Reptile & Amphibian Forums

That beardie that everyone was saying is too thin is mine, I believe the reason that he is thin is his old age, I bought him as a young adult from a pet store about 7 yrs ago so I'm not absoulutly sure on his age. He eats well about three times a week( crickets,pinkies,brocoli,super worms,waxies) he acts very healthy but he stopped growing about 3 years ago and never bulks up no matter how much he eats. By his general attitude and activity I don't feel that he sick( he acts about the same as when I bought him) So all in all don't think that I'm some moron that doesn't take care of his animals

Terry

1 beardie
1 BCI
1 BCI het Snow
1 Rosy
1 Ball
1 Sav. Monitor
1 Prairie Rattler
2 Sugar Gliders
1 Ferret
4 Cats
1 rabbit
1 dog
2 little girls

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Remember, my posts are MY opinion only.
Jimmy (draybar)

He REALLY eats...and there is always crickets in his cage. A normal feeding is like 5-6 pinkies and some brocoli, or 15-20 super worms and some mixed vegi's. I was told that being over weight can be worse than a little to thin. Do you recommend more feedings?

gut loaded crickets a few times a week.
It wasn't that he looked awful, just a bit thin. Maybe he's just like a skinny old man : )
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TheClassyLizard

pinkies are like a once in a few month treat, he needs a healthy diet of dark leafy greens, squash, and other veggies, there is a good list on the website i gave you. as for pinkies for him perhaps once monthly until you get him to put on that weight, they are just very very fatty with little nutrition. crickets and supers are fine but try feeding him his crikets and a very good salad daily and his supers perhaps 2-3 times weekly and i highly reccomend a fecal test to rule out parasites on the guy. do you supplement? what lighting are you using? must be doing something right if he has beeen with you 7 years, a good diet should get him on track perhaps...

>>He REALLY eats...and there is always crickets in his cage. A normal feeding is like 5-6 pinkies and some brocoli, or 15-20 super worms and some mixed vegi's. I was told that being over weight can be worse than a little to thin. Do you recommend more feedings?
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reiko
photos

Thanks for all the advice my local pet store really pushed pinkies and never really mentioned the dark leafy greens, I did buy seven yrs ago and since things seemed ok I never did much more research( although I do have one book that never says anything about a daily salad) I am using a full spectrum floresent light, a heat bulb, and supplement with calcium powder.

terry

7 yrs ago it was common practice to feed pinkies. We've since discovered that they are harmful, full of fat and possibly parasites.
Do you use a vitamin suppliment too, like herptivite? He should get that a few times a month too.
Since your dragon is used to this way of eating, it may not take to a daily salad with vigor, let us know won't you?
Good Luck.
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TheClassyLizard

I will keep you posted, and thanks again for the advice...I'm sure AXL will thank you too...

Terry

he was looking a bit thin, but 7 is a ripe old age and might be too late to get him eating good dark leafy greens etc. but its worth a try to get him on a good veggie diet. good gutloaded crickets for him daily might also be a good idea and perhaps supers a couple times a week, they have a higher fat content and may help him put on the weight

www.beautifuldragons.com

there is a good list there of veggies etc that are good for your dragon. have you had a fecal done on him? could very well be parasites that is keeping him from gaining the weight, there also could be other underlying problems.

i have an adult female who is tough to keep the weight on, she gets feeders daily along with her salad and pellets and this routine really seems to help her keep the weight on, low fat feeders 12-20 daily i feel is fine for an adult dragon like her so long as they are eating their greens well.

>>That beardie that everyone was saying is too thin is mine, I believe the reason that he is thin is his old age, I bought him as a young adult from a pet store about 7 yrs ago so I'm not absoulutly sure on his age. He eats well about three times a week( crickets,pinkies,brocoli,super worms,waxies) he acts very healthy but he stopped growing about 3 years ago and never bulks up no matter how much he eats. By his general attitude and activity I don't feel that he sick( he acts about the same as when I bought him) So all in all don't think that I'm some moron that doesn't take care of his animals
>>
>>Terry
>>
>>1 beardie
>>1 BCI
>>1 BCI het Snow
>>1 Rosy
>>1 Ball
>>1 Sav. Monitor
>>1 Prairie Rattler
>>2 Sugar Gliders
>>1 Ferret
>>4 Cats
>>1 rabbit
>>1 dog
>>2 little girls
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reiko
photos

No one said you were a moron, sorry if you read in to it that way.
You didn't mention any veggies besides broccoli.
At his age he should be eating 80% greens and 20% protein.
Dragons that get too much protein as adults are known to get fatty liver disease.
Have you tried collard greens, kale, escarole, endive, mustard greens?
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TheClassyLizard

Is broccoli the only veggie you feed him? He needs much more veggies than that! He should get a salad every day of collards, turnip and mustard greens, various squashes, sweet potatoes, snap peas, and mango, to name a few. I read somewhere that broccoli should only be fed in small amounts, i wish i could tell you why but I cant rememeber, sorry. =P He should be getting as many crickets as he wants to eat three times a week to every other day. Dont feed pinkies all that much, they are very high in fat. same with waxworms. But you definately need to feed him more than three times a week. Good luck!
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~Melissa~
1.3 Leopard geckos
1.0 Bearded dragon
1.0 Hog Island Boa
0.0.1 crested gecko
1.0 Ferret
0.1 Chinchilla
0.1 Giant Japanese Praying Mantis

If you change his diet and he still does not gain weight, you will want to have a fecal done. Parasites can cause dragons to stay thin/dehydrated looking regardless of how much they eat. They eat and eat and eat and just get thinner and thinner.

I would call your vet and schedule a fecal if not a full checkup. I know people always jump to say go see a vet and all, but really if he won't keep good weight it's worth $25 to get a fecal done if nothing else to rule that out.

goodluck with your dragon.

brandon
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Dragons by Nature

n/p
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TheClassyLizard