Beardie is small for his age

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Finleythebeardie

Hatchling Member
Hi my bearded dragon was hatched around October 10th making him about 9 months old at the moment. He is small for his age though. I haven’t measured him in a while and it really late right now so I’d have to do it tomorrow however I know he small for his age. He’s been growing very very rapidly since I’ve had him and he was “the runt” according to the person I got him from. He also had a back injury that makes his back legs partially paralyzed before we got him. He’s growing very fast and he’s shedding normally and in all regards is a healthy bearded dragon with a good diet and husbandry, he’s just smaller than he should be. Should I be worried at all because he seems to be catching up quickly. His tail is fairly stubby due to a scratch or something he got before we had him that made the tip of it fall off. I’ll attach pictures of him tomorrow and I’ll also measure him then.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
What size tank and what kind of lighting do you have for him? Can you post pics of this tank and lighting please
Karrie
 

Finleythebeardie

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Right now he is in a 20 gallon tank with zoo-med reptisun T8 uvb(I checked with some users on here to see which light to get and they suggested to the T5 but said the T8 would be fine so I went with the one I could get at my local petco)
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
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A T8 is appropriate for a 20g tank (6-8'' from the basking spot), however your dragon is likely starting to outgrow it. Can you post some current photos of him? That will help to give a better idea about his overall health and size.
 

Finleythebeardie

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
103403-4222967136.jpg
103403-6648084633.jpg

Here’s some up close pictures of him. He does have a slightly crooked jaw and I don’t know why. He’s had it since we got him from the breeder and I’ve contacted the breeder about it and she said he’s just had it since he hatched but it isn’t impacting his eating. He eats perfectly fine so it isn’t really an issue. In the top picture it looks worse than it actually is but that’s just the lighting in my room at the moment
 

CooperDragon

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He does look a bit small for a 9 month old. What has he been eating? How often is he eating? He looks alert and generally pretty healthy which is good.

Is the T8 9 months old as well? If so, it might be a good idea to replace it as their output decreases over time. This light might be a good option for now. https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-26053-Reptisun-Terrarium/dp/B00AQU8F2O It comes with a T5 5.0 bulb which is about the same output as a new T8 and would be a good fit for your 20g tank. When you move to a larger tank, you can keep using the fixture and just swap in a 10.0 T5 bulb for it which will have a stronger reach.
 

Finleythebeardie

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
The T8 is only 4 months old at the moment and he eats about 5-10 crickets a day and he gets either mustard greens or kale daily (mostly mustard greens, we only switch to kale if we’re out of mustard greens and can’t get to the store that day) everything he eats is dusted in calcium powder. He also gets treats like some fruits and other vegetables that are safe for bearded dragons a few times a week. He always eats his food when I give it him as well.
 

CooperDragon

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OK the T8 should still be good for a couple more months then. 5-10 crickets a day isn't a lot for a young dragon. Does he eat more if you offer? He should be getting 2-3 meals a day all he wants to eat (this number will vary).
 

Finleythebeardie

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
He does eat more when I offer him some and when I take him out to handle him I give him some and he eats them and I give him “snacks” throughout the day sometimes. So he gets more than ten a day but I was just counting what I gave him as like a meal in the morning when I feed all my other pets. But I’ll give him more crickets in the future
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Your tank looks good but i would move the UVB over towards the middle of the tank or out so he can sit directly under it -- as the way it sits now he has no way to get closer to it - he should be able to bask under it like 8-10 inches from it or a little closer- he is not getting enough UVB I would say - thats going to make a difference in how much hes eating --- I would look at this website for ideas on salad material http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html--- try variety---
Karrie
 

Finleythebeardie

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
I’ve tried to move it to the middle before but if I move it I won’t be able to take the screen off of his tank as it slides on and off and it would be in the way. Should I put Like a hide or something he can get up in under it that way he could get closer to the uvb light if he wants to?
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Yes, arranging branches and decorations etc. to allow better access to lighting is a good idea. Since you don't have a reflector with that fixture, I suggest allowing access to within about 6'' of the bulb.
 

Finleythebeardie

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Ok so I’m gonna try to get to the pet store today and pick up some logs and hides that he can climb on the get him closer to the UVB. So I should make it so he can get up to 8-10 inches away?
 
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