Lyndsay&Eddie
New member
Hi everybody,
I am writing to ask for a bit of advice about a bearded dragon that just isn’t growing up.
I am growing more and more concerned about my pet bearded dragon - Spaghetti. I acquired her last November (2008). I think she was about 8 weeks old when I got given her, so that would make her about 10 months old now but she measures only 10 and a half inches.
A bit of background - I got my first beardie - Eddie, in May 2008. He was my first beardie as a pet and I followed all the guidance as best I could. He grew very quickly and now at 14 months old he now measures 18 inches. He has always been a very happy, bright and alert, active dragon.
When Eddie was 8 months (and 14 inches), I acquired Spaghetti, who was about 8 weeks old at that time. I was very aware of the guidance that clearly says it is a bad idea to introduce such a young female dragon to an older male dragon. However, I was given Spaghetti by a friend so thought I would give it a try and monitor the situation very carefully.
Eddie did show some aggression initially - head bobbing a lot, and Spaghetti arm waved, but there was never any contact or physical fighting.
As it was nearing winter, Eddie became more and more inactive as the first couple of months went by and I thought this was very clearly a brumation period that I am aware many male beardies go through on their first winter. This gave Spaghetti some time to settle in. She ate well, pooped well, and shed well. However, she did have a respiratory infection (that I had noticed very soon after acquiring her) that got quite bad over the winter. I followed the guidance and gave her warm baths and made sure the temperature in the viv was fairly high and did not drop too much at night, and the condition did clear up completely.
Spaghetti did not seem to grow like Eddie had done at her age. I hoped this was because the metabolism of beardies slows down in winter and unlike Spaghetti, Eddie had the entire summer to grow into an adolescent before the winter hit.
In the spring, Eddie quite suddenly changed his behaviour as he came out of brumation. He was now very interested in Spaghetti and a period of constant displaying followed – mostly black beard and head bobbing, he sometimes runs at her but does not bite her and does not try to mate with her.
Spaghetti continues to eat well and poop well now, she has just shed this morning and is a lovely bright colour. But she just isn't growing at all ! - She has grown only a centimetre in 3 months !!
Husbandry - Eddie and Spaghetti are kept in a 3 foot wooden vivarium (I do know a 4 foot viv would be better but unfortunately don’t have room for one where I live, at the time I got Eddie I only planned on having a single dragon). The substrate is desert sand. I have a full-length Repti-glo 10.0 25W UV bulb which is changed after 6 months, and a basking spot with a 100W in winter, 60W in summer heat bulb. The temperature in the basking spot is about 100 degrees fahrenheit and the ambient temperature in the other end of the vivarium is about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. They get 14 hours of light a day in the summer. They are fed on a mixture of greens and crickets, and locusts once a month as well the occasional meal worm and wax worm. The crickets are dusted with calcium and vitamin supplement about once a week.
Possible problems - I am aware that the most obvious explanation may be the stress of living with an older male beardie in a vivarium that is too small for two bearded dragons. However, as I have said Spaghetti is eating and seems to be well in herself.
I was wondering if none-growth may in fact be a product of in-breeding in some bearded dragons? In which case a change in husbandry wouldn’t help.
Does anybody have any ideas??
I really really do not want to give her up, but I do understand that finding another good home for her may be the only option for her own wellbeing if the problem continues.
If you have any suggestions of what I could try, or any ideas of what the underlying problem may be, please please do let me know.
I have attached a photo of the vivarium set-up and a picture of Eddie and Spaghetti below:
I am writing to ask for a bit of advice about a bearded dragon that just isn’t growing up.
I am growing more and more concerned about my pet bearded dragon - Spaghetti. I acquired her last November (2008). I think she was about 8 weeks old when I got given her, so that would make her about 10 months old now but she measures only 10 and a half inches.
A bit of background - I got my first beardie - Eddie, in May 2008. He was my first beardie as a pet and I followed all the guidance as best I could. He grew very quickly and now at 14 months old he now measures 18 inches. He has always been a very happy, bright and alert, active dragon.
When Eddie was 8 months (and 14 inches), I acquired Spaghetti, who was about 8 weeks old at that time. I was very aware of the guidance that clearly says it is a bad idea to introduce such a young female dragon to an older male dragon. However, I was given Spaghetti by a friend so thought I would give it a try and monitor the situation very carefully.
Eddie did show some aggression initially - head bobbing a lot, and Spaghetti arm waved, but there was never any contact or physical fighting.
As it was nearing winter, Eddie became more and more inactive as the first couple of months went by and I thought this was very clearly a brumation period that I am aware many male beardies go through on their first winter. This gave Spaghetti some time to settle in. She ate well, pooped well, and shed well. However, she did have a respiratory infection (that I had noticed very soon after acquiring her) that got quite bad over the winter. I followed the guidance and gave her warm baths and made sure the temperature in the viv was fairly high and did not drop too much at night, and the condition did clear up completely.
Spaghetti did not seem to grow like Eddie had done at her age. I hoped this was because the metabolism of beardies slows down in winter and unlike Spaghetti, Eddie had the entire summer to grow into an adolescent before the winter hit.
In the spring, Eddie quite suddenly changed his behaviour as he came out of brumation. He was now very interested in Spaghetti and a period of constant displaying followed – mostly black beard and head bobbing, he sometimes runs at her but does not bite her and does not try to mate with her.
Spaghetti continues to eat well and poop well now, she has just shed this morning and is a lovely bright colour. But she just isn't growing at all ! - She has grown only a centimetre in 3 months !!
Husbandry - Eddie and Spaghetti are kept in a 3 foot wooden vivarium (I do know a 4 foot viv would be better but unfortunately don’t have room for one where I live, at the time I got Eddie I only planned on having a single dragon). The substrate is desert sand. I have a full-length Repti-glo 10.0 25W UV bulb which is changed after 6 months, and a basking spot with a 100W in winter, 60W in summer heat bulb. The temperature in the basking spot is about 100 degrees fahrenheit and the ambient temperature in the other end of the vivarium is about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. They get 14 hours of light a day in the summer. They are fed on a mixture of greens and crickets, and locusts once a month as well the occasional meal worm and wax worm. The crickets are dusted with calcium and vitamin supplement about once a week.
Possible problems - I am aware that the most obvious explanation may be the stress of living with an older male beardie in a vivarium that is too small for two bearded dragons. However, as I have said Spaghetti is eating and seems to be well in herself.
I was wondering if none-growth may in fact be a product of in-breeding in some bearded dragons? In which case a change in husbandry wouldn’t help.
Does anybody have any ideas??
I really really do not want to give her up, but I do understand that finding another good home for her may be the only option for her own wellbeing if the problem continues.
If you have any suggestions of what I could try, or any ideas of what the underlying problem may be, please please do let me know.
I have attached a photo of the vivarium set-up and a picture of Eddie and Spaghetti below:
Nhà Cái Cá Cược Trực Tuyến Đáng Chơi Nhất 2024
