New to forum.. just want to know if my beardie is healthy?

I have had my beardie for almost a full year now, her previous owner didnt tell me how old she was, but she was still very small when we first got her. I've always read the discussions on this website when I have questions, and it has been so helpful! I am just checking in for a few reasons, I want to make sure my beardie (Rocky Road, but my hubby calls her Ragnarök) looks healthy and also want to know if she is a girl (my husband says hes pretty sure she is). She moves around great and stays pretty active, lately her appetite has been decreasing, but I have researched into it and I think she needs a new UVB light. The bulb is original from when we got her, and it is a T8 fixture on the outside of her screen. About 18" for her 55 gallon tank. She has a new one one the way. It is a T5 10.0 that measures 24". And I'm hoping that helps her appetite. She is still eating, just not nearly as much... I'm also having trouble (for the past 6 mo ths or so) trying to get her to eat enough veggies. Her preference is like... none. She will lick the papaya I offer, but never actually eats it. And she will eat dandelion flowers (discovered this on a trip outside last summer) but wont touch the greens I offer her. Lastly, she has a little ring around one of her front fingers, it doesnt seem to bother her at all, but it worries me. I might just be a bit of a worrier, but I want to make sure I'm doing everything right. We are first time beardie caregivers..

Iam not sure the first pic I see flat and the second 2 bulges --- so I am gonna let someone else say on the sex-- the UVB definitely needs to be changed out if its over 6 months old - this would be a reason shes not really eating--- the T 5 needs to go inside the tank and 12-15 inches from basking spot - that is the best place - you can put it on top of screen but it would need to be 6-8 inches from basking decor for a fine mesh screen like a screen door - 8-10 inches for a wide hole screen - the T 8 you have should in the tank w/ NO cover on the fixture so bulb is exposed and 8-10 inches from basking decor the screen is filtering out 30% of those rays
For the eating I would recommend getting a glass bowl and order some BSFL from here https://symtonbsf.com/ order large as they are small - do not dust as they are calcium enriched next get some of these butter worms and some super worms from here www.dubiaroaches.com you might want to get some roaches too they are a great staple feeder --- next feed your salad first thing in the morning http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html add your BSFL on top of the salad 1-3 super worms and a couple of butter worms the movement will entice her to the bowl to eat --- you can use as many BSFL as you want as they are a good staple feeder as well -- let her eat from that bowl then after about an hour or so take some of the salad out but leave some in and add your roaches to the salad -- see how that goes --- but first you need that UVB replaced --
Karrie

KarrieRee":3qmm7znq said:

Iam not sure the first pic I see flat and the second 2 bulges --- so I am gonna let someone else say on the sex-- the UVB definitely needs to be changed out if its over 6 months old - this would be a reason shes not really eating--- the T 5 needs to go inside the tank and 12-15 inches from basking spot - that is the best place - you can put it on top of screen but it would need to be 6-8 inches from basking decor for a fine mesh screen like a screen door - 8-10 inches for a wide hole screen - the T 8 you have should in the tank w/ NO cover on the fixture so bulb is exposed and 8-10 inches from basking decor the screen is filtering out 30% of those rays
For the eating I would recommend getting a glass bowl and order some BSFL from here https://symtonbsf.com/ order large as they are small - do not dust as they are calcium enriched next get some of these butter worms and some super worms from here http://www.dubiaroaches.com you might want to get some roaches too they are a great staple feeder --- next feed your salad first thing in the morning http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html add your BSFL on top of the salad 1-3 super worms and a couple of butter worms the movement will entice her to the bowl to eat --- you can use as many BSFL as you want as they are a good staple feeder as well -- let her eat from that bowl then after about an hour or so take some of the salad out but leave some in and add your roaches to the salad -- see how that goes --- but first you need that UVB replaced --
Karrie

Click to expand...

I do offer the salad every morning. A mixture of usually collard greens, summer squash, and papaya alternated with dandelion greens, mango, bell pepper, and acorn squash. I have tried adding superworms into the salad to get her to notice it, but she is very good at getting just the worms and leaving the salad behind... so I tried not adding worms, and she just walked right over the dish, doesnt even show a little interest. she also didnt care for the BSFL I offered her. Her favorites seem to be superworms, and hornworms, with a few crickets. When we first got her she loved just about every insect we fed her, but slowly she stopped being interested in BSFL, waxworms, and most of the crickets. I alternate dusting her food with calcium and a multivitamin. I am going to try the T5 outside the tank to start, I think. The tank is 20" tall on the outside, it has a regular screen aquarium top, and her basking spot is a hammock that is a little higher than halfway up in the tank. So, I'm thinking it should be close enough. My husband and I are drawing up plans to make her a 120 gallon enclosure. (I do have her next food shipment coming which includes waxworms, hornworms, and crickets. I wanted to order some Dubia too but they were sold out on the site I usually use (joshsfrogs). I didnt order superworms or mealworms because I still have quite a few of those left from my last order. Oh, it also includes a few butter worms for her to try! ???

Ok so I am thinking the new UVB is gonna make her interested in food again as she is not getting enough UVB especially if that UVB is over 6 months old ----
Karrie

KarrieRee":2aqsojyk said:

Ok so I am thinking the new UVB is gonna make her interested in food again as she is not getting enough UVB especially if that UVB is over 6 months old ----
Karrie

Click to expand...

Okay, that is what I am hoping for! Also, any thought on the kind of ring she has on one of her fingers? It doesnt bother her, but I am still a bit worried about it. It hasnt changed at all since I noticed it. I think she may have gotten her finger stuck somewhere, because she had lost that claw somehow too, but that seemed to grow back pretty healthy...

Not sure about the ring thing---- will let someone else address that as well
Karrie