Tips For Making A New Baby Comfortable?

[SpookyLighthouse]

I got my baby last weekend after a few hiccups, but he seems to enjoy his enclosure. He’s been basking and ate for me the day before yesterday, but I can’t help but feel bad for spooking him every time I remove/add his food dish or fill/change his water. I’ve been talking to him, as I saw that was one of the most talked about things in the taming thread and have only handled him once to remove some calcium and stuck shed from his feet. He’s taken to hissing and displaying when he notices me there and I feel so bad for disturbing him. Any tips to help make his adjustment easier? I’m glad that my room is quiet at least and that he feels comfortable enough to explore his tank when he has plenty of hiding and burrowing options. I just don’t want to scare him any more than necessary.

[tbcorbett]

Hi! I'm in the same boat, but I've had my baby for almost three weeks now! In my opinion, you should see how handling him more goes! (Unless by last weekend you meant this past Saturday/Sunday, the 10th and 11th, in which case I'd personally wait till this upcoming Saturday/Sunday to start handling him, 'cause my baby was super on edge too the first week and I didn't want to add to that stress : D)

My baby was the exact same with me at first, would get spooked and rush into her hide if I opened her enclosure to give her food or spot-clean and such, but I took on the 'tough love' approach from the taming guide and I say it's actually been working really super well!!!

I was REALLY sad to make her scared, but I knew that if I never took the initial steps, then she would never learn that "Hey, this giant person isn't ACTUALLY gonna eat me!" I talk to her a lot too, but it didn't work as well as me just biting the bullet and picking her up every single day, even if she didn't want it-- and it really worked!! She isn't nearly as scared of me anymore, and never runs into her hide when I give her food or change her water and such. I still keep her handling sessions really short though. Like only 10 minutes, which is what people recommended to me too!

Maybe just use some tough love with your baby for a couple days and see how he handles it? The good thing is you can always back off with it if you feel it's making your baby too stressed!! ^^

That's just my suggestion, and what has been working for me personally!! : D I hope it helps in any way.

[SpookyLighthouse]

Hi! I'm in the same boat, but I've had my baby for almost three weeks now! In my opinion, you should see how handling him more goes! (Unless by last weekend you meant this past Saturday/Sunday, the 10th and 11th, in which case I'd personally wait till this upcoming Saturday/Sunday to start handling him, 'cause my baby was super on edge too the first week and I didn't want to add to that stress : D)

My baby was the exact same with me at first, would get spooked and rush into her hide if I opened her enclosure to give her food or spot-clean and such, but I took on the 'tough love' approach from the taming guide and I say it's actually been working really super well!!!

I was REALLY sad to make her scared, but I knew that if I never took the initial steps, then she would never learn that "Hey, this giant person isn't ACTUALLY gonna eat me!" I talk to her a lot too, but it didn't work as well as me just biting the bullet and picking her up every single day, even if she didn't want it-- and it really worked!! She isn't nearly as scared of me anymore, and never runs into her hide when I give her food or change her water and such. I still keep her handling sessions really short though. Like only 10 minutes, which is what people recommended to me too!

Maybe just use some tough love with your baby for a couple days and see how he handles it? The good thing is you can always back off with it if you feel it's making your baby too stressed!! ^^

That's just my suggestion, and what has been working for me personally!! : D I hope it helps in any way.

Thank you!!! Yeah, I got him on 7/10. I’m thinking that I’m going to hold off on handling him until he’s eating regularly. He hasn’t eaten since 7/11 as far as I can tell and I don’t want him to feel too anxious to eat, you know? I’ve got an appointment with the vet on 8/25, but I’m hoping that he’ll at least be a little settled before then.

[tbcorbett]

That's a good idea!!! I wouldn't wanna stress him out too much to eat either so I think that sounds like a great plan : 0

Good luck with your baby!!! I hope he warms up to you really fast!!

[SpookyLighthouse]

That's a good idea!!! I wouldn't wanna stress him out too much to eat either so I think that sounds like a great plan : 0

Good luck with your baby!!! I hope he warms up to you really fast!!

Thank you! I found some poop in his tank today and it looks like MAYBE he might have eaten a little. Little victories

[SpookyLighthouse]

Another update: I held him for about ten minutes today and he did really well, minimal hissing and displaying. Eating is still a struggle. How much do babies generally eat for you guys? I give him a portion of cat food generally a little smaller than his head and he seems to nibble at it over the course of the day. Hoping his appetite picks up more as he settles

[tbcorbett]

Another update: I held him for about ten minutes today and he did really well, minimal hissing and displaying. Eating is still a struggle. How much do babies generally eat for you guys? I give him a portion of cat food generally a little smaller than his head and he seems to nibble at it over the course of the day. Hoping his appetite picks up more as he settles

That's awesome!! My baby is a huge huffy puffer still, even though I've been handling her for 10 mins every day, she still is rebellious xP

Mine eats a TON, if it was up to her she'd be eating constantly all day. She seems to be a bottomless pit and even after her meals licks her feeding dish for any crumbs she missed.. and I was giving her TOO much, 'cause the vet told me she's overweight!!! ><

Do you only feed him cat food? Have you tried giving any variety? Maybe try eggs (I give mine hardboiled or scrambled, she didn't want raw egg) or different food like dog food, OR bluey buffet! mine goes NUTS for canned dog food (And really loves the bluey buffet as well). She also really loves butternut squash chopped really small and mixed in with it, though I do give her a bunch of other greens mixed in as well. Who knows, the variety might help convince him to eat!! Unless you've tried variety, in which case, maybe he does need some more time to settle in? Though I read parasites can influence appetite, so if it's a while and he still doesn't have an appetite, maybe that's worth getting a fecal examination done?

This is the dog food mine goes nuts over by the way!


She literally can't get enough of it!

[SpookyLighthouse]

Another update: I held him for about ten minutes today and he did really well, minimal hissing and displaying. Eating is still a struggle. How much do babies generally eat for you guys? I give him a portion of cat food generally a little smaller than his head and he seems to nibble at it over the course of the day. Hoping his appetite picks up more as he settles

That's awesome!! My baby is a huge huffy puffer still, even though I've been handling her for 10 mins every day, she still is rebellious xP

Mine eats a TON, if it was up to her she'd be eating constantly all day. She seems to be a bottomless pit and even after her meals licks her feeding dish for any crumbs she missed.. and I was giving her TOO much, 'cause the vet told me she's overweight!!! ><

Do you only feed him cat food? Have you tried giving any variety? Maybe try eggs (I give mine hardboiled or scrambled, she didn't want raw egg) or different food like dog food, OR bluey buffet! mine goes NUTS for canned dog food (And really loves the bluey buffet as well). She also really loves butternut squash chopped really small and mixed in with it, though I do give her a bunch of other greens mixed in as well. Who knows, the variety might help convince him to eat!! Unless you've tried variety, in which case, maybe he does need some more time to settle in? Though I read parasites can influence appetite, so if it's a while and he still doesn't have an appetite, maybe that's worth getting a fecal examination done?

This is the dog food mine goes nuts over by the way!


She literally can't get enough of it!

I’ve been mixing it up a bit. Dog food yesterday catfood and some hard boiled egg today.

I scheduled a vet appointment for him but they aren’t able to squeeze me in until the end of August. I’m hoping his appetite will increase in the coming days.

[tbcorbett]

That's awesome!! My baby is a huge huffy puffer still, even though I've been handling her for 10 mins every day, she still is rebellious xP

Mine eats a TON, if it was up to her she'd be eating constantly all day. She seems to be a bottomless pit and even after her meals licks her feeding dish for any crumbs she missed.. and I was giving her TOO much, 'cause the vet told me she's overweight!!! ><

Do you only feed him cat food? Have you tried giving any variety? Maybe try eggs (I give mine hardboiled or scrambled, she didn't want raw egg) or different food like dog food, OR bluey buffet! mine goes NUTS for canned dog food (And really loves the bluey buffet as well). She also really loves butternut squash chopped really small and mixed in with it, though I do give her a bunch of other greens mixed in as well. Who knows, the variety might help convince him to eat!! Unless you've tried variety, in which case, maybe he does need some more time to settle in? Though I read parasites can influence appetite, so if it's a while and he still doesn't have an appetite, maybe that's worth getting a fecal examination done?

This is the dog food mine goes nuts over by the way!


She literally can't get enough of it!

I’ve been mixing it up a bit. Dog food yesterday catfood and some hard boiled egg today.

I scheduled a vet appointment for him but they aren’t able to squeeze me in until the end of August. I’m hoping his appetite will increase in the coming days.

I hope so too!! Have you tried cutting up a raspberry/blackberry/blueberry/etc and mixing it in with the rest? That might convince him too!!! And it'd help get some food in his belly, even though they can't eat that much fruit, so it'd only be something you could do like once a week ><

Other than that, well, I think you're doing everything right so it comes down to waiting and seeing if his appetite goes up, or what the vet says when you do finally get to go!

[SpookyLighthouse]

I’ve been mixing it up a bit. Dog food yesterday catfood and some hard boiled egg today.

I scheduled a vet appointment for him but they aren’t able to squeeze me in until the end of August. I’m hoping his appetite will increase in the coming days.

I hope so too!! Have you tried cutting up a raspberry/blackberry/blueberry/etc and mixing it in with the rest? That might convince him too!!! And it'd help get some food in his belly, even though they can't eat that much fruit, so it'd only be something you could do like once a week ><

Other than that, well, I think you're doing everything right so it comes down to waiting and seeing if his appetite goes up, or what the vet says when you do finally get to go!

He ate almost all of his food today! I think he's just acclimating.