My little man Diego just turned 2 months old, and I just want to make sure he's healthy!
I weighed and measured him yesterday, and he is 29 grams, and 9 inches long.
Does that seem healthy for a 2 month old? He is very sweet and has a big appetite recently, and his personality is finally starting to shine!
He looks good -- as long as he has the proper husbandry he will continue to thrive ---- proper meaning correct UVB and correct basking temps ---- it wont take long if that is not correct and he will start to do things you dont want him to do ----- like quit eating or start being lethargic ---- they all grow at different rates --- not sure exactly the weights but I know someone on here just posted a ball park figure of ages and weights etc
Karrie
He looks good -- as long as he has the proper husbandry he will continue to thrive ---- proper meaning correct UVB and correct basking temps ---- it wont take long if that is not correct and he will start to do things you dont want him to do ----- like quit eating or start being lethargic ---- they all grow at different rates --- not sure exactly the weights but I know someone on here just posted a ball park figure of ages and weights etc
Karrie
http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Growth.html
Try this website
Here is a bearded dragon average growth in the first year based on the data from growth charts of over 50 bearded dragons. The measurements were taken from the tips of their noses to the tips of their tails.
0-1 month: 3 in (7.6 cm) to 4 in (10 cm)
2 months: 5 in (13 cm) to 9 in (23 cm)
3 months: 8 in (20 cm) to 11 in (28 cm)
4 months: 9 in (23 cm) to 12 in (30 cm)
5-6 months: 11 in (28 cm) to 16 in (41 cm)
7-8 months: 13 in (33 cm) to 20 in (51 cm)
9-12 months: 16 in (41 cm) to 22 in (56 cm)
Karrie
http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Growth.html
Try this website
Here is a bearded dragon average growth in the first year based on the data from growth charts of over 50 bearded dragons. The measurements were taken from the tips of their noses to the tips of their tails.
0-1 month: 3 in (7.6 cm) to 4 in (10 cm)
2 months: 5 in (13 cm) to 9 in (23 cm)
3 months: 8 in (20 cm) to 11 in (28 cm)
4 months: 9 in (23 cm) to 12 in (30 cm)
5-6 months: 11 in (28 cm) to 16 in (41 cm)
7-8 months: 13 in (33 cm) to 20 in (51 cm)
9-12 months: 16 in (41 cm) to 22 in (56 cm)
Karrie
Thank you for that link! That was very informative. From reading all the charts, I'm still a bit concerned he might be a bit underweight/small in length. He really doesn't seem to be growing too quickly. His husbandry is ideal; I've followed all the guidelines and tips on here, and I've purchased all the proper equipment, down to even a digital food scale and a digital thermometer with a probe, to test his basking spot as well. His temps are perfect, he's very active and alert, and he's got a big appetite! I give him regular baths to help with shedding, hold him many times a day, and even play games with him from time to time to keep him entertained.
The pet store I got him from couldn't tell me his exact age, But the rest of the beardies in the tank were all the same size. I guessed they were barely a month old, because they all were quite small, dull, and skittish.
I'm more concerned about his girth than anything else. He seems to be the proper length, but he doesn't look as filled out as he should. The employee at the pet store told me that Diego was most likely going to be a male, after checking under his tale, at the developing bones. I think she might be right, because he displays countless signs of male traits. For example, sometimes, he'll puff out his beard and bob his head if he sees a stranger walk in the house, and i have never seen him attempt to dig before (like a female). The reason I bring this up, is yet another reason for me to be concerned, because are supposed to be even bigger! I know height and weight vary from dragon to dragon, but every one that I have seen, at 2 months, is alot bigger than him. Please help I just want to make sure he has everything he needs to be healthy and grow properly
They all grow at different rates just like we do
And a lot of times they tend to go through growth spurts as opposed to linear progression. If hes healthy that's all that matters
I concur , he looks fine to me. I would say 2 months old.
Two meals per day of HIGH QUALITY LIVE INSECTS , as many as he want per meal and he'll get soon be a big boy. Three insect meals is better for him , if you can manage it.
Offer high protein salad ( greens ) each day as well , but at two months he may not show much interest in the salad.
Bugs that are best for little hatchlings are
>>> BSFL ( 2nd instar )
>>> blowfly gents
>>> silkworms ( he'll take small 1" to 1.5" worms )
>>> crickets ( 1/4 to 1/3 size , gutload with high protein high calcium greens , dust every one LIGHTLY with Ca )
>>> roaches ( as above , size no bigger than the space between his eyes )
>>> locusts ( as above ).
Don't just dump a bunch of crickets/roaches/locusts in the tank with him, he'll be overwhelmed and a lot of them with hop or scurry away and hide. 2 or 3 at a time , let him catch and eat these, then repeat until he is no longer interested ( ie he's full ).
Last meal of the day no less than 2 hours before lights-out.
I'd be weighing him religiously once per week ( same time on a Saturday morning say , before he's fed and hopefully after he's pooed ) , you'll soon have enough weights to create a growth graph.
I never bother with measuring lizard lengths ( the standard if you do this is NOSE to VENT length and NOSE to TAIL TIP length ( this can be problematic as many hatchlings have tails that have been bitten off ends )).
14 hour to 15 hour photoperiod is good for young dragons ( gives them lots of time to bask and stay warm and metabolise their food and dietary calcium and make more dragon ).
Minimum 24W 10% UVB , aim for 180 - 200 microW UVB / sq.cm at the basking spot or a UV-Index no less than 6 there.
I concur , he looks fine to me. I would say 2 months old.
Two meals per day of HIGH QUALITY LIVE INSECTS , as many as he want per meal and he'll get soon be a big boy. Three insect meals is better for him , if you can manage it.
Offer high protein salad ( greens ) each day as well , but at two months he may not show much interest in the salad.
Bugs that are best for little hatchlings are
>>> BSFL ( 2nd instar )
>>> blowfly gents
>>> silkworms ( he'll take small 1" to 1.5" worms )
>>> crickets ( 1/4 to 1/3 size , gutload with high protein high calcium greens , dust every one LIGHTLY with Ca )
>>> roaches ( as above , size no bigger than the space between his eyes )
>>> locusts ( as above ).
Don't just dump a bunch of crickets/roaches/locusts in the tank with him, he'll be overwhelmed and a lot of them with hop or scurry away and hide. 2 or 3 at a time , let him catch and eat these, then repeat until he is no longer interested ( ie he's full ).
Last meal of the day no less than 2 hours before lights-out.
I'd be weighing him religiously once per week ( same time on a Saturday morning say , before he's fed and hopefully after he's pooed ) , you'll soon have enough weights to create a growth graph.
I never bother with measuring lizard lengths ( the standard if you do this is NOSE to VENT length and NOSE to TAIL TIP length ( this can be problematic as many hatchlings have tails that have been bitten off ends )).
14 hour to 15 hour photoperiod is good for young dragons ( gives them lots of time to bask and stay warm and metabolise their food and dietary calcium and make more dragon ).
Minimum 24W 10% UVB , aim for 180 - 200 microW UVB / sq.cm at the basking spot or a UV-Index no less than 6 there.