We just bought him 8 days ago. As far as we know he's about 6 months old. The pet store wasn't quite sure his exact age. They said to feed him mealworms and crickets along with his fruits and veggies. He won't touch the veggies or the fruit. He's eaten a couple peices out of my hand, but that's it. He will eat about 10 crickets a day on the average. The mealworms he was eating, but not so much anymore. Should I be worried? He's still as active as he was when we first brought him home. What are the best things that I should feed him? Every pet store I have been to has told me mealworms are great for them, but when I look around in these forums everyone is saying absolutely no. I'm confused. I just want to make sure that I am doing what is best for my beardie.
I appreciate any help you all can give. Thanks.
2007-07-09 14:14:06 · 4 answers · asked by endless_sky1981 1 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
are you shoure its a boy?? take youre bearded dragon to the vet to make shure its a boy. if they tell you its a girl it might be pregnant. was it in a cage with other bd's??
2007-07-09 14:20:23 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It does take them awhile to settle into new homes. No mealworms, the chitin (outside shell) is too much for beardies to digest. They can cause impactions. If your dragon is over 12 inches long, then superworms are an excellent choice. They look like mealworms but are much bigger and have softer chitin. Crickets are great--but they must be gutloaded (well fed with cricket food and not the gel kind--use powdered cricket food) and hydrated (they need shallow bowl of water). If not gutloaded, they provide no nutrition for the beardie. A 6 month old beardie should be eating at least 35 crickets a day or more. He'll eat less as he ages. Keep offering him a balanced salad--it takes many beardies awhile to get used to eating them, but they will eventually. You need to make sure he's not on sand of any kind, has a basking bulb at 100F (measured with a digital thermometer only) and a UVB Reptiglo 8.0 or Reptisun 10.0 which is changed every 6 months. Bathing him in a couple of inches of warm water twice a week will keep him hydrated. A very small bowl of water can be kept in the tank, but larger amounts can increase humidity too much. You can also mist him daily. I really recommend you join the free Yahoo group pogona and also check out the care sheets on www.reptilerooms.com (the forum link).
2007-07-09 23:00:17 · answer #2 · answered by KimbeeJ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have two of bearded dragons! I think you are feeding him too much! They will stop "hunting" down the crickets if they are in the cage too long also! Try super worms! They are bigger and raised for reptiles! They should eat maybe every other day! I know you think you'll be starving him but your really not! Had mine for years now! Also make sure you wash all there fruits and veggies. Only fresh or frozen never canned stuff. And limit broccoli and no iceberg lettuce! Broccoli is a vitamin a inhibitor in reptiles and iceberg lettuce has no nutrition! Good luck and enjoy!
2007-07-09 21:40:23 · answer #3 · answered by KB 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
He should free feed on green leaf lettuce. He may graze on it a bit at his time. That is his water. It's not unusual for them to ignore fruit. Ask the store if he had likes or dislikes. Most beardies don't like fruit. My beardies are crazy for watermelon but won't touch much else. Make sure he has plenty of lettuce to go with those crickets or he might get bound up. Watch for his stomach getting hard and if it does take him to a vet. Otherwise he's just having spells on what he likes and what he doesn't. Getting used to his new home.
If you have other questions, email me.
2007-07-09 21:49:20 · answer #4 · answered by Jess 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋