How do you know if growth is stunted?

[Vexor1717]

Hello, my beardie has been through pinworms, Coccidia and gout at his young age of approximately 6.5 months. He hasn't gained more than a few grams or shed in quite some time now. He's between 145g and 149g. And if i remember correctly hes 15".If he begins to get more healthy will he resume growing or no? We just recently started the gout meds but it's tok early to see any results. His main food source right now is critical care and mustard greens with a couple silkworms every 2 or 3 days. Thanks in advance!

 

[Rocky2022]

Patience. That is the key. Of course with proper care/food/lighting- this equals good health.
Like humans, beardies goes through growth phases too. I thought my baby was fat then small and now a little over 1 I am finally seeing him fill out. I swear he's been at 18 inches forever!
Because he fits in my hand, I think he's tiny. I check his weight to ensure he's not losing (he was brumating- well sorta) and again, it's health that's important.
Once I stopped focusing on it, you see, I want Rocky to be 24 inches and a healthy weight. Is that realistic? Probably not but I can dream.... and now he is still 18 inches but filling out.
So the short answer is: Probably not.

For a medical response, one of the vets will respond.

Nonetheless, just love on him!

 

[Vexor1717]

Patience. That is the key. Of course with proper care/food/lighting- this equals good health.
Like humans, beardies goes through growth phases too. I thought my baby was fat then small and now a little over 1 I am finally seeing him fill out. I swear he's been at 18 inches forever!
Because he fits in my hand, I think he's tiny. I check his weight to ensure he's not losing (he was brumating- well sorta) and again, it's health that's important.
Once I stopped focusing on it, you see, I want Rocky to be 24 inches and a healthy weight. Is that realistic? Probably not but I can dream.... and now he is still 18 inches but filling out.
So the short answer is: Probably not.

For a medical response, one of the vets will respond.

Nonetheless, just love on him!

Thanks!

 

[Claudiusx]

That is a fine size for a 6 month old, and used to be the normal size of a 6 month old before this whole horrible practice of over feeding dragons became the new "norm". It's not healthy for a dragon to be full grown or adult size at 6 months old.

Just focus on keeping him healthy. If he continues to grow to what his full potential was, great. Health is the important factor anyways

-Brandon

 

[KarrieRee]

Hello, my beardie has been through pinworms, Coccidia and gout at his young age of approximately 6.5 months. He hasn't gained more than a few grams or shed in quite some time now. He's between 145g and 149g. And if i remember correctly hes 15".If he begins to get more healthy will he resume growing or no? We just recently started the gout meds but it's tok early to see any results. His main food source right now is critical care and mustard greens with a couple silkworms every 2 or 3 days. Thanks in advance!

Your dragon needs protein everyday- your feeding the protein for an adult - please feed the silk worms everyday I would add some bsfl www.symtonbsf.com- make sure your using a long tube uvb No coils! It needs to be placed and distanced for the screen on the tank-- if you need help please ask- we have 3 uvb's we recommend - surface basking temps should be 95-100 taken w/ a digital probe thermometer- this is going to help w/ the gout- what med is he on allopurinol?

 

[Claudiusx]

Your dragon needs protein everyday- your feeding the protein for an adult - please feed the silk worms everyday I would add some bsfl

This dragon has gout, as has been discussed in another thread and in the OP's post up above. The OP's diet is proper for a dragon with gout. Adding more insects/protein will cause health issues in this dragon, worsening the gout.

-Brandon

 

[Vexor1717]

That is a fine size for a 6 month old, and used to be the normal size of a 6 month old before this whole horrible practice of over feeding dragons became the new "norm". It's not healthy for a dragon to be full grown or adult size at 6 months old.

Just focus on keeping him healthy. If he continues to grow to what his full potential was, great. Health is the important factor anyways

-Brandon

Thank you for the response. It's not so much his size that I'm worried about but he hasn't really gained or shed for 2 months or so. Is that part normal or does it vary from dragon to dragon?

 

[hdochow]

this is more for peace of mind down the road than for where you are at right now, but as they get older, they shed less, and it becomes more patchy instead of the entire body. sir henry is coming up on 3 years (in june) and it has been almost a year since he has shed more than just a scale or two, or small area like parts of his face.

 

[Vexor1717]

Your dragon needs protein everyday- your feeding the protein for an adult - please feed the silk worms everyday I would add some bsfl www.symtonbsf.com- make sure your using a long tube uvb No coils! It needs to be placed and distanced for the screen on the tank-- if you need help please ask- we have 3 uvb's we recommend - surface basking temps should be 95-100 taken w/ a digital probe thermometer- this is going to help w/ the gout- what med is he on allopurinol?

That is a good point about the protien. I'm just afraid of overdoing it but I will try at least 1 silkworm a day. Unfortunately he is grossed out by bsfl. He will spit them out and get mad lol. I have a zoo med T5 uvb and although I'm having a little trouble with humidity right now but my Temps are good and I have a surface temp gun and ambient thermometers. Yes he is currently on Allopurinol for the uric acid levels and I give him tart cherry with his water. He is on Metacam for pain. Thank you for the advice. I'm trying to do my due diligence to give him the best chance he has.

 

[Vexor1717]

this is more for peace of mind down the road than for where you are at right now, but as they get older, they shed less, and it becomes more patchy instead of the entire body. sir henry is coming up on 3 years (in june) and it has been almost a year since he has shed more than just a scale or two, or small area like parts of his face.

Thank you

 

[Claudiusx]

That is a good point about the protien. I'm just afraid of overdoing it but I will try at least 1 silkworm a day.

Giving protein less often gives the kidneys a break.

-Brandon

 

[Vexor1717]

Giving protein less often gives the kidneys a break.

-Brandon

Yea I wish I could find a proper regimen for one my age with gout.

 

[KarrieRee]

That is a good point about the protien. I'm just afraid of overdoing it but I will try at least 1 silkworm a day. Unfortunately he is grossed out by bsfl. He will spit them out and get mad lol. I have a zoo med T5 uvb and although I'm having a little trouble with humidity right now but my Temps are good and I have a surface temp gun and ambient thermometers. Yes he is currently on Allopurinol for the uric acid levels and I give him tart cherry with his water. He is on Metacam for pain. Thank you for the advice. I'm trying to do my due diligence to give him the best chance he has.

Proper placement and distance for your UVB is critical- and that is going to depend on what type of screen you have -- a fine mesh like a screen door the UVB cannot sit on top it needs to be inside the tank and distance of 12-15 inches --- for a wide hole type it can sit on top and distance would be 8-10 w/ the basking decor piece sitting directly under it --- you can offer tart cherry juice for the kidneys - it will flush them out -

 

[Vexor1717]

Proper placement and distance for your UVB is critical- and that is going to depend on what type of screen you have -- a fine mesh like a screen door the UVB cannot sit on top it needs to be inside the tank and distance of 12-15 inches --- for a wide hole type it can sit on top and distance would be 8-10 w/ the basking decor piece sitting directly under it --- you can offer tart cherry juice for the kidneys - it will flush them out -

From my understanding my uvb light is designed to be put above the screen and penetrate through. Yes I give him tart cherry extract along with his Allopurinol. Thanks!

 

[KarrieRee]

From my understanding my uvb light is designed to be put above the screen and penetrate through. Yes I give him tart cherry extract along with his Allopurinol. Thanks!

If the screen is a fine mesh it will not penetrate thru it - UVB rays will be blocked by approx 30%