Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just picked up eight baby beardies that I brought in as eggs to a pet store. Due to some sort of mix-up, they hatched about a month ago and I wasn't notified.

I've only had them about a day, and I've started taking a closer look at them. One, in particular, I noticed has a stuby tail, and the end looks dark. Here's a picture:

I have quite a bit of experiences with reptiles and some experience with dragons, but this is the first time I've dealt with babies. Is there something I should do about this? Is this something that will heal? He/she seems fine otherwise:

Some of the others have the very tip of their tail missing, but his is the shortest.

Thanks,

- Scott

Young bearded dragons will often get nipped tails from not being fed enough, ie pet stores. Just keep it clean and put some neosporin on it. It looks like the black part is getting ready to fall off. Keep an eye on it, if your concerned it looks infected, take the dragon to the vet. About all you can do to prevent further nipping is keep the dragons individually, or in small groups and make sure to feed plenty....insects 2-3x daily and salad available always during the day. The stubby dragon is still pretty.
-Nicky
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Loneliness it shadows me, quicker than darkness
Crawls to the surface of my skin, visibly surrounded by it
Black is all I feel, so this is how it feels to be free
Surrounded by empty souls, artificial courage used
And because so, once was mine
I walk this maze alone
The man's beside himself
Man's below himself
Man's behind himself
Am I inside myself
Chaos and hate shadow me, pain/hate it fills me up
Only one thing makes me feel, missing better half of me
-Alice In Chains
2.1 Bearded Dragons: Gordo, Layne, & Chiquita
2.4 Cats: Zeus, Remi, Kiki, Delilah, Sadie & Cheyenne
1.0 Betta: Mr. Purple

yeah, when dragons are housed with too many to a tank and not enough food they will start to nip. Sometimes if there are too many of them in too smalla space they will nip anyway. They will nip tails and toes and sometimes whole feet.....if they are crowded as they get older, they eventually kill eachother. Not plesant.

It happens a lot at petstores.

To avoid this at home keep thebabies in small groups. 20gallon long size tanks are the best for starting them. You could priobaly house 5 hatchlings, maybe 7 in one 20gallon long tank. After they grew a couple inches you will want to seperate them more. Groups of 2-3 work ok, and of course kept singly is best. Offer crickets 2-3 times a day. Watch the dragons eat, make sure they are all eating. Any dragons that do not eat should be seperated and housed alone and coaxed to feed. If your animals seem established enough you could ideally feed each baby seperately in a seperate container, at least one time a day. (doing that three times a day would be time consuming) so you are sure they are all getting plenty to eat. And you can also keep better track of how much they are eating.

You can leave veggies in always to to give them something to nibble on. Be aware of the mroe dominant beardies (fastest growing, first to eat, babies in the highest basking spots) and seperate them out as they grow larger.

As for the one you have now i would keep applying neosporin and watch for infection. They should be kept on paper towels to avoid infection as well. If it still looks raw you may want to seperate him while he heals
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0.1 Bearded dragon
0.1 mexican Black kingsnake
1.1.2 Leopard Gecko's (normal:normal:tang:baldy hypo tang)
0.0.1 Tokay Gecko
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink
0.0.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn
0.1 Anerythristic Corn
0.0.1 Red Tegu
0.1 Bullmastiff
4.1 Cats