He won't eat!!

[Lindsay Loforte]

My baby red foot, while occasionally picky has always been a good eater. But these pat two days he has hardly had more then a few bites of food. The last time he was eating as much it's because his poop cycle was a little backed up- that regulated in a day or two and then he was fine. But he's pooping regularly this time so I don't know what it could be! Today I only got him to take a couple bites of mushroom and a couple bites of fresh mango after a lot if enticing. Any tips on what's wrong?

 

[Tom]

Where are you? How is he housed? What are your day and night temps?

 

[G-stars]

Usually temps have something to do with it. What are your temps


— Gus

 

[G-stars]

Tom beat me to it.


— Gus

 

[Lindsay Loforte]

Where are you? How is he housed? What are your day and night temps?

I'm in New York. I little upstate from the city, living in a college dorm room. My baby's enclosure I made by hand this summer. It's 8" high, 18" long and 14" wide. He has a blue heat lamp and a regular light bulb as his day light lamp. I only turn off the day light lamp at night, so that the hottest area if his cage stays around 90 degrees all the time. I spray bottle his bedding every 3-4 hours to keep it the humidity in the tropical zone (I manage to get it around 50-60%) the humidity does drop a but at night because I can't spray it so often, to about 30-40%. But the thing is that this is how it's been for the 3 months I've had him, with no change. That's why I'm confused.

 

[G-stars]

How is he getting his UV requirements? Is he getting sufficient calcium?


— Gus

 

[Lindsay Loforte]

the UV requirements are covered through the blue heat lap-its a type of UV lamp. Calcium is the only thing i can't be certain on. He gets mazuri about 3 times a week, which has calcium, and he eats dark greens like swiss chard, collard greens, dinosaur kale, romain lettuce, etc. almost everyday which are fairly high is calcium, and then every now and then I add it to a piece of fruit for him. Should he get more then that? Its hard to get him to eat it when it the powder doesn't dissolve or stick to some foods.

 

[G-stars]

Sounds like he's a picky eater but if his appetite is low then I would make sure temps are correct. When you mentioned the warmest side at 90 did you mean under the basking light? What are his ambient temps? Cooler side?


— Gus

 

[Lindsay Loforte]

Oh yes, he can be quite spoiled and fussy sometimes. But because his tank is only 18" long, there isn't much room for a variant in temperature more then a few degrees i would say. under the UV basking light it is about 93degrees, and on the other side of the dank in his shelter i'd say its make 85-87degrees and the lowest.

 

[G-stars]

How often do you soak him? May just be that he's a picky eater. He's only gone two days of not eating, you did say he's still nibbling on food. So perhaps he's just being picky and not liking the foods you have offered him.


— Gus

 

[Lindsay Loforte]

Well I take him out of his home every day in the late afternoon and instantly put him in a shallow container of warm water. This coaxes him to take a few big gulps of water usually and then i just leave him in there until he gets fussy {so about 10 minutes or less}.

But yes, you were right. I had taken him out again after I posted this, to try one more food option: MaZuri. I soaked it and that seemed to kick start his appetite just enough for him to eat about half of a pellet's worth and a few pieces of summer squash. I am a bit less worried now, but really wish he wasn't so picky -.-

 

[mike taylor]

Can you post a picture of the lamps you are using? I think you are using the wrong lamps .

 

[Tom]

18x14" is too small for any species. Way too small.

Blue lamps don't give off UV. And I don't recommend them for day time use. Let us know for sure what type of bulb you've got there.

I think your humidity is too low for this species as well.