They're all different. ?
I swear, if I were to feed Spike all he wants, he‘d eat until he literally popped! Crazy little dude has jumped into the wax worm container a couple of times when I’m giving him a few as treats. If only he were as enthusiastic about eating his salads.They're all different. ?
When mine was 16", he weighed 230g. (just shy of 6 mo.)
When he was 7 mo., he was 18"; 360g.
Most he ever gained in a week was 30g. (and he was eating like a pig).
He's been kind of hovering the last month or so...
Ditto. Whenever I put num-nums in his bowl, Stinkeye would launch himself at the glass, trying to get to them, or dive head-first and face-plant into the bowl from the top of his mountain (about 16"). He'll chomp on the plants in his enclosure before he'll touch any of the salads or veggies I put in there. So this week, I hid some squash slices among the plants he's chomped on the most, and the little turd went for them!
Ingenious with the squash! I want to set up some plants in Spike’s tank, but he makes such a mess...crumples up his paper towel, knocks his wood pieces over, poops on his hammocks and wood...I should have named him Tornado! ?Ditto. Whenever I put num-nums in his bowl, Stinkeye would launch himself at the glass, trying to get to them, or dive head-first and face-plant into the bowl from the top of his mountain (about 16"). He'll chomp on the plants in his enclosure before he'll touch any of the salads or veggies I put in there. So this week, I hid some squash slices among the plants he's chomped on the most, and the little turd went for them!
Agreed - but I also think that a SAFE loose substrate is good to use with healthy adult beardies. It's what they live on in the wild after all. Beardies are natural diggers and I think we should allow them to dig.Agree—very nice color & markings, but I'd lose the carpet substrate (personal opinion).
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Based on what I've read, observed, discussed with folks in Australia who keep them in captivity (indoor & outdoor enclosures vary on substrate), and what I've learned about some animals' behaviors:
Yeah, I agree about your point on digging. But I still think that the impaction risk is overblown. If your husbandry is on point, and you have a healthy dragon, they should be okay. Most reptiles can pass small amounts of dirt fine, I personally think that the “loose substrate is a death sentence” mantra is more of a myth.Based on what I've read, observed, discussed with folks in Australia who keep them in captivity (indoor & outdoor enclosures vary on substrate), and what I've learned about some animals' behaviors:
In the wild, they live on sand, but it's sand in a technical soil engineering sense—not like beach sand, and AFAIK, they dig only to make a hide or lay. If they can easily find a hide in rocks, there's no reason for them to dig (except a gravid female, and that can be accomplished via a lay box).
Speaking of lay boxes, aren't those usually supposed to consist of moist granular sand? Not at all like the dry fine dusty sand in the Outback. I've often wondered about that inconsistency.
In captivity (particularly indoor enclosures), they may be digging out of stress, boredom, anxiety, frustration, etc. Those are likely the same factors that cause some to ingest particulate substrates.
Mine hasn't tried—or as far as I can tell, wanted—to dig since I've had him (Early Nov. '19). He doesn't scratch at the floor at all. He has plenty of hides among the bricks & stones in his enclosure.
He's pulled exactly one plant out (out of 20 or so) by pulling from the top—not digging it out.
It may also depend somewhat on what they have available to keep their claws maintained. On a substrate of rough slate, I've never had to trim.
Yeah, I've heard some zoos keep them on particulates too, but I don't know if they're talking about your typical 4x2x2, or something more "zoo-sized", and zoos provide plenty of natural hides AFAIK, and have vets on-staff or on-call.
It's up to each of us that keep them. I'm a "better safe than sorry" guy. YMMV, agree to disagree & all that.
IDK. The vets I've spoken with about it all seem to think they see it too often, and usually mention too small an enclosure (one factor of husbandry) as a reason. As I mentioned, ingesting out of stress, boredom, anxiety, frustration, etc., can become obsessive for some animals, and that can be a killer. For some, it may be the first sign of a health or husbandry problem. If it weren't an issue, I don't think we'd be seeing as many articles & pics about it.
I wasn’t saying it wasn’t an issue. I‘ve seen plenty of pictures of impacted dragons. That said, I still believe if your husbandry is good, loose sub is not dangerous. But yeah, I’ve seen beardies kept on straight sand in a twenty gallon with an insufficient basking spot, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they got impacted. And don’t get me started on the 40 gallon “minimum”. Soo outdated, and I find it hard to believe that people actually think that is enough room for their beardie. I love that you went even bigger than 4x2x2, the bigger the better. I think that people are too obsessed with minimum cage measurements for reptiles in general, minimum does not equal ideal.
I think they're trying to do it as cheaply as possible—don't get me started....
Hahaha, I get being cheap, I want to save money too, but not at the animal's expense. People should be going for the maximum, not some arbitrary minimum.I think they're trying to do it as cheaply as possible—don't get me started....
She’s getting so big! Very pretty too. ?
His face is too cute!
It is amazing how quickly she is growing!!
she got junk in the trunk
All the time I call her a "little fatty" and my daughter is super offended by it! But she has a fat ol pot belly!!she got junk in the trunk
