Since we had the imported dragons and know there have not been any related genetics with them to effect growth, we decided to do a few experiments while they were here. In the past I had been told that sun raised babies are not as large as artificial UVB raised babies are by several people. Sandfire ranch also responded when I commented on the size of their 18 month old dragons at a show that they were raised outside and that was why they were smaller.
When they arrived we separated them into their two groups. All the babies were fairly close in size, but one group was a few weeks younger. In the past we knew that most of them we have raised have growth spurt and I was interested to see if ones raised in natural sunlight did.
We wanted to raise them in natural sun as the timing was perfect with great weather in Florida. We also felt this would allow their natural colors and growth to developed as there are also stories that the artificial UVB may cause them to have yellow colors not normal in them. It was not till today when we divided them into 3 groups that I also realized one reptarium was actually in the shade somewhat(filtered through mesh) of the other.
LARGER BABIES:
The babies on the east side closest to the sun are all much larger, we also noted that a few of them spend almost all day in the full sun area of the repartium and rarely retreat to the shade area except to eat. They receive sun over the top, on end and along the side of the reptarium. We have been checking them all day for the past week and the four largest are hardly ever out of the sun. The other four large babies are the smaller of that group, but spend more time in the shaded area with the smallest of those rarely out basking but right after eating for an hour.
Now, the babies that are in the full sun the majority of the time, also are eating constantly, rarely stopping. They go and eat and bask, eat and bask... all day long. The others are in shade more, will eat occasionally and then bask for an hour, then retreat to the side of the repartium where there is shade and stay there. Interesting.... no? They have the choice of going into the shade, they choose not to.
THE SMALLER BABIES:
Granted they are a few weeks younger, but still do not show the growth rate the babies facing the full sun do. They are on the west side of the larger babies reptarium and as such are shaded more during the day along that side by the other reptarium, except for late afternoon sun which covers about 1/2 the reptarium from the end. They remain the majority of the day in shade around 95F, only in the sun later in the day and they also are nibblers during the day, but big eaters in the early evening. The larger babies have to have their salads refilled 2-3 times a day, the smaller ones do not. Initially I thought it was just their way, till I noted this week they actually have less full sun all day than the others.
We have now divided them into 3 groups of 5 each and I am going to rearrange them so all have more sunlight exposure than they have had in the past and see if there is a change in eating and growth.
All at 5PM are put under normal household bulbs inside for their final feeding and the next 3 hours, this is when the smaller group is eating better and more active.
I am more convinced than ever that the light intensity has a greater bearing on appetite and growth than the UVB (still important) is having. Even in somewhat shade of another repartium they are still getting more UVB than they would under the best of artificial UVB lights, but not as much light intensity and after checking them hourly this week, we know it is the larger babies that are in the full sun more which we believe is sparking their constant hunger. On rainy days when they could not be out in the sun, they all were under household bulbs for heat and light intensity (we use director household bulbs) and all were eating good all day, either salads, pellets or crickets
We can not ignore the fact they babies that are in full sun more are the ones that are growing faster and eating more... the question is why? Is it the UVB or the light intensity, inside under the same light intensity for the last feeding, they all eat the same..... which is a lot, we think it is the light intensity... once I move them around and we recheck them in a few weeks, lets see what changes occur
Which sure is appreciated by all. I keep some of mine in three foot melamine some in four. Same 100 watt powersuns over the basking spot (106 surface temps), and regular GE fluorescent the whole lengths. Each cage has a fully shaded hide on the far wall from the basking spot. Well, the hide in the three footers is of course about 10-15 degrees hotter then the four footers hide. They all hide about the same time during the day, about 2-2.5 hours I would say out of a 14 hour light period. The ones in the three footers eat more and more regularly. I was thinking maybe it was just the constant hotter body temps in my situation that was causing their metabolisms to go a bit faster thus eating more, and defecating sooner after, and growing faster. Seems in my situation the temps are playing a role as well. Since they both are receiving the same light only one is a bit cooler during the day. Maybe in you situation this is playing a role as well. Maybe not as big as mine being from the same parents though
There are 8 that are all the size size, weight with identical husbandry, but the other 7 seem set on doing their own thing and those are the seven that were on the east side closest to the sun and with the most exposure to it daily.
