Malnourished or young?

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Jumbolish

Member
Hello guys! I'm brand new to the forum and a first time beardie owner. Have had my guy, Terp the Herp, for about 5 days now. He ate about 7 crickets the first night I had him and now he's eating maybe 2 live feeders a day + a few bites of salad. I feel like I could see his ribs and I was told he could be as old as 2 months old. He's really tiny if he is 2 months but the breeder is telling me now he could be as young as 1 month. Idk what to think. Is the breeder lying about age to hide that he didn't feed them properly? Or is he just young and not eating well due to relocation stress? Sorry for the essay guys, just concerned about my new baby. Thanks for any help!
 

Jumbolish

Member
Original Poster
Btw temps are about 82-85 cool side, 90-93 warm, 101-106 basking. Humidity around 30%, reptisun 10.0, and GE Reveal as basking light. Been bathing daily the past 3 days to hydrate and induce pooping.
 

Varalidaine

Juvie Member
Typically babies in new homes will go off food for a few weeks until they get comfy and adjust. Do you have a kitchen scale so you can weigh him?

Do you mind if I ask where you got him from? Just curious :)

As for the ribs part, you can see ribs on most babies. They're just too little to have any sort of fat store. As a side note, it's always good to post a photo of your dragon as well as your set up just so everyone can look over it and spot any potential hazards. Welcome to the forum!
 

Gormagon

Extreme Poster
Probably just location stress. The world he was born into is gone and he is scared and confused. Give him more time and baths are not mandatory and until he settles in, I would hold off on those( super scarey).
Your setup and temps sound good, so you are off to a good start.
 

Jumbolish

Member
Original Poster
I got him off of craigslist from a seemingly good guy who had 6 adults and a clutch of babies. The other babies I saw were smaller than him and some were almost half his size.
He's about 7 inches long
89019-7791131250.jpg
The reason I've been bathing him is because he doesn't seem to drink water even if I drip it on his nose. And it's the only time his belly is a creamy white; always dark stress marks when inside his home. Thanks for the quick replies and welcomes!
 

Jumbolish

Member
Original Poster
89019-6800912474.jpg
Better picture to get idea of size (my hand is pretty average size). Notice colors are much lighter after 15 mins of handling/bath.
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

He sure is tiny!
Are you using a digital probe or temp gun to measure the temperatures?
It takes them a week or two just to start settling in, especially at that age, they can get very nervous.
The GE Reveal light, it is a daytime bulb with a bluish tint on the bulb, correct?
If so, I would recommend getting a regular basking light such as a halogen flood or spot light, which is brighter than the daytime Reveal light. Those Reveal lights block out yellow hues which can be hard on their eyes & make the light appear to pop & be more dull to them.
I hope he does well for you.

Tracie
 

Jumbolish

Member
Original Poster
Do you think he's tiny even for a month and a week old? That's the youngest he could be but probably a little older. I'm using a digital probe to take temps on both cool and warm sides. His legs seem really thin and I'll try getting him a new bulb! The GE Reveal is a halogen bulb, not sure if it's any different from other halogens but I like it because it provides the perfect temps for my setup
 

Rankins

Gray-bearded Member
Guessing age by size isn't always acurrate, but 5-6 weeks sounds about right.
Some dragons are dwarves, and others grow slow. I have a Rankins that didn't grow at all for several months. He didn't shed for about 4 months. He eventually hit a growth spurt and rapidly grew.
 

Jumbolish

Member
Original Poster
That makes me feel a lot better! He still isn't eating much but hopefully that changes after another week of acclimation. I appreciate everyone's help on Terp! Thank you!
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
He's about the right size for a 6-8 week baby if h's 6-7" long. They hatch out at anywhere from 3.5-5" [ average , with 5" being a large baby ] so he is about right for the estimated age .
 
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