Western Bearded Dragon or baby Eastern?

[Guadalupe]

I got my son a western bearded dragon last Christmas. Some time in January or February he escaped. There was a bit of skin in the garden, so I assumed the cat got him.

This afternoon we went outside and there was a lizard identical to him sitting on his old pen. It is very skinny, and made no effort to run away when we picked it up.

The problem is, we have a lot of eastern bearded dragons here and to me the babies look just like western bearded dragons. How do I tell the difference?? Would a baby eastern beardy show aggression or try to run away?

 

[Supra_man87]

Post some clear pics and I'm sure someone will be able to help you out...

 

[Guadalupe]

Well this is the lizard we lost... http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/australian-lizards-5383/lizard-id-177696/

I will get pics of the lizard we found as soon as the kids finish dinner (I can't get my arm in behind the rock it's hiding behind now)

- - - Updated - - -

I uploaded a pic of the found lizard but can't get it here- can anyone help?

 

[Bluetongue1]

If you were able to approach the lizard and pick it up and it was healthy, it is odds on this is a prevoiusly captive lizard. A totally wild and healthy bearded dragon would not allow you to do that. The differences between the two species involve the size of the beard, the total length (neither of which is useful with sub adults) and the arrangement of spines on the head and neck. I have a set ofdiagrams somewhere so I shall have a look and see if I can get back to you in a day or so.

Blue

 

[vicherps]

Western Beardeds have spines arranged in roughly a straight line across the back of the head (so do vitticeps) whereas eastern Beardeds have these scales that are arranged in a backward curving arc. But minor don't have a well developed beard and the spines seem to be around the back edges of the jaw which is not the case with vitticeps and barbara where the spines are found on these areas where minor has them and widespread on the throat (squarish shaped beard in barbata and beard more round in vitticeps which is evident when erect). Both species look more robust than minor.

 

[GeckPhotographer]

What's the colour of the mouth lining?

 

[Guadalupe]

What's the colour of the mouth lining?

Almost white... Pinkish with yellow around the very edges of his mouth

 

[GeckPhotographer]

White. :? Ok that's weird, but even young easterns usually have a yellow interior mouth lining. (Though that can be fuzzy where they overlap with centrals), anyway. I'd say that's more evidence it's a Western not and not an Eastern.

 

[Guadalupe]

White. :? Ok that's weird, but even young easterns usually have a yellow interior mouth lining. (Though that can be fuzzy where they overlap with centrals), anyway. I'd say that's more evidence it's a Western not and not an Eastern.

I edited with more detail. I wish I could figure out how to upload pics. Is there someone I can SMS some to?

 

[treeofgreen]

here is a pic of the found beardie


- - - Updated - - -

2nd pic

 

[vicherps]

White is more evidence with minor (although they can have yellow), vitticeps has pink mouth interior and barbata has yellow. Looking at the photo I would say a western but I'm not to great with dragons.

 

[Jarrod_H]

How cool would it be if it is the dragon Guadalupe lost all those months ago. I would be stoked! Fingers crossed for ya

 

[Guadalupe]

How cool would it be if it is the dragon Guadalupe lost all those months ago. I would be stoked! Fingers crossed for ya

It would be seriously cool. I'm starting to have doubts though. It's pretty feisty now it's warmed up and he won't feed.

 

[GeckPhotographer]

I reckon it's and eastern beardy but I'm pretty bad with my dragons too.

 

[Guadalupe]

So it's one all so far oh the suspense!

 

[Jarrod_H]

So it's one all so far oh the suspense!

You won't get any work done today mate, you will be to busy refreshing the page. I know thats what ill be doen Click, click, click.

 

[vicherps]

See what bluetongue thinks he would have a good idea.

- - - Updated - - -

Is this a different bearded from the one on this thread http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/australian-lizards-5383/lizard-id-177696/.

The one in the 2 photos posted on this forum could be an eastern beardy. Are the spines on the back of its had in a backward curving arch?

 

[Guadalupe]

See what bluetongue thinks he would have a good idea.

- - - Updated - - -

Is this a different bearded from the one on this thread http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/australian-lizards-5383/lizard-id-177696/.

The one in the 2 photos posted on this forum could be an eastern beardy. Are the spines on the back of its had in a backward curving arch?

thats what I'm trying to figure out... If the lizard in this thread and the other thread are the same lizard. Yes- he has spines on the back of his head in a backward curving arch.

 

[vicherps]

thats what I'm trying to figure out... If the lizard in this thread and the other thread are the same lizard. Yes- he has spines on the back of his head in a backward curving arch.

Then it is a Eastern Beardy (western beardies cant erect their beards) that person posted photos of on this thread. What about the other thread did that lizard have a spines on the back of it's head that are straight or were they to in a backward curving arch.

 

[Echiopsis]

Animal in the pics doesnt look like minor minor, too much beard. P minor mitchelli have stronger beards and often the paler mouth lining, what did you originally buy?

The fact that you could just pick it up doesnt mean much, most of the minor I see here are easily approached and handled if you feel the need.