my water dragon is 10 months old and has got quite defensive recently. I handle her every couple of days and stroke her in her viv almost daily so she should be used to me. Is this wrong or what can i do to improve her 'social' skills.
Also I have heard i should be feeding her some veg. What would you recomend and how can I tempt her?
2007-03-05 03:46:33 · 5 answers · asked by Carrot 4 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
My baby is only a few months old, so I cant help you with the behavior problem. Maybe you're giving her too much attention? It could be that you're moving in on her territory and she's becoming more defensive.
As far as getting them to eat greens, as youngsters they are pure insectivores. When they get older they will eat greens. The best way to get them to eat greens is to mix it in with their insects. While getting an insect, she will most likely get a bit of veggies.
good luck!
2007-03-06 02:44:31 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Handle her every day...her? I wasn't able to tell until 18 months. Anyway keep that up. A change in environment may get her a little anxious. Warmer weather may be getting her a little more feisty. Petting her at home helps.
Water dragons are pretty much exclusively insectivores until they are 'older' I used to offer a little collard green leaf or carrot every week or every other week. My dragons wouldn't touch it.
It was oh...14 months before I got them to eat a bit of carrot. I thinly sliced carrots such that the carrot was about the size of a mealworm. Then I slowly rolled the carrot sliver between my fingers such that it appeared to be a worm. That did it for my two. They crunched down on a few carrots that way.
I also drop mealworms into a dish with shredded greenstuffs so that some gets stuck to their tongue when they hit the mealworms. I'm hoping this gets them more interested in veggies.
The books say 75% insectivore. 25% vegetarian when adult.
Note on mealworms: Crickets are far more nutritious than mealworms, I use mealworms as a treat. I call them candybars. My dragons prefer the mealworms, so I give them mealworms after they have their crickets, but not everyday.
2007-03-05 14:23:48 · answer #2 · answered by moabmusher 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Fruits and Vegetables
Most Water Dragons will not accept any fruits and vegetables at all. By gut loading your insects with a well-balanced fruit and vegetable diet, you will be providing your Water Dragon with a better diet.
If your Water Dragon will accept some fruits and vegetables as part of their diet, this should only consist of no more than 10 to 15% of the diet. Also keep in mind that fruit is relatively high in phosphorus and low in other nutrients that are beneficial to your Water Dragon. Moreover, do not feed plant materials with oxalate acids (a calcium binder such as spinach). Oxalic acid will bind with calcium to form oxalate acid. This is of absolutely no benefit to your Water Dragon and could lead to kidney damage.
2007-03-05 23:47:53 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just keep doing what you're doing. She might be coming up to shed and just be itchy and cross. The website below gives some general info and a list of food. Just offer her stuff and see what she likes. Good luck!
2007-03-05 13:49:34 · answer #4 · answered by hiddenmyname 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Keep handeling it every day to get it calmed down, and feed it crickets
2007-03-05 22:02:19 · answer #5 · answered by Han Solo 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋