NOT growing and hardly eating for months now.

[SnakeCharmr728]

My young colombian is the weirdest eater, he has such a hard time swallowing things... Im sure to cutt things up so they arent too big but its like everything he eats get stuck in the roof of his mouth and he struggles to get it down and/or out forever until i have to pull it out myself.... i swear every time i feed him i have a heart attack and have to sit there watching him to be sure he doesnt choke and die when i walk away.... stresses me out!!!!

Now heres my problem, Ive had him 4 months now, got him as a teeny tiny baby and while hes grown a little, he is still tiny. Hes only shed once too. I saw one of his siblings and it was at least 3x his size. He has little to no appetite as of the last month or so and will only eat a few bites of food once a week, but he comes out to bask and cruise around his cage every day.

details:
4x2 cage wood cage
4inch of cypress, multiple hides, large water dish.
MVB with a 105-110 basking surface temp
75 cool end
about 60% humidity and I mist daily.
Hes not skinny, but not plump either.
He gets crickets (wont touch dubias) mealworms, waxworms, ground chicken/turkey, fish filets, organ meats, etc (my gu's get an extremely varied diet)
I feed inside the cage because he wont touch anything if hes put into a feeding bin.

Any suggestions on getting him to eat. or ideas on why he isnt growing???

ps i'll get updated pics in the morning and post.

 

[Deac77]

We had luck with blended organs and turkey (kinda makes a soup that reeks!) maybe give that a try?

 

[laurarfl]

This is just what I do:

I keep the cool end of Chester & Oreo at 80. As for food, try some richer food sources like egg and F/T pinkies more often. And make sure he is getting calcium on everything.

 

[SnakeCharmr728]

He wont touch f/t pinkies, or live. I offer a f/t pink in every meal --- even try cutting it in half. no go.
Im honestly wondering if he has some sort of mouth/swallowing deformity that contributes to his difficulty swallowing. On the days he does eat, he takes one bite. struggles for 10 mins to swallow and then doesnt eat any more. I'll try more egg since I know thats a colombian fav. Thanks!

Any other suggestions welcome!

 

[BatGirl1]

Re: RE: NOT growing and hardly eating for months now.

He wont touch f/t pinkies, or live. I offer a f/t pink in every meal --- even try cutting it in half. no go.
Im honestly wondering if he has some sort of mouth/swallowing deformity that contributes to his difficulty swallowing. On the days he does eat, he takes one bite. struggles for 10 mins to swallow and then doesnt eat any more. I'll try more egg since I know thats a colombian fav. Thanks!

Any other suggestions welcome!

I have a rescued cuban knights anole that I would give chicken babyfood with calcium dusted in it.I'm wondering if the finer consistancy would be easier for your baby to swallow
I've also fed rescued baby bats this as a base mixture as well as a dying cat with great success.the liquids in it may be helpful in the swallowing process? Just a thought...

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[SnakeCharmr728]

I tried hardboiled egg with egg yolk drizzled, no interest, but he will go after crickets :/
Heres some size reference pics, Ive had him 4 months, person before me had him 1 month, then he was at a pet store before then. Again his sibling is like 3x his size....

 

[Ntyvirus]

Maybe you got a runt or something. I'm pretty sure my blue is bigger than that guy and I've only had him since early August. Now hurry and breed us some dwarf tegus

 

[KritterKeeper]

Just curious...has he been to the vet just to see if in fact there is something wrong with his mouth? You obviously take good care of your animals and seem to be trying everything as far as food goes so perhaps it really is a physical problem...?

 

[chriswizz]

I tried hardboiled egg with egg yolk drizzled, no interest, but he will go after crickets :/
Heres some size reference pics, Ive had him 4 months, person before me had him 1 month, then he was at a pet store before then. Again his sibling is like 3x his size....

my little argantine baby was exactly the same as yours,
have you tried dripping egg yolk on his nose so that it has to lick it off. it helped me out no end, he didnt seem to lose any weight, but just never grew, now hes grown no end & eating like a pig.

 

[SnakeCharmr728]

Well he catches and swallows crickets no problem... I am thinking a vet trip may be in order but Ive looked inside his mouth several times and everything is to code lol