How to tell if you have a Rankins Dragon?

[TheJadeReptile]

This is Squirt, my smallest dragon. She is a little over a year old and a littler over 10 inches long including tail! She a lot of fire and a real attitude on her. Also, she is upset in these photos, because I got her out and handled her.PLEASE IGNORE THE SAND! SHE ISN'T ON IT ANYMORE!

 

[lauraj1055]

It's not a Rankins Dragon, but does look super skinny for her age... What type of UVB are you using?? She definately could use to put some weight on.

 

[TheJadeReptile]

She has a reptisun 5.0 compact. I am going to get the Reptisun 10.0 UVB Tube. I am switching all my Dragons to the tube bulb.

She is also a monster eater. She eats her veggies and fruits and eats about 6-7 bigger crickets.

 

[Gail]

As small as she is, I would feed more crickets. Has she always only ate just a few a day?

 

[lauraj1055]

Her size could have a lot to do with the wrong UVB... Maybe once you get the Reptisun 10.0 in there, she will start getting a bit bigger.. Proper UVB and correct feeders are the 2 most important things to the health of your dragon.

 

[TheJadeReptile]

Thank both. And I understand that. I am defiantly getting three of the Reptisun 10.0 UVB Tube Bulb. I am also going to order some feeders from Mulberry farms.

 

[Chair76]

No one answered the question, How do you tell if you have a rankin dragon. Are they different from beardies or just different colors???

 

[Fuzzyviper]

No one answered the question, How do you tell if you have a rankin dragon. Are they different from beardies or just different colors???

They are a different species but related to beardies. They only get about 10 inches or so long and look like baby beardies. I've seen some of them at reptile shows and I thought they were juvenile beardies. I think the only way to know for sure is to buy from a Lawson's/rankin dragon breeder. Beardies that have been improperly cared for as babies (malnourished, no UVB/calcium, etc) often are smaller than normal and can be mistaken for rankin dragons. (There's a debate about the proper name for these guys so they go by either Lawson's dragon or rankin dragon.)

 

[TASTIGER]

not only are they smaller but they also have a different shape

 

[ocrage]

they also dont have a beard/neck that they can puff out as you can see in the second pic.

 

[izz]

not only are they smaller but they also have a different shape

The second pic is actually a western beardie. I don't know if you guys can get them in America, the don't have the sandfire pattern of a Central of Eastern beardie and are a bit smaller and have a longer snout.

 

[Jess]

Here's a picture of some Rankins:

They are obviously smaller, have no beards, have slightly differently shaped heads, and different coloring/patterns as well.

 

[ocrage]

awww haha that top one looks so cute. i want him/her.

 

[TASTIGER]

not only are they smaller but they also have a different shape

The second pic is actually a western beardie. I don't know if you guys can get them in America, the don't have the sandfire pattern of a Central of Eastern beardie and are a bit smaller and have a longer snout.

oops you are right i grabbed the wrong photo :wink:

 

[spurlee01]

Jade, do you supplement calcium? Her mouth looks to me like she has the beginnings of MBD, but it could just be sand on it or the shadowing?