Reptile & Amphibian Forums

How do i know the difference between the 2 at a very young age? Could I possible have bought a baby Rankin thinking it was a beardie? The vendor I got it from wasn't a BD breeder but had 2 Hypo/Sandfire cross BD (so he says). when i asked him how old it was, he said he thinks it was hatched out around Labor Day....that would make it around 8-9 weeks old. If that's true, from what i've been told a BD @ that age should be much larger than mine is right now. Mines only 5" long & weighs 4.5 grams. I've also been told it could be either the runt or maybe not fed that well too. But my main question is, by looks alone, at this age....how can you tell the differenc between the 2? thanks.

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Ciliatus 2.0.0, Auric 0.1.0,
Oedura 0.1.0, AFT 1.1.0,
Viper Tail 1.1.0, Beardie 0.0.1

I don't think it's a Rankin's dragon. The pattern isn't quite right. Rankins usually have very bold patterns on the back. It could be an intergrade between the two species (hybrid), not really sure what these would look like pattern wise.

Here is a link with some pictures of young Rankin's dragons. Though similar to the one you show in the picture, the pattern on the back isn't the same. Your picture doesn't show a good angle of the back so I could be wrong, hence why I included the link, to give you shot to compare it to.

community.webshots.com/album/123689594SzRPCW
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PHLdyPayne

here's another shot of the back........

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Ciliatus 2.0.0, Auric 0.1.0,
Oedura 0.1.0, AFT 1.1.0,
Viper Tail 1.1.0, Beardie 0.0.1
Happy Herping

looks to me like a regular run on the mill inland bearded draon (not rankins). I've had a baby this last breeding season that was 1.5" out of the shell. and that is very small!!! I sold him when he was 5" and all his sibilings were over 8".

I wouldn't believe that it had any hypomelanistic qualities though...it has way too much black (aka...melanin). Many idiots are throwing around the term hypomelanistic so that they can get rid their babies. At best i would say that yours is about 75% normal and 25% sandfire...although it doesn't have much color.

Not many people in US have rankins. So chances are you can't get your hands on one unless you are tring to.
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a free range dragon is a happy dragon

no, i wasn't trying to, i was just wondering why it was so small for it's supposed age. thanks for ur input.
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Ciliatus 2.0.0, Auric 0.1.0,
Oedura 0.1.0, AFT 1.1.0,
Viper Tail 1.1.0, Beardie 0.0.1
Happy Herping