Bearded dragon very small / skinny

[Scoutix]

Hello, I am a new bearded dragon owner and I'm really worried about my 3 month old beardie. I got one along with my dad and they are both the same age. However, his is a lot bigger than mine and it's making me worried that there might be something wrong with my beardie. I have him in a 20 gallon enclosure while my dad has his in a 40 gallon. I read that this doesn't make a difference in their growth, but I could be wrong. He feeds his dragon mealworms and crickets while I feed mine solely calcium-dusted crickets. I thought that mealworms were a bad choice to feed a dragon, but it seems to be making his grow a lot quicker than mine :? . I have some pictures of my beardie right after he ate. Usually he is about half the size he is in the pictures. He is 8.5 inches long which is how he should be at his age I think. I can't weigh him since I don't have a scale at the moment so I have to rely on pictures to show how he is.




Those pictures were of my beardie and these ones are of my dad's one. He is a lot bigger than mine. I would say he is at least double the size.




Does anyone know what could be wrong? Other than the difference in enclosure size and diet there is nothing else that is different between our dragons. I handle mine more than he does so I was able to get pictures of him in my hand. It might be better to see how much bigger my dad's is if I could hold him :roll: . I am planning on buying some dubia roaches tomorrow at the pet store, but I don't know if this will help. I don't know if he isn't as big because of his diet or just because of him. If anyone has any ideas please tell me as I am very worried about my beardie . Thanks

 

[KarrieRee]

First lighting has a lot to do w/ it- and I would consider getting him into a bigger tank -- he is going to outgrow that 20 gallon very quickly and he wont be happy in it- recommended tank size for them is a 4x2x2----his basking should be 95-105 - babies like it warmer - UVB should be inside the tank either a Reptison 10.0 T8 or a Arcadia 10.0 T5 distance from UVB 6-12 inches from him - they are the best -- meal worms should never be fed to a baby they cause impaction along w/ sand - if the substrate is sand I would get rid of it- slated tile or non adhesive shelf liner is good - it can be bought from Home Depot or local hard ware store -- tile needs to be cut to fit tank w/ lip or notch on side so you can easily remove it for cleaning- dubia roaches are the best for feeding - size should be no bigger than between their eyes- 1 dubia = 6 crickets - dubias are easier to keep and take care of and they dont stink - you can keep them in a 10 gallon aquarium and feed them dubia food along w/ apples carrots sweet potato for water- bugs should be dusted 5 x per week w/ calcium d3 and dusted 2 x per week w/ vitamins-- temps can be taken w/ a Infrared temp gun for around $10 from walmart or home depot- probe thermometer are ok but the infrared are more accurate- you want basking side 90-105 and cool side of tank around 80 or so - temps at nite should never be below 65-- there is a nutrition link on the feeding board please ck it out--- greens like mustard and collard should be offered every day even tho he probably wont eat them because his main diet now is bugs-- he will start eating more greens as he gets closer to a year old -- right now he needs the protein and the UVB to keep him from getting MBD--- hope this helps

Karrie

 

[KarrieRee]

And please take the reflector off the light- forgot to mention that
If you have any more questions please ask --- we want your little dragon to be healthy as well

Karrie

 

[Scoutix]

First lighting has a lot to do w/ it- and I would consider getting him into a bigger tank -- he is going to outgrow that 20 gallon very quickly and he wont be happy in it- recommended tank size for them is a 4x2x2----his basking should be 95-105 - babies like it warmer - UVB should be inside the tank either a Reptison 10.0 T8 or a Arcadia 10.0 T5 distance from UVB 6-12 inches from him - they are the best -- meal worms should never be fed to a baby they cause impaction along w/ sand - if the substrate is sand I would get rid of it- slated tile or non adhesive shelf liner is good - it can be bought from Home Depot or local hard ware store -- tile needs to be cut to fit tank w/ lip or notch on side so you can easily remove it for cleaning- dubia roaches are the best for feeding - size should be no bigger than between their eyes- 1 dubia = 6 crickets - dubias are easier to keep and take care of and they dont stink - you can keep them in a 10 gallon aquarium and feed them dubia food along w/ apples carrots sweet potato for water- bugs should be dusted 5 x per week w/ calcium d3 and dusted 2 x per week w/ vitamins-- temps can be taken w/ a Infrared temp gun for around $10 from walmart or home depot- probe thermometer are ok but the infrared are more accurate- you want basking side 90-105 and cool side of tank around 80 or so - temps at nite should never be below 65-- there is a nutrition link on the feeding board please ck it out--- greens like mustard and collard should be offered every day even tho he probably wont eat them because his main diet now is bugs-- he will start eating more greens as he gets closer to a year old -- right now he needs the protein and the UVB to keep him from getting MBD--- hope this helps

Karrie

Thanks for the reply! I'm getting a 30 gallon tank from someone today along with some dubia roaches. I'm going to put my beardie in the 30 gallon while the roaches will stay in the 20 gallon. The bulbs are : 1 100W basking bulb and 1 26W UVB high-output bulb. His substrate is some liner on the bottom of his cage instead of sand. I will also remove the reflector if it has one, too. I'm also feeding him Cilantro and Basil with the calcium crickets. Are these causing him to grow slower at all? I heard they were okay to feed him. My dad feeds his dragon Kale instead. Would giving my beardie a bath help him grow more and keep him on track? Any more help would be appreciated! Thanks again!

 

[KarrieRee]

Usually advice from Petsmart or Petco is not good - most of the people working there do not have a clue as to what they are talking about! Yep most of the stuff you got in that kit get rid of it -- the sand the coil UVB as long as the basking bulb is keeping temps to where they should be your ok-- but you need to invest in the Reptison 10.0 T8 which is needed to be changed every 6 months or the Arcadia 10.0 T5 which should be changed yearly- the 30 gallon will be fine for now but like I said he will need to go into a bigger tank - in the meantime you can shop around for something you like -- also you might want to put on a back ground at some point to prevent reflection of himself it tends to stress them out -- alot of this stuff you can find in your pet stores or you can shop on line amazon- Arcadia bulbs do not come smaller than 22" hoods -- so a 18" hood you wont find but I would up grade to a bigger hood anyway to either the 22" or a 24" which would be fine for the 30 gallon hes going into -- then you can switch it over to the next bigger tank - I had a 55 gallon glass which I donated to a girl getting her first beardie and got her all set up and I bought a Zen Habitat for Hiccup- you can go to ZenHabitats.com and see the tank - it is really light! No its the lighting is my guess for the slow growth-- that is crucial he needs that UVB long tube--- the coil is JUNK! Please pass all this info on to your dad! And those beardies can NEVER be housed together!!! In fact if they are males they should never see each other!!!!!!!!!!!! Beardies are a territorial animal! Basil is good it attracts them to the food - cilantro should be fed occasionally-- mustard greens collard greens squash any kind are a good staple food for them -- you can introduce apple mango strawberries blueberries some banana a little at a time sweet potato is good it keeps them regular-- you can feed those roaches squash sweet potato apple and carrots for water source- the beardies seem to be attracted to bright colors for the food - bathing can be done every other day just to keep him hydrated - mine never drank water nor does he drink water now- but when I feed him his greens I wash them first so hes getting water that way - when he poos pay attention to the urate if its lots of white that is pee if it looks dry if his skin looks dry wrinkly then its possible hes dehydrated but if you bath him every other day or two he should be fine-- you might want to invest in a hydrometer for humidity level - Hiccups tank has been rather dry desert like as it is winter in MN and it tends to get real dry - during the day its down to desert like but at nite the humidity goes up -- right now its reading around 20 which is desert and goes up when lights go off-- in the summer its reading around 40 which is moderate-- so its up and down I have placed that in the center of his tank - I will send a pic of this tank --- Karrie

 

[Scoutix]

Usually advice from Petsmart or Petco is not good - most of the people working there do not have a clue as to what they are talking about! Yep most of the stuff you got in that kit get rid of it -- the sand the coil UVB as long as the basking bulb is keeping temps to where they should be your ok-- but you need to invest in the Reptison 10.0 T8 which is needed to be changed every 6 months or the Arcadia 10.0 T5 which should be changed yearly- the 30 gallon will be fine for now but like I said he will need to go into a bigger tank - in the meantime you can shop around for something you like -- also you might want to put on a back ground at some point to prevent reflection of himself it tends to stress them out -- alot of this stuff you can find in your pet stores or you can shop on line amazon- Arcadia bulbs do not come smaller than 22" hoods -- so a 18" hood you wont find but I would up grade to a bigger hood anyway to either the 22" or a 24" which would be fine for the 30 gallon hes going into -- then you can switch it over to the next bigger tank - I had a 55 gallon glass which I donated to a girl getting her first beardie and got her all set up and I bought a Zen Habitat for Hiccup- you can go to ZenHabitats.com and see the tank - it is really light! No its the lighting is my guess for the slow growth-- that is crucial he needs that UVB long tube--- the coil is JUNK! Please pass all this info on to your dad! And those beardies can NEVER be housed together!!! In fact if they are males they should never see each other!!!!!!!!!!!! Beardies are a territorial animal! Basil is good it attracts them to the food - cilantro should be fed occasionally-- mustard greens collard greens squash any kind are a good staple food for them -- you can introduce apple mango strawberries blueberries some banana a little at a time sweet potato is good it keeps them regular-- you can feed those roaches squash sweet potato apple and carrots for water source- the beardies seem to be attracted to bright colors for the food - bathing can be done every other day just to keep him hydrated - mine never drank water nor does he drink water now- but when I feed him his greens I wash them first so hes getting water that way - when he poos pay attention to the urate if its lots of white that is pee if it looks dry if his skin looks dry wrinkly then its possible hes dehydrated but if you bath him every other day or two he should be fine-- you might want to invest in a hydrometer for humidity level - Hiccups tank has been rather dry desert like as it is winter in MN and it tends to get real dry - during the day its down to desert like but at nite the humidity goes up -- right now its reading around 20 which is desert and goes up when lights go off-- in the summer its reading around 40 which is moderate-- so its up and down I have placed that in the center of his tank - I will send a pic of this tank --- Karrie

Alright. So the basking bulb is okay as long as the temps are fine, but the UVB needs to be thrown out no matter what? When I get the UVB bar do I need to put it inside the cage instead of sitting on the top? Do I use fixtures for that? Also, do you have any links to them? Are those the only two bulbs/lights I need for him? Just wanting to make sure I get the right ones for my beardie! Thanks for the quick reply, too!

 

[KarrieRee]

Yes you will need to get the fixture for the uvb- its a tube not coil and it needs to be inside tank- you can use fishing line or bending coat hangers or plastic hangers I don't know what all people use but it needs to be inside the tank the screen blocks the uvb-- Google reptison bulb and fixture- go from there- Petsmart sells reptison bulbs any fixture is gonna work its the bulb you want-- what was in the 30 gallon tank?
Karrie

 

[SPandS]

There are several reasons 1 dragon could be growing slower than another. It could be a husbandry issue, a dietary issue or even genetics.

Most people recommend the t5 linear bulbs, not the t8, over compact bulbs. I myself use the Reptisun t5 ho 10.0 uvb linear bulbs. Which last longer and put out much more rays than the similar bulb in the t8 size. The t8 tends to be cheaper in the beginning but since the t5s don't need to be changed as often they are cheaper in the long run. The reason why having a good uvb bulb is important is that it allows your dragon to properly absorb the nutrients in its food. Which of course if it's able to absorb the nutrients better it will grow better.

The temputure is also important for the same reason. If it's too cold a dragon can't digest it's food as well which means less nutrients being absorbed. That is when having a good thermometer comes into play. Having a good digital thermometer will help you to know the air temps but it's also a good idea to have an infrared temp gun to know surface temps, like your dragons basking spot.

How much and how often do you feed your dragon? Obviously the more you feed the bigger it will get but that doesn't mean to over feed. If we know how much you feed I'm sure someone could let you know if you should be feeding more or not.


Oh and I just wanted to add, the reflector should not be removed when you upgrade your lights to a better uvb bulb. The reflector helps reflect the ubv down towards your dragon. I think the person who wrote to remove it is confusing it with something else. Sometimes some fixtures come with a plastic piece that covers the bulb, that is what needs to be removed as it blocks the uvb.

 

[SPandS]

This is the one I use for both of my dragons.
https://www.petmountain.com/product/zoo-med-reptisun-t5-ho-high-output-terrarium-hood
It comes with a 5.0 uvb bulb so you will need to also buy the 10.0 bulb that fits the fixture. Buy one that's about 3/4 the length of your terrarium.

 

[AHBD]

Hi there, I just wanted to jump in and mention that 8.5" is not terribly small for a beardie at 3 months, although he def. cold be bigger. Are you sure your dad's dragon is 3 months ? Did you guys buy them at the same time ? He looks pretty large. What type of lighting does your dad use ?

 

[Scoutix]

Hi there, I just wanted to jump in and mention that 8.5" is not terribly small for a beardie at 3 months, although he def. cold be bigger. Are you sure your dad's dragon is 3 months ? Did you guys buy them at the same time ? He looks pretty large. What type of lighting does your dad use ?

Yes we both bought them at the same time. They were the exact same size, too 2 months ago when we brought them home. My dad has a double dome lamp fixture for his dragon whereas I have separate domes for mine. I dont know if his kit has different bulbs, but it might.

 

[KarrieRee]

You might want to find out but my guess is they are the same and he needs to update his set up as well -please take all the info that everyone has given you and give to him as well - if he does not do the upgrades that we have given you his little dragons health will start to fail - UVB is crucial along w/ the heat etc.............. everything we have given you as far as info is for the best health for your dragon

thank you
Karrie

 

[Scoutix]

There are several reasons 1 dragon could be growing slower than another. It could be a husbandry issue, a dietary issue or even genetics.

Most people recommend the t5 linear bulbs, not the t8, over compact bulbs. I myself use the Reptisun t5 ho 10.0 uvb linear bulbs. Which last longer and put out much more rays than the similar bulb in the t8 size. The t8 tends to be cheaper in the beginning but since the t5s don't need to be changed as often they are cheaper in the long run. The reason why having a good uvb bulb is important is that it allows your dragon to properly absorb the nutrients in its food. Which of course if it's able to absorb the nutrients better it will grow better.

The temputure is also important for the same reason. If it's too cold a dragon can't digest it's food as well which means less nutrients being absorbed. That is when having a good thermometer comes into play. Having a good digital thermometer will help you to know the air temps but it's also a good idea to have an infrared temp gun to know surface temps, like your dragons basking spot.

How much and how often do you feed your dragon? Obviously the more you feed the bigger it will get but that doesn't mean to over feed. If we know how much you feed I'm sure someone could let you know if you should be feeding more or not.


Oh and I just wanted to add, the reflector should not be removed when you upgrade your lights to a better uvb bulb. The reflector helps reflect the ubv down towards your dragon. I think the person who wrote to remove it is confusing it with something else. Sometimes some fixtures come with a plastic piece that covers the bulb, that is what needs to be removed as it blocks the uvb.

I feed him as much as he can eat in 15 minutes, but I've recently heard that I should do this 3 times a day instead of just once. Any thoughts on this or how I should change feeding him? Thanks!

 

[SPandS]

I would definitely up the amount of times you feed him. 3 times a day if you can, 2 if you can't. With the extra feedings as well a better uvb bulb you'll start to see him getting some growth spurts.

I may have missed it but what are the temps? Basking spot as well as warm side and cool side? Just want to make sure he'll be able to digest all his food.

 

[KarrieRee]

I was told to feed Hiccup 2-3 times per day as well -- but he usually only ate 1 time per day- I offered greens as well but he usually didnt touch them -- I would feed him in the mornings his dubias which he ate anywhere from 5-10 per morning - and then 3 butter worms - you will haft to follow his lead - he will eat when hes hungry--- dubias are more filling- remember 1 dubia = 6 crickets-- right now I am frustrated w/ Hiccup as he is off his food- he only is eating every couple of days and spends most of his time now lounging around on his fake log under his UVB and bouncing over to the basking area- today he has eaten nothing - I offered him a couple of dubias and all he did was watch them crawl by - then I put his salad in and he has not touched it!! He has however been going to the bathroom every day for the past couple considering it was once a week here not long ago-- so thats a plus!! As long as hes gaining weight and not losing that is good! You can always feed him in the morning try again in the afternoon - at least 2 hrs before lights off - go from there!

Karrie