One of the most important steps to take if you are thinking of keeping this bearded dragon as a pet is how big your pet gets. Getting a clue about the possible size of the pet you are about to keep gives the idea of what you are about to get yourself into and what you need to provide to ensure the dragon will live comfortably.
Most of the owners, and more so the starters they have no clue how the bearded dragons get and what factors influence their size. It is very crucial for them to these factors since that makes it easier for them to take care of.
Baby Bearded Dragon size
When baby dragons are born, they are typically about 4 grams and a length of 3 inches. However, during the firsts two months, they can grow at 1 to 1.5“ per week and gain between 5 to 35 grams in these two months. It will therefore be important to keep weighing your baby dragons every week to ensure that they are within the normal rate. Whenever you realize that your baby dragons are not growing at the normal rate, you need to change your feeding habits and check their lighting. These young ones might not be feeding properly, maybe due to the stiff competition from other babies, or they may also be ill with am Impaction or have a metabolic bone disease.
During the first year of these animals, they need to be exposed to proper lighting, good nutrition, and bedding. They also need to be fed with high protein content, and this explains why they need to be fed with insects during this stage of growth.
They should also be having a basking bulb on the outside of the lids mesh.
Juvenile Bearded Dragons size
A juvenile bearded dragon is one that is aged 2 to 7 months, and during this period, they grow from about 8 grams to 280 grams. They have a growth rate of 1 to 3″ every month. It is also very important for these animals to have a proper diet during this stage since they are still developing. It is vital to ensure that every individual pet is given enough space and is separated into individual cages that are about 30 gallons. It is at this point that they start the tendency of being territorial, and they start becoming dominant. The larger bearded dragons may dominate the food areas and deny the smaller ones the chance to feed, and this will affect the health-wise.
How big do the Bearded Dragon get when they are fully grown?
The bearded dragon grow rapidly during the first three months of their life, and then after this period, they start growing at a slower rate for the rest of the time until they are fully grown adults. Once the bearded dragons are fully grown and mature, they can measure between 12 to 24 inches in length, and this is a manageable size no matter the size of your home.
It is worth noting that there is never a particular rule to predict and tell how big your beard can get, but it is just determined by a few factors. Some dragons will reach their maximum sizes as early as 8 to 10 months, while some will not reach them until the second year of their lives.
How the bearded dragons should be at different ages
As you know, dragons have different sizes at different ages, and this is important for every pet owner to have in order to plan accordingly.
| Age | Size |
| 0 – 1 Months | 3 to 4 inches |
| Two months | 5 to 9 inches |
| Three months | 8 to 11 inches |
| Four months | 9 to 12 inches |
| Five months | 11 to 16 inches |
| Six months | 11 to 18 inches |
| 8 months | 13 to 20 inches |
| 12 months | 16 to 24 months |
The Maximum size of the Bearded Dragons according to Species
The bearded dragons have different species, and each one of them grows to a different maximum size and has a differing growth rate. Below are some of the species and their different sizes.
- Pagona vitticeps
This is the central species of bearded dragons, and it is the most popular among all. It is commonly found in forests, desert areas, and dry bush areas. An according to most of the owners who have kept this species as pets, it is typically gentle in nature and loves to climb. These species feed and remain awake during the day and take rest through the night. When the Pogona vitticeps are fully grown, they can go up to a maximum length of 24 inches.
- Pogona Barbara
This is another species of bearded dragon that is considered very large, and during the full growth, they can go up to 24 inches. This species is also known as the coastal bearded dragon or the Eastern bearded dragon. It is important for any future owner to note that this species is usually very territorial, especially around others, and therefore there is a need to separate them. They are active mainly during the daytime. Just like the rest of the species, these dragons like climbing and wandering around as they enjoy the environment they are in. These species are mainly found in the wooded areas that are dry.
- Pogona minor Mitchell
This species is also known as the Mitchell bearded dragon, and it grows up to a maximum length of 18 inches. This is a rare species, and it is mainly found in desert regions and in semi-tropical wooded areas.
- Pogona Minor
This species of bearded dragons can grow up to a maximum length of 14 to 18 inches, and they are commonly known as the Dwarf bearded dragons. It is another species of these dragons that is rarely found. It opts to live in areas that are mainly rocky as well as regions that are wood-shaded.
- Pogona Nullabor
This species of bearded dragons are also considered a rate, and it grows to a maximum length of 14 inches. They prefer living in a flat environment with a drier brush.
- Pogona Henrylasoni
These are among the smallest species of dragons and are also known as the Lawsons Bearded dragons. The potential owners should not expect this species to grow so big since they grow up to a maximum length of about 12 inches or even less. These species are mainly found living in arid desert areas or drier rocky areas. In these areas, they spend most of their time climbing.
The Pogona microlepidota
This is one of the rare species of dragons. It is mostly found in coastal areas or wooded areas. This is the smallest species of bearded dragon since it full grows up to a length of 4 to 6 inches.
Factors that influence the size of the bearded Dragons
Whenever you get hold of a baby Braded dragon, it is difficult to tell to what extent it will grow by just looking at it physically. You can only imagine whether it will double the size or even triple. During young age, these animals grow so fast, but there are factors that determine how big your pet will grow. They include;
Genetics
One of the determinants of how big the bearded dragon will grow is genetics. For instance, if the parents grew so big, there is a high likelihood of their younger ones growing big, and if they were small, their babies might be small too.
Gender
The other factor that will greatly affect how big your bearded dragon will be is gender. There is always a visible difference between the males and females in their bumps, femoral pores, and physical size. The males are known to be generally bigger in size than the female. The females mainly grow to a maximum length of 16 to 19 inches. They are always small in length and weight compared to males.
Gender identification
It may look difficult for a new owner to distinguish between a male and a female bearded dragon. There are different ways of doing that without necessarily having to use a vet for X-rays, such as checking their underside for bumps. There are some behaviors and traits that are known to belong to a specific agender, and they can be used to differentiate.
For instance, the male species turning their beards into color black or the females waving their arms and digging to hide their eggs, although these are not the accurate means. For example, all the dragons, whether male or female, have the ability to turn their heads black when they are subjected to stress, but the males being the most territorial, do it often.
The most appropriate way of identification is by looking at the bumps under the tail near the vent. To do this, you can gently lift the tail up or shining a flashlight through it. The male dragons have two bumps running parallel to their tails, while the females have one bump running across the trail near the vent.
Diet
Bearded dragons need to be fed a completely balanced diet for them to have proper development. As an owner o these pets, it is important to make sure you avoid feeding them with low nutrients foods because they slow their rate of growth. It is also important to avoid feeding them with high-fat insects which have improperly balanced nutrients.
Their diets should be changing with their age;
Juveniles are dragons that are in the development stage, and therefore they need to be fed a protein-rich diet. To be able to meet this, you should feed them 75 percent insects, and the remaining 25 percent should be plant materials.
For the adults, it should be the opposite of the juveniles, where their diet constitutes 75 percent of plant materials and 25 percent of insects. This is because at adult age, they are fully grown, and they do not need much body-building food. Continued overfeeding with protein can cause health problems such as obesity.
Housing
The size of a bearded dragon can greatly be affected by the environment in which they are living. It is important as an owner to ensure that your dragons have a spacious closure. When you have a closure or a tan that has limited space, your bearded dragon might have stunted growth since they do not have enough space to move around and exercise. The average size of a tent that is recommended for juveniles should be 40 gallons, while the adults should live in at least a 120 gallons tank.
After getting them enough space, you should also ensure the place has enough lighting and also feed them with calcium supplements that have vitamin D. Whenever you subject your dragons to poor lighting, and they might have stunted growth. If The closure does not have enough heat, the dragon will not be able to absorb nutrients or synthesize vitamin D, and this will end up compromising the metabolic functions end up causing a metabolic bone disease.
Care
Whenever a bearded dragon is subjected to poor care, it is likely to get affected in its size and weight. They will suffer illnesses such as Impaction and attack by the parasites, and this will deny them sufficient nutrients hence affecting their growth. It also affects their mental health, and this will definitely affect how they grow. Whenever you notice any signs of illness such as weight loss, bloating, loss of appetite, it is important to consult your vet for assistance.
How dominance can affect the Bearded Dragons Growth
It is advisable to avoid putting many dragons together in one tank and more so for food reasons, even if it is the females who are considered less dominant. When you put many bearded dragons in the same closure, there will always be a fight for dominance, and definitely, the most dominant will always be at the top. When you observe a dragon on top of the other, it may seem as if they are engaging in affection, but in a real sense, they are in a fight on who is more dominant to be able to receive proper lighting.
The one that will be on the top will be the winner, and this means the other one at the bottom will not receive proper lighting, and this will affect its growth since it is very critical for growth.
The more the bearded dragon will be dominant, the more it will be able to get a bigger share of food, and this explains why the owners who keep them together take their time to feed them separately, although this is not the ideal solution.
Whenever they are put together, and there are constant struggles for everything, this puts the dragon under stress. This can cause them to lose appetite, and this will end up affecting the growth rate. It is therefore important to separate these animals.
How to tell IF YOUR Bearded Dragon is underweight
The fat bearded dragons usually have a budged belly that overextends beyond its sides when it is standing. They will also have every thick leg and a plumb chest area. If your dragon is female and the belly is enlarged, she may need to have egg retention and, in the end, may need surgery. Whenever you find out that your bearded dragon is overweight, the first thing is checking the temperatures in your tank, and if you find them to be more than 95 to 100 F, there might be a problem.
The main reason why the bearded dragons become s obese is as a result of overfeeding from obsessed owners who want to keep feeding their pets. However, you can help reduce the weight of your dragons by;
- Increase the number of greens you feed them compared to the insects. This is because adults need more greens and fewer insects.
- Make a selection of less fatty and more protein-heavy insects.
Whenever a bearded dragon is underweight, it usually has a flat body with wrinkles and loose skin. Their usual fat pads on the back of their legs and skull are sunken too. The ribs and the spine will be visible when they are underweight. To be able to know whether the dragon is overweighing, you should use a growth chart as your guide.
Below are the steps to follow if your dragon is underweight
- Observe their appetite, and if they are eager to eat, it is advisable to get a fecal exam as they may be having parasites.
- If you find out that the appetite of your bearded dragons is sluggish, it might be due to environmental issues, or you might have induced brumation by accident; these animals go into brumation when they have insufficient sunlight.
- If you find out that your bearded dragon is not eating completely, it might be suffering from Impaction. This issue is so common to lizards that have an inaccurate substrate that ends up blocking their digestive system.
Possible causes of slow growth
- Diseases
If your bearded dragons get sick constantly as they grow, this may affect the rate of your pers growth. There are different ways in which the diseases affect the growth rate; for instance, sick animals have no appetite, and this will be a big blow to the heath of these dragons hence slowing down their growth.
There are a few remedies to prevent this from happening. They are called the fundamentals of care, and they need to be repeated regularly;
- Give them proper lighting
- Maintain the recommended levels of humidity
- Keep the closure clean always
- Do not feed them with wild insects
- Always ensure the water in their cage is clean
- Insufficient diet
The bearded dragons will require the correct diet that contains a lot of protein during the growth stage. During the baby phase, the pets should be fed at least three times a day to be able to boost their growth rate. The bearded dragons should be bought from a reputable supplier or supply retailer to avoid dangerous insecticides and other harmful toxins that be able to present in freshly caught bugs.
AS your bearded dragons grow, it is important to change the diet whereby the adults need more plant matter and fewer insects.
- Early Brumation
As the winter approaches, these reptiles normally go into brumation. This period is similar to the hibernation that is common to other animals. The bearded dragons will sleep more, slow down and decrease the amount of food they are consuming, and this is meant to enable them to preserve their energy and make it through the tough winter months.
Whenever the bearded dragons are in captivity, it is normal for them to go into brumation, and this should not be a concern. But if this happens when they are young, you should be worried and consult a vet. This is because the early age of your dragon is so essential for growth, and if they spend most of the time sleeping and avoiding eating, it will be disastrous to their health.
- Improper Lighting
For the bearded dragons to grow properly, they need to have good lighting. If they are not exposed to the lighting, their growth may be stunted or slowed down dramatically. They weaken the bones due to a lack of enough calcium.
bearded dragons’ weight
Whenever the bearded dragons are born, they are very small, weighing about the same size as a sheet of paper. This site does not last for long, more so if they are fed right. They rapidly grow during the first months.
| Age | Weight |
| 1 Month | 4-6 grams |
| 2 Months | 8-40 grams |
| 3 Months | 20-110 grams |
| 4 Months | 40-115 grams |
| 5 Months | 100-150 grams |
| 6 Months | 180-225 grams |
| 7 Months | 225-280 grams |
| 8 Months | 230-325 grams |
| 9 Months | 250-350 grams |
| 10 Months | 260-375 grams |
| 11 Months | 280-400 grams |
| 1 Year | 300-450 grams |
| 18 Months | 300-550 grams |
Do the bearded Dragons grow to the size of their tanks?
Many people assume that when they buy a small pet, they will remain in that size and will always be the size of the tank. What they do not understand is that they will reach the maturity stage and be bug enough that if you do not provide enough space, they would no longer be comfortable.
You may need to increase the size of the tank you had provided when it was young, and if you do not have enough space for expansion, you will need to surrender to someone maybe. They also need a bigger tank for free movement and exercise, which are very critical in their growth and health.
When do bearded dragons stop growing?
Some of the bearded dragons stop growing at the age of 11 to 12 months, but others can go up to 18 months and two years. The adult dragons may sometimes continue growing hut they will bulk it instead of growing in length as the juveniles do.
Baby Bearded dragons growth and the right UVB Exposure
The right and quality UVB light and end exposing these dragons to the correct amount of light are very critical to their growth and health in general. The importance of the UVB light, especially to the baby dragons, is to provide them with calcium which is critical in bone development.
If the bearded dragons fail to absorb enough calcium, they will have very weak bones, and this will end up harming the growth of this bearded baby dragon.
Conclusion
From the discussion, it is clear that there are various factors that affect how big the bearded dragon gets. The growth of these animals can be hindered if they are kept in poor conditions, just like any other animal. This guide is to educate all the owners and future owners of the bearded dragons on how to prepare and have information in preparation for their pet. You should also keep track of your feeding schedule so that you can be sure that they are getting the correct amount of food that is appropriate for the stage they are in.
However, it is advisable that if you are a new owner, do not purchase a baby dragon but instead opt for a juvenile that is at least six months old.
