8 Year Old Beardie Jack

[gulfbrzdawn]

Wow, Jack is a little guy!! Have you had him since he was a baby? Did you get him from a breeder, if so, were his parents small? Jack is just so small for an adult beardie, he is the size of a juvenile beardie. I am by no means saying you have done anything wrong. I'm just wondering if it's genetics or is he not thriving for some reason.
Have you gone over your set up in his enclosure with anyone yet?
What brand & type of uvb and basking bulbs are you using?
How close can Jack get to these bulbs?

Dawn

 

[singtoyou]

Hi Dawn,
Well, I went to the pet store today and talked over some of the things that I have been told here on the web trying to
see what is up with Jack. And it looks like for one thing Jack is a Jackie! Jack waves with his hand and never bobs his head
or her head ever. And they said females can be a bit smaller than the male, But not by much if any. So My Jack is not doing the
best. Not to the point where he needs to see a vet or anything.
I talked over the lighting with them also. I have a UVB light but I guess it is not one for reptiles. I didn't buy it from a pet store it
was given to me 8 years ago when I got Jack. One of my Sons friends gave it to me he told me he used it for one of his lizzards,
I knew that I needed to have a Vitamin D light for him so I thought that I was good with that. But I guess not. I also have a warming light.
They said that I need to get a new uvb light and keep up on his calcium and give him more protien. They said that the calcium and the
uvb light go hand in hand for a healthy lizzard. And Sadly I have not been keeping up on his calcium. I thought it was only for
when he was growing and "Like other things I have been wrong." I feel horrible about this. It makes me sad. But I think and feel that I am
on the right track here for him. So I got some calcium and the butter worms for him and I am going to have to wait on the light until next pay period.
Well, he loved the worms I gave him, and I shook them in plenty of calcium. He had 5 and they are pretty good size. He would eat more but
I don't want to overstuff him. I am going to try some other veggie salads for him too. I am going to try my best to get him up and growing.
Then again he could just be a very small lizzard only time will tell here. I am marking today on a Calender and going to take a picture of him
and see what kind of a difference I can make for Jack. He has plenty of room in his cages to get right under the light or get away from it. He tends to go down below if he gets too hot so he is pretty good about that, and the bulbs are placed just as they should be.
Don't know what else to say other than I really hope that I am on a good road for Jack. Thanks for your interest and help.
singtoYou

 

[zebraflavencs]

Just out of curiosity, when was the last time you had a fecal done on him ?
Is he eating normally, or has that decreased, lately ?
How old is your UVB ?
What kind of UVB is it ?
I see that it is a tube, hoping it is a Reptisun 10.0 ?
Your enclosure is quite nice too !
Janie.

 

[singtoyou]

Hi Again Dawn,
I forgot to answer your ? about him. I got him at the pet store I just went to today. And he was about 7 inche's long when I got him at 5 months old. Dont know about his parnet or anything like that. I do know that I am going to go online and start reading more about what I
need to do for him. Jack actually looks just like the 2nd bearded dragon that comes up on the screen on this page. You know how there are two dragons pictures right before the BeardedDragon.org logo. Well Jack is exactly that lizzard. He is very dark brown just like that. He is not
light like all of those that they had down at the pet store. I don't know if that has anything to do with anything. But I was just looking at the top of this page here and seen the two pictures that rotate and seen that....that is Jack right there.
Thanks again
singtoyou :study:

 

[singtoyou]

To janie,
have not had a fecal sample done. And Yes he eats his veggies good. The light I have I was told is way way way to old.
I did not know that I ever had to change it...I only thought it was good until it ever burnt out. And not given him calcium
any longer has played a bad part in this also. So between the lighting fixerture and the calcium that should be good there now.
And the worms should give him the protien he needs. Along with his veggies. He does go to the bathroom okay. And drinks his
water real well. I think after today I am on a good road for him. I am just glad that I am finding all of this out now so I can take
care of it now. And not wait until he get sick. I am hoping that I will see some real good change in him in a couple of months....I hope.
singtoyou

 

[singtoyou]

Just wondering if anyone knows of a place where I can buy butter worms or super worms online?
Thanks singtoyou

 

[singtoyou]

Here is a recent picture of my Jack

 

[singtoyou]

I am going to take another picture of him tomorrow here and more of a close up so you all can see with me
the improvements I am hoping for with him. I have been doing nothing but reading about the calcium & UVB lighting tonight
well tomorrow now. I feel so bad about not knowing why he has been going down hill on me but I am all over it now,
and I am really glad that he is not super sick because of me. Anyway thank you for all those who have given me advice.
So I will be posting a picture of Jack tomorrow like I said, and I will post another one of him in 1 month from now also and another
month after that. I With the right lighting nutrients, Protien, and tender loving care. I hope for a better Jack here real soon.

I am going to post some funny pictures that I took of Jack and that I have over in my zazzle website they are super funny to me
and I wanted to share with you all. This was taken a while ago before Jack started loosing so much weight.

 

[singtoyou]

 

[singtoyou]

 

[singtoyou]

 

[singtoyou]

 

[singtoyou]

Enjoy and have a great night to you all.

 

[singtoyou]

Here are pictures I just took Of Jack. So I will take them again in 1 month and post them and I am hoping for great improvment.

Here he is Just hanging out getting ready for sleep.

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

Hello again,

Those pics of Jack(or Jackie,LOL) are very cute!!

I'm glad that you are gathering info and trying to do what's best for your beardie. Don't beat yourself up about not knowing how to care for her. Unfortunately there are a great many misinformed dragon owners out there, it is not your fault!

Go ahead and get the uvb when you get paid. I think we mentioned the Reptisun 10.0 fluorescent tube. The other thing you might want to do is get a fixture and uvb bulb that is longer than what you have. It can be the length of your tank. Try putting it as close to the basking bulb, if not right next to it, so that Jack can reap the benefits of both at the same time. The fluorescent tubes need to be changed out every 6 months. You didn't mention any temps, so I'm going to assume your not measuring them. You need to get a thermometer. There is a good one at Walmart called Acurite, it is a digital with a wire and probe,it is $12, it will give you the most accurate temps. Lighting and temps are vital to the proper growth of a bearded dragon, which unfortunately you are seeing firsthand.

The temps for Jack's basking spot need to be 95-105 and the cool side needs to be around 75-85. With the proper lighting and food you should see a new side of Jack. The basking spot needs to be within 10-12" from basking bulb and Jack needs to get withing 6-8" of uvb light.

I am going to try to get Tracie, she is a moderater on here with alot of knowledge on beardies to give you some more advice. She may tell you to give Jack some liquid calcium to get him back up to par.

Dawn