FAT beardie

[beardy_boy99]

ok lol,
I have a new bearded dragon. I got him about 2 weeks ago so now he is 5-6 weeks old. I give him crickets and vegies every day, and he only eats his crickets , never his veggies.
So i have some questions;
What can i do to get him to eat vegies?
And, how many small crickets should he be eating?
Currently he eats 9-11 now, hes a little guts
Cheers

 

[Kirby]

got a photo? a 'fat' lookign beardie is often a healthy full stomache.

9-11 doesnt sound much for a bearded dragon, assuming he's young?

can we have some more info?

 

[BT]

9-11 sounds right

 

[Kirby]

at 5-6 weeks old he should be eatign around 50 a day, between 3 feeds. and within time up to 100 a day. 9-11 is probably just enough to keep him going, its better to feed as much as they want. with apropriate feeds a dragon can grow full size by around 7 months old. with those who feed less and thinks its fine, it way take well over 1.5 years to grow near adult, ultimately decreasing a possible full size.

you can also try roaches.

apetite can be decreased by temps and other care related problems.

9-11 is not at all enough to fully back a growing beardie.

 

[BT]

50 a day!
its like power feeding but with lizards. full size in 7 months is way too quick. 18 months is the time it should be full size. feeding them as much as they want is not normal like with turtles if you fed it as much as it wanted it would be like 20 cm in a year. how do you think they survive in the wild. in the end it just reduces it life time. i was told 4-5 a day and my beardie grew up fine. you dont feed a python up so that it will reach full size in a year. you will end up worse off in the end. not to mention the impactation problems from eating two much. 50-100 is not good for them

 

[Spikie wanna cricket]

that sounds good amount to be feeding try to put in the greens before he is fed the crickets and mayybe try some meal worms on his greens otherwise they usally eat greens after a while it like all of a sudden they just see them there

 

[Serpant_Lady]

We have been going slower on ours - they are about 6 months now and ~ 1/3 of their full size. I was concerned that over feeding them could lead to growth problems

 

[BT]

We have been going slower on ours - they are about 6 months now and ~ 1/3 of their full size. I was concerned that over feeding them could lead to growth problems

that size is fine for the age

 

[Spikie wanna cricket]

remember we are talking about small crickets here i feed my babys about 5-10 crickets a day but the meduim size cause they finish the small too quickly

 

[Kirby]

blake blake who are you to asume an apropriate size, and how much a beardie should eat.

18 months is far too long to grow to 20" . by a year they should be at least 18" and then over the last 6 months of growth they slow down.

PLEASE explain the 'risks' or 'growth' problems, there are none. my dragon is in perfect health, as with other dragons who have been fed properly. a growing human baby needs a load of milk, who are you to say they only need half a bottle of milk a day. just enough to keep it growing, and grow slowely over 18 months.

a dragon being fed a fulfilling diet will no doubt he healthier stronger and larger than any dragon being fed 10 crickets a day..

its common sense people. they need 'filling meals' not a light snack.

they have a high demand for protein and calcium during their growth, they can only get this throguh their diet. a 6 month old thats only 1/3 a adult size would be classified as mulnurited and undersized.

 

[Kirby]

mealworms arent apropriate for a young dragon, do you people not care about the health, safety and wellbeing of your dragons. mealworms have little nutrition, and are high in phosphorus. their chiten risks impaction especially in the tight and twisted digestive passage of a young dragon.

 

[Armand]

its always the question "so how do u get him to eat his vegies"??? well take it like this: a juvie beardie eats 80% live food and 20% vegies/ flowers.. an adult eats 50% live/ 50% vegies/flowers.. mine only started eating vergies when he was an adult.. dont worry bout it mate..

 

[Kirby]

'vegies' is quite misleading.

the salad should consist mostly of greens. endive, dandelion, arugula, and alphalpha leaves. then, vegetables. squash, beans, maybe some carrot. and then fruits, papaya, mango and berries, strawb, blue black etc. you can also offer dandelion flowers and hibiscus.

young dragons usually go far bright colours, mango, stawbs..

 

[beardy_boy99]

thanx armand. Kirby, where did you gather this info from, everyone else disagrees with you. I have about 13 in there and when he is don, he stops eating. I have tried roaches and he wont eat them. All crickets are dusted with calcium powder.
Cheers

 

[Kirby]

thanx armand. Kirby, where did you gather this info from, everyone else disagrees with you. I have about 13 in there and when he is don, he stops eating. I have tried roaches and he wont eat them. All crickets are dusted with calcium powder.
Cheers

how many times a day do you feed? just the once?

3 feeds a day is very well known. i assume the 10 a day theory comes from it being cheaper and easier, with disregard for the dragons health. price, ease and aesthetics are a weakness in owning pets, and very often the animals under our care take the backlash, they grow slower, are less active and healthy, and become prone to parasites and infection due to lack of nutrition and adequet feed.

 

[beardy_boy99]

No twice kirby, crix and vegies. CHEAP, NOW THAT REALLY ANNOYS ME! he is much healthier than the others in his clutch. You shouldnt go running your mouth, and having a go at other people, because im sure tere is a lot of things you do wrong aswell.
Cheers

 

[Kirby]

im sorry if i offended you, i was talking openly and not about you. i sencerely hope you can understand what im saying, theres alot of advice given without proof or important factors behind it. EVERYTHING in my care if based apon safety, nutrition, wellbeing, and the health of my dragons, even if it takes more time, effort or money.. i dont make risks for my beardies.

you took somethign personally, that wasnt even directed at you. im not running my mouth, your jumping to comclusions and getting angry. im speakign my opinion, and what i beleive and have read/experienced. this is what forums are made for..

 

[lizard_lover]

maby try waight watchers or jenny craig

 

[BT]

Risks: shortened life span due to growing to quicky clearly shown in other types of reptiles
impaction issue due to the large amounts of food consumed
kirby who are you to assume the appropiate growth rates and food consumption of beardies?
so you are saying that all wild beardies are undersized and inaquedatly fed and not active ? Id prefer not "power feeding"
my lizards as much as they want

I am also speaking my opinion and not intending to offend you

 

[firedragon]

LOL my little beardie has gone EMO.. It was bashed by his/her room mate approx 2mths ago, we seperated them but my little one still has trouble eating right, some days it'll only eat once and only 3 - 5 crickets or a couple of woodies (and silk worms when we have them), and other days it'll eat 3 feeds and more per feed but no where near 50 a day. It's enclosure is fine and temps are right, so other than being bullied i can't think of any other reason why it doesnt always eat.