Bearded Dragon Age

[Ares]

My bearded dragon, Ares, is almost to his 2 ft or 61 cm. I rescued Ares in 2017 from a FFA barn locker. Someone had left him on the top shelf in the locker by himself. Since then he has only shed 2 or 3 times, the most recent about a month ago. Every now and then he gets very sluggish and just sleep in or on his hide, which is underneath his lamp. He wont eat his regular dried food which is from Zoo Med and Flukers with dried insects with it. His water dish is always full. When he is like this the only thing that he'll eat is his blueberry treat, only give him 10 per week and most of the time doesn't reach that number, or his yellow squash. Also when he's like this and we take him out of his housing area, he will suddenly gain energy and run around the couch. We house him alone in a 40 gallon wide. I was wondering if this behavior is due to his age. Since we rescued him, we have no idea how old he is. Next month I am taking him to the vet for a wellness check up.Is there anything i can do at home to find his age or anything the vet can do?

And i know his cage is bare but i'm going to Repitcon tomorrow to get him stuff.

 

[Rbange1]

Really no way to tell his age. Seems like typical behavior to me. I'd suggest feeding a fresh diet of greens and bugs or maybe even repashy products like grub pie for protein. I think that will be much healthier for him and possibly help with his energy level. Not having the proper lighting can also cause low energy.

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[Rbange1]

It looks like you have no UVB lighting and a red light for heat? I would get a white heat lamp and throw out the red bulb. It is also detrimental to the dragons health to have a UVB tube bulb.

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[OHnatalie]

Like your cage.... How about consider getting a hammock....that way if your critter needs the extra heat he can climb up closer to get warm. I set my heat near enough yet not on top...as it gets too warm and my beardie really likes to relax in the hammock. Consider trying fresh veggies also....like collard greens, mustard greens, dandilion, a little parsley, some prickly pear. My beardie loves sugar snap peas (cut up a little) and cut green beans. I mix things up daily sprinkled every couple days with calcium.
Also, consider showering your baby. Mine gets into the shower, the lightly pounding water (only on her back half) gets "things" moving ....that bowel movement then gets washed down the drain. I then plug the drain, put some shallow water in the tub and get out the soft toothbrush and lightly scrub our little gal. Especially helpful when they are shedding. As soon as she is done, she is wrapped in a hand towel, rushed to her hammock with the heat lamp very near by, and dries in style I think this does wonders for her health. She always looks so perky after a good bath. Just suggestions....

 

[Tabasco]

Get rid of the red bulb. Get a basking white bulb. Get a uvb fixture and bulb that covers 2/3 of the tank length. Fresh salad every day along with dusted roaches or crickets. Give him one day off with no heat or lights or live food (as long as it stays above 60 degrees. Dust with vitamins 2 days a week. Try putting powdered bee pollen on his salad.