Weight for 4.5 month old

Hello, My bearded dragon Jervus is 4.5 month old and weighs 54 grams. Is this a normal weight? He isn't a huge eater. He had his first shed with us, which went very well, two days ago. He has gained weight since we got him 3.5 month ago, but not a huge amount. Any tips to get him to grow faster would be amazing! He has a basking spot 105 degrees, and a Reptisun 10.0 T5 Ho UVB an average of 12 inches away from him. he gets calcium 5 times a week, and multivitamin twice a month.

I don't know about the usual growth rate because our boy was neglected before we got him. At what was said to be 6.5 months in the beginning of January when we took him in, he was 11 grams. At that point I truly believe he was at death's door. After a 2 week treatment at the vet's he came back to us at 14 grams. During treatment his food was being limited to about 6 bugs twice a day, mostly meal worms with some crickets. Watching him eat now, I don't think that was adequate either.

Since then he is a totally different dragon. He is a pig when it comes to eating bugs, as he should be. He loves BSFL and dubia roaches, although he gets 3-4 meal worms to help lure him to his salad dish. The others are not currently luring him to salad, but it is taking less meal worms to get him there over time, and he does eat at least a couple salad bites a day. Much better than when the meal worms were the only food he was offered. At his last weigh in on Friday, he was at 148 grams.

One thing I did that helped me feel better about Sir Henry's growth was to keep a weight chart. We weigh on Monday and Friday. It is nice to be able to see progress over time, and I know that if he does get sick and I have to take him to the vet, that information will be a help to them when it comes to diagnosing any problems he may have.

caesar 81g
cleo 45g
puff 105g
rex 128g
peppa 120g
toothless 91g

Providing your little dragon is feeding well, getting lots of high qual live bugs each day, basking and thermoregulating properly, pooing regularly, is "active" and the growth is consistant , then it's OK to be on the small end of the growth distribution.

Thank you both for the tips! I have been tracking his weight for about two months now. He has gained 5 grams in 2 months. Is this normal? Also, I’m glad your rescue baby is doing well!

JervusJean":2341j2ga said:

Thank you both for the tips! I have been tracking his weight for about two months now. He has gained 5 grams in 2 months. Is this normal? Also, I’m glad your rescue baby is doing well!

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5g gain is pretty slow , at his age he should be doubling in mass every month or so, but they do grow in spurts .

My advise is more high quality live protein rich insects , at his age he needs a diet that's nearly entirely bugs to grow.
I suggest 3 meals of live insects per day , offer greens at end of day .

Bugs Id be offering
crickets or roach or locusts ( gut loaded with fresh greens and veg , dusted with calcium )
BSFL
silkworms

If the photoperiod is too short this will also impact on growth, need UVB and heat to convert insect protein and calcium to more lizard.
Aim for 15 hr photoperiod.

Thank you! Right now his day night cycle is 12 hours and 12 hours. Could this be effecting his appetite? His staple feeder is Dubai roaches gut loaded with squash, strawberries, and greens. I always offer him BSFL but most days he decides he doesn’t like them. He has had silkworms, but did not love them (and they are expensive). He LOVES wax worms, but he hasn’t had any in 2 months because he got addicted.

JervusJean":31ins8ig said:

Thank you! Right now his day night cycle is 12 hours and 12 hours. Could this be effecting his appetite? His staple feeder is Dubai roaches gut loaded with squash, strawberries, and greens. I always offer him BSFL but most days he decides he doesn’t like them. He has had silkworms, but did not love them (and they are expensive). He LOVES wax worms, but he hasn’t had any in 2 months because he got addicted.

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yes - not long enough.

Strawberries are zero nutritional value , pick greens high in protein & Ca/P = 2 or higher .
Wax worm are TREATS ONLY - like mealworms , junk for bearded dragons.

Hand feed the BSFL to him if he's not so interested in "pecking at them in the bowl" - the wrigglier the better ( so choose large white one , rather than black ones or those which are now in pupation. The flies are good food .