Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was wondering what you experienced breeders can tell me about the signs that your gal is gravid. My Minnie has gotten sooo fat in the 2 months since I've had her. But I do believe I feed her and her man MUCH better than their previous owner.

But...lately she seemes huge. If pictures help, here are some. She still has a healthy appetite, and she's not really digging. What do y'all think?

Thanks!

Hi
looks like a healthy spoiled dragon .
byeeeee
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www.dragoncave.nl

you might want to cut on protein ( like crickets or meailes silk )??..

and feed more greens ... shes looking a bit obese.. and thats not good for a dragon
im not trying to pentrnize you im just trying to tell you to make your dragon a healthyer life...
glad your doing a better job then its previous owner.
great job

It's a very odd time of year for a female to be gravid. Unless of course she has been cooled etc. by a breeder. Therefore I'm more likely to say she's just heavy.

Is she a good salad eater? Do you know how much she weighs? and how long she is?

I like to establish target weight ranges for all my adults so they don't get to fat. (or I don't spoil them too much lol) This may be a good practice for you too.

Dragons that were deprived in the past seem to really pack on the pounds if you let them. All my healthy rescues are voracious eaters perhaps because there was inadequate food in the past and they have learned to eat whenever food is available never knowing when the next famine will come. Dragons I have had since babies rarely seem to need me to manage their food as early and middle age adults. They just seem to grow to a weight and then eat what they need to to maintain it.

Thanks, guys. Yeah, makes sense that she's just putting on weight. When I first got her and her boyfriend it was like they were STARVING. I didn't know better, and I let Albie eat so much that he barfed. I'm learning to ration their food, but yeah minnie still would binge if I let her.

She's about 14 inches and according to the kid I got her from, about 4-5 years old. I dunno her weight (I know, I know...hey do the food scales at Wal-Mart work for this?). She has shed twice since I got her (so has Albie). It just seems weird that her tummy's so big compared to her scrawny arms and tail.

Oh yeah...and yes she LOVES salad.

Thanks again,
Jeni

>>It's a very odd time of year for a female to be gravid. Unless of course she has been cooled etc. by a breeder. Therefore I'm more likely to say she's just heavy.
>>
>>Is she a good salad eater? Do you know how much she weighs? and how long she is?
>>
>>I like to establish target weight ranges for all my adults so they don't get to fat. (or I don't spoil them too much lol) This may be a good practice for you too.
>>
>>Dragons that were deprived in the past seem to really pack on the pounds if you let them. All my healthy rescues are voracious eaters perhaps because there was inadequate food in the past and they have learned to eat whenever food is available never knowing when the next famine will come. Dragons I have had since babies rarely seem to need me to manage their food as early and middle age adults. They just seem to grow to a weight and then eat what they need to to maintain it.

You need a digital scale that measures in grams with a 700 or 800 gram maximum. There are postal scales around that can be used, the only down side is that the measure in 5 gram increments but that should be OK for adults. Maybe try the office supply places if Wal-Mart doesn't have it.

My only other thought is that she could have a slow metabolism and is retaining too much food rather than passing it.

At 14" I would not feed her full size crickets, the ones with wings. 3/4" should really be the max. for a while longer. The other thing is that you should try raising her basking temperature. If it's 105 try raising it to 110 and see if she still basks as much as she did at 105. If she does, then raise it a little more till she starts to shy away then back it down a little bit. My largest dragon will sit on a 115 basking spot a day.

Good idea. I just got done re-arranging their cage. The basking spot is now closer to the bulb...we'll see how that goes. My Albie ran up there and is all spead out like, "aaah!" lol

Thanks yet again!
Jeni

Hi
most common fault in beardies is to low baskingspot 110-115 is ok ,only then must have a coler side to go to.
fault number 2 no good uva/uvb light.

those two r very importent.
byeeeee
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www.dragoncave.nl