Adopted Beardie...small for age.help!

[infinite]

Hi All!,

I am new to the forum but been a lurker for a while.

Here's the short summary: I adopted a beardie from a family friend's daughter. Had been housed in 30gal glass tank with compact UVB and basking light. Repticarpet and had still been eating small crickets.

Lizard was about 7 inch when got him about 6weeks ago. They are very vauge about how old he was when they got him but they guess they got him last oct/nov. This would make him at least 7 or 8 months old! Small for age right??

He is maybe a little bigger now and filling out some. I am concerned because from what I have been reading he should be much larger at his age.

Current setup:
4x2x18h melamine with glass front. Lights inside/no screen.
46" Reptisun 5.0HO
Basking light 75w (108) basking temp day
Ceramic Heater 150w (not in use)not req right now
Ceramic tile substrate

Diet:
15 med crickets or at least 30 reptiworms
Fresh veggies daily (kale or bok choy)
Misted 2-3 daily

I guess my concern is IF my beardie will catch up in growth? Is it possible for a beardie to catch up or will it always be small? Interestingly enough, behavior appears to be "normal". Still kinda skittish and not getting handled right now with all the changes to environment since getting him and trying to practice building trust by putting hands in tank 2-3 times daily and some hand feeding.

I am a big guy and adopted the bearded because I knew that they grew to a decent size. Having such a small beardie would be kinda of a let down. But comes with the territory of adoption I suppose

Anyone have any experience with playing " catch up" health wise?

Thanks in advance.

 

[CooperDragon]

As long as he is active, eating, pooping regularly I wouldn't worry too much about a specific size. Keep an eye on his weight and make sure that keeps increasing gradually. They tend to go through growth spurts so I'm sure he will get bigger than his current size but it's hard to say exactly how big he'll grow. Just keep offering as many feeders as he seems to want to provide nutrition for further growth.

 

[Taterbug]

At this point the most you can do is give him proper care and see how he turns out, and it sounds like you are. He does sound small. Do you have a picture?

I'd add some more variety to the greens, if you can find them mustard, turnip, and collard greens are great options to add to a rotation.

 

[infinite]

Thanks for the helpful tips and encouragement.
I will keep up his/her regimen and watch carefully. His appetite is surely there so hopefully I will see some significant gains soon! Overall just want a happy healthy dragon.

That said, if anyone has been in this position or similar and has a success story...I would be super appreciative to hear.

I will try to post some pics. Unfortunate that I can't seem to attach a pic that I have directly. Am I missing something? I know a pic is worth more than my description.

 

[CooperDragon]

To add a photo, upload it to an online photo host like tinypic or photobucket. Take the url with the IMG tag they give you and post that here.

 

[infinite]

Nice, Thanks for the tip about the pics.

Here's a pic from when we first got him. He's in my wife's hands. Hard to tell his size , but for reference the viv is 4x2x18"height

Here's a pic about 2 weeks later

Here's a pic of him in his new setup the day I set up (proper temp gages added since

 

[Taterbug]

What a cutie! He sure doesn't look 7+ months old... He has a baby's head shape/proportions. I'm not sure what a stunted one would be like though. He looks alert and happy though for sure. What a luckily little guy to have found you.

 

[infinite]

Thanks Taterbug. That's exactly my thinking. I am just hoping that somehow the age is wrong! He just seems too healthy BUT way too small and underdeveloped if he were 7months. I asked our family friend again for exact purchase date and how old they were told he was at that time.

Thanks again. I too think that he appears quite happy. He now only has stress marks at bed time and early morning before temps reach daytime temp. I just want him to grow lol

 

[CooperDragon]

They're fun when they're small and full of energy & curiosity. As long as he's healthy and happy enjoy the time when he's small =)

 

[infinite]

Thanks @ Cooper Dragon.

I have to admit that I have been so obsessed with getting his viv set up and weight that I have not been interacting (holding) him as much. He's just so darn fragile...seemingly for my huge hands. I definitely have to shift focus to handling and getting him used to me and the rest of the fam. He's quite skittish but will allow me to hand feed. Runs away when attempted to be picked up .

Thanks again everyone, although I have confirmed his approx age (purchased Oct. 26th from Petsmart ), I am no longer worried as he really does seem to be happy/healthy. AND..He is noticeably bigger today. I have been power feeding him the last 2 days!

Fred

 

[Tonja]

I would hold off on the kale as it is high in oxalates and can bind calcium. There is a great feeding chart at beautifuldragons.com that most of us use. Its color coded as to what to feed as a staple, what to feed occasionally and what to never feed. Hope this helps with nutrition. At the bottom is a list of flowers and leaves that are safe for them to eat also.
http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html

 

[infinite]

Thanks Tonja!

I luckily just read this after my initial post and have since relinquished Kale to the occasional list. Wife's on a new cleanse and we have an abundance of it in the house lol. That said, for the last 2 days I have been power feeding Phoenix Worms, Crickets and Turnips.

Thanks for the list and glad to see that Turnip greens are on the list! I have some Wax Worms on order for treats. I figure that in my situation, the extra fat (occasionally) could be a good thing in addition to the norm diet??

Fred

 

[CooperDragon]

Wax worms are a good treat, but just once in a while. Turnip greens are awesome and if he likes to eat them all the better. I used to pull the list up on my phone and just cross reference with whatever looked fresh at the store. Worked beauty.

 

[infinite]

Wax worms are a good treat, but just once in a while. Turnip greens are awesome and if he likes to eat them all the better. I used to pull the list up on my phone and just cross reference with whatever looked fresh at the store. Worked beauty.

Great idea! I am saving the list into Evernote now! Turnips are not a instant "hit" right now unfortunately. But will keep trying as I have 'em in the house now. Gonna get some more variety over the weekend for sure.

 

[CooperDragon]

Sounds good, let us know how it goes =)