Is my little lizard too little?

My little one year old hasnt shed for about 3 months so seems to have just about stopped growing she's 15.5 inches and only about 260 grams. Due to a mix up with how long the guy who sold me her and her viv said uv lights would last (I was told 6-9 months turns out not so much) she slowed right down and barely ate for a month and I'm still trying to get her appetite back by mixing wax worms and calci worms together and hoping she'll eat both the good and the bad stuff. it's gradually working although all my locusts died of old age before she went near them and I'm still only getting a dozen or so calci worms and a few wax worms a day down her (plus some rockett ). She seems alert and lively but I was just hoping someone could have a look at some pics and let me know what you think. Also if you have any special way of getting beardies to eat more that'dbe great!!

She seems to be a bit on the thin side but not real bad.
Waxworms have little nutritional value and, are high in fat. BSFL (aka; Phoenix worms) are excellent feeders for dragons in her condition.
What type and brand of UVB are you using?

It's the repti sun 10 tube. I did have a coil one before which worked ok to be fair but as she went a few weeks with a barely functioning uv (I think) I decided to go for the one most recommended on here. Also I'm only using the wax worms to get her to eat pheonix/calci worms are definetely my feeder of choice

She is somewhat on the small side, and should be growing and shedding a bit more, but if she had some poor UVB, and you have already addressed that issue very well with the repti sun 10 (which I prefer also) then she could pick back up and still grow some more. It is normal for them to slow down growth after a year, and less appetite goes with that. She may just be a smallish girl...a big beauty, in a small package! Does she get a vitamin powder, and a calcium powder supplement? If so, and she is otherwise healthy, enjoy her, keep an eye on her as you already do, and let us know how she is doing. She is a pretty little " petite jolie", non?

Feeding her some wax worms to whet her appetite is not a problem. They love their waxies! I have used them to tempt my big boy, when he is in a molt (shed) and has a poorly appetitie. Of course, they are not his main food source, and he has lots of other food. Your gal could use some extra fat on her. Does she drink plenty of water? if not, that can also cause a reduced appetite. She looks a bit dehydrated to me, but it could just be the picture. I use a 1CC syringe, drop the water on Dezi's lips, one drop at a time, and keep on until he turns his head away, every day. They do not drink well from their dish, and spraying them can cause excess humidity in vivaarium, and also encourages skin fungus, so I chose to water Dezi by hand as described. It also helps keep up our close bond.

At a year old, it is often recommended to swich the protien/greens ratio around, from 75/25% (protiens/veggies) to 25/75%. However, in her case, since she has had a little slow down during her normally fast growth period, I would keep her high protien diet. Offer her salad, of course, but the live protein is what will fuel more growth. They seem to know what they need, and will choose accordingly. My boy continued his astonishing growth rate well past two, and he would not touch his veggies until almost three, naughty boy!! But I trusted that he would take veggies when ready, and now he eats greens quite well.

Because your girl could have some soft bone issues, it is important to keep up her vitamin powder twice a week and her calcium powder, on the other days, maybe even daily...

Here is my big boy Dezi, a whopping 24 inches, and rather big boned...more of him to love!
Dezi sez," grow strong, pretty girl!"

Yea she's still super cute even though she's tiny yours really is a big boy. She gets her calcium but to be honest not often as calci worms are the staple and when I dusted her greens on top she had some orange poop which I gather can be a sign of calcium surplus. She's near impossible to get to drink so may have to use a syringe. I've tried bathing her she doesn't drink and tried dropping were on her nose she's unimpressed the only time she will drink is when I set my finger and she licks it!! She seems to like greens for dessert she'll eat a few worms then wander over to get greens for a couple of mouths full. I'll try a few super worms if she gets over 16 inches just to add a bit more that but don't worry not many as again I know they arent good for her. Thanks dezi

It is good that she eats her greens that well, that is where she will get a lot the hydration she needs. Dubia roaches and, BSFL are your best choices for protein content. It will take time to get her up to normal, it's a slow process. Just hang in there, she'll do fine.

I can never find dubai roaches smaller than the gap between her eyes sadly

Steve1878":pasvo3is said:

I can never find dubai roaches smaller than the gap between her eyes sadly

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OK : crickets or locusts are good sources of protein.

SIlkworms are great too.

viewtopic.php?f=76&t=234999&p=1807834#p1807834

she need high protein , high Ca/P ratio (about 2) and good levels of insect fats to build her up, I'd have her on at least 1 meal of live insects per day ( two would be better ) to build her up and rehydrate her.

I'm really trying to keep her on live food she has a bowl full of calci worms in her viv everyday and a few wax ones among them to tempt her in. Last time I got locusts they died of old age before she ate them!! Still hoping as she's picking up she'll gradually eat more every day. Silkworms are calci worms aren't they? They seem to have no end of different names

Calci worms are just one company's name for the black soldier fly larva [ bsfl] They are also sold as Phoenix worms, Repti worms and Nutri-grubs. Silkworms are a totally differnt larva. The bsfl turns in to a fly, the silk turns in to a beautifyl moth.

Google them and you'll get more info on them.

AHBD":rgrgn3lo said:

Calci worms are just one company's name for the black soldier fly larva [ bsfl] They are also sold as Phoenix worms, Repti worms and Nutri-grubs. Silkworms are a totally differnt larva. The bsfl turns in to a fly, the silk turns in to a beautifyl moth.

Google them and you'll get more info on them.

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Thanks they sound good will see if any local shops have them. I think she finds the pheonix /calci ones too small to entertain her now so they could be a nice alternative. I would order online but never home when things get deliverd

Good news she seems to have her appetite back and is getting through 2 large dubia roaches 4-5 level 5 locusts a couple of supers (just while I try to build her up) and a couple of dozen calci worms a day as well as a good few mouthfulls of greens. I like to mix it up for her!!! Does that sound like enough for a one year old? She only seems to want one live food feed a day still which I find worrying as most people say she should be having two.
Sadly silkworms in the UK aren't easy to find or very cost effective

Yes, that's a good amount. Is she gaining a little weight ?

AHBD":2srdu3a6 said:

Yes, that's a good amount. Is she gaining a little weight ?

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Yes thanks she's still not growing/shedding but that's fine she seems healthy and that's what matters plus it's kind of nice that I can hold her on one hand still

Yes, the important thing is that she has a good appetite and is still your little snuggle bug.