Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This is my water dragon. I have had him for about a year and a half and he has barely grown. He wasn't eating well when I first got him, but that was long ago and now he has a healthy appetite. Does he look small for being over a year old?

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------Misty-------

He/she certainly looks healthy now. Growth rates vary, a Waterdragon can reach full adult size in less then two years, or it can take as long as five years. An illness or acclimation problem would certainly slow down that growth rate. A small size at a year or two years of age is a health risk for females, who mature around that time. Small females risk becoming egg bound, since their pelvis's may not be wide enough to pass the eggs. What kind of foods are you feeding him/her and how much?

The dragon gets greens almost every day. He gets crickets every couple of days until he loses interest, usually after 5 minutes or so. I also treat him to worms every few days. There is a UVB lamp and an under tank heater on one side of the tank. There is a deep dish for soaking (although I admit it is not deep enough to swim around in. One side of the tank is for basking and the other is cooler. I powder the greens and crickets every other time or so.

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------Misty-------

It's great that you have him, eating greens, athough kind of weird, most WD won't touch vegitables, and rarely fruit. Crickets are no good, mostly they are water and is the WD equivalent of a gummi bear. By worms, I hope your either mean earthworms or Zoophobas, either one of these would make a better staple then the green you are feeding, in fact cutting back the greens to once a month is more appropriate, since the additional fiber can reduce the amount of food that is properly digested. He/she is big enough for small pinkie mice, that's what I would feed him if he/she was mine, three to six a week or whatever he/she would eat, along with the worms. When they become adult size it's good to cut back on feedings, my adults eat two to three fuzzies once a week or every two weeks in the winter time.

Thanks for the info. I will have to try a pinkie. I give pinkies to my monitor, tegu and bearded dragon, but nothing stated water dragons will eat them. As far as the greens, he likes ramaine lettuce. She only eats it on occasion, but I always offer it. I will cut down on that a little, though. Are there any kind of workms that are harmful to a Water Dragon? I know baby Bearded dragons are not supposed to eat meal worms, but have not heard the same for Water dragons.
Thanks for the help
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------Misty-------
5.12 Corn Snakes --- 1.0 Tokay Gecko
2.1 King Snakes --- 1.0 House Gecko
1.2 leopard Geckos --- 1.0 Golden Tegu
1.1 Bearded Dragon --- 0.0.1 Savanna Monitor
1.1 Green Iguana --- 1.0 Chinese Water Dragon
0.1 Crocodile Gecko --- 1.1 False Water Cobras
1.1 Jungle Corn --- 1.0 Ball Python
0.1 Kenya Sand Boa --- 0.1 Rose Hair Tarantula
1.1 Emperor Scorpions --- 3.0 Ferrets
1.1 Congo African Grey (parrot)
0.0.3 Prairie Ringneck Snakes --- 0.1 Dog

Sorry for switching back and forth from He and She when I typed. I was talking about the same Water Dragon. We thought it was a girl, but just recently discovered its probably a boy. Hope I did not confuse any one (but myself)!
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------Misty-------
5.12 Corn Snakes --- 1.0 Tokay Gecko
2.1 King Snakes --- 1.0 House Gecko
1.2 leopard Geckos --- 1.0 Golden Tegu
1.1 Bearded Dragon --- 0.0.1 Savanna Monitor
1.1 Green Iguana --- 1.0 Chinese Water Dragon
0.1 Crocodile Gecko --- 1.1 False Water Cobras
1.1 Jungle Corn --- 1.0 Ball Python
0.1 Kenya Sand Boa --- 0.1 Rose Hair Tarantula
1.1 Emperor Scorpions --- 3.0 Ferrets
1.1 Congo African Grey (parrot)
0.0.3 Prairie Ringneck Snakes --- 0.1 Dog