Baby bearded dragon size

Question
QUESTION: I just recently got my first baby bearded dragon and have been reading tons about them online and gathering as much information for care for it as I can but there was a couple things I just couldn't find: It seems to be rather undersized, I got it from a local petstore and was told they were 3 1/2 months old. I'd seen all 4 they had from the same parents and they were all identical in size. It is 6" from tip of tail to nose, but reading about sizing on the internet it describes the hit this size at 6 weeks, and by 3 1/2 months most are fairly large from head to tail. What kind of growth should I expect from him in the next couple months? Is the sizing mostly based on genetics of the parents or specific morph's or breeds?
Also I would like to know if the uva and uvb lights are actually harmful to the dragons eyes. Several websites were showing documented evidence on turtles and bearded dragons that the light was harming their eyes and that the uv lights shouldn't be used? Especially the "reptisun" brand should not be used.
I have kept him underneath a basement window for natural sun and kept the tempertures closely monitored and it hasn't been a problem so far but I'd like to know, am I going to harm him this way or are the uv lights not going to hurt him? I have made sure that he has proper supplimentation for calcium and vitamens through feeding the crickets and dusting often.. Would that be enough of does he need to have lots of UV?

ANSWER: Hello Layne,

Yes, the sizing is usually predetermined by genetics, but their growth can be stunted by improper lighting, feeding, etc.  The morphs of german giants have a tendency to have tremendous growth very early on & reaching lengths over 20 inches, with a bodyweight of at least 500-800 grams.  They are the largest morph here in the US.  The average length of bearded dragons that are not german giants are roughly 16-20 inches, with a bodyweight of around 300-600 grams.    
Right now, you should expect him to be growing an "average" of 1/2 inch per week, roughly.
Could you run over your tank setup with me?  
What sized tank is he in?  It is fine to give him some free roam but, he will not be getting much if any UVB through the window unfortunately.  He needs a fairly constant temperature gradient, as well as UVB exposure.  If he does not receive that it can affect his health as well as his growth, too.
What are his temps in the windowsil?  What are you using to measure the temps there?
He will not be able to absorb calcium properly without adequate UVB exposure which can leave him vulnerable to metabolic bone disease.
They do need UVB, it it critical for their health.  The ones that were causing harm to their eyes, were made incorrectly.  In some cases, the lights were being used without enough bright light also.
Here is a site that talks about the hazardous lights:

http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapyphosphor.htm

The UVB lights to avoid right now are:
Reptisun 5 compact/coil light
Reptisun 10 compact/coil light
Reptiglo 10 compact/coil light
Reptiglo 10 flourescent tube bulb
R-Zilla T-50 Tropical series compact/coil light
R-Zilla T-50 Tropical series flourescent tube light
ESU Slimline 7% flourescent tube bulb
Big Apple Mystic compact/coil light

The UVB lights you can get are:
Reptisun 5 flourescent tube bulb
Reptisun 10 flourescent tube bulb
Arcadia D3 12% flourescent tube bulb

Mercury vapor bulbs that are great:
Megaray
T-rex Active UV heat
Exo Terra Solar Glo

I am sure you will have some questions, so let me know how things are going. I hope this helps.

Tracie  



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Well thank you for the answers my current tank setup is a 20 gallon reptile tank with a screen top, he is on repticage carpeting until he gets older then I'd like to put him onto sand but I'm recently reading that sand is bad for them even as adults. He has a shallow waterdish on the warm side of the tank and a large piece of driftwood directly under the 75w heatlamp positioned against one end of the cage. A rock cave towards the cool end of his cage and a small tree he likes to sleep in that is the farthest away from the heat lamp, he spends most of his time in this tree when we find him. If I put him on the log he will stay until I leave and I'm not sure when he goes back to the tree. But that's where we always find him sleeping. Is it normal for him to sleep a lot being as young as he is. Very soon after I have him out he falls asleep in my hand and will just stay there until I put him back. He is fairly alert but very often sleeps. his food dish that I've kept diced veggies and fruit in is in the corner opposite the tree on the cool end of the cage. I also have a digital thermometer and humidity gage insidethe tank at the front corner of the heated side. The tank consistantly runs between 82-86'F on the warm side of the tank next to his basking point. at night I turn the heat off and it drops to 70'F overnight.And the humidity has been between 35-45%
He hasn't eaten much of the fruit but I've heard that's fairly normal. But I did find a couple droppings in the tank I've only had him a few days so I don't really know what to expect. I do own other reptiles: a paired male and female gargoyle geckos, and two pacman frogs that are doing very well. The UVB lamp that I did buy but haven't been using is the exoterra reptiglo 5.0. would that be o-k to use for him or will that damage him as well because its a compact coil bulb? I have been leaving lots of the baby crickets in the tank though and I've been reading that's not the best for them as it causes stress.. But the crickets are very tiny and he shouldn't have a problem eating any of them. He is very alert but I haven't seen him actually ever catch any crickets but I have seen him eat two waxworms that were fed to him a couple days ago.
I still wonder that he is very small and still a hatchling I was at another petstore yesterday and was told their's were 6 weeks old and the smallest one was still a bit bigger than mine and the were "common" ones like mine. Would most of the breeds here in canada be the larger ones or smaller versions be as frequent?

ANSWER: Hello Layne,

The Reptiglo 5 is hardly any UVB at all really.  You can use it for extra brightness in the tank, but for UVB you really need to get a Reptisun 10 flourescent tube bulb in order for him to get adequate UVB lighting.  You can order that bulb from:
www.petmountain.com

The humidity is fine, at those levels.  
The carpet is fine, too.  You can switch to tiles when he gets older if you want to, they look really nice.  
He should not be sleeping alot for him being that young.  You are using a bright white light, correct?  
Do not leave any crickets in his tank with him for extended periods of time, because no matter how small they can irritate him, bite him & just stress him out.  Get a plastic bin to feed him in so none will be around in his tank.
Are you supplementing him with calcium 5 times per week?
What are the basking temps there?  What type of thermometer are you using, a stick on type of thermometer, a digital probe or a temp gun?
It sounds like you have your hands full with reptiles though.


Tracie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks again for the reply. So I started using the uvb lamp for him yesterday and I noticed a huge change in his activity level and attentiveness.(It is a white light yes) He slept less and was much more active when I was using the uv lamp on him. I am going out tonight to find a proper UVB lamp for him. I am using a digital probe thermometer. I also have a stick on thermometer used for aquariums I could also use but I was concerned about the heat breaking the glass on it because it is a mercury filled one (not sure if they are actually filled with mercury anymore). I can try to upload a picture or two of his tank if I can get the pictures off my blackberry to send.
What kind of container should I used for feeding? Just a small plastic critter keeper? Or do I need a second small tank? Or should I just get a rubbermaid tub? And what should I have inside it? Do I need another water dish or is it to just let him romp around and eat crickets. Last night he ate 4 crickets and a waxworm a little bit earlier. And I'm not sure if he ate earlier in the day or not. He probably did. How much is it normal for him to eat at this age? I've been reading online and some are saying 75-100 crickets. And others say maybe 8 pheonix worms or 5 crickets. Again based on size, genetics,  temperment and personal appetite?
How do I get him to eat veggies? Will he just decide to on his own and I just put them in his tank? Or do I need to show him where it is and try handfeeding him or put him right at the dish? Should it be offered every day? Or every second day? Because all of it so far has gone to waste. I've been trying to get him to try fruit to eat lately hoping he may like the sweeter stuff and get him started on other veggies or what should I do?

Answer
Hello Layne,

Great, you are seeing an improvement in him now.  I am glad you are using a bright white light for the basking light.  You will see even more of a difference using the Reptisun 10 flourescent tube bulb.  
The digital probe thermometer is perfectly fine, no problem.  
Just use a plastic bin to feed him in, that will be fine.  A rubbermaid is good, or a large tupperware either one.  Something large enough for him to move around in.  Nothing needs to be in the feeding bin, just a few crickets at a time, & him.  Once he eats a few, put a few more in.  Too many will overwhelm him.
At his age, of around 3-4 months, he can eat however much he wants.  He should be eating at least 50 or more crickets, or a combination of crickets & other feeders daily.  He will slow down around 8-10 months of age.
Ours when they were young, were eating tons, 75+ daily, on most days.
Well, keep trying with the greens & veggies, he will eventually eat them.  You could try putting some phoenix worms in with the greens to help entice him a little bit.  You can try handfeeding some if you would like to.  I understand, it is hard when they wont eat it.  Whatever he wont eat, you can feed it to the crickets & they will eat it.  Putting a few berries in with the greens might help, too.  

Tracie