MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Spike just turned 2 in December. The toothbrush works great for cleaning the little feet that make sure to run thru the poop seconds before I can clean it.
Beardies
- Thread starter AmandaS
- Start date
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
Ol' Stinkeye is... lemme think... just shy of 2½.
He's always had a soft mushy toothbrush; mentioned it a while ago.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/beardies.174985/page-20#post-1613704
I've been
) for him not to get any on his feet, though he's smudged his ponderous bug-belly & tail enough times—hence rinsing his nethers under the faucet when necessary. 
Why is it that every time we see them about to drag themselves through
and try to stop them, they inevitably do exactly what we're trying to prevent—only worse? 
Ares05
Chameleon Enthusiast
Unfortunately the baby beardie I had in my care a month back didn’t make it due to a medical condition. However, I did just get this little sweetie in the mail this morning after deciding I was ready for another. Meet Orion. He’s a red/orange leatherback (het for zero as well). He’s in a full body shed aside from his sides and arms. 5 months old, 10ish inches long.
And here is his mom and dad.
And here is his mom and dad.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Spike woke from his long sleep on the wrong side of the hide. I’ve been getting the black beard and stink eye just about every time I look at him. Moving him from the dining room to my bedroom certainly didn’t help any. So this morning instead of sleeping in preparation for work tonight, I made a little modification to his Zen enclosure and gave him back the view he had long ago. I think he likes it. Behold the power of acrylic panels!
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
He is a fatty at 655 Gms. I had him on a diet before he went into brumation but somehow he gained a lot of weight. I’m assuming his metabolism was starting to slow. I’ve got him back on his diet and he’s not happy about it...not a fan of salad.
I guess he is happy with his view…all relaxed and has his sexy leg pose going.
AmandaS
Retired Moderator
I haven't weighed Opal, but am certainly going to this afternoon!!
Ares05
Chameleon Enthusiast
How long is he? He seems like a big boy despite his extra weight. Mars (my other dragon) gained quite a bit of weight after his tail surgeries a couple years back. My vet recommended moving to every other day/every two day feedings (and less food during feedings) until he dropped some weight, which worked well for me. I also allowed him to roam out of his cage more frequently so he’d stay mobile.
Orion already has the sexy legs going lol. Settling in nicely I see! Belly full of bugs.
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Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Aww…I just love it when they do the sexy leg. Orion looks quite comfy and content.
Spike is 19-20“ from tip to tail. I didn’t realize I was feeding him too many bugs which is how he got so chunky. I was feeding bugs 3 days a week and now he gets a smaller amount of them once a week. I’ve always given him a fresh salad daily and he for the most part ignores them. Since waking I think the only salad he’s eaten has been what I’ve hand fed and what was stuck to hornworm feet.
AmandaS
Retired Moderator
Opal decided she doesn't want to be a salad eater. She mostly only eats watermelon and blueberries now. I'm like girl, I know fruit is good cause it's sweet, but eat your collards too!!Aww…I just love it when they do the sexy leg. Orion looks quite comfy and content.
Spike is 19-20“ from tip to tail. I didn’t realize I was feeding him too many bugs which is how he got so chunky. I was feeding bugs 3 days a week and now he gets a smaller amount of them once a week. I’ve always given him a fresh salad daily and he for the most part ignores them. Since waking I think the only salad he’s eaten has been what I’ve hand fed and what was stuck to hornworm feet.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
I’ve got to ask what everyone is using for basking bulbs. I’ve been using Fluker’s 150w with mixed results. Some bulbs last a few months and others (like today’s) burn out as soon as I put them in.
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
I'm very sympathetic to salad avoidance. Unfortunately, neither of those should be fed too often or as staples; they're both 'Feed Occasionally'.
http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html
Apologies if I've said this next part before... Ol' Stinkeye wouldn't eat anything fruit/vegetable his first year. Nevertheless I provided him with daily salads. Following his first brumation, something changed; he ate a piece of greens, and over the past year, the percentage of greens, veggies, & fruit has increased. IDK that it's 80% as some sources say it should, but like some chameleon numbers—the 80/20—20/80 thing is a
.Now, due to his diet (the little pudge) he's only getting bugs once a week, and half as many per meal as he used to get. He still gets fresh salad every day (except fast day), and I think he's finally learning to
Now that he's full-grown (and on the diet), I no longer have compunctions about not giving him bugs until he eats his salads & veggies.
Not suggesting anything—it's just what worked for this stubborn little cuss of a dragon...
FWIW, he used to get 2 blueberries at a time, no more than twice a week. On his diet, we cut that down to once per week.
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
75W incandescent flood when I can find them, or 65W halogen flood.
Both have lasted about a year @ 12 on/12 off.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Spike loves his boo-berries and razzies but I only put one or two in his salads to entice him over and realize that the plant matter is food. I also put a pinch of bee pollen as beardies are supposed to like it. 
I think it’s a universal battle for all beardie keepers to get them to eat their salad with as much gusto as they eat their bugs.
You get it hot enough for Ol’ Stinkeye with a 75w? I struggle to get Spike’s temps above 90 with 100w and 150w. Now that he’s awake I need to redo his enclosure. Hopefully I can find that sweet spot for temps with a lower wattage bulb.
I think it’s a universal battle for all beardie keepers to get them to eat their salad with as much gusto as they eat their bugs. You get it hot enough for Ol’ Stinkeye with a 75w? I struggle to get Spike’s temps above 90 with 100w and 150w. Now that he’s awake I need to redo his enclosure. Hopefully I can find that sweet spot for temps with a lower wattage bulb.
AmandaS
Retired Moderator
I definitely do not feed either of them regularly or as staples. They're occasional treats.
AmandaS
Retired Moderator
I try to use 100W incandescent bulbs...but they do burn out so quickly. And they're getting harder and harder to find. So right now I'm using a zoomed. But like you said mine also have a tendency to not last very long. I change them frequently.
