New Experience

[cash]

I recieved a bearded dragon a short while ago but most of my experience has been with snakes. The dragon seems healthy but some things I've read have caused me to worry I think he is much smaller than he should be for his age. He is about a year old and is only about 4 inches long. Is this too small?? I have food available constantly in his cage (juvelile bearded dragon pellets) as well as different vegatable leaves (collard greens, parsely, etc.) and I offer him crickets every other day or so he generally eats about six of them in a sitting. What I am worried about is that he has not grown much in the time I owned him (8 months) Why is he still so small?? and when will he get to be the fully grown lizard?
any advice will be appreciated
thanks in advance
Cash

[reptilez]

First off, i have BDs that are a month old and 6'' long.
Do u have a UVB bulb? I believe that helps out with growth.

[cash]

No, But I can get one. But isn't thier UV rays in a normal floresent reptile bulb? if so then he's had his share of UV rays from the begining.

[reptilez]

what do u mean as a normal flourecent reptile bulb?? i use a Repti-Glo 8.0 flourecent Bulb

[Snake_Hunter]

Hey Cash

I also use the Repti-Glo 8.0 Flourecent Bulb. But I heard that they should be replaced about every 6 months or so even if they still turn on, apperantly after about 6 months they stop giving off the UV rays needed for the lizard. But thats just what i heard. Anyways hope that helped alittle.

Andrew

:groove:

[reptilez]

That does happen, you must remember that, i write the date i put it in on the bulb so i never forget.

[cash]

I use a zoomed Reptisun bulb which number I dont recall I just look for recomendations in regard to lizards, environment etc. And My origonal measure may have been a bit short it's easy to off an inch or two when estimating. but I'm sure he's six inches long. Is that bad for a yearling and what can I do to get his growth rate up.

[reptilez]

Hes most likely not a yearling, he would almost me full grown. my 7 week beardies are between 6-7inches long. I do not believe there is anything that can help them grow faster. What size enclosure is he in??

[Tim and Julie B]

Maybe post a pic with him next to a ruler or something so that we can see what he looks like. No beardie should be 4", not even when born. Hope the little guy is okay. I've also heard that many U.V. bulbs don't actually give off the necessary vities that they say they should, even the "reputable" ones. Try to give him some basking outdoors on warm days. It's a really great idea for reptiles that require U.V. and U.V.B. light. Other than that I am not sure what could possibly cause such stunted growth!

[eyespy]

Since he's still that small after you've had him for 8 months his growth is definitely stunted, and that can be due to a variety of reasons. Genetics, parasites, malnutrition -with or without MBD, chronic impaction of substrate, birth defect, liver and/or kidney disease or a virus infecting the gastrointestinal system are all possibilities.

Too high or too low cage temperatures can also be the culprit as they prevent a reptile from digesting properly. Make sure the basking spot is no higher than 127 degrees and no lower than 90 and the cool side doesn't go below 80. Aim for the highest basking temperature he can stand without gaping and moving away. If he's always basking and rarely goes to the cool side that's a clear indication his basking temp is too low.

Depending on the cause, sometimes you can get the dragon to grow rather well once it's remedied, and sometimes the stunted growth is permanent. Some little dwarfs can go on to lead very long and healthy lives while others never do well. This really is a case that only a visit to a qualified reptile vet can help, there's way too much guesswork over the internet.

It can take a series of blood tests and fecal exams that include a stool culture to try and figure out why this little one is so very little. Most hatchlings are 3-4 inches right out of the shell, so something probably happened to this little one right from the get-go and that means ultraviolet lighting is probably not the only culprit. Hatchlings usually have enough calcium and vitamin D from their yolk sac to go 2 or 3 months without any problems and grow quite normally if all their other needs are met.

If you can, try upping the protein intake. Small beardies should be given as many crickets as they can eat in a 10 or 15 minute period 3 times daily. That can mean up to 150 crickets a day on days they are hungry and just 30 or so on days they don't have much appetite. You can also try a daily bath to see if extra hydration will jump-start the GI tract, kidneys and liver. Be sure the water is around 95 degrees and take the little one out soon as the water cools quickly.

Try to get at least 3 hours of natural sunlight a week if weather permits and obviously the more the better.

Please keep us updated on this little one's progress.

[reptilez]

How would you give him natural sunlight?? Would you put him'her in a container and bring them outside?

[eyespy]

You've got to be careful how you do the sunlight stuff. Putting a dragon in a glass or plastic cage won't allow much UVB to pass through but will magnify other wavelengths of sunlight until it's too hot, the greenhouse effect. Even on a relatively cool day direct sunlight can really heat things up.

Mesh cages such as Reptariums or PVC coated hardware cloth are much safer than plastic or glass, unless it's a specialty greenhouse glass and you closely monitor the inside temperatures.

If you're lucky to have windows facing in the right direction, you can get a great amount of sunlight right inside your home. You need to either put greenhouse glass in the window so UVB will pass through, or open the window and use a fairly large-meshed screen or none at all. My windows face southwest and so in the dead of winter I can still get an 85 degree basking spot (for the iguanas or ailing snakes) on a sunny day with a 25 watt bulb or a 97 degree spot (for beardies) with a 40 on one of my windowsills.

I just put my guys on a harness, let them cling to my shirt and walk around with them out in the sun, weather permitting. You can get away with this in cooler weather than caging would allow since they can soak up your body heat. Anytime it's 70 or above with little or no cool wind you'll find me out and about with lizards.

[reptilez]

I want to get harnesses for my beardies. Do u know how to make them?,if thats cheaper.

[eyespy]

Sorry, I just buy mine, they only cost about $7.00 US

[Bearded AL]

Hey Reptilez I have seen the beardie harnesess at the pet stores before they are like 9 bucks Canadian hope it helps.AL