food and behaviour

Question
QUESTION: iv recently got myself a baby bearded dragon about a month
ago. He/she was eating a fair few crickets when i first had
him but these last few days he isn't eating as much, he is
still eating  his fruit and veg though. he has already
shredded since ive had him. is this normal?

ANSWER: Hi, Sophie, I may be able to answer your question, but first I need a lot more information.

I need to know what size and type of cage he's in, what type of lighting and heating you're using, what the temperatures are, whether you handle him, and if his behavior has changed in any other way.  I also need to know exactly what you're feeding him (supplements, types of fruit and veggies, etc).  Also, how often you offer crickets, and how many he ate before versus how many he's eating now will be very helpful.

Baby bearded dragons should be offered food 2 or 3 times a day--as many insects as they can eat in a 15 minute period, each time.  A reduction in appetite can be a sign of a problem, but the best way to determine that is to first find out if all of the husbandry and the diet are completely correct.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: He has a u.v light and a red night light, he also has a heat pad so that it stays warm in the cage. the temperature is roughly 82F. i was just feeding him brown medium crickets n veggie wise is kurly kale, grated carrots, cress cut up apples. iv now started feeding him meal worms which he seems to enjoy a lot more. He's starting to be alot more lively now. i get him out at least once a day. The tank is bout 2 foot. thank you

Answer
Is the light a UVB reptile light?  (UVA is not sufficient).  Make sure, if you are using a fluorescent reptile light, that it is no more than 6 inches above the dragon.

You will need to get an indoor/outdoor thermometer with a remote probe.  The temperature you describe for the cage is ok for the cool side, but much too cold for the basking area--you need to know the exact temperatures.  The dragon needs a basking area that gets to 95 to 100F!  Without these high temperatures, it cannot properly digest its food.  (It also needs to be able to cool off when it wishes, so only one side of the tank should be that hot).

The crickets may be too large, if you have a baby.  They should not be larger than the space between the dragon's eyes, and must always be dusted with a good calcium supplement powder containing vitamin D-3.  Expect the little dragon to consume as many as 30 total in one day!  Feeding insects that are too large can lead to nerve problems in the jaws and can even choke the dragon.

The cress is a good choice for veggies, and the grated carrot in smaller amounts, but you should not use the kale (it's a member of the cabbage family, and contains high levels of oxalates).  Instead, collards, mustard greens, or turnip tops are recommended.  The apple is not very nutritious and not necessary.  A little grated squash would work better, and once or twice a week, perhaps, a bit of strawberry or other berries, or mango.
Mix at least 2 different greens, and one vegetable (such as carrot or squash) daily.  The more variety the better--use different things when you can.

I do not recommend that you handle him until he's eating properly, because handling is stressful for reptiles--calcium-dusted insects should be fed to him 3 times per day.  Mealworms are less nutritious than crickets, and aren't really recommended for baby beardies, due to their high levels of chitin, which are implicated in causing intestinal blockages and making them hard to digest.  (They're ok for older beardies, but just to add some variety to the diet).