How Big??

[secretevo]

I have a question for those of you, who have had your bearded dragons since they were young. I figure my GODZILLA was about 6-8 weeks when we got him (?). So that would mean he is about 6-7 months now. He is healthy in appearence, eats, sheds, sun bathes and sleeps like normal. However I am wondering if he is really growing at the rate others do. I have seen pic's of young bearded dragons, and they all still seem bigger than him @ his age. I will post a pic

 

[nikkicostello89]

Have you measured and weighed him? If you could post that then we could compare, because the majority of people on this forum measure and weigh them! It's difficult to tell from pics!

What UVB are you using? This can sometimes affect growth.

Also, does he eat well? What are you feeding him, how often, and how much does he eat?

Nikki

 

[darwin08]

My bearded dragon is 5 months old and about that size if that helps. He looks healthy, so I would say he is fine. Different dragons grow at different speeds. My dragon is 8 1/2 inches, while other 5 month olds can be 10 inches. As long as he is eating well then I would say he is fine.

 

[secretevo]

Have you measured and weighed him? If you could post that then we could compare, because the majority of people on this forum measure and weigh them! It's difficult to tell from pics!

What UVB are you using? This can sometimes affect growth.

Also, does he eat well? What are you feeding him, how often, and how much does he eat?

Nikki

Godzilla is about 9 inches, and weighs a lil over 1 oz. I use ReptiGlo 10.0 an 18" bulb that is above is basking area, next to his heat bulb. Godzilla eats pretty good. I offer fresh veggies everyday, about everyother day he will jump in his bowl and pig out. He will eat about 3-4 mealworms or crickets every otherday.

 

[citrusdragon]

At that age I would expect he'd be eating more live feeders each day. 5 mos is when they become feeding monsters. I'm not one to measure growth or eating habits with some of the stuff posted but I would be suspect of basking temps, and ambient temp with that small food intake.

That being said if he's fat healthy and active, everything is fine.

Jeff

 

[fresnowitte]

The repti-glo bulb is not a good product. Your beardie should be an eating machine at that size an estimated age. If I were you I would change that bulb for a reptisun 10.0 an you will see a large difference in appetite and growth.

Edit:
Jeff we always seem to be on the same page. :laughing6:

 

[darwin08]

I am pretty sure you shouldn't be using a Repti-glo 10. It is recommended a Repti-sun 10. The repti-glo is bad for their eyes or something. Only 4 crickets every other day? Mine eats about 30-50 a day, along with a few wax worms and then greens. Have you tried to feed him more then 4 crickets?

 

[secretevo]

I am pretty sure you shouldn't be using a Repti-glo 10. It is recommended a Repti-sun 10. The repti-glo is bad for their eyes or something. Only 4 crickets every other day? Mine eats about 30-50 a day, along with a few wax worms and then greens. Have you tried to feed him more then 4 crickets?

I have tried to offer more, he just seems to lose interest and is ready to bask after eating a few

 

[secretevo]

I am pretty sure you shouldn't be using a Repti-glo 10. It is recommended a Repti-sun 10. The repti-glo is bad for their eyes or something. Only 4 crickets every other day? Mine eats about 30-50 a day, along with a few wax worms and then greens. Have you tried to feed him more then 4 crickets?

I have repti sun 10 as well. I can switch the bulbs out if that would be better.

 

[fresnowitte]

Definitely switch bulbs the reptiglo is a bad product an if you already have a reptisun 10.0 that's great.

 

[nikkicostello89]

Is it a tube that you've got in the repti-sun 10.0? If so definately change it immediately. The repti-glo as everyone has said is really bad for their eyes, it also can reduce colour, appetite and activity.

Are you using a bright white basking bulb? This can also hinder appetite and activity. And are you bathing regularly? Them being kept hydrated is really important also. You should be bathing every other day for 20 mins, in lukewarm water.

Are you offering crickets 3 times a day? and are you leaving it about an hour or two after the lights have come on before offering? If he is only eating that little and not everyday, I am concerned that he will not be getting enough supplements - calcium and vits. Do you dust his veggies as well as his livefood?

Also mealworms aren't great for their digestion system and don't actually offer that much protien. I would stick to crickets, locusts and roaches, or phoenix worms are great for babies and contain their own calcium so don't require dusting. Also silkworms - any soft bodied worms rather than mealworms because they have a hard chitilin shell. Waxworms are also great for a treat - but they're quite fatty, useful for putting on weight.

Hopefully you will see an improvement when you change the lights over.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

Nikki

 

[secretevo]

Is it a tube that you've got in the repti-sun 10.0? If so definately change it immediately. The repti-glo as everyone has said is really bad for their eyes, it also can reduce colour, appetite and activity.

Are you using a bright white basking bulb? This can also hinder appetite and activity. And are you bathing regularly? Them being kept hydrated is really important also. You should be bathing every other day for 20 mins, in lukewarm water.

Are you offering crickets 3 times a day? and are you leaving it about an hour or two after the lights have come on before offering? If he is only eating that little and not everyday, I am concerned that he will not be getting enough supplements - calcium and vits. Do you dust his veggies as well as his livefood?

Also mealworms aren't great for their digestion system and don't actually offer that much protien. I would stick to crickets, locusts and roaches, or phoenix worms are great for babies and contain their own calcium so don't require dusting. Also silkworms - any soft bodied worms rather than mealworms because they have a hard chitilin shell. Waxworms are also great for a treat - but they're quite fatty, useful for putting on weight.

Hopefully you will see an improvement when you change the lights over.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

Nikki

The reptisun 10 bulb I have is a tube light. I think the reason I didn't go with it before is it gives very lil light output. The reptiglo gave alot more for the tank. I will switch though. I was not aware of the huge diffrence between to two. The basking spot light is a 75 watt halogene bulb, it is right about his log in the tank and is only focused on that area. So he can get in and out of it easily. The temp under the basking bulb on his log were he perches is about 96-99degrees.
I have not been bathing him, I had gotten mixed ideas on the necessity of this. I could try doing that too. I currently dont offer crickets more than once a day, cause he wont eat them. I don't try to feed immediatley when his lights come on, and I never feed him more than 2 hr's before his lights go off, so that he can digest. I do sprinkle his live and veggie food with calcium and vitamin, not everyday though. I do it a few times a week, I thought that there was such thing as to much with that stuff. I also just ordered some pheonix worms offline for him. They are supposed to have a lot of calcium and be alot better than meal and superworms..

 

[Eventide]

I won't comment on the conditions and stuff since people pretty much have that covered.... It's always good to double-check that stuff, though.

But some beardies just grow slowly. Mine were each nine inches long (brother and sister) when they were between six and seven months old. Now they're 14 months old and are 18.5 and 16 inches, respectively (and they're not done growing yet).

 

[protiemama]

I just had to say- I looove that first picture. He looks so cute. I bet he's all attitude! :lol:
He should love the PWs. Most of them do. Also a lot of dragons love their baths. Mine likes to swim in the tub. He even dives from the rock I set in there at bath time. Give it a try, yours may enjoy it too.

Sandy H

 

[nikkicostello89]

Yep you're absolutely right on the supplements front, too much can be given, at his size, i would say you should still be covering the baby rules: calcium 1x day 5 days a week, and vits 1x day 2 days a week.

Definately start on the bathing though, you will probably love it as much as he does! It might take him a little while to get used to it, begin by putting enough to cover his vent (where he poos) and up to his elbows, make it lukewarm, about baby temperature, so it feels warm to you. Then as he begins to get used to it, deepen the water up to his armpits...he may even swim for you! You should see an improvement in him, because of the hydration. Try to keep him in the bath for 20 mins, keep topping up the temperature of the water. And do this every other day.

Good luck, and I hope you start seeing some improvement.

Oh, and its excellent that you've ordered the phoenix worms, they're much more nutritious than meal worms, and you're right they've got loads of calcium in them, so you won't need to dust them with calcium, just dust them with vitamins two days a week.

Nikki