Bearded Dragon Growth Rates

Video Transcript

"The next thing I want to talk a little bit about is growth rate on bearded dragons. Bearded dragons do start off very, very small, and they do get relatively large. Eighteen to twenty-four inches. Some maybe even slightly bigger if you gets what's called a German giant. Now, bearded dragons grow relatively fast, but not super fast. You can do what's called power feeding, though I don't recommend it, which basically popping them with lots and lots of food really fast to get them to grow very fast. Your bearded dragon needs to grow at a healthy rate, so as a baby you should see shedding you should see him shed his skin, maybe every once a week to every week and a half, preferably. If your bearded dragon reaches a length of say, about that big, and all of a sudden seems to stop growing, it's been a year, a year and a half, and nothing is really happening anymore, you need to reevaluate your husbandry techniques. Growth problems like that could be anything from a lack of hydration, a lack of proper diet, lack of proper heating, all things we've discussed a little bit today. It's very important that you watch your growth rate of your reptile and keep a monitor on that. It's a good indication as to proper health and proper keeping techniques. Don't put it aside and think oh he's just going to be small. Pay attention to it. I've had many a customer come in over the years and tell me they've had their bearded dragon for five years and he's only that big. And I come to find out they're not anywhere getting near the correct heat for the reptile, or the proper diet."