Beardie stunt growth!

[ScalelessTime]

I feel so horrible and helpless. I recently got an 8-month-old male Beardie that makes my female Beardie, Franky, look like a hatchling. Before, I always thought that my beardie was happy and growing the way it was suppose to. I have had Franky for about 7-10 MONTHS. WHAT HAVE I DONE WRONG??

http://i59.tinypic.com/2qtyi3r.jpg

http://i60.tinypic.com/11vk13q.jpg


Her cage consists of sand/dirt mix, heat-capturing rocks, a tile slab for basking, and some decorations. Her light is a red night-light/heat light and I turn it off at night. I feed her a ton of meal worms every-other-day of the week so she can have her filling and she refuses to eat greens. I spray her down with water and/or put a water-bowl in there with her. Her tank shouldn't matter on sizing, but its a 20 gallon (I believe). Is there something I'm missing?

(if you are curious on defecation, she is healthy and occasional has left-over cricket shells after eating them.)

Help me please!!

[Kera]

Maybe the other beardie is just a giant? Hopefully someone will chime in, I don't know much about beardies but you seem to be doing okay with yours! If she seems healthy and eats/poops regularly, I wouldn't worry too much. Best of luck xx

[ScalelessTime]

I recently looked at this website and this is why I became concerned. She looks like a 6 week-old beardie.
Bearded Dragon Growth - From Hatchling to Adult (http://www.mybeardeddragons.co.uk/gallery.html)

[ScalelessTime]

Oh, and sadly she hasn't shed in quite a while. That's another issue.

[moshirimon]

Weird. Maybe she's just a small individual? Had a corn snake that never got past 2 feet. It happens sometimes. Or maybe she has a bit of Rankins in her?

[wrecker45]

We feed our beardies pinkie mice once or twice a week.

[pdomensis]

I can't say if your beardie is stunted or just small, but I would change the diet to dubias or something else with better protein than mealworms for starters. Try more than greens also. My beardie would get very finicky and refuse foods she'd been eating for months. Try new things.

Also check the hot spot. It could be too cold and slowing metabolism.

[ScalelessTime]

The heat area it raised towards the light and I have recently changed them to Superworms last Thursday when I got Titan.

[mmarchl23]

Some are just slow growers, some are just small. We have one that hit 18"within 6 months. Another is just about a foot in 8 months or so. Definately push the greens though. Its a staple once they get larger (should make up about 80% of their adult diet)

[ScalelessTime]

Franky was the largest and fattest of the clutch when I got her at Petco. I just think it's odd.

[KennyG]

I see no mention of a UVB source, bearded dragons require strong UVB rays for optimal growth.

[wrecker45]

Our beardies likes cantalope and apple and romane lettuce.

[mmarchl23]

Our beardies likes cantalope and apple and romane lettuce.

romaine isnt a good choice actually, its basically fiber and water and gives no real nutrion.

as far as the whole biggest in the clutch at petco bit, the lizards arent from the same clutch at a chain store, they likely arent even the same age.

[ScalelessTime]

Oh, well that explains a lot. LOL

[KennyG]

Oh, well that explains a lot. LOL

What explains a lot? Do you have some sort of UVB bulb for them?

[ScalelessTime]

I was talking about the Petco thing.

[KennyG]

Not trying to be mean, but this is the third time im asking... Do you have some sort of bulb that gives off UVB rays?

[Valvaren]

Besides the uvb which if you don't have you really do need and have to get asap . I have to ask why are you feeding only every other day? From hatchling to about a year/till she got her routine, I offered my dragon whatever she would eat in worms once a day and greens everyday in the morning (she never ate greens and at four still doesnt)

[ScalelessTime]

Sorry about that. I am using a night-light so I'm not sure.

I am feeding her every other day for no apparent reason. Today I will be feeding her a salad and then insects at night. Is that okay?

[mmarchl23]

Night lights do not give off uvb. also, you should have a day light spot lamp.

my beardies have 3 lights each, 1 night bulb which is on 24/7, 1 daylight spot lamp which is on during the day and 1 uvb bulb also during the day.

the spot lamp should sit over the basking point (i keep my hot spot at roughly 120 degrees F.

do not feed anything at night. mine get veggies in the morning and crix/dubs in the afternoon.
beardies are diurnal so they will not hunt at night.

[KennyG]

One quick google search would of told you to use a UVB bulb, heck even petco/petsmart even have that in their caresheets... how did you not know to provide a UVB source? This is why he is really small for his age, its pretty much too late now, his growth will not catch up and he will probably develop MBD " Metabolic Bone Disease "

Here is a caresheet for Bearded Dragons

hxxps://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/caresheet/"]https://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/caresheet/ <------replace the "hxxp" with "http" for the link to work.


Also I presume you dont provide UVB for your Eastern Box Turtle either, they need it too or it too will have major problems. Here is a good caresheet on them.

hxxp://aboxturtle.com/eastern_box_turtle_care.htm <------ replace the "hxxp" with "http" for the link to work.

This forum is kind of rediculous... it took like 3-4 days for my posts to come up and now I cant post links just because im new... automatic moderation = frustration...