not growing?

[auddyrae]

HI, im worried my boy dragon isn't growing as much as my girl. she's definitely bigger than he is but i can't tell if she's always been that way or if he isn't growing or if they're both growing and she's just growing faster. I think she eats more than he does and i'm worried she takes some of the food from him and scares him out of eating. i tried putting him in a big tin popcorn can onetime with some crickets so he could eat by himself but he got scared and wouldn't eat anything. how can i tell if he's not growing, i hear you look at the tale and if it is super skinny that means he's too thin, but im not sure if it is nor not. i think it looks ok, has anyone else had similar problems with their two dragons? i just really don't want to do anything wrong. my last beardie got sick because i had some lighting wrong and he never grew. i have all the habitat things right this time but im just petrified he's not eating as much as the girl and not growing. any immediate advice or anything would be great. thanks

 

[Twobeardieguy]

I would recommend separating them! That is a sign of dominance! Once they are then you should see more improvements! Good luck..

 

[auddyrae]

hm... you think she would be dominating him this early on? and does that usually happen with male/female pairs? i also can't afford to get another set up... :/

 

[Twobeardieguy]

Absolutely!!!! And if it is in deed a male and female you may eventually end up with eggs!! I would separate ASAP!! Any more questions just ask!! Good luck...

 

[auddyrae]

Well i do want eggs so i'm not too worried about that, but they're not old enough yet anyways, just a few months old, i'm just worried about him not eating as much. i can't say for sure if he isn't because i do see him eat, just get the feeling he eats less than her. and she is a little bigger than him right now. how can i tell if he is not growing or getting fat enough? and why won't he eat when i separate them? i tried it again today. i wait for 15 minutes and he never took one bite.

 

[Twobeardieguy]

Beardies will eat when they see fit! Feeding them in a separate tank will sometimes stress them out if they are not used to it! Probably your best bet would be to separate them! They are solitary reptiles and do better on their own. Good luck...

 

[auddyrae]

Do you have all yours separated? And will that affect their breeding? Because I want to breed them when their old enough

 

[Twobeardieguy]

My babies are only a few weeks old! And the juveniles are in their own enclosure! When I run out of room I do house some of them together but only for a few days to a few weeks because I see the same thing! Also some beardies grow at different rates, but chances are their is some dominance going on their! But Im just offering you my advise! Best of luck to you!

Edit: Almost forgot, when they are old enough to breed then you can introduce them but only for short periods of time!

 

[auddyrae]

Thanks, ya I think I will separate them. I'm so bumbed, it wouldve been so much easier to have them together. I definitely think you're right though. Thank you

 

[falcorandspyro09]

I'm having exactly the same problem, i will now look into getting another set up to seperate them as soon as possible....i feel so sorry for my little one