Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Sorry I missed you yesterday Rob I only get access to a computer at the library now and only make it up here once a day or so.

Anyway... I have noticed that there is something going on with my female dragon since I started the Trex supps. She doesn't seem to be growing since I stopped crickets about a month ago. She seems to have topped off at 15.5". She also seems to be loseing weight. The male on the other hand seems to be fine. Very robust and healthy but I think that he is pretty much finished growing.
I'm feeding them a wide range of veggies such as endive, mustard and collard greens, green leaf lettuce, yellow squash and carrot in moderation, zuchini, occasional berries and dandelions as treats... you know... I'm also using the icb and the vgf sprinkled on the salads. Since I stopped feeding the crickets and went to this type of feeding thier appetite has dropped and they have become more lethargic it seems.
They aren't having any problems with bowel movements or anything else that is noticeable. I did notice though that there seems to be some kind of settled stuff in the bottom of my cricket shaker that doesn't stick to the crickets. I am wandering if that stuff since it is ingested through the salads now is part of what is causing the lethergy and loss of appetite. It stands to reason that the only thing that changed is the removal of live prey and the ingestion through slads instaed. The only other thing I can think of is that maybe since I am feeding veggies that have high calcium and low phospherus and the crickets have benn removed maybe the lack of phospherus in the diet could be causing this? Wish I was a scientist.... LOL

I have decided to go back to the old standard method as a result of this. I think that all hatchling and juvenile dragons should be fed live prey dusted with calcium/d3 powder and the vitamin suppliment as directed as well as the daily salads. the cricket free pellet method seems to be ok but even with that I don't feel like they grow as fast as they should or do with live prey and salads.

Don't get me wrong... This is not an attack on ANYONES method of raising beardies just my experience and opinions. THATS ALL!!

I also think that Trex is a great supplement for full grown adult dragons that just need a little boost in thier salads after they are switched over to a salad regimen.

Later,
Robert Wood
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I know you like to think that your $h1T don't stink but bend a lil closer see your roses still smell like poo poopoo
( OutKast )

That's cool, no biggie.

When my problems started I wasn't using any icb I was only dusting the salad with the vgf. I'm pretty sure my big dragon is done growing or at least slowed down quite a bit. I have been using the vmf a couple of times a week for about a month now and haven't had any problems so far. I have noticed that he doesn't seem to eat as much when I do dust with the VMF and I wonder if it's because he's getting the nutrients and his body is telling him he's had enough food. I'm not sure.

With my other dragon who is still growing at a good pace I've been using the VGF and don't seem to be having any problems at all. Once a week I dust his silkies with caclium since I'm not using the ICB. He seems to be healthy so far. Next time I take him to the vet, which will be August for his annual check I'm going to ask him to take some blood and see how his levels are. Not sure what I'm talking about right now (levels of what?) but I'll be inquring as to what to look for when the time comes. Even though I don't see any problems so far I know they can occur over time without any signs.

If anybody else reading this is using the Trex how are things going so far? What are you using, how often, and have you noticed problems/success, etc.?
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Rob Talkington

I have been using VGF for my BDs, tegus, BTS and frills with overall good results for over 3 months. I have not seen any problems, just that some respond better than others. I try to vary diets as much as poosible so they do not get salad every day. If I have a day where they do not seem interested in salad, the next day they get something else. they generally get 2 meals a day. foods include superworms (5-10 once a week only), roaches, crix, rep-cal pellets, asst veggies and occational fruits with VGF. I always dust salad and bugs. BTW I also use the tortoise dust for my red and yellow foots. If they only made snake dust...

on a side note, Bill told me to try the dust on some of my really slow growers. I cant say that that was the answer alone but since they have been getting the dust, 3 out of 4 have better appetites than before and they are growing faster than ever before.

...and Bill, I'm still waiting for that check LOL
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Bennett

Home Of The Florida Orange
www.beardiedragon.com

LOL! Hope things are going well for you...My first clutch for the season has hatched out yesterday, not to mention I have a bunch of baby geckos (leos and rhacs) I've been raising up.
good luck
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Bill DiFabio
Garden State Herpetoculture...website to follow...
Email Me
"The pendulum of the mind alternates between sense and nonsense,
not between right and wrong." - Carl Jung

are you doing anything special with this clutch? I am hoping to have enough babies to do a little experimenting this season.
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Bennett

Home Of The Florida Orange
www.beardiedragon.com