AboutPam Expertise I can answer 98% of all questions regarding the husbandry of most desert to temperate climate omnivore and herbivore lizards. This would include bearded dragons, and skinks. I can also answer questions regarding iguanas. I can not help with snakes,amphibians,crustations or arachnids.
For tortoises I will only refer you to the World Chelonian Trust.
I am not a vet, but I've had enough medical (human) training to know that when a reptile is showing symptoms he needs definitive care. That means a vet, period. I can help with a few conditions, such as prolapse, so that the animal has the best chance at the vet to treat and recover.
The answer to having two species sharing the same habitat will always be no.
Just because you don't like my answer does not mean I'm wrong.
As for breeding animals, especially bearded dragons who already have a weak gene pool as it is, you will get all the reasons why you shouldn't. There are enough inexperienced breeders out there, filling pet stores with undersized sickly babies, I will not add to their number.
If you need a lizard identified, please give me an idea of where you live and a description of the animal.
Experience I own and breed bearded dragons (pogona vitticeps). I've been a member of several e-mail lizard care groups, I am both a forum chat moderator for Reptilerooms.com, and forum moderator for Pogona and Babyiguana Yahoo Groups. I have soaked in the knowledge of some of the best researchers, rehabbers, and herp veterinarians from those groups
Organizations Long Island Herpetological Society
International Reptile Conservation Society
Education/Credentials SUNY @ Farmingdale - Animal Science
Univ. of GA - Pre-Vet
Question Thank you so much. I have done so. I have to let you know I dont know the sexes of the dragons. I know for sure though that Fang is the dominant one. I have seperated them. Griffin is pretty upset and looking around for Fang but I am hoping for the best. Should I continue with the baby food? How long should I keep force feeding her? SHe is so small and scrawney. Is there something that is high protein and good enzymes for her?
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Followup To
Question -
Help.... I bought two bearded dragons about 3 weeks ago. the breeder said they are about 5 months old.... They are siblings. One is grwoing just great. Look really beautiful and has really strong color. The other seems to have failure to thrive.. Griffin wont eat and just lays on the rock. I have read everything. It seems like I have the tank at the correct temp. UVB abd UVA lighting. Like I said one is just really healthy. I want to take her to the vet but I am trying to avoid a huge vet bill at this time. I feed Griffin baby food with calcium and some mashed up pellet food three times a day. I have to gently pry her mouth open to get her to eat. Fang does not seem to hurt her. I have read about one dragon intimidating the other so maybe Griffin jsut has given up. Today I noticed Fang laying on her... I would move Fang but FAng would go right back and stand on her.I am going to try to seperate them and give Griffin her own cage. Do you have any ideas?
Answer -
Giving her her own tank would be the best thing you can do, and a soon as possible. Intimidation can be very subtle. Fang's being on top of her is one indication, keeping her from properly basking. When she gets her own place, it may take a few days for her to realize that all her food is actually hers, but then she should get the idea.
Also 5 months old Fang may start going after his sister to mate, and stress her even more. Even if you have to set one up in a Sterlite bin, I wouldn't wait to get them apart.
Answer Great that they have their own places. Griffin will take a bit to adjust to the idea that she now has her own territory.
Force feeding is never the best. Try and make a mush for her. Get some collards, dandelion greens, turnip greens, and mustard greens, soaked pellet food and water and put it through the food processor or blender. Put some in her food bowl and try and give her some of the liquid from the syringe or dropper. These are the greens she should be eating anyway. You may add butternut squash babyfood, because that is an excellent veggie she should be eating as well. I found that mush trained my hatchlings to eat salad in their first week of life.
When you pick them up, cradle the tummy in your hand, their head away from you. Lift the tail straight up. Just above the vent or cloaca, on the base of the tail you will either see a single bulge, or two bulges side by side giving the center a dimpled appearance. The one bulge means a female, the dimple means a male.
