My beardie's age

[Libbyw]

I recently got my beardie from a pet shop and they were unsure of the age but around 9 months, I have looked into how big 9 month old bearded dragons are and they are at least double the size of mine. He/she is 8 inches and 20 grams, she/he is only eating around 1 - 3 crickets a day that are small mediums and doesn't like eating the salad but I am occasionally able to get him/her to. Here are some pictures

 

[kingofnobbys]

Not a 9 month old IMO , way too small.
If it is indeed 9 months old it's very malnourished and is going to need lots extra high quality live insects and plenty UVA and UVB , and a good basking setup and a long day cycle (I'd recommend 3 live insect feeds per day and at least 10% UVB light source and 15 hour days and a basking spot at about 40degCelsius and night time heating to keep it warm overnight so it can have a boost in its growth).

Nonetheless , it is still going to become a very good pet, and will likely lead a healthy and happy life if your husbandry is good and it's given what it needs , it'll never grow to be a large as most other central beardies (it'll never catch up size wize) but that's OK.
I though she might be a rankins but on double checking the images you provided the crest ridge is indicative of a central beardie.

Are you sure they said she was 9 months old and not 9 weeks old ?

If I'm on the money and she is 9 weeks old , as I strongly suspect based her size, she's doing fine.
(Schedule three high quality live insect meals per day = as many bugs as she wants each feed, lights on 15 hours per day , keep her warm overnight (warmer than 24 degCelsius).)

In either case it's much more important at her age to get lots of high quality live insects than greens and vegs . If she eats greens and salad at her age that's a bonus.

I suggest you feed her
>>> phoenix worms (calcigents) , don't need to be dusted with calcium
>>> small sized silkworms (about 1.5inches long) , don't need to be dusted with calcium
>>> 1/3 sized gut loaded crickets (I think these are called "small" crickets by most sellers) who need to be dusted with calcium or similar sized roaches.

A comparisons :

Smallest 9 month old central beardie I've seen was 210g and she was considerably bigger than the one you've shown us.
My Puff and Rex were both 282g at 9 months old, Peppa was 368g and Toothless 292g at 9 months old.

At 9 weeks old Peppa was 32g, and Toothless was 27g. Puff and Rex were both 23g.

 

[Libbyw]

Not a 9 month old IMO , way too small.
If it is indeed 9 months old it's very malnourished and is going to need lots extra high quality live insects and plenty UVA and UVB , and a good basking setup and a long day cycle (I'd recommend 3 live insect feeds per day and at least 10% UVB light source and 15 hour days and a basking spot at about 40degCelsius and night time heating to keep it warm overnight so it can have a boost in its growth).

Nonetheless , it is still going to become a very good pet, and will likely lead a healthy and happy life if your husbandry is good and it's given what it needs , it'll never grow to be a large as most other central beardies (it'll never catch up size wize) but that's OK.
I though she might be a rankins but on double checking the images you provided the crest ridge is indicative of a central beardie.

Are you sure they said she was 9 months old and not 9 weeks old ?

If I'm on the money and she is 9 weeks old , as I strongly suspect based her size, she's doing fine.
(Schedule three high quality live insect meals per day = as many bugs as she wants each feed, lights on 15 hours per day , keep her warm overnight (warmer than 24 degCelsius).)

In either case it's much more important at her age to get lots of high quality live insects than greens and vegs .

I suggest you feed her
>>> phoenix worms (calcigents) , don't need to be dusted with calcium
>>> small sized silkworms (about 1.5inches long) , don't need to be dusted with calcium
>>> 1/3 sized gut loaded crickets (I think these are called "small" crickets by most sellers) who need to be dusted with calcium or similar sized roaches.

A comparisons :

Smallest 9 month old central beardie I've seen was 210g and she was considerably bigger than the one you've shown us.
My Puff and Rex were both 282g at 9 months old, Peppa was 368g and Toothless 292g at 9 months old.

At 9 weeks old Peppa was 32g, and Toothless was 27g. Puff and Rex were both 23g.

I try to feed her/him twice a day at the moment but he/she isn't interested much in the crickets I am feeding her/him and will just not eat them, the most I've got her/him to eat in a day in about 5 which is the day I got her/him after that only about 1 - 3 per day.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Not a 9 month old IMO , way too small.
If it is indeed 9 months old it's very malnourished and is going to need lots extra high quality live insects and plenty UVA and UVB , and a good basking setup and a long day cycle (I'd recommend 3 live insect feeds per day and at least 10% UVB light source and 15 hour days and a basking spot at about 40degCelsius and night time heating to keep it warm overnight so it can have a boost in its growth).

Nonetheless , it is still going to become a very good pet, and will likely lead a healthy and happy life if your husbandry is good and it's given what it needs , it'll never grow to be a large as most other central beardies (it'll never catch up size wize) but that's OK.
I though she might be a rankins but on double checking the images you provided the crest ridge is indicative of a central beardie.

Are you sure they said she was 9 months old and not 9 weeks old ?

If I'm on the money and she is 9 weeks old , as I strongly suspect based her size, she's doing fine.
(Schedule three high quality live insect meals per day = as many bugs as she wants each feed, lights on 15 hours per day , keep her warm overnight (warmer than 24 degCelsius).)

In either case it's much more important at her age to get lots of high quality live insects than greens and vegs .

I suggest you feed her
>>> phoenix worms (calcigents) , don't need to be dusted with calcium
>>> small sized silkworms (about 1.5inches long) , don't need to be dusted with calcium
>>> 1/3 sized gut loaded crickets (I think these are called "small" crickets by most sellers) who need to be dusted with calcium or similar sized roaches.

A comparisons :

Smallest 9 month old central beardie I've seen was 210g and she was considerably bigger than the one you've shown us.
My Puff and Rex were both 282g at 9 months old, Peppa was 368g and Toothless 292g at 9 months old.

At 9 weeks old Peppa was 32g, and Toothless was 27g. Puff and Rex were both 23g.

I try to feed her/him twice a day at the moment but he/she isn't interested much in the crickets I am feeding her/him and will just not eat them, the most I've got her/him to eat in a day in about 5 which is the day I got her/him after that only about 1 - 3 per day.

If you've only just got him this week , it's likely he's undergoing some relocation stress. This wont last long, he'll soon be eating you of house and home when he settles in and discovers he's got an empty tummy.
You can easily handfeed little hatchlings - my technique is to have 3 or 4 crickets handy who I've disabled by squashing their heads, and I the pull off the big hind legs and these drumsticks are pushed between the hatchlings lips (thick end in) when the hatchling starts to eat the drumstick I gently press the cricket head first against the lips (if some guts is coming out of the cricket even better) and it'll taste the guts and goodbye cricket. Fabulous way to form a bond with the hatchling too.

Peppa and Toothless were each polishing off 10 small crickets per day + 4 - 6 small silkworms as each as well. By 9 weeks old they had been with us for nearly a month and were well and truly settled in. I was giving each of them 2 - 3 crickets by hand in their first daily meal.

 

[Libbyw]

Not a 9 month old IMO , way too small.
If it is indeed 9 months old it's very malnourished and is going to need lots extra high quality live insects and plenty UVA and UVB , and a good basking setup and a long day cycle (I'd recommend 3 live insect feeds per day and at least 10% UVB light source and 15 hour days and a basking spot at about 40degCelsius and night time heating to keep it warm overnight so it can have a boost in its growth).

Nonetheless , it is still going to become a very good pet, and will likely lead a healthy and happy life if your husbandry is good and it's given what it needs , it'll never grow to be a large as most other central beardies (it'll never catch up size wize) but that's OK.
I though she might be a rankins but on double checking the images you provided the crest ridge is indicative of a central beardie.

Are you sure they said she was 9 months old and not 9 weeks old ?

If I'm on the money and she is 9 weeks old , as I strongly suspect based her size, she's doing fine.
(Schedule three high quality live insect meals per day = as many bugs as she wants each feed, lights on 15 hours per day , keep her warm overnight (warmer than 24 degCelsius).)

In either case it's much more important at her age to get lots of high quality live insects than greens and vegs .

I suggest you feed her
>>> phoenix worms (calcigents) , don't need to be dusted with calcium
>>> small sized silkworms (about 1.5inches long) , don't need to be dusted with calcium
>>> 1/3 sized gut loaded crickets (I think these are called "small" crickets by most sellers) who need to be dusted with calcium or similar sized roaches.

A comparisons :

Smallest 9 month old central beardie I've seen was 210g and she was considerably bigger than the one you've shown us.
My Puff and Rex were both 282g at 9 months old, Peppa was 368g and Toothless 292g at 9 months old.

At 9 weeks old Peppa was 32g, and Toothless was 27g. Puff and Rex were both 23g.

I try to feed her/him twice a day at the moment but he/she isn't interested much in the crickets I am feeding her/him and will just not eat them, the most I've got her/him to eat in a day in about 5 which is the day I got her/him after that only about 1 - 3 per day.

If you've only just got him this week , it's likely he's undergoing some relocation stress. This wont last long, he'll soon be eating you of house and home when he settles in and discovers he's got an empty tummy.
You can easily handfeed little hatchlings - my technique is to have 3 or 4 crickets handy who I've disabled by squashing their heads, and I the pull off the big hind legs and these drumsticks are pushed between the hatchlings lips (thick end in) when the hatchling starts to eat the drumstick I gently press the cricket head first against the lips (if some guts is coming out of the cricket even better) and it'll taste the guts and goodbye cricket. Fabulous way to form a bond with the hatchling too.

Peppa and Toothless were each polishing off 10 small crickets per day + 4 - 6 small silkworms as each as well. By 9 weeks old they had been with us for nearly a month and were well and truly settled in. I was giving each of them 2 - 3 crickets by hand in their first daily meal.

I just feeding tried her/him three crickets and it worked after about 5 minutes of trying. The woman who was at the shop did say they were 9 months old-ish and I did ask about it and she just went off topic from that. I'll look into the phoenix worms and silkworms. Thank you.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Not a 9 month old IMO , way too small.
If it is indeed 9 months old it's very malnourished and is going to need lots extra high quality live insects and plenty UVA and UVB , and a good basking setup and a long day cycle (I'd recommend 3 live insect feeds per day and at least 10% UVB light source and 15 hour days and a basking spot at about 40degCelsius and night time heating to keep it warm overnight so it can have a boost in its growth).

Nonetheless , it is still going to become a very good pet, and will likely lead a healthy and happy life if your husbandry is good and it's given what it needs , it'll never grow to be a large as most other central beardies (it'll never catch up size wize) but that's OK.
I though she might be a rankins but on double checking the images you provided the crest ridge is indicative of a central beardie.

Are you sure they said she was 9 months old and not 9 weeks old ?

If I'm on the money and she is 9 weeks old , as I strongly suspect based her size, she's doing fine.
(Schedule three high quality live insect meals per day = as many bugs as she wants each feed, lights on 15 hours per day , keep her warm overnight (warmer than 24 degCelsius).)

In either case it's much more important at her age to get lots of high quality live insects than greens and vegs .

I suggest you feed her
>>> phoenix worms (calcigents) , don't need to be dusted with calcium
>>> small sized silkworms (about 1.5inches long) , don't need to be dusted with calcium
>>> 1/3 sized gut loaded crickets (I think these are called "small" crickets by most sellers) who need to be dusted with calcium or similar sized roaches.

A comparisons :

Smallest 9 month old central beardie I've seen was 210g and she was considerably bigger than the one you've shown us.
My Puff and Rex were both 282g at 9 months old, Peppa was 368g and Toothless 292g at 9 months old.

At 9 weeks old Peppa was 32g, and Toothless was 27g. Puff and Rex were both 23g.

I try to feed her/him twice a day at the moment but he/she isn't interested much in the crickets I am feeding her/him and will just not eat them, the most I've got her/him to eat in a day in about 5 which is the day I got her/him after that only about 1 - 3 per day.

If you've only just got him this week , it's likely he's undergoing some relocation stress. This wont last long, he'll soon be eating you of house and home when he settles in and discovers he's got an empty tummy.
You can easily handfeed little hatchlings - my technique is to have 3 or 4 crickets handy who I've disabled by squashing their heads, and I the pull off the big hind legs and these drumsticks are pushed between the hatchlings lips (thick end in) when the hatchling starts to eat the drumstick I gently press the cricket head first against the lips (if some guts is coming out of the cricket even better) and it'll taste the guts and goodbye cricket. Fabulous way to form a bond with the hatchling too.

Peppa and Toothless were each polishing off 10 small crickets per day + 4 - 6 small silkworms as each as well. By 9 weeks old they had been with us for nearly a month and were well and truly settled in. I was giving each of them 2 - 3 crickets by hand in their first daily meal.

I just feeding tried her/him three crickets and it worked after about 5 minutes of trying. The woman who was at the shop did say they were 9 months old-ish and I did ask about it and she just went off topic from that. I'll look into the phoenix worms and silkworms. Thank you.

Mmmm .... either she was BSing you or it's been very malnarished (starved , never fed properly it's entire life if she is not telling porkies).
I'd be very reluctant to follow any advise she gave you on how to set up a home for it and how to care for it.

 

[Libbyw]

Not a 9 month old IMO , way too small.
If it is indeed 9 months old it's very malnourished and is going to need lots extra high quality live insects and plenty UVA and UVB , and a good basking setup and a long day cycle (I'd recommend 3 live insect feeds per day and at least 10% UVB light source and 15 hour days and a basking spot at about 40degCelsius and night time heating to keep it warm overnight so it can have a boost in its growth).

Nonetheless , it is still going to become a very good pet, and will likely lead a healthy and happy life if your husbandry is good and it's given what it needs , it'll never grow to be a large as most other central beardies (it'll never catch up size wize) but that's OK.
I though she might be a rankins but on double checking the images you provided the crest ridge is indicative of a central beardie.

Are you sure they said she was 9 months old and not 9 weeks old ?

If I'm on the money and she is 9 weeks old , as I strongly suspect based her size, she's doing fine.
(Schedule three high quality live insect meals per day = as many bugs as she wants each feed, lights on 15 hours per day , keep her warm overnight (warmer than 24 degCelsius).)

In either case it's much more important at her age to get lots of high quality live insects than greens and vegs .

I suggest you feed her
>>> phoenix worms (calcigents) , don't need to be dusted with calcium
>>> small sized silkworms (about 1.5inches long) , don't need to be dusted with calcium
>>> 1/3 sized gut loaded crickets (I think these are called "small" crickets by most sellers) who need to be dusted with calcium or similar sized roaches.

A comparisons :

Smallest 9 month old central beardie I've seen was 210g and she was considerably bigger than the one you've shown us.
My Puff and Rex were both 282g at 9 months old, Peppa was 368g and Toothless 292g at 9 months old.

At 9 weeks old Peppa was 32g, and Toothless was 27g. Puff and Rex were both 23g.

I try to feed her/him twice a day at the moment but he/she isn't interested much in the crickets I am feeding her/him and will just not eat them, the most I've got her/him to eat in a day in about 5 which is the day I got her/him after that only about 1 - 3 per day.

If you've only just got him this week , it's likely he's undergoing some relocation stress. This wont last long, he'll soon be eating you of house and home when he settles in and discovers he's got an empty tummy.
You can easily handfeed little hatchlings - my technique is to have 3 or 4 crickets handy who I've disabled by squashing their heads, and I the pull off the big hind legs and these drumsticks are pushed between the hatchlings lips (thick end in) when the hatchling starts to eat the drumstick I gently press the cricket head first against the lips (if some guts is coming out of the cricket even better) and it'll taste the guts and goodbye cricket. Fabulous way to form a bond with the hatchling too.

Peppa and Toothless were each polishing off 10 small crickets per day + 4 - 6 small silkworms as each as well. By 9 weeks old they had been with us for nearly a month and were well and truly settled in. I was giving each of them 2 - 3 crickets by hand in their first daily meal.

I just feeding tried her/him three crickets and it worked after about 5 minutes of trying. The woman who was at the shop did say they were 9 months old-ish and I did ask about it and she just went off topic from that. I'll look into the phoenix worms and silkworms. Thank you.

Mmmm .... either she was BSing you or it's been very malnarished (starved , never fed properly it's entire life if she is not telling porkies).
I'd be very reluctant to follow any advise she gave you on how to set up a home for it and how to care for it.

I had already set up the viv before I got her/him, all the other beardies were in the same viv as my one (about 5 - 10) but they all looked the same size roughly even though mine was slightly skinnier to the others.

 

[AHBD]

I agree that the pet store employee just didn't know the age. The dragon is the size of a 3-4 month old [ that's average 3 month, but they can be much bigger or smaller ] Like was mentioned already, he may have a bit of relocation stress and will probably develop a better appetite [ hopefully ] in a week or two. Good uvb with lights on for 13 hours a day is fine, he should thrive with that routine. Hopefully he'll become a happy + healthy member of the family.