bearded dragon weight question

[ryanaesm]

Hello i have had my bearded dragon for just over 1 month, He is roughly 4-5 months (a guess using the charts available online). When i got him he weighed 50 grams exactly and was told by the store that he should only be given 15 crickets a day max and some veggies, Although reading books and online research i disagreed with that so he has had as much crickets as he wants 2 times per day in total around 60-70 crickets or 60-70 small dubia roaches. He seems happy enough i think and will chill on my shoulder while i am playing my games or if i leave the enclosure door open he is happy to go back and forth without worry that he will get lost so i think he trusts me well. His adult size enlosure is set to 105f and has the big uv light tube. I weighed him today and he is around 77grams at 12”.

My question is does he look too skinny/small?
From seeing other bearded dragons of the same age group i sometimes worry that he isnt growing as he should, Thanks for any advice given.

 

[ryanaesm]

 

[Sadie]

View attachment 29544

The breeder/ pet store people gave you bad advice about the feeding protein - that is the main diet and he should be fed the way your feeding - make sure you are offering fresh salads every day and a variety of insects like dubia roaches / BSFL or silk worms - small hornworms medium super worms and butter worms are good as well for treats - http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html ignore the kale thing its a good staple feeder -
Big UVB light what are you using? It must be properly placed and distanced to do the job it needs to do - brand and bulb please -also basking temps need to be taken w/ a digital probe thermometer as well NO stick ons they are good for ambient temp ONLY

 

[ryanaesm]

Hi thank you for your advice, For the uvb light i can not remember the make of the bulb but it was purchased in the reptile store, Here are a couple of pictures. I have the heat bulb placed to the right side (hot side) and the tube placed to the right side also, The tube is one of the longer ones so it does spread over to the cool side ever so slightly, The enclosure is also fitted with a habistat thermostat which works great. He loves butternut squash but i do try mix up what veggies/fruits that he eats but to be honest he wont go near any fruits just now, He will eat some salad but not loads and will eat butternut squash no problem when i offer him it. I do not offer him alot of squash as it has impacted his poop but he really enjoys it the most.

Maybe me being new to bearded dragons i am just worrying too much about his size and i should give him time to develop, I am happy that he is eating perfectly but his size i am unsure

 

[Sadie]

Hi thank you for your advice, For the uvb light i can not remember the make of the bulb but it was purchased in the reptile store, Here are a couple of pictures. I have the heat bulb placed to the right side (hot side) and the tube placed to the right side also, The tube is one of the longer ones so it does spread over to the cool side ever so slightly, The enclosure is also fitted with a habistat thermostat which works great. He loves butternut squash but i do try mix up what veggies/fruits that he eats but to be honest he wont go near any fruits just now, He will eat some salad but not loads and will eat butternut squash no problem when i offer him it. I do not offer him alot of squash as it has impacted his poop but he really enjoys it the most.

Maybe me being new to bearded dragons i am just worrying too much about his size and i should give him time to develop, I am happy that he is eating perfectly but his size i am unsure

Please get a bright white basking bulb you dont want any off colored yellowish bulbs - and please get some digital probe thermometers -- please go look at the website I posted for fixtures and bulbs --- your UVB has NO reflector on it its just a bulb you need a fixture w/ a reflector - at this point your dragon is getting NO UVB please replace that bulb w/ a fixture w/a reflector -- its going to effect his overall health and he will get sick --- stick ons for basking temps do not work they are only telling you ambient temps -- what is the top of the tank solid or screen or what?

 

[Skybug]

You’re dragon looks perfect, they get lanky and a little weird looking at 4-7 months, definitely feed him as much as he wants, they usually turn their heads when they’re done eating

 

[Jprice21]

Hello i have had my bearded dragon for just over 1 month, He is roughly 4-5 months (a guess using the charts available online). When i got him he weighed 50 grams exactly and was told by the store that he should only be given 15 crickets a day max and some veggies, Although reading books and online research i disagreed with that so he has had as much crickets as he wants 2 times per day in total around 60-70 crickets or 60-70 small dubia roaches. He seems happy enough i think and will chill on my shoulder while i am playing my games or if i leave the enclosure door open he is happy to go back and forth without worry that he will get lost so i think he trusts me well. His adult size enlosure is set to 105f and has the big uv light tube. I weighed him today and he is around 77grams at 12”.

My question is does he look too skinny/small?
From seeing other bearded dragons of the same age group i sometimes worry that he isnt growing as he should, Thanks for any advice given.

Theyre weight as a adult is around 370-500 grams so if ge doesnt weight that by 15-18 months old start feeding him 2 times a day max and if hes skinny 50/50 insect veggie diet instead of 30/70

 

[Jprice21]

Theyre weight as a adult is around 370-500 grams so if ge doesnt weight that by 15-18 months old start feeding him 2 times a day max and if hes skinny 50/50 insect veggie diet instead of 30/70

Some may just need more protein is all not all bearded dragon diets are exact same

 

[Jprice21]

Some may just need more protein is all not all bearded dragon diets are exact same

Amd the bigger sode for that age group is 115-120 grams so at 77 he can be 10-20 grams bigger

 

[ryanaesm]

Hi guys thanks for all your input/feedback, I have got a white bulb now and a proper digital thermometer, Currently waiting for the uvb reflector to come hopefully will be in the post tomorrow as i could not get one locally that was 30 inch. Will keep doing his weekly weight checks this morning he was 83g before feeding.

 

[Jprice21]

Hey the weight should be between 200-280 grams as they fall between 7-8 months most of them weight that at that age unless they are a smaller morph