My beardie won't eat his veggies...?

Question

My son's 5 month old bearded dragon will not eat anything but meal worms and crickets! I have tried several kinds of greens/veggies and fruits. The reptile girl at Petsmart said he'll be okay as long as his food is well-fed. Any advice or opinions,constructive critisism...?

Answer 1

Some of the same as what you've heard before:

This behavior is common in juveniles.
Stop feeding mealworms (or at least only use ones that have recently molted - they're softer).

NEW advice:

Make sure the veggies are small enough for him - cut/chop very fine pieces)
Put the veggie dish in the tank first, then add crickets to it, one at a time. Your beardie will "accidentally" get some of the veggies in his mouth when he lunges at the crickets and realize they tase GOOD! I think the reason most beardies don't eat veggies earlier is that they don't move. After all, crickets and other prey items move, and that's what attracts them to their "food".

Make sure to dust the crickets & veggies (or gut-load the crickets) for complete nutrition.

Answer 2

Beardies do no longer want and maximum do compared to nor look after vege's or end result ... they are ' Insectivore's ' no longer vegetarian !!! also if each and everything else isn't actual like proper habitat ( no longer tanks , aquariums, electric powered warmth mats, tape or rocks ... no free substrate or decorations ) they want proper warmth & UVA/UVB lighting fixtures, insects gently dusted with calcium + D3 ideally of the computer virus kinfolk no longer crickets ... ) that is not any longer going to count number what you feed him , your Beardie gained't do properly both < only for more beneficial documents , no longer some thing personal :) ! Take Care

Answer 3

Stop with the mealworms. They are too hard to digest and can lead to impaction. He will eat when he is hungry enough. Cut back on the crickets for a day or 2 and provide the veggies.

Answer 4

They usually don't eat veggies as juveniles. Just keep offering them, and one day you will be surprised when they are gone! Neither one of my dragons started eating them until they were closer to one year. Stop the mealworms though, as others have suggested. Either feed crickets or superworms. I order mine from www.grubco.com. Butterworms and silkworms can also be fed, but they are expensive!

Answer 5

this is very common for young bearded dragons, alot of juvinile bearded dragons will only eat live food. try cutting back on the live food, and start giving them fresh greens daily, romain lettuce, spinach, ect... bearded dragons are not real fond of alot of fruits, remember, just like people, every bearded dragon is different, and tastes may vary from dragon to dragon, some bearded dragons I have love green beans, others dont.
Remember, bearded dragons are omnivores, but that doesnt mean they WILL eat everything.

Answer 6

This happned to me. The only thing it eats is ROmain Lettuce becuase to stop agression when it gaps its mouth at you put vegies in its mouth i did that and now it loves romain. But if yours is nice unlike mine good luck becuase thats the way my beardie learned.

Answer 7

a lot of reptiles are this way. they start out eating mainly insects then as they get older they tend to eat plants, it is just nature there is nothing you can do about it

Answer 8

GOSH your spoiling him! just think how life's gonna be when he gets older and he wont know what to do cuz he wont have some one there to take care of him!

Answer 9

Mine are the same way

Celantro try that some like it

Answer 10

Don't tell PETA. They will be upset you are killing precious mealworms.