher wattage globe.

[falconboy]

You mention you are having trouble keeping the temps up with the lower ambient temps, and this is in line with eating less. As the days get a bit shorter and cooler, they won't be as hungry. I used to tip an approximate set amount (if that makes sense) of crix in my enclosure and there was only ever 1 or 2 (obviously too quick) crix left. Recently they are leaving a lot more. Obviously I now offer less. As long as he is eating something, don't worry. Its when they refuse to eat you need to worry.

[Zdogs]

Thanks for all the suggestions, will try some woodies for a bit of variety and maybe feed in different locations,

otherwise maybe the drop in temps is affecting his appetite and you'll have to raise his basking area a bit of get a higher wattage globe.

His basking spot Is always between 36-38, It's only dropped In the warm end by a few deg.
Should I up his basking spot to maybe get a higher warm end?? What Is the max you can have It, basking spot that Is?

I did have a thought that maybe with the cooler weather coming on he may not be as hungry, but was worried that he is only young and not fully developed yet to warrant less food, do not want him to not reach his potential growth.

Also the new UVB Is a Exo Terra Repti Glo 10.0 Compact 26w, Is that not any good

Thanks again

[dragon lady]

I use compact 10.0 & tubes....converting to compacts... there fine
just a hassle for most to change over & convert...but we all will have to within a year or two anyway!
they will cease making tubes!
Did you have a plastic cover on the U.V tube....what do you mean he rarely used it?
I have my heat lights & U.V at one end....to resemble the sun....
naturally they go towards the sun for heat.....so any reptile should be going towards the heat light not U.V
temps sound good...but ide cover at night as the warm air would escape ....he may be getting too cold at night...taking him longer to heat up during the day
remember they heat to eat & digest..

how are you sure that the temps stay at 38* at head height when you have mesh at the sides & top of the tank?
look into what the temp drop is at night.....seems that may be your problem

whats his name.........BUGGER?

[Pocket Lizard]

How close did you place the compact 10.0? I think you'll find 50cm is about the minimum safe distance for those lights. If you have it really close to the basking site this may be causing discomfort. Does the installation of this light roughly correspond to the change in behaviour observed, or can we rule this out as a contributing factor?

I wouldn't elevate the basking temperature too much more, but as dragon lady said maybe the overnight temps are getting a bit cool.

[Zdogs]

lol, Miss B his name Is Saffron

Here Is a pic of his set up, the new Uv is now a little left to his basking spot, and inside viv.
Miss B there was no cover on the fluoro tube, but he wasn't using It, I had It hanging inside enclosure with branch set up so he could get fairly close, It was set towards middle of enclosure, and because It was bulky could not get It closer to where he seems to spend most of the day, hence me buying a new one as It Is easier to move around

I have also covered the mesh screen down the side of warm end to try and keep more heat In.
Also Miss B his basking spot Isn't always at 38, I have It set for that but It fluctuates between 36-38, but forgot to mention If It's really cold It hovers at 35-36, so oops shouldn't have said always! night time temps atm are dropping to 19, may have to do some more covering as It will drop lower as It gets colder



And one of the lil bugger lol

Does the installation of this light roughly correspond to the change in behaviour observed, or can we rule this out as a contributing factor?

No, can rule this one out,
Yesterday he only had 2 crix, today for lunch he had 12, and only eating a few greens If I hand feed, He seems happy and bright and his poo seems normal