Reptile & Amphibian Forums

first of all - let me say thanks for all the time spent responding to my recent post - i read and listened earnestly - i have accepted the fact that i have not prepared a best-case environment for my son's dragon and yet he is doing once again remarkably well - i did change to a clear bulb and this change literally changed everything - his appetite returned within one day - he eats 12-20 small crickets daily across 2 feedings - as soon as i rattle the cricket cage his level of alert intensifies - when i shake them in many times he will scamper - even run down to consume them all - he drinks from my hand 3 days a week and laps up 20 -30 drips on his nose on other times - just today - i held a piece of mustard greens in front of his nose with no thought of him eating it and he immediately snatched it and consumed it and 2 other pieces - that's exciting - he does have a "favorite" perching spot - i know one expert said that was silly but it is a fact - throughout the day he wanders , my wife tells me about the cage showing up in all areas but in the evening settles in on the same spot - a knot on the log that has a small slat of wood overhead that must give him the feel of shelter - this is with the light off - he is 7 inches long now having grown one inch in about 3 weeks even on a reduced feeding behaviour - he is alert and active - he loves to be held - to climb - he is doing perfect - again - i know i am not doing somethings like i've been told but i have used what i had and he is doing well , trust me - he has heat, light, space, food, and careful attention - woo wee for fred the tree dwelling lizard

Glad to hear he is doing well!

Im not sure who old your dragon is now (i believe he is pretty young, right?) but if he is less than 6 months or so you will want to increase the feedings to at least 3 times a day, ideally even 4 would be best.

Again, glad to hear he is doing so well - keep us posted
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1.1 Bearded Dragons
2.2 Leopard Geckos
1.0 Uromastyx (Mali)
1.1 Corn snakes
0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake
1.0 Bairds Ratsnake
1.0 Rosy Boa
1.1 Green Anoles
1.1 House Geckos
0.0.2 Flying Geckos
0.0.1 Red Eye Tree Frog

will do - th'x - he is about 5 months

The way you said he runs over and eats them all are you giving him all that he will eat in say a 20 minute period? and you dusting them right?

yes to both questions - he's eating greens from my hand now on a daily basis

Great to hear he is doing well and the main problem was insufficient lighting in the cage. Though the cage isn't idea it is now providing what he needs.

I did notice you mentioned he was something like 6 months old but only 7" long? This is rather small for his age. MOst bearded dragons can be that long in 3 months. So definitely the increase of food intake he is doing now should get him growing fast. ALso, try to keep the crickets about the same length as the space between his eyes...but not too much smaller.
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PHLdyPayne

Yes,if he is only 7inches long at 5 months he is definately on the small size!

My youngest dragon just turned 6 months old and he is about 14inches long, weighs 322grams and plows through at least 50 crickets a day.

Hopefully with the proper lighting and temps now he will continue to improve and will catch up on his growing.
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1.1 Bearded Dragons
2.2 Leopard Geckos
1.0 Uromastyx (Mali)
1.1 Corn snakes
0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake
1.0 Bairds Ratsnake
1.0 Rosy Boa
1.1 Green Anoles
1.1 House Geckos
0.0.2 Flying Geckos
0.0.1 Red Eye Tree Frog

th'x it had to be that stupid red light - he took 20 crickets this morning after eating geens right from my son's hand - he is frisky, perky, seems to be doing wonderful

yeah, he is small - thanks