Fruit The Beardie

[Lizzvjlg]

Hello! First time beardie owner. Wasn’t expecting to get this little one but things happen.
Her name is Fruit, she’s a hypo something. Stunted growth so at 4 years old she’s only 11 1/2 inches. She loves to be held and doesn’t understand why she can’t hang out with my dogs and chill with them lol she will watch them all day then gets huffing when we let her out but they are behind a gate, she will run to the gate and stare at them.

Signed up for this form to look for ways to get her to eat, she just finished some critical care and that was a mess lol. But she did gain weight since we got her. She went from 3 to 4 grams! Then decided to stop eating for a month lol she’s so picky and stubborn. I’m obsessed

 

[KarrieRee]

Hello! First time beardie owner. Wasn’t expecting to get this little one but things happen.
Her name is Fruit, she’s a hypo something. Stunted growth so at 4 years old she’s only 11 1/2 inches. She loves to be held and doesn’t understand why she can’t hang out with my dogs and chill with them lol she will watch them all day then gets huffing when we let her out but they are behind a gate, she will run to the gate and stare at them.

Signed up for this form to look for ways to get her to eat, she just finished some critical care and that was a mess lol. But she did gain weight since we got her. She went from 3 to 4 grams! Then decided to stop eating for a month lol she’s so picky and stubborn. I’m obsessed View attachment 72885 View attachment 72886 View attachment 72887 View attachment 72888 View attachment 72889

She's going thru relocation stress- what are you using for a uvb? Your basking temps and uvb are extremely important for her to eat and adjust to her new surroundings- I see no temp gauges in the tank please get 2 digital probe thermometers - they are the most accurate -

 

[Lizzvjlg]

She's going thru relocation stress- what are you using for a uvb? Your basking temps and uvb are extremely important for her to eat and adjust to her new surroundings- I see no temp gauges in the tank please get 2 digital probe thermometers - they are the most accurate -

It’s been 6 months now. She was doing good then stopped. I have 3 digital probe thermometers, she just tends to knock them over lol. I have 36inch reptisun uvb. 78-80 on cool side and 87-95 on the hot side. Her basking is 100-105. I also use a temperature gun to check the temps. I believe she’s been in the new enclosures we built for 2 months but we’d let her check it out everyday and run around in it to get use to it before we let her in it full time.

 

[affinenine]

Hello and welcome fellow newbie! Fruit is a gorgeous lil girl and your tank setup looks very cool. As far as feeding, variety is the spice of life. I put all kinds of veg, fruits, and berries in my girl's salads-basically whatever I've got lying around in the fridge-so there's color and texture variety always. Mealworms or crushed up freeze dried ones are a great topper too if she isn't too fond of greens. Black soldier fly larva would be a great nutrient-dense feeder to aid her recovery if she likes 'em.

 

[Lizzvjlg]

Hello and welcome fellow newbie! Fruit is a gorgeous lil girl and your tank setup looks very cool. As far as feeding, variety is the spice of life. I put all kinds of veg, fruits, and berries in my girl's salads-basically whatever I've got lying around in the fridge-so there's color and texture variety always. Mealworms or crushed up freeze dried ones are a great topper too if she isn't too fond of greens. Black soldier fly larva would be a great nutrient-dense feeder to aid her recovery if she likes 'em.

Hi and thank you! Variety is a good idea, so far she has had crickets and black soldier fly larva. She’s so picky but loves collard greens and blue berries. If any bug touches her or gets near her, she will refuse to eat lol such a diva.

 

[xp29]

Hello and welcome. Fruit is a cutie.
11 inches counting her tail or not counting her tail?
Dubias are a great staple feeder as well. Silkworms are really great also if you can get them. Hornworms are usually the trick to get a stubborn beardie to eat, but they have drawbacks 1) they get addicted to them very quickly and then will refuse everything else. 2) they cause very runny poops. 3) the dogged things like to wrap around your finger and more oft than not get your finger nipped by an excited beardie lol. You can feed superworms also but i think most use them as a treat.

 

[xp29]

Does she glass surf or try to dig? At 4 years she could be gravid. They will loose their appetite a few weeks before they lay. You might want to give her a dig box and see what she does.

 

[Lizzvjlg]

Does she glass surf or try to dig? At 4 years she could be gravid. They will loose their appetite a few weeks before they lay. You might want to give her a dig box and see what she does.

Yeah that’s what my vet said to do, she didn’t feel anything but figured it didn’t hurt to try that either. I got top soil and play sand ready just haven’t got anything to put it in yet

 

[Lizzvjlg]

Hello and welcome. Fruit is a cutie.
11 inches counting her tail or not counting her tail?
Dubias are a great staple feeder as well. Silkworms are really great also if you can get them. Hornworms are usually the trick to get a stubborn beardie to eat, but they have drawbacks 1) they get addicted to them very quickly and then will refuse everything else. 2) they cause very runny poops. 3) the dogged things like to wrap around your finger and more oft than not get your finger nipped by an excited beardie lol. You can feed superworms also but i think most use them as a treat.

Hi and thank you!
That is counting the tail so full length is 11 1/2 she’s pretty tiny. Yeah I was scared to try hornworms after I heard about the addiction issue lol

 

[KarrieRee]

It’s been 6 months now. She was doing good then stopped. I have 3 digital probe thermometers, she just tends to knock them over lol. I have 36inch reptisun uvb. 78-80 on cool side and 87-95 on the hot side. Her basking is 100-105. I also use a temperature gun to check the temps. I believe she’s been in the new enclosures we built for 2 months but we’d let her check it out everyday and run around in it to get use to it before we let her in it full time.

Where is the UVB? Top of screen or inside the tank and is your screen a fine mesh like a screen door or a wide hole type? She will not eat if this is not correctly placed where she can absorb the rays --- I do recommend getting two digital probe thermometers - IR guns can be off w/ certain materials and hammocks - they cannot read off of hammocks

 

[xp29]

My girlfriend has a rehab that is stunted also, she a tiny as well. I was considering having her spayed because i was afraid she would egg bind due to her size. She laid 17 eggs about two weeks ago, we didnt even know she was gravid, and this dragon is SPOILED. We handle her alot. She went off food 2 to 3 weeks before laying and she always glass surfs(she thinks if we can see her she should be out.... spoiled) she didn't try to dig though and we missed the signs. My point to that long winded description You can't always feel the eggs. I would try the dig box, you can always take it back out is she isn't interested.
Hornworms are great for treats they are very hydrating. But i wouldn't give them more than maybe once a week or so.

 

[Lizzvjlg]

Where is the UVB? Top of screen or inside the tank and is your screen a fine mesh like a screen door or a wide hole type? She will not eat if this is not correctly placed where she can absorb the rays --- I do recommend getting two digital probe thermometers - IR guns can be off w/ certain materials and hammocks - they cannot read off of hammocks

No screen. It’s inside the enclosure. I do have 3 digital probe thermometers, one on the left, one in the middle and one on the right.

 

[Lizzvjlg]

My girlfriend has a rehab that is stunted also, she a tiny as well. I was considering having her spayed because i was afraid she would egg bind due to her size. She laid 17 eggs about two weeks ago, we didnt even know she was gravid, and this dragon is SPOILED. We handle her alot. She went off food 2 to 3 weeks before laying and she always glass surfs(she thinks if we can see her she should be out.... spoiled) she didn't try to dig though and we missed the signs. My point to that long winded description You can't always feel the eggs. I would try the dig box, you can always take it back out is she isn't interested.
Hornworms are great for treats they are very hydrating. But i wouldn't give them more than maybe once a week or so.

Good point! Yeah I gotta get a box or something to put the stuff in. That’s a lot of eggs! They really love being outside of cages haha

 

[KarrieRee]

No screen. It’s inside the enclosure. I do have 3 digital probe thermometers, one on the left, one in the middle and one on the right.

Ok sounds good please get the distance 12-15 inches directly above a piece of decor

 

[Lizzvjlg]

Ok sounds good please get the distance 12-15 inches directly above a piece of decor

Yep! We cut her stuff down so it was at the right height and so she wouldn’t burn herself lol