I actually got this little girl for free from a local breeder. She said she was not eating, was growing slow, and most likely would die. Believe it or not she looked nothing like she does in the pictures. She was pitiful looking, and actually dark brown in color with very little hints of orange/red coloring.
Now a month, and a half later I have her eating really well on a wide variety diet, she is growing, and today when the breeder came over she did not recognize her. She thought the one she gave me would have died. when I showed her, and told her that was the little girl her jaw hit the floor
She was shocked at the color of her dragon. She told me she was the best of the clutch, and that none of her siblings had color like her. We got to talking, and one thing was she was using crap UVB bulbs. When I used the UV meter on my baby rack to show her how much the mega rays, and repti-sun 10.0's produce, and then her suposedly 7% ESU bulbs later that day the differance was huge.
In the past I have gotten quite a few average dragons to show exceptional color. It's either the diet, or the good UVB lighting they receive here. I even sold a full body bright orange dragon last season, to buy it back 5 months later with no color. In a month I had him glowing, and growing, and he is now still with me at 600 grams 22 inches of bright orange dragon.
If there is one thing to tell someone who is looking into dragons or any reptile for that matter it is to research the products available as well as the animal itself. Some of the most commonly found UVb fluorescent bulbs in the stores are as good as junk.
