Age and size question.

[Relwarc]

Hey all,

Little Thrall (pictured below in my hand) is around 8.5" long. We got him 3 weeks ago, and the pet store told us he was 7 weeks old.

At 10 weeks, 2.5 months, he doesn't look anywhere near the size of some of the 3 month old beardies i've seen on this site. He eats well, seems happy, was he younger than 7 weeks when we got him? is he a slow grower? or am I just being a nervous nelly?

For reference, my hand makes him look small, like i said he's about 8.5" long. My hand is around 8" from palm to middle finger tip.

Is this size alright for a 10 week old?

 

[Relwarc]

Anyone have any feedback here? Just curious if you think he's normal! ha.

 

[jellybaby90]

I don't know he look small to me..
For reference, here is my beardy at 2 and a half months sat on my boyfrinds hand.. (he also has big hands lol)

 

[vampy]

I don't really think there is such a thing as a 'slow grower' when it comes to beardies. There are some in a clutch who'll get bigger faster than others, but there isn't normally a massive difference, and the difference is less when they are separated by size so they aren't fighting over food and the little ones getting left out. There are 3 likely scenarios

1) the pet shop lied about his age
2) the pet shop weren't feeding him properly
3) he has parasites which are affecting his appetite/food absorption

The first 2 are way more likely, if he is generally healthy looking, his poops are normal and not stinky, and he's eating so much you're amazed that he finds the space for it all, then don't worry, he'll start getting bigger and catch up with other beardies.

It is a good idea for anyone with babies, especially if you're worried about their size, to measure and weigh them once a week, then you can keep track of their growth a lot more easily and head off any problems before they get serious. Plus it's fun to look back at your notes and see how much they've grown over such a short period.

The above is assuming you have the right set up...basking spot at the right temp, good UV tube, and you're feeding him properly.

 

[Relwarc]

got ya, i'll definitely take a look. He's pretty healthy otherwise, normal poops, etc.

Maybe the pet store guy was just off on his age. There were maybe 5 or 6 in the cage, it's entirely possible that he's not as old as the guy said.

We switched to dubias last night. He ate them even more ravenously than crickets!.... then he seemed to get a tummy ache! ha!!

I'll def be keeping a log of his size. Thanks for your feedback!

 

[Relwarc]

ok... so he's not hungry today. we switched him to dubias last night, he ate like a million.... ha!

Here's a pic from today... he hasn't grown much at all.... his legs are a little beefier... but he's still the same size...

what do i do?

Basking temp is 100-105, reptisun.... everything. Would tank size cause such a problem? He's in a 10 gallon tank until he gets bigger...

 

[Relwarc]

He still won't eat again today.... I'm going to go get some crickets and see if he might just be a wierdo who won't eat dubias? :study:

 

[Relwarc]

ok, so crickets don't work either.....

I've gotten a new basking spot light. His temps were low. Something tells me he's about to shed, but that doesn't explain the lack of growth. I'm beginning to think the pet store vastly overestimated his age.

 

[jackiesmama]

i suggest u buy some reptaid which is a powder you mix with water or carnivore care. its very good for beardies that are not eating or barely eating. trust me it works, i gave it to mine and he started eating all by himself

 

[Relwarc]

ok cool, will do! thanks!

 

[jackiesmama]

sure no problem,

 

[Relwarc]

He's still being funky... his belly has gotten much smaller. He's still pooping like a little champ, but he's not interested in either dubias, or crickets. He'll maybe eat one every once in a while, and some squash.


He's also a little lethargic.... how long do they get cranky for before they shed?

 

[jackiesmama]

Have I gotten the reptiaid, or carnivore care

 

[bumblebee]

Little Thrall is so cute!

How often are you offering him food? At his age/size, it's recommended to offer feeder insects 2 times a day (3 would probably be better if you can), and let him eat as much as he wants in a 10-15 minute period. I saw that you said his basking temps were 100-105, but then you got a new lamp. What is the basking temp now? What is the cool side temp? Is it a Repti-sun 10.0 tube light? With a 10 gallon tank, it can be difficult to get the temps right, so a lot of people start with a 20 gallon tank. For babies, the recommended basking temp range is 105-110F, and the cool side should be in the range of upper 70s to 85F.

Honestly, I would get a fecal exam done. If he's lethargic and not interested in food, it sounds like it's very likely he has parasites. If it is parasites, the sooner you find out and get him treated, the better.

Hope that helps!

 

[Relwarc]

Thrall has an appointment at the local vet tomorrow.

What do i use/how do i collect a fecal sample for him? Any pointers?

Thanks!