What To Feed a Bearded Dragon
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Bearded dragons eat both fruits and vegetables as well as insects, which makes them omnivorous. When feeding a bearded dragon you need to make sure that you can provide both a feeder insect as well as fruits and vegetables. One without the other, means an unhealthy lizard.
Age should always be taken into consideration when feeding a bearded dragon. Baby and juvenile beardies need to have more proteins in the diet to supplement for growing bones and tissues, but they should still be provided with veggies. An adult bearded dragon diet should consist of mostly fruits and veggies.
Baby bearded dragons should be given as many feeder insects as he will eat within 15 minutes, all uneaten insects should be removed. This should be done every other day. But, you're not getting away with just feeder insects when raising a bearded dragon. You should still provide him with fruits and vegetables DAILY, even if he doesn't eat them. Having the vegetation in the tank with him, will get him used to seeing it, so when he is older he will be more likely to eat the veggies on his own.
As for adults, they can be given feeder insects twice a week, and again, never leave uneaten insects in the tank. So, after about fifteen minutes, remove the uneaten insects. As for fresh fruits and vegetables, provide them daily.
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Bearded Dragon- Feeder Insects
Now, at this point I'm sure you're still trying to figure out what to feed bearded dragons. Well, here we go...
FEEDER INSECTS: As for feeder insects, the rule of thumb for all reptiles is to not feed anything larger than the width between the eyes. So, you need to appropriately size insects for the age and size of your bearded dragon. Some insects that are good staples include:
- Crickets
- Mealworms
- Roaches
- Superworms (can only be fed to adult bearded dragons, due to their hard exoskeletons)
- Silkworms
Fruits
Fruits that are appropriate for bearded dragons include:
- Strawberries
- Apricots
- Mango
- Melon
- Blackberries
- Raspberries
- Blueberries
- Peaches
- Cantelope
- Apples
- Pears
- Grapes
Vegetables
As for vegetables that you can give your bearded dragon, you can feed it just about anything that you eat yourself.
Vegetables that you can feed your bearded dragon include:
- Romaine Lettuce
- Kale
- Collard greens
- Chicory
- Cucumber
- Carrots
- Squash
- Zucchini
- Spinach
- Peas
- Green beans
- Broccoli
- Dandelion greens
- Cabbage
- Other thawed- frozen vegetables
Fruits and Veggies to Avoid
- Iceburg lettuce, as it is nothing more than a filler with absolutely no nutritional value
- Tomatoes
- Lemons
- Oranges
- Other acidic fruits and vegetables
Alot of times I got to the grocery store and purchase the pre-mixed bags of vegetables. Pre-mixed salad mixes are a great vegetable staple, and they're quick and easy to have on hand.
Water
Water can be given in the form of a water bowl kept in the aquarium, baths, or a spray. It is not really recommended to spray the bearded dragon as it can raise the humidity levels in the tank.
A breeder once told me that she doesn't provide water because all the water they need can be gained from eating fruits and vegetables that tend to hold water, such as squash and zucchini. Using this method, you should let you bearded dragon have a bath at least once or twice a week. Babies require baths more often that adults.
When I say "bath," I do not mean soap and water, lather, rinse, and repeat. What I mean by 'bath' is warm water in a large tupperware, sink, or bathtub, depending on the size of the beardy, and letting it hang out for a little while in the water.
Reptile Vitamins
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Supplements
ALWAYS add supplements to your bearded dragon's diet. Dust the feeder insects with calcium at least three times a week, and a vitamin/mineral dust at least twice a week. Supplement at least once a week a calcium PLUS d3 powder.
You can, also, sprinkle the vitamin or calcium powder over the veggies. OR, Fluker's has a vitamin spray that you can purse to spray on top of the veggies in order in ensure that you bearded dragon is getting his proper nutrition.
Without calcium and vitamins, your bearded dragon can end up getting metabolic bone disease, or suffer other illnesses.
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Comments
grat i like this site <><
thanks this relly helps
I have a bearded dragon that is one year old and just found out he needed veggies w/crikets. He is very small for his size as if he is 1 mo. old, will he grow bigger if fed correctley now?
Is it one month or one year? One month definately! One year, it may plump up, but may not grow in length. You should definately begin adding fruits and veggies to the diet as soon as possible, as this can cause serious health concerns. I have heard of beardies not being fed produce and after a year or so, eventualy getting MBD and other health concerns that can be fatal. As the produce provides essential nutrients. The crickets and such are great for younger beardies, but as they age they need more vitamins and such and fewer protein items (the crickets). Continue with the crickets, but definately add some of the above produce to the diet.
thanks! Unfortunatly he is a year and we are giving oscar as much fruits and veggies as he needs.
He should be fine as long as you start feeding him his produce now, and supplement them. I would recommend a spray vitamin for the veggies. But, a vitamin/mineral supplement twice a week, calcium + D3 once a week, and plain calcium the rest of the week.
are the supplements REALLY that necessary? i have had my beardie for about a month (he's about 4-6 months old), he has eaten mealworms everyday, w/ the option of veggies as well(i give him them daily, however he refuses to eat them), and "gut-loaded" crickets on every friday. he seems to be pretty healthy as it goes, but i wish he would eat more fruits and vegetables.
he got MEGA-MOODY the other day, and for the first time, he puffed up his beard and got all angry at me. it was when i tried to get him out of his terrarium to spray him down and do the daily handling/feeding/cage cleaning ritual. is that normal?
i dont know, i just like to talk beardies and this seems like a good place to do so. lemme know, ill be around. late
-Remy
drummerdragon- Supplements are a must!!! Without supplements you risk your beardy getting MBD ( http://hubpages.com/_reptilehelp/hub/Metabolic_Bon ) and other health concerns that are related to vitamin deficiencies.
I would like to share that I did a sort of experiment with supplements and one of my bearded dragons. She is a very healthy big girl, who has been supplemented with vitamins/minerals, calcium, and calcium + D3 since I've had her, at 8 weeks old. Last year, she was about 3 years old, and I did not provide her with supplements for over a period of a few months. At the end, she began showing the beginning signs of MBD, with loose ligaments in her front ankle joints. I immediately began supplementing again, and to boost what she lacked started her on liquid calcium. In less than a month al signs diminished. If I had let it go further, she could have progressed seriously into MBD.
As for getting the beardy to eat the veggies, does he eat any- just a few, or none? If it's just a few, that's better than none. If it's none, you can try hand feeding, not forcefeed, but holding the produce in front of him and wiggling it a bit. After some time doing this, you should be able to get him eating from a bowl. It took me a while to get one of my beardies eating from a bowl, but she successfully eats on her own now.
Find what he likes to eat most, and mix that in every day. I've found my girls love mango, so I can ensure they'll eat all their veggies by adding a bit of mango throughout their salad bowl.
thanks alot! i'll keep you updated, and i'll go get those supplements right away! but you'll be happy to know he shows no signs of MBD, so we're still in the clear, and I'm going to a herp vet tomorrow for an initial consultation, any suggestions of things to look for/ask in a good herp vet? thanks.
-Remy
My dragon is full grown when i got him i bought a mouse and was stuck with a pet for two weeks why wont he eat mouse is it case of the time of the year or because its new
Even though the bearded dragon is full grown, it may not be able to eat a mouse. I have 2 bearded dragons- both full grown, and only one is able to eat mice- frozen ones. It's not the ideal to feed live rodents to any reptile- snakes or lizards.
Mice are actually too large for most bearded dragons to eat, and because they are bigger than the space between the bearded dragon's eyes, it can cause impaction. I only feed my bearded dragon's mice when my snake won't eat them. I don't like to waste frozen rodents, so if I thaw one out and he won't eat (such as in the cooler months), my larger beardy gets it. Even still, sometimes she opts not to take it.
Some bearded dragon's don't like mice, so that could be the case.
If you're temperatures are correct within the enclosure, then the outside weather should not affect whether or not the bearded dragon eats. Mine females are 4 years old, and have never once been affected by season changes.
There's really no need to feed a bearded dragon a mouse or any rodent, but if you really want to, I'd suggest a fuzzy or hopper. Pinkie mice are too fatty and adult mice are too large.
thanks that realy helped can razor my lizzard eat chpped up food
Avoid most meats, dairy, fats, grains, carbs, etc...
I wouldn't suggest it really. You can try cooked turkey and chicken, but not often. Other than that, try to stick with fruits and veggies, raw is better as the essential vitamins and minerals have not been cooked out.
hey were can i get the vitamin supplement to put on the vegatables?? and what is it called??
If you're talking about the spray vitamin, you can find it at most pet stores. PetCo has one brand. I added a link, above, to one brand.
IVE JUST FOUND THIS SITE AND HAVE FOUND THE INFO VERY GOOD.I HAV A 6 MONTH OLD BEARDY CALLED BEZ AND I FIND HIM AMAZING.
Thanks for information! I just got a bearded dragon and this site was very helpful!
yeh thx gr8 web page i have an 8 week old dragon and this has helped me lots
Vitamin Spray or Vitamin Powder, which is better to use on a BD's food?
I'd make sure to keep a schedule of calcium, calcium+D3, and vitamin powder for coating feeders. As for produce, I use calcium powder plus vitamin spray. But I still use the powder. I would suggest having both on hand, but not using them together. Use the spray or the powder at one time, but not simultaneously.
I have new beared dragon, I would say he is at least 5 to 8 weeks old, he's only eating about 4 crickets a day & I have phoenix worms on the way, he is offered greens/salad each day but doesn't eat them. I read elsewhere to give the vitamins WITHOUT d3 to a very young one like that.....is this correct or what should I really give him for vitamins, right now I use the repcal Herptivite Multivitamins w/Calcium, is this safe & phosphorus free? So while he is this young, I guess I need to know exactly what vitamins to give or avoid giving him for right now. Thanks in advance. :)
Bearded dragons need with and without D3. I'd say that you should offer more crickets daily. Growing bearded dragons need more protein than adult bearded dragons. Also, it's normal for reptiles from pet stores (not saying that's where you got it) to not eat their veggies. You still need to offer them daily. They'll get used to seeing them and begin eating.
My first bearded dragon refused her greens for about a year before she started eting them on her own. Now she loves them.
You need to provide calcium without D3 3 times a week. Calcium WITH D3 twice a week. Vitamins once a week. Generally, speaking.
Also, make sure that you have UV lighting, as it's absolutely necessary for diurnal reptiles.
Thank you. Yes, unfortunately he did come from a pet store, there is no breeders in our area, we're very rural. Ok so I'm on my way to order some calcium with & without d3. I just got pinhead crickets too which are WAYYY smaller than the ones he's been eating so maybe he'll eat more of those tiny ones, I was offering him as many as he wanted but he'd only eat about 4 at the most. I also just got some phoenix worms & they're the size of maggots, I'm trying to see if he'll eat those right now. Yes we got the UV light also & I plan on putting his veggies in every day. Thanks so much for the reply. :)
He should be eating more crickets, but a few is better than none. If he stops eating altogether, you'll want find a reptile vet to rule out parasites. Sometimes pet store reptiles can have internal parasites. Also, make sure to not use sand or any loose substrate, and to allow him to get at least 6 inches from the UV, if you're using a tube. You may have to trick him with the veggies, wiggling them in front of his face. Phoenix worms are good for calcium. I'd also consider discoid roaches. They're a great feeder. My beardies love them, and it takes fewer to fill them up. You'll just want to stick with nymphs and not adults until he's bigger.
yea I have aquarium carpet in there & he's now eating a few phoenix worms with his crickets today. I have a reptile specialist that we have used for our mountain horned dragon so if it gets any less I will take him there.
I have him near a window & it's been 80 degrees here, I'm getting an indoor/outdoor thermometer tonite to use in there and I've been rotating, using a household lightbulb & the night black heat spotlight (I was told this was the right kind), & its mounted in a ceramic reflector dome, if he needs anything different I can get it. Wow now that I have one I'm realizing how much different & complicated they are than mountain horned dragons lol. Thanks again for your help. I love this little guy & will do whatever it takes. :)
Your temps are WAY too low. They need to be closer to 100F. You may consider a UTH to help with the temps and a higher watt bulb. Also, keeping the tank by a window can either cool the enclosure when the outside temps are low or over heat the enclosure when the outside temps are hot. Definitely get a digital thermometer with a probe to accurately measure the temps. The stick on ones suck, even if you put them on the surface of the tank. They're far from accurate.
Oh no, I mean out temp outside, our weather has been 80 degrees, not in his cage, it's a lot higher in his enclosure. And he's been near a window in the sunlight, but also not getting too hot either.
OOOO.. Gotcha. I misunderstood. A digtial thermometer is still a good thing.
MY BEARDY IS ABOUT 3YEARS OLD AND HER NAILS ARE GETTING PRETTY LONG. i'VE HEARD THAT THE NAILS SHOULD WEAR DOWN DUE TO CLIMBING AND SUCH, BUT THE NAILS ARE STILL REALLY LONG. WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST?
This morning, I picked up my BD out of his tank and he had black shades embedded in his skin on both the left & right sides. I put him in the bath tub later to soak in some water and when I pulled him out of the tub they were gone. What could be causing this?
Patrick You can trim them, just be sure not to clip the quick (the vein).
Dan, bearded dragons tend to get darker in the morning and cooler parts of the day because when they are near black they absorb more heat. When they are in need of more heat their colors really tend to fade. The morning time is probably the most common time to see black pigments in them. When you soaked it in warm water, you warmed him up. I assume. Now, I'd need more information if you don't think this is it. Otherwise, it's normal, and when the lights turn on, the enclosure will heat up more. Just keep the UTH on at all times. The enclosure tends to stabilize better this way.
ok...I got the trimming thing, but the nails are causing her toes to curl under. the quick almost goes to the end of the nail...should i still just trim them?
By just trimming the end of the naill, the quick will start to recess just a little, You should be able trim the nail every few days until they are no longer curling under her.
thanks for your help!
Hi Whitney, I just thought I'd leave a comment, again thanks for your info. I have all the supplements & lighting & temps he/she needs & on friday he started eating about 16 pinhead crickets & about 11 phoenix worms. He ate a little more than that yesterday & even more today. I've had him a week and 3 days & I guess he's finally comfortable. I really love this little guy!!! I put his veggies in every day & a few bites of grapes, I never expect him to eat them cuz he is still very young, I'd say 6-8 weeks max....well I put his salad in today after he ate his bugs & 10 minutes later walked by & was very surprised to see him on the plate eating his salad!!! He must be doing real good. He's already spoiled as he sits in the front of his enclosure watching me each time as I drop a worm in & eats it each time, then looks at me for more. He's great! Now I just can't wait for him to get bigger & eat a variety of veggies & fruits.
Now for a question....I know he can eat as many crickets as he can in 15 minutes, what about the phoenix worms? He likes to eat as many of them as he does crickets. Is this ok? Or can you overfeed these guys? Then about 4 hours later he will eat even more crickets & worms. Is this okay?
And.....with him being so young, can he have most of the fruits on your list? So far I've given him just a taste of grapes each day.
Thanks again, so much. :)Jen
You can leave the phoenix worms in a bowl to sit in the tank, if you'd like. Because generally they won't/can't climb out of a bowl with a small lip, you shouldn't have any problems. The rule of 15 minutes is so that you don't leave crickets in the tank all the time, as that cal cause the crickets to much on the reptile, leaving wounds that can get very irritated and infected.
There shouldn't be a problem whatsoever with you feeding him any and all of the fruits and veggies on the list. Just remember that fruits can cause runny stool, so make sure to mix in greens for roughage.
i cleaned my beardies vierium out 2 days ago and when i put him back in he was fine but about 1hour and a half later he had 1 eye open and 1 closed and it still hasnt changed does any1 no wats wrong ????????????
I'm not sure of the substrate, but could he have gotten dust in his eye, if you're using a sand substrate? Check to see if anything is in the eye, flush it with saline.
I have two bearded dragons and both are around a month and a half to two months old. One of the bd has a problem that just arised with his long back toe. it looka like it has rotted off and is now about half as long as it originslly was. also its tail is about half an inch shorter than it originally was. my other bd its perfectly fine so im not sure whats going on. do you have any ideas?
It could have been caused by retained shed that cut off the circulation, causing the toe and part of the tail to fall off, or it could have been caused by bullying, if you are housing them together. If you are housing them together, may I suggest that you separate them because at that age you don't know the sex and they could both be males, which would enhance bullying and fighting. Even if they're both females this can occur, same with male and female. It's just best to house them separately, which means two 40 gallon tanks when they're full grown.
hi, we altanate crickets and T-rex dry formula for our two 3 month old BD. we also give them fresh veggys. we were told that we shouldnt have sand in the tanks untill thay are 5 months old, but other people we have spoken to do have sand, at the moment we have a thin layer of sand with a cardbord layer over the top, is this the correct way of raising them? also how big are BD ment to be at 3 months old?
YOu actually shouldn't have sand in the tank period, ever, at any age. You should replace the sand with either reptile carpet, paper towels, or tile. Some kind of solid surface. Bearded dragons grow at different rates, so it's hard to estimate a 3 month old. I can tell you at 3 months, 1 of mine was about 10 inches and the other about 8 inches, but it's been a while. Make sure to provide produce daily. I'm not sure about the T-rex formula. But make sure that you use produce daily...
Also, house them separately.
Also, the picture of the Bd with MBD on sand is a very old picture before I knew about the risks of impaction.
i think i already know the answer but will the tail grow back to its original length??
It will not grow back at all. Did you decide if it was caused by retained skin or bullying?
I also talked to the pet store owner where i originally got the dragons and mentioned what it could be and he agreed that it was one of the two possible problems. Im thinkking that its due to retained skin because they never have fought with each other, at least none that ive seen. i got another question for you involving the size of a male bd and a female bd. One is starting to get considerably wider than the other. Which sex typically gets bigger. ive heard two different stories. i appreciate all the helpfull info!
You can't be 100% that it wasn't bullying becuase you can't sit and watch the tank 24/7. I'd separate them as soon as possible. You really don't want to house them toghether, especially since you don't know the true cause. Also, if it was retained skin, you should have noticed it a while back. Young bearded dragons shed fairly frequently, and in order for retained shed to be the cause it would have taken several shed. If you have one that is growing faster than the other; it's definitely time to separate. I would guess that bullying really was the cause since one is larger, even if it's just a little bit larger.
Bearded dragons grow at different rates, at 3 months old, you're not going to be able to tell anything in regards to sex. You have to wait until they're at least 6 months, on average. You could have 2 males- 1 just growing faster- or 2 females. Size isn't a good determinant to sexing at that age.
Separate them!
i have seperated the two dragons and the one bd is still suffering from the reatained skin issue. the next toe up is now looking like its rotting away and its tail is still doin the same thing also. the other bd dragon has never had any probems. is there any way to stop this from happening??
Where did you get the bearded dragons? If they came from a breeder contact the breeder. Otherwise, if they came from a pet store, more than likely the gecko is ill. You need to go to a reptile vet so that you can see if the BD is healthyand rule out parasites or other concerns.
You need to make sure that they're both eating their veggies and getting appropriate supplements.
The BD shoudn't be losing his extremeties so fast. You need to take more care in removing retained shed, if that's really the cause, which I don't think it is. Reptiles don't lose toes from one bad shed. They tend to loose extremities after several bad sheds in a row.
Wow, what a nice article on bearded dragon diet...
whats the problem having them in sand?
ive had mine in sand since i got him and the previos owner did as well?
also im having trouble feeding him fruit and vegies is there any other method besides wiggling it in his face?
p.s im used to chameleons this is my first beardie he is about 16 inches long and about 1 and a half years.
Sand, and any loose substrate can cause impaction, which is fatal. It's recommended that keepers avoid it for the majority of reptile species; there are a few that need to be housed on sand, but not any of the more popular reptiles that you find in the pet stre. At a year and a half, the beardie should really be eating on its wn. Try not giving it feeders for a while, and leaving the veggies in the tank. It should take to them. Although, it did take me a bit to get my juvie eating veggies. Also, try bright fruits- strawberries. I know my females love mango and papaya. I had to hand feed for months; then stop feeding her but leaving a bowl of veggies and eventually she just got it.
Am finding it very hard to get my bearded dragons to eat veg or fruits i put it in and they dont seem to touch it much. What should i do
How old are they? What are the temps in the cage? Do you have UVB? Are they on a solid surface (IE not sand or anything of the sort)? Just keep providing the produce. Even ifhey don't eat it, they need to get used to it in their tanks. Eventually they will start to eat, but don't let them starve while they're not eating. Try to hand feed them. Back off on the crickets a little; that may help a bit as well.
they are about 2 i think i bought them a year or so ago and i have heat and everything else correct will just keep putting it in there for them. Do i have to feed them crickets do i find them hard to keep alive and they are not readily available to me were i live is it ok to keep giving them meal worms and super worms as i find them easy to keep
And by any chance do u know any good web sites on how to construct a vivarium or does anyone who reads this know any
As adults, they need crickets or some feeder insect at least once a week. What kind of vivarium are you wanting to construct?
wood with a sliding glass front with air vents
I haven't seen any lately. Sorry
WE HAVE A bd THAT IS @ 3 MONTHS OLD HE\SHE EATS CRICKETS AND SOME FRUITS AND VEGGIES I WAS TOLD TO DUST HIS CRICKETS AT EVERY FEEDING (TWICE A DAY) WITH REP-CAL PHOSPHORUS FREE CALCIUM WITH VITAMIN D3 DO I NEED TO GIVE HIM ANYTHING ELSE AND CAN HE EAT MEAL WORMS OR WHAT OTHER KINS ARE THERE THAT HE CAN EAT
You will want to give pure calcium in addition to the caclu + d3. You will also want to supplement a vitamin/mineral supplement twice a week. Bearded dragons can eat mealworms, superworms, captive bred roaches (NEVER roaches from your house but dubia, discoids, and a few others make great feeders), silkworms, and phoenix worms. Just remember to keep them all size appropriately to your BD.
THANKS
Hey! I am getting a bearded dragon on Sunday and I am excited. I am getting a sandfire beardy, 3 months old and over 4 inches long. Any advice for when I first take him home? Thanks!
Make sure that the tank is set up before you bring him home. No sand, UV light, regular light bulb, basking area, under tank heater helps to heat the surface and works great to have, digital thermometer with a probe. And when you actually get the BD, leave it alone for 7 days, just make sure to feed it daily and don't handle it. Then slowly handle a little bit each day to wean him into being handling and toprevent stress.
I am getting a bd tomorrow. How exactly can the sand cause impaction? Also, I have fruit in my house already....will it eat the fruit on the first day or have to adapt to it's surroundings first?
You want fruit AND vegetables. The vegetables are the more important thing to have in your BD's diet in regards to fruites and veggies. The BD may eat on the first day, but it will depend on if the BD has been eating the produce all along. When the BD ingests the sand or loose substrate, it can get stuck in the BD's body, causing him to get severely consitipated, which can in turn be very fatal. So don't use sand or any loose substrate.
Ok, thank you. My BD is only 4 inches including its tail. My mom bought it pellet food, but it doesn't even regard it as food. We have crickets from a can that are pumped full of BD vitamins, it seems to like those. So far though, it has only gone to the bathroom one.....on my carpet, and it hasn't had anything to drink that I've seen. Should I just let it get used to its surrounding, and get hungry and thirsty enough, or find another way to get it drinking and eating more?
No don't let him starve enough to eat. He's a near hatchling that should not have been sold yet. Offer warm soaks once a day, which he will drink some water and will help him deficate. Also the pelleted foods aren't the best, so try fresh fruits AND vegetables. Also, try feeding real crickets as they will be healthier. Make sure that you're using a UV light and are dusting the insects and produce with supplements.
Ok. I was already planning on doing the warm soak. should i use water that would be put in an aquarium? (like with the chlorine taken out?) Or will water from the sink do fine? Yes, I tried to tell my mother that pellets were not a good idea, I shall get it real crickets, and more fruits and veggies. We have the UV light, and a heating pad for the warm side of the cage.
how many crickets should i feed my baby bearded dragon daily
Kai, You can use the sink even or a glad container or something. It can be a hassel to put it in an aquarium. Make sure that the temps are around 100F -ish and use a regular light in addition to what you have.
Tyler, start with about 20 and see how fast he eats them. You may need to up the amount or lower it. You want him to eat whatever he can in 10-15 minutes and not have any left over.
Ok. I made a mistake about it's size though, it's actually 6 inches. This is the 3rd day I've had it, and finally, it deficated! We gave it live crickets yesterday, and the other half today. I will also be giving it fruits and veggies. Thank you.
Definitely make sure to do the fruits and veggies DAILY. And keep the little guy off sand.
Our Beardie is about 9 months old. He's shedding right now and does not seem to be hungry. Just 2 weeks ago he was eating everything in sight, except veggies and fruit. Any insight out there? He's about 12 inches long.
By the way, since my BD is 6 inches, and all its brothers and sisters were about the same size, about how old is it? Don't worry, it's NOT on sand! At first I couldn't get it to eat the fruits and veggies, but it finally gave in and ate them. So far it is already my most favorite pet that I've ever had! Thanks to you I found enough tips (and positive reinforcement) to convince my mom to let me get it.
Laurie, generally reptiles don't eat right before a shed. Keep that in mind.
Kai at 6 inches, the BD is probably about 6 to 8 weeks old.
That young?! Wow! Also....my BD does NOT like fruits! i have tried wriggling the food infront on my BD but it doesn't want them. Should I just keep offering them to it each day?
Thanks Whitney, that helps. I'm trying to get him interested in veggies as the only thing he's remotely interested in is a green bean and I think it is because it looks like a worm!
Kai, That's an average. I know I had an 8 inch 8 week old, and a 7 inch 6 week old. So the size will vary. Just keep offereing fruits AND veggetables. The veggies are actually most important.
Laurie, that's possible. Just make sure to keep offering a bowl daily.
Ok, it eats veggies at least. Also, 've only had it since friday, but it's already becoming more used to being handled. I think my BD might be a thrill seaker though....it keeps trying to jump off of high places onto the ground...it scares me!
BDs will do that. Good to hear that the little guy is eating his veggies. Also watch for overhandling.
How can you tell that a BD is being overhandled?
Stress basically. The BD may appear darker on a regular basis versus just occassionally. Lack of appetite. Etc.
Ok, thank you. Well, it does NOT have a lack of appetite, that's for sure. It seems to eat alot, and it's tail just started shedding. I thought they were supposed to lose their appetite when they shed, not get hungrier. Also, my BD seems to go into temporary shock whenever I put it into its bath. It stops moving like it's frozen, then rapidly tries to escape...I think that might cause it to become stressed soon....so, what do I do?
My BDs react similar sometimes when getting baths. Try not to over think or over worry about things. As long as you provide fresh fruits and veggies, as well as crickets and the BD eats, you should be fine. Just make sure that the temps are good and that the BD is eating and drinking fine.
Ok, but how do you get it to eat fruits and veggies out of a bowl? When I put food in its bowl, it just poos on it!
You could try raising the bowl up on something or moving the bowl somewhere else in the cage.
My baby beardy is losing his toes.they just seem like they are drying up and falling off.He is 5 months old.
Could be from retained sheds. Are you leaving crickets in the cage? They could be nibbling on the BD.
hey, i have a bearded dragon and his name is spike hes about 3 maby 4 years old he isnt very big and i was woundering how big will he grow, and the globs in his heat lamps blown and i couldnt get hold of one for a bit over a day would hav that hurt him in anyway........
he's fully grown. Typically they're 16-24" but they're full grown at 6 months to a year. I'm not sure what you mean by globs. It will not hurt him long term for one day, especially if you have a uth. but get a working light bulb asap.
Ok, I've been trying not to handle my BD as much bc u said that it could cause stress, but now I only handle it to put it in the bath so it runs from hands now. How can I make it see people in a good way? I already have to hand feed it it's fruits and veggies because it won't eat out of it's bowl.
You can still handle the BD, but try to limit it. IE don't play with the BD every second of the day. Plus, remember that your BD is young, and to him your HUGE. He'll calm as he ages.
Ok....no matter where I move the bowl, or what kind of bowl I put it's food in....it won't eat it from ther...only poo on it! I have to hand feed it all of its fruits and veggies! Tell me the truth: is my BD spoiled??
no it's not possible to literally spoil a reptile. i'd change the type of bowl. my BDs used to do that, but hey have since stopped. I didn't change anything but the bowl. I'm using a taller bowl.
Thank you very much for the helpful tips. I have just got a baby bearded dragon three weeks ago and this is very help full. He is such a little nut, runs around a lot and is healthy. He is just fine and this diet seems to be working out excellent for him. Thanks again for the helpful information.
If a beardie's tail falls off, will it grow back? And why would its tail fall off? If it grows back and falls off again, will it grow back?
They do not grow back. Once a BD loses its tail, it never grows back. They will drop their tail as a self defense mechanism.
But in captivity, why would a BD's tail fall off?
I've seen a tail-less pet BD before.
Typically it is seen in younger BD's it is still a defense mechanism. If spooked, grabbed by the tail, or bullied by a cagemate, they will drop their tails. It is not as common as with geckos, but it is still possible to happen.
I have a bearded dragon who is almost one year old. I would like to change the basking rock in his cage. He currently has a piece of driftwood (linear in shape, with not much height), and I would like to provide him with something that is more elevated, to give him more to climb on.
I heard that changes can stress a dragon and since he has had the same basking rock for approximately 6 months, I am not sure how to introduce something new. I don't want him to not climb on the new basking rock and not bask when I am gone and not be able to digest his food.
What do you suggest? Thank you!
Typically BDs are handle change ok. At least mine have always been pretty good with it. If you want you can add the new basking area in with the old, and after a few days take out the old one.
But you should be fine with just switching to the taller basking area.
Does a BD shed?
Yes. all reptiles shed. BDs do not eat their shed and they shed in pieces. IE tail, legs, body, etc
My BD mostly lets his fruits and veggies go to waste, he isn't a fan.
How old is it? You should try to give it the fruits and veggies as it is the main diet that keeps BDs healthy.
hey whitney you seem to know what your doing so does a 6 inch beardie need suplements?? and when do i start feeding him as i would feed an adult
All BDs need supplements. He should be fed like an adult now, just smaller portions and smaller sized food.
so can you tell me exactly what to get for him as far as food and supplements so he wont get sick??? and as an adult what should i be feeding him, because im kinda new at this and i really dont want him to get ill thanks :D
What does the shedded skin look like?
ryan, you want to purchase a calcium with d3 as well as a multivitamin to coat insects and veggies with
iluvebeardie, it looks like skin. I'm not sure how to explain it. You'll know it when you see it.
how many crickets should i feed him??
As many as it will eat in 10-15 minutes.
every day??? how many times a day???
You want to offer fruits and vegetables DAILY. I'd doo crickets once a day for a while. When he gets a little older every other day, and then once or twice a week at an adult.
any Greens, Fruits or Vegies you prefer to feed your dragon????
How many kinds of BD are there?
whats best to get a female or a male?
Ryan, Any of the produce on this page is great. My girls love mango, papaya, carrots, and kale. They tolerate squash and zucchini as well.
Iluvbeardie, there is only one kind of bearded dragon species, as for the morph there are many, especially as many breeders will rename their own morphs. You may find a yellow-lavender BD with different names depending on the breeder's choice.
Natalie, the main difference is going to be size. Males are typically a tad bigger, but that is not always the case. THere really is not a difference in personality if that's what you're asking. Either way they will both need a 40 gallon breeder at bare minimum.
alright whitney you are a great help keep it up lol
thanks
ryan
Hi Just wondering my son wants to set up for bearded dragons he is 12 and really keen is 1 ok on there own or should you get 2 for company ????
No you should not get two for company. They are solitary creatures.
Ok Thanks whitney just one more questions what are your thoughts on the Geckos as a pet they seem more interesting but are they easy to care for and should you get more than 1 the leopard gecko looks good!!!
I personally prefer geckos over BDs. I have 24 breeder leopard geckos, plus juvies and hatchlings, as well as crested geckos, gargoyle geckos, and a few others. They are much easier to care for and being smaller require less space. As fro leopard geckos, you may want to check out this page all about them:
My bearded dragon is a juvinile and he eats super worms fine!
I would watch out because it can be hard for them to digest. Just keep an eye out.
my dragon is about 2yrs old and has decided he will only eat catapillers (sp?) he wont eat live insects, fruit, or veggies. He is 18in long and isnt skinny. but Im worried hes not getting the proper nutrition. What can I do to get him to eat right? after I got him the only veggies he would eat where lettus and dandilions. the store I got him from was no help and there are no exotic vets with in 100 mi. thanks
Have you tried other veggies or fruits? Try brightly colored fruits. Have you tried carrots or any other veggie besides the two? Try wiggling it in front of him.
I have tryed all that he just walks over to the other side of the cage and sulks till I give him what he wants.
You may want to force feed. Its essential that he gets the veggies. Usually if you get him eating something then he'll take to other veggies and fruits. I would keep experimenting really.
hey you guys are a great help .. i have been havin so much trouble with my dragon.. i just got him and he is sooo small and dosent eat any of its vegtables but ill go home and try what you guys do!! i also have a turtle .. can i put them in the same cage?
NO. NEVER EVER EVER put two different species in the same enclosure. Please remember that if you do that, you will have to cater your enclosure to one reptile or the other, which means the health of hte other will go down hill.
well they are as of right now but they are seperated by a huge log .. turtle on one side bearded dragon on the other .. and each side has a water bowl and there seperate foods. i just couldnt afford to buy a new cage but i worst comes to worst i will i just wasnt sure if thet could continue being the way they are..
No you need to buy a new enclosure today. You should not have them even in the same enclosure with a divider. You can't ensure that they are both getting 100% what they both need. If you can't afford all the essentials, don't get the pet.
Great site! I'm curious: don't bearded dragons come into contact with sand in the wild? I'm not trying to be ornery. Have read conflicting opinions on the safety of sand. We're using the calcium stuff at the moment for our new beardy, but I'm open to being convinced otherwise.
Desert doesn't mean sand. They are on hard compressed dirt and rocks versus sand. Same as with leopard geckos. But again, these guys are in captive environments which is already unnatural for them, so even if they were naturally on 100% loose sand, they wouldn't be able to live like they would in the wild if you put sand in their enclosure. It's like throwing a live chicken in a pin with your dog and telling him go get dinner; some can do it but most wouldn't know what to do or where to start. Which is the same with reptiles, some will never show signs of impaction being housed on sand, but most will to some degree at some point throughout their care.
Also, as for the calcium sand, that's the absolute worst that you could buy and use. It entices them to lick it bc of the calcium, and when wet it clumps not dissolves. Test it for yourself. Pour a little bit of water on a small patch of it, and watch the water sit and slowly clump the sand. That's what happening in your BD's stomach when he eats it or licks it.
Here check out this on impaction, if you're going to have a pet, at least know how to properly care for it:
Ouch. I don't think it's necesary to suggest I don't know how to properly care for my pet. While intensively researching the subject, I've read at least two books that suggest sand is perfectly fine. Maybe those authors are wrong, but one has been raising beardeds for 40 years. Anyway, thanks for the link. I'll check it out. As I said, I'm open to being convinced. But insults won't win me over.
I never accused you of not knowing what you're doing. I just said that you should test the calcium sand, as you'll find it's the worst. I also broke down the natural habitat of BDs and how even if they were naturally on sand, they're in captive environments with care that is nothing like their 100% true natural environment, unless you have a full blown natural outdoor setting for your BD, which will still not bee 100% accurate unless you live in their native lands. So, that being said... I wasn't insulting you one bit. Just breaking it down for you.
I've read a number of BD books plus my years of experience with them and other reptiles. Please give me the titles of the books that recommend housing on sand. I would honestly like to read them. All books that I've ever read about desert reptiles say that it's not recommended unless you have YEARS upon YEARS of experience and even then, it's iffy.
Housing adults on playsand, NEVER EVER EVER calcium based sand, is doable, but still not recommended. Housing babies and juveniles is never recommended.
All right. I'm convinced! It looks like substrate is a hotly contested issue, but I'm inclined to err on the side of caution. I read several other sites, posting boards, etc., and it seems the general consensus is that sand for the little ones is dangerous, with the Calci-Sand being particularly troublesome (although a sizeable minority of people claim it's fine). We're going to opt for slate, title, or reptile carpet -- whichever we can get our hands on first.
Here's the title (from the library) of the book whose authors claim 40 years of impaction-free sand use: "Reptile Keeper's Guides: Bearded Dragons" by R.D. Bartlett and Patricia P. Bartlett.
I'll have to check that out...
What do you mean by sizeable minority. If the minority is sizeable it wouldn't be the minority. Also, no one suggests or recommends calcium based sand. No reputable keeper that is.
ok so my beaded dragon just sitts in its cage all day and only gets movin when i give it a bath or when i put crickets in his cage... ok so what the hell? he has a heatin light and a heating rock so im not so sure its the heat... and he does eat crickets like once or twice a day but i dont know what else to do to make him move? unless thats normal for young dragons?!
You want to either take out the heat rock or just unplug it. Heat rocks can badly burn a bearded dragon. Make sure that you're using UV lighting as well, and that you have a digital thermometer with a probe to measure the temps in the enclosure. If the BD is eating crickets and his veggies, then he's probably fine. Just make sure that you are offering the veggies along with crickets every day. Crickets every other day should be fine, but veggies daily is essential and a must. As for him not moving, he's just basking, leave be. Just make sure that he's eating and that his temps are spot on.
hello we got beardy n our bigger one just sat on top of the smaller one can u tell me why it done this
You should separate them if there is a size difference. This can cause stress and bullying, which it sounds like you're already experiencing. In some cases it is fine for similarly sized BDs to be housed together and in this case they will probably sit on each other, but with different sizes you're causing stress on the little one and probably some bullying. I'd purchase another tank or find a home for one of the BDs.
hey thanks i had no idea that the heating rocks hurt the lizard :( i was told he was just cold so i put him on the rock everyday afer skool and before i go to bed to make sure he's ok. i hope that didnt hurt him :(
he should be fine as long as you turn it off. An undertank heater and proper lighting will be the best method to get the temps. make sure to measure with a digital thermometer and as long as your temperatures are accurate there's no need to make the BD warm. he will thermoregulate as best as he can as long as you have proper hot temps and basking spots. there's no need to make him warm up, if he's cold and there is somewhere to warm up, he'll go there, and vice versa. just make sure to measure the temps accurately. the stick on thermometers aren't accurate.
hi i got a bd yesterday his vivarium is set up and at the right temp i have a digital thermometer saying the basking spot is 110 with a 100w bulb/spotlamp 8 inches above the basking spot but the bulb stays dimmed to keep the temp right but ive noticed that tizer is trying to get onto the wire cage that stops it getting to the bulb twice today ive lifted it down should i get a lower watt bulb or just try another bulb for more light i have a repti-sun uv and reflector in the viv too
havethe basking spot lower.
how much is a six month old bearded dragon suposed to eat daily as in fruits per day /crickets ..... and what can you do when you have to constantly force feed him?
crickets i'd say every few days, not daily, but as many as he'll eat within a 10-15 minute period. As for fruits/veggies it will vary. just make sure to provide them daily. I'd say at maybe eighth of a cup give or take. Are you having to forcefeed everything or just fruits and veggies? IF everything, then you want to consult a vet ASAP, otherwise if just veggies/fruits then you want to just keep at it becuase the BD needs the fruits/veggies.
nah.. it's just fruits and vegtable's the crickets he eat's on his own but when i put the fruits and vegtables in the cage he never eats them so i force feed him like a whole grape one night and then some grean beans the next night but im not sure its enouph... so i went out and bought tons of crickets and give him like three in the mornin and three at night to make sure he's getting something.
You don't want to force feed a whole grape. If you have to force feed make sure that you are using small bite sized pieces. For example, chop the grape into fourths. You still want to provide the produce daily. The insects not as much. The more you feed the crickets, the less likely he will be to eat the veggies. That doesn't mean let him starve and he'll eat the veggies, but if you let him get full on crickets eveyr day, then he's not going to want to even attempt the veggies.
yea when i feed him the grapes i chop them up but the pieces are super small so when im done feeding him it ends up only being one grape all together. i just wanted to make sure thats enouph i dont want to underfeed or over feed him.. its just hard when you have to force feed the dragons cuz you never really kno when enouph is enouph. but ill feed him like vegtables in the morinin then leave them there all day and just do some crickets at night see if that helps!! :o)
I have a problem. I have a bearded dragon, and I got him in August. He was fine, and I do give him his veggies, fruit, Juvenile dragon food, crickets and occasionally meal worms. I have been putting the Calcium, vitamin and d3 powder on his food. I do mist him too, and bathe. But now he will not eat. Not even his crickets. I don’t understand what is wrong with him. I am worried about him. He used to be active but he is not no more. His temp is fine, I have a thermometer in his tank. Is there anything I can do to force feed him ? Or get him to eat again?
Hey, look i aint questioning you or anything but i am quite suprised at how much you know about bd...i myself have two females and find the quite fun. but i was just wondering where you got all you information. i have a friend who just took one in from someone else who moved, and i have been trying to help the best i can but i don't know every thing he needs to know...do you have any good sites or places we can look to know anything and everything we need to know?
amazing, if you have to force feed, try using darker lettuce versus the grapes. It'll be easier to get him to eat, and healthier for him.
SavvyGabby, youd don't need to mist him. is it a digital thermometer or a stick on? the stick ons are not accurate, which means that if you are using these, the temps may not be correct. plus these measure the wall temps not what your BD is feeling. Also, as for him not eating, you may consider a vet if he starts to lose weight, as it could be impaction, parasites, etc.
Blue JA, I have years of experience with reptiles. What do you need to know exactly?
It is digital. I have been keeping an eye on him trying to get him to eat. Today he did eat one cricket but thats it. I'll have to take him to a vet. Thanks.
would it be ok to mush up peas,carrots, his juvi dragon food balls, and add some d3 calsium powder to it and make a mush for him and try to put some on his lip for him to eat it? I did some reading on impactation, it said i could soak him in warm water to help try to pass it through, if it dont work to take him to a vet. I am trying that at the moment the warm water soaking. But was wondering if that would be ok for force feeding, to mush that stuff up. Tomorrow I am going to call around for a reptile vet.
i tried spinach last night and it was alot easier!!! ;o) thankyou!
I'm taking him to the vet today, wish me luck :( i hope they can help my little buddy.
I took him to a vet, and he is fine, no impaction, parasites, etc, or worms. She did give me a de-wormer for him incase that is his problem. I found out what was wrong with him. His UVB light was not working properly and I had to get a new one, she said to get a tester for the light to make sure its giving off the rays that is needed apparently it wasnt and had to replace it. That is what made him slugish and refuse to eat. I got him a new one and he perked right up and started running around like a little nut again and finnally started to eat tonight a little more then he was. She also said on the cooling side of the tank to put a heat pad under the tank that sticks to the bottum of the tank so he still gets his heat on the cooler side. I still have to force feed him till he starts eating on his own again, and was shown how too. He's a tough little guy to get him to open his mouth shesh. Thanks for the help though and advice. I think he's gonna be fine. His name is Salem by the way. Ty again.
That sounds great. With UV, make sure to replace the tubs every 4-6 months. I wouldn't recommend sticking the reptile under tank heater to the actual glass, only because you'll find that it will make cleaning the tank much harder having to watch out for the cord. It will be better to put the UTH on something to prop it up against the bottome of the glass. Just remember to add vents so that the tank isn't sittting on a surface, as that can cause heat buildup and stress cracks in the glass. Also, you want to put it on the hot side, not the cool side. If you put it on the cool side, then you're not creating a hot acool side. You will be creating two warm sides, and the BD will not be able to thermoregulate properly.
Also, I would not give so much spinach. Stick with more medium colorred lettuces. Spinach is still good on occassion though.
Oh ok I see, I did prop it to give it a vent but i will move it to the other side, ty again.
Yep. If you have any other questions, just ask. :-)
:( I did what i was told to do by the vet I got him to eat again, He seemed to be getting better and :( he died this morning :( he must have had something else wrong with a organ or something :( she said he was to little for blood tests to tell. :( im so upset :(
I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. You did what you could by taking the BD to the vet and making changes with the environment. The illness could have been too far gone. UV lighting is very important as is proper heat.
I'm so sorry that I didn't respond about the peas and the juvie pellets. For future knowledge you could try it, but fresh peas can typically be rather hard to mush up. And you always want to go with fresh.
Thanks, that's ok, yes I used a blender to mush them. I soaked the juvi food too to get it mushy to get it in there. I burried him with a little cross by him. He was my little buddy :( its so hard to get over I miss him a lot. I am going to get a new one but it just wont be the same.
I am sorry about the loss. You really did try.
im thinking about buying a drag. do u recomend anywere particular i should buy one from
A breeder.
Thanks, I got a new one. This guy is no baby, he is a little bigger and much fatter then a babby lol. Least he is fat and i know hes been cared for right before i goth him/her. I don't know if it is a boy or girl yet. But hes pretty solid and looks stable. He's not the same but looks like my old one, but much bigger and more solid. He is big enough to eat large crickets. I think this one is very healthy and i don't think I will have any problems with this one. :D
Make sure that you ahve thoroughly disinfected your enclosure with a diluted bleach concentrate in case the other one had parasites. You don't want the new one to go downhill because you didn't clean out the cage from the other one. Good luck with the new BD, though. Hopefully he will be much healthier. Where did you get it? Make sure to feed your veggies, not just crickets.
I did clean out the cage and did sterolize it and everything before i got the new one. I called the vet and asked what was the best way to sterolize everything. I got him from a breeder this time. I do offer fresh veggies every day and I asked what time do they feed him the crickets to keep him on the same feeding time schedual.
Sounds like you've done everything perfect. Good luck with the new beardie.
as u can tell i have a bearded dragon about the size of the one in that picture al i have been giving him is 5-6 criickits woth colsiom and roman lettace is there anything else i should give him oh ya and i give him 9 mealworms every onece and a while
You should be providing a balanced diet. Mix up the veggies, add carrots, squash, and strawberries, as well as the other veggies and fruits on the list above. Don't offer just romaine. I'm not sure what colsiom is, so i'm not sure if it's any good or not.
Thanks again :) I give him a mix of collard greens, cut up carrots, cut up dandylion leaves , and green beans for his fresh salad mix, its all bite size for him too. I hope that is a good mix to give him for greens.
Sorry forgot to ask, is it normal for him to sit under the basking lamp with his mouth open? The other one never used to do that , this one does.
That sounds like a really good mix. Mix it up with fruits once in a while, he'll love it. Usually when they gape their mouth it's bc they're too hot. If you have a good hot and cold area, then he'll just go to the cool area to cool off. He should be fine unless he's doing it ALL the time. Just keep an eye outI wouldn't alter the temps until you notice him doing it 24/7 and he's not going to the cool side.
He was on the cool side most of the time, then went up into his reptile hammoc under the basking light and sat there then opened his mouth about a half hour later. Then he stopped, then did it again moved around and stopped again and eventually did go to the cooler side again.
He don't do it all the time, this is the first time i caught him doing it. But he did not do it the whole time. I did check once in a while. He only did it once in a while and stopped inbetween when he did go to the cool side he didn't do it no more. I just wasn't sure if it was normal for them to vent. Trying to be super careful with this one sorry i keep asking alot of stuff.
hey what do you recomend is the best things to give a baby bearded dragon? how should the diet be?
I wouldn't worry about it right now. Ask as many questions as you need to. As for the produce- carrots, squash, romaine, a little spinach, strawberries, mangos, etc. Anything you'd feed an adult. Just make sure that it's small, and bite sized.
i just recently adopted a 3 year old beardie from a woman unable to care for her. i notice that the right side of her beard, where the spikes are, is black at the base of the skin, and those spikes don't look as good as the ones on the other side of her beard where there is no black at skin level. the spikes appear less brilliant yellow and seem softer. i am also noticing white patches appearing along the spine (im assuming thats just normal shedding, but not sure if they are related)
ive been looking everwhere for info :/
should i rush her to the vet, or is this normal?
My new bd is doing fine so far and he has been eating his veggies with no hesitation on his own without having to trick him to eat them with meal worms. I have caught him waveing his arm and boping his head at i think his reflection in the glass lol. Is that a sign he is a male? By doing that dance they do.
lizzy, the white patches are probably left over shed skin. You can soak the BD in lukewarm water and gently rub off the skin. As for the black spike, in many cases the beard with darken when the BD is mad or when it's just trying to get warm. Check the temps in the enclosure with a digital thermomter, make sure that you have the right heat and lighting, and just watch the BD for a little while. I wouldn't discount going to a vet, but it sounds ok right now. Just keep a watchful eye.
SavvyGabby, that sounds wonderful. That's really good to hear. Typically, head bobbing is male, but arm waving is female. I have had females head bob, so that's really not the best indication of male/female. The best thing thaty ou can do is check the vent for bulges and other signs of the gender there. It may be too young to tell.
Ahh ok, I wasn't sure if the males only did that, or both did it. He bops his head first then waves his arm lol. It's cute, but funny.
I think it's a boy, I checked by the vent and see the 2 bulges on the tail by the vent.
hes too cute he gives kisses to everything in his tank and my hand lol.
It may be a male. Just wait and see. It's great you're happy with the new BD.
Ohh ok, thanks :D, yes I am happy. I'm trying to figure out what he is though so i know what to name him/her. He does have 2 bulges by the vent he lets me hold him with out a fuss suprisingly. He is a decent size to be able to see, he is a little bigger then a baby. But under his belly its blackish/grey with white spots. When he does wave his arm or bops his head he puffs his chin sometimes.
By the bulges are little tiney bumps, like larger pores in a line from one leg to the other under his leg by the vent. I think there Femoral pores. There visable. I'll check again when he is bigger but i am pretty sure it looks like a boy lol. I held him under the bright light to look but i will tripple check. Trying to avoid a dr visit to find out so i dont have to get charged 50 bucks for the visit lol just to find that out.
It may be male, but it's hard to tell from just that, especially since it's still a youngster. Just keep an eye on him/her.
Ok, I will. Thanks :D and I do toss in fruit once in a while, I cut up mango for him and mix it in. I will wait till hes more bigger to check again. I'm not to sure cause he is still little. Just wish it was easier to find out so I know what to call him/her.
A breeder may be able to make an estimated guess for you, depending on the size of the BD. It's just hard to tell with verbal description.
hi
my 9mth old female bd keeps curling her toes (the thumb on both back legs) why
are her nails to long or is she lacking something(she is fussy)
and i got a 6wk old and is eating great heaps of greens and a few mealworms but not that much crix and i can feel a bump on its tail(cant see it just feel it slightly)
could this be from a fall or lacking
they both get powderd minerals and calcium d3
the older bd probably needs its toenails trimmed. As for the younger one, it could be bullying from the older bd if housed together. there is a substantial age and size difference, so hopefully the two are being housed separate. if they are separate, i'm not 100% as to what the bump could be.
just make usre to provide calcium on their veggies, as well as calcium+d3 twice a week, and vitamins once a week.
hello - my BD (gizmo) is about a yr and a half now - im getting really worried now - she just wont eat veggies!!! i have tried everything to get her to eat them and she just looks at me like im stupid! i have also tried not giving her any locusts in hope she gets hungry enough but she went over a week! i pulling my hair out - any ideas?
Try force feeding. Try different tyes of veggies. Definitely try bright fruits.
This website was great! Thank you for sharing the information! I do have one question if I may....everyone says feed babies and juvenilles so much..and adults so much......my question is...when does a baby become a juvenille and when does a juvenille become an adult...and if bought in a store and they didnt know how old the beardie was exactly....then how can I age my beardies?....Thank you...gbscf
I thought I'd let you know how the new bd is doing. He is doing fine and eating alot. He eats about 8 or 9 crickets and then half his veggies. I am happy he is eating healthy.
He eats 9 or 8 crickets and half his veggies a day I dust his vegies with the d3+Calcium powder. He has a healthy apatite. Is this big apatite normal or good ?
gbscf, the actual age will vary as to the classification. personally, to me juvies are around 4 months old and adults about a year old. If you're talking about lengths determining the age, that is not possible as beardies all grow at different rates.
Gabby, that's great. it sounds like a healthy appetite. remember that it's a growing bearded dragon, so let him eat. :-)
my bearded dragon only eats like 3 crickets a day and then the next day he only eats allitle bit of lettus and dosent seem to have any energy. should i go to the vet? or is this just because hez's only around a year or so old
At that age, he should be a pretty voracious eater. Make sure the temps are accurate and the UV lighting is good. Remember that UV bulbs should be replaced every 4-6 months. UTH help with temperatures, too, so you may consider one of those.
Hello, the dragon is still doing good. Just wanted to keep ya updated on her. She has gotten big, she is growing quick. She is big enough to tell what she is and it is a girl. I still don't know what to name her though.
Actually I thought of a name lol, It's Kahlua like the coffee liqour, since shes a cream brownish color
SavvyGabby, that sounds good. Thanks for keeping me updated. Kahlua is a very cute name. I like it a lot.
Your welcome, and Thank you. I am very happy I got a very healthy bd. She lol sits in the weirdest positions. She'll sit up on her reptile hammoc and with half her body hanging off. I don't see how thats comfortable but she seems to think it is lol.
im getting 4 month old bd on sat everything is set and working i just need to know how many feeders to give a day im getting so confused eveyone is telling me different can some one please help
I would do a small handful of veggies and as many crickets as it'll eat in 15 minutes. It's hard to gauge how much it'll eat until you try it out. Younger BDs eat more insects than older ones, but then older ones will eat more veggies. I'd start with just 10-15 crickets to start until you figure out what the BD will eat without gorging.
Hi Whitney,
You seem to have more of an idea about what you're talking about than the guy in the reptile shop round the corner from me.
I've got a baby beardie (approx 9-10 wks), that I've had for 3 days now who will eat crickets and the odd waxworm (I've only given it 2 as I was told they should be a treat as they're high in fat), but I can't get him to eat veggies/fruit or drink.
I have to hand feed him his (not sure of it's gender but I say "him" anyway.) crickets otherwise they hide and he can't see them, so I've tried hand feeding him small bits of cucumber, water cress, kiwi and grated carrot and he just turns his head away, he's not interested in eating it at all. I gave him a bath today in luke warm water that he sat still in for around 5 mins before climbing up my arm and out of the water. Is this enough to get him to hydrated if I do that every day? Possibly for longer once I get him used to it as I have a feeling the breeder didn't bath him at all. There is a shallow bowl of water in his tank, that he's sat in once, but as far as I know, doesn't drink from. I've tried dripping water on his head/end of his snout, but he doesn't like it too much.
And also how do I get him to try his veggies? as I know they're an important part of his diet. He eats his crickets fine, between 7-12 a day and they're dusted in "T - REX dragon calcium dust".
I keep a shallow bowl of fresh veggies and fruit in his tank everyday, he just doesn't touch them at all.
Also how long will it be until he's eating on his own and not having to be hand fed?
Any ideas as to how I can get him to try them?
He seems perfectly healthy as he runs around, and climbs up his false leaves, and likes pooing on his basking branch so I've found! So everything seems to bw in working order apart from the veggie/fruit situation and drinking.
Any advice would be much appreciated as I'm a little anxious about it.
Thanks =]
Leave a small bowl of shredded veggies in the tank. By seeing them, it will be better for the BD to get used to them. He may not take to them right away, but by leaving them in the tank it'll be better than trying off and on. Why can't he see the crickets? Does he have an eye problem? There shouldn't be any reason to nee to hand feed the crickets. I would avoid the waxworms, as much as possible.
i really want to get a beardie but i doubt my mum will let crickets into the house can you just feed them the meal worms and silk worms instead?
Hi,
I'll keep leaving the shredded veggies in there, hopefully he'll try them.
He's not got an eye problem as when I put a waxworm on the floor he sees it instantly and goes for it as fast as I've ever seen him move.
The crickets tend to hide in his tank or climb the walls so he can't get to them.
If I remove everything from the tank, he'll attempt to catch them but doesn't try too hard, I have a feeling I've spoiled him slightly and he just expects to be given them instead of having to work...
Shall I just keep removing his branch/paper towels etc and putting him in there with 2 or 3 to see if he'll eventually click?
Any other suggestions on how to stop him being so spoiled and lazy?
Thanks,
Louise
rebecca, you can feed them mealworms and superworms, as well. I'm not sure if you red the article or not, but there is a list of insects that you can feed bearded dragons.
Louise, If you dump the crickets in the tank, he should see them and go after them. Remove what's not eaten after 15 minutes. The more you hand feed, the longer it will be to get him to eat on his own.
HI
im really worried bout 2 of by beared dragons.they are both females and living with a male.i think there round bout 1 year old as i got them together.they use to be quite fat but they have lots alot of weight,they are really skinny for there age.1 seems to be eating but my other 1 dosent show any intrest in food.do you think they could have worms?i also have 6 other beared dragons they are all healthy and eating well and putting on there weight.please could you help,
many thanks b
make sure that they are all separated. they are being stressed and bullyied. Could be worms. could be parasites, but if you're housing them together, i'd guess stress and bullying is the problem. They are too young to be living with a male.
thank you for the reply,
they dont seemed to be bullied as they all get along,there always plenty of food and have been feeding them seprately.do u think they may feel threatned as the male is alot bigger than my 2 females.i weigh my beaded dragons once a week to keep an eye on there weight.but my 2 females keeping loosing a few grams a week as with the others they all put on
thanks once again
Unless you are able to sit and watch them 24/7, you cannot gaurantee that they are not being bullied. I would strongly suggest that you separate them, especially since they are losing weight.
thanks for the advice,i will seprate them to see how they go on,hopefully this should help
Just give it time. I would expect changes though. Good luck. If they do not put on weight, you should really consult a vet.
I never realized there were so many things I could feed our bearded dragon. My boyfriend told me that they could not be fed spinach. I guess he was wrong. Thank you for this hub!!! I can now offer my beared dragon a more varied diet!!!
thanks.one of my other beared dragons smokey.had the same problem.so took him vets and he had parasites.she gave him a dose of wormer,he has since grown a little bit.but he still quite small for his age.he eating loads each day which is a good sign.IS it possible for a beared dragon not to grow and just stay the same size,
Anna, spinach should only be in small amounts, but you can include it in the food dish once in a while.
b, no. some bearded dragons are smaller than others, and some just grow at slower rates.
i will see how he goes on,just a bit worried bout him.i recently brought my self another beared dragon,im not sure if its male or female but it sometimes fights with the other one,head bobing (etc).it alot bigger than the other beared,do u think it would be a good idea 2 seprate them as im worried incase on of them gets hurt
thanks again b
If they are different sizes, you should never have them housed together. Also, if you JUST purchased the BD, you need to have it separated because you do not know what parasites or illnesses that the new BD may have that can be transferable. You should quarantine all new reptiles for at BARE MINIMUM 30 days, with 90 being more efficient.
If you see bullying, there should be no question as to whether or not you should separate them.
With so many BD's, I would think you knew the basics about quarantining, sexing, and separating when you see signs of bullying and stress.
thanks 4 the advise.i do know the basic,just wanted to make sure and ask someone aswel as you seem to have more experience than me.
What would you suggest as an good alternative to sand? Te carpet looks cheep but I want he best out there for my new bd.
b, personally, if you knew the basics, I don't see why you wouldn't have quarantined the new BD, much less kept them all separate.
Matty, tile makes for a nice alternative. You can purchase slate times in a variety of colors and patterns. Roll-out kitchen counter liner works well too.
Hi I have quite a few questions about my bearded dragon, hes the first lizard i have ever had but I got him from petco like a month ago and we got like this bd kit that comes with a tank, thermometer, drinking bowl, etc. It also came with this bedding called alfalfa meal, but its like loose substrate but idk it syas on the package that its ideal for bd along with other reptiles, so is this fine to use?? Also I read on some sites that mealworms shouldnt be given to bd because they have the exoskeleton that can cause impaction but he seems to really like the mealworms and other things i have readen suggest using them. Also I got this calcium supplement that is called Repashy Superfoods- bearded dragon calcium plus and it says it is a viatmin mineral supplement.. so is that one thing good enough to use isntead of buying a seperate vitamin mineral supplement? Also when I feed him crickets why do I have ot take the rest out because he eventually does eat them? and I dont know what I would do with the rest of them
Remove the bedding. Purchase a better thermometer (throw out the stick on one and purchase a digital thermometer with a probe). Use mealworms with caution; as long as the heat is good there shouldn't be a problem with digestion, but with the crappy thermometer you'll never know the real temps. Purchase a pure calcium in addition to the calcium/mineral mix. You need both. Remove uneaten crickets after 15 minutes; crickets can really harm a lizard. Also, make sure to provide fresh veggies daily.
For future reference, the kits are worthless and a waste because it's better to buy exactly what you need separately versus the kit and have to relace everything or throw out what you don't use, which is the other half of what you don't need to replace.
Alright thank you so very much. I removed the bedding and placed it with paper towels, is that fine? Also I got a little critter keeper to keep the crickets in now so i have a place to put them when I need to remove the crickets. I just have a question, so every so often my beardie does this thing where he like closes his eyes then his eye sockets seem to get really large and it looks like his head is going to explode, it really freaks me out, but then he goes back to normal and is fine then a few minutes later he will do it again. He does it like twice in a row then doesn't do it for a week (that I have noticed) He tends to do it after he eats, is this normal?? And if so, why do beardies do that?
Paper towels is fine. I'm not sure about the eye concern. I've never noticed it in my BDs. I would just keep watch on it.
WHY DID YOU PUT SPINACH IT CAN KILL BEERDED DRAGONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In small amounts, spinach is ok. Please do not write in all caps, as it comes across as yelling. And please do not leave comments filled with exclamation points, as they will be deleted.
how old should a baby breaded dragon have to be before i sell them?
I would say a few months old (at least 8 weeks) and old enough for it to have shed several times and you to know that it's eating crickets and vegetables properly.
my bearded dragon always ate crickets and locust but we only give him locust 2 days a week as we got told that it is like chocolate to them is that true?
ever since we took him to the pet shop to get him sexed he hasn't ate anything but he will eat locust and i don't want to keep on giving him them incase he will not eat anything else this was 3 weeks ago and i'm getting a bit conserned
I've never heard of locust being like chocolate, but personally, I would stick with crickets, mealworms, superworms, silkworms, and vegetables/fruits.
I've never used locust as a feeder.
I feed the occasional mouse once a month.Is this a problem?
Once a month should be fine.
Thanks for responding.Most hubbers never do.
You're welcome. I try to answer most comments.
Okay I have a question so like I was out in my backyard with my beardy cause its finally getting warm out and i showed him a dandelion and he attacked it and I was so shocked because hes still pretty young and I always give him a nice salad with his mealies but he NEVER eats the greens or the fruits or the veggies I try EVERYTHINg and he never wants it, but he wanted this dandelion so is it alright if I let him eat it since we dont spray our yard?
Dandelions are ok, but not the ones from your yard. Even if you don't spray, your neighbors may, which can float over with the wind, bugs, etc.
Well where can I get dandelions from that I can be sure that they are good for the beardy?
Hey Whitney.
Iv just read through the whole of those comments and i must say, im impressed by how much you manage to respond.
Id like to ask a question, i have two beardies in the same enclosure, they dont seem to fight or anything, they cuddle up together near enough all the time, even go to sleep with one's head on the others, its so cute.
Iv got money ready for the new tank if/when i need it. but dont want to split them up while there still very friendly.
One BD is a lot darker than the other one. It definetaly seems to be shedding but has been like that for 3-4 days now, doesnt eat as much as the other. and isnt as active, I usually handle them 3-4 times a day, but im slightly worried about its lack of appetite compared to the other one, will it just be because it is shedding or could it be something else, it does seem to like to eat veggies more. They usually eat 3-4 crickets a day, but yesterday thay had about 6 each plus drank water off the edge of the tank for the first time since i got them.
Thanks, Will.
Wendy, I believe I've seen dandelion at the grocery store in the vegetable area.
Will, Sounds like the one is darker because of stress, which is one reason it may not be eating as much; definitely consider two enclosures. I wouldn't spray the tank; either provide a water bowl or soak them a few times a week. Many breeders will actually tell you that you don't need a bowl bc they get most of the moisture they need from the veggies (carrots, squash, etc) but should be soaked oncce or twic a week.
Thanks for your responce.
I have just soaked the darker one now and it seems to have helped, i left it in there for about 10 mins and it just sat there the whole time seeming to enjoy it.
I forgot to say also, there both brothers/sisters and are 6-7 weeks old, the darker one also seems to keep out of the heat aswell, hiding under the log at the cool end or even just sitting just out of the backing area. basking for about 5-10 mins every hour or so, if it can even be bothered moving, a couple of times iv had to move him from the cool end as it just stayed in the cool end all morning not wanting to move to the warm end, once there he sits there for 10-15 mins or so then moves just out of the basking spot.
If they are brother/sister pair, you should definitely separate them because they will breed. The male will be able to breed before the female should breed, but they will mate and she will lay eggs. The earlier this happens, the more complications you will notice- short term and long term.
If it's keeping out of the heat, that is why it is darker. They will darken their skin pigments in order to get more heat (kind of like the same scenario of darker cars getting hotter in the sun than lighter cars during the same duration). It's probably not hot enough.
There could be something wrong with the BD, more than stress. Do you know which is which- male and female? Where did you get them? Are the basking temps correct, and read with proper instruments and gauge?
Iv been keeping it to the correct tempurature but its one of those plastic crappy round ones, iv just ordered a proper one with the probe now, should have it in the next couple of days. Iv read about that you cant really sex them till there about 3 months old/8 inchs long, but by the looks of it it seems that the one that is darker is female.
The thing i found was wierd was that one will sit there basking for a good while, about 2-3 hours until he'll go to cool down, but the darker one will start gaping after 10-15 mins and shortly after move away to cool down. She does seem to brighten up when she's under the lamp.
The plastic ones don't read properlly by any means, so in all reality, you don't know the temps. Breeders can sex them early on. I've seen them sexed as early as 6 weeks. You can't sex by appearance. I figured if they are male/female, then you were going to tell me that the darker one was the female. Sounds like she is stressed.I strongly consider separating them.
When i said they seemed to be male and female i meant i did the sexing routine by looking at the base of the tail, and you can definetaly see the difference.
Ok, thats decided me, ill be buying the new enclosure ASAP, thanks for the help.
Gotcha. I thought maybe you were just going off of length, head, weight, etc. You're looking at the vent?
I think the new enclosure will help with the potential stress on the darker BD.
Yeah, iv doing tonnes of research before and after getting them, like 3-4 hours of the stuff each day. What are the potential problems of them breeding?
Being that you say they're related, you pose enhancing any genetic issues that you may/or may not know about. If they were purchased from a pet store, you don't know anything about their genetic history, so it's generally not a good idea.
Also, becuase you are a beginner, it's not good to plan breeding right away. Can you afford housing the hatchlings and providing up to 1000 crickets a day for the babies? Depending on the litter size, these guys can be pretty voracious and will eat a ton, not to mention the veggies. It's expensive to breed.
Alright thank you so much, I really appreciate all your advice and help :) I also have two more questions. first off, when I spray my beardy or let him sit in the water how warm should the temp of the water be? Also I''m getting concerned because my beardy is about 7 inches long now and he does seem to do fine he actually just shedded yesterday but I can not get him to eat any greens or veggies or fruits, I feel like hes getting to that age where he really needs to start eating them. I try everything, i try hand feeding and wigglign the green in his face, I make him delicious salads like all the time, I even make him the salad and place the mealies on top of it but he just picks the mealies right out and very rarely mistakingly eats a green, I don't know what to do :(
I was reading a few books and they said that calcium binds to it and some kind of toxic acid.Is this true?
Wendy, It's better to let him soak in lukewarm water than to spray. At that age, they typically fight eating the veggies, but by putting fresh veggies in the tank daily, they get used to seeing them and eventually start eating. Sometimes you will have to start forcing themto eat by putting a few pieces in the mouth.
Nicko what binds to calcium and forms a toxic acid?
aRE SNAILS FINE
Sorry I was in a rush was sleepy,and had allergies.I talking about spinach.
dumdum i wouldn't feed snails.
nicko, spinach is ok in small amounts.
Hi I have a beardie that is roughly 5 months old. It is about 9 inches long and eats about 30 crickets a day and about 2 square inches of collard green leaves a day. I was just wondering if this is the norm for a beardie of this age. Thanks for your time
I would say it could be accurate. It's hard to tell as they will feed differently. Some will eat more and others will eat less at different ages.
Hey Whitney I have a question I was hoping you could answer.....I just bought my beardie from Petland and I cant figure out what is wrong with her. I have had many bearded dragons in the past and al were healthy but mine now appears sick. She dosnt move much, has not ate since I got her, basks in the light all day long. My temps are perfect, she is the only dragon in her cage, I offer crickets and veggies, I do everything like any other dragon I have. She is about 12" nose to tail. Have you ever had this happen to you before?
By purchasing from a bet store you have a higher risk of parasites and illnesses. Not all BD's though are high energy active; most are laid back and bask all day long.
Ok thanks. I will give it a few more days and see what happens.
That's probably the best idea. I'm curious how your previous BDs have acted, since this one seems to be more laid back than those... If you think that the BD is overly lethargic and isn't eating, then definitely consider a reptile vet.
Hi Whitney I was just wondering if it is alright to feed my beardie pieces of green pepper? Thanks again for all your help I really appreciate it
And can I feed him kiwi?
I wouldn't suggest it.
I don't know if you remember me, but I thought I'd say hi and Kahlua is doing wonderful. She has grown tree times the size she was when I had gotten her. I had to get her a much bigger bowel, because she was eating alot more now that she has gotten bigger. She is bigger then my hand but still not full grown yet. LOL She is funny too, When I go to clean her and whipe it down with warm water she will purposly run in the area im cleaning to get in the way like it's a game to her. I'll move her to the othe side and she looks at me then runs there again. She must be playing a game with me thinking its a game to her because her beared doesn't turn black or puff up when she does that. I think she is pretty smart and is actually playing a game with me there. Also I have been misting her veggies for her water intake but I have a little rock/pool for her filled with water and I have caught her drinking out of it. It looks like she has figured out to drink water out of the water dish I have for her, I do still mist the veggies though, but it's nice to know she did figure out to drink from the water in the other dish. Well thought I'd let ya know how she's doing, and say hi.
Ops, I meant she plays that game with me when I clean her tank*.
That sounds really good. Sounds like she's really adjusted well.
I have bought a young BD for my son , I am not sure exactly how old it is but its body is about 3.5 inches and its tail about 4.5 inches I am feeding it small locusts at the moment with added veg etc how many locusts should it be eating cos I am sure it will keep eating until it goes bang if I let it , should I let it eat what it wants or limit the amount , any advice would be appreciated
Generally, you feed as many as they will eat within a 15-20 minute period. I've never used locusts, so I'm not sure. Generally in terms of crickets, I'd stick with maybe 15 smalls or so every day, as long the BD is eating his veggies.
Hi
I have just bought two beared dragons i have had them for a few weeks now,but one of the is very skinny and is not eating anything i need help....
Keep them separated. Make sure temps are accurate. If not eating crickets, probable problem, as they typically never turn down crickets. If purchased from a pet store high risk of parasites. If housed together higher risk of bullying and stress.
Hey Whitney05, I actually don't own a bearded dragon but clicked on this article just to take a look. This is all very interesting and the pics are great. Your articles are really informative about animals, in general. Thanks!
my little BD wont touch crickets but loves locusts , I have been giving it fruit or veg since I bought it but as yet it wont eat any , I have only had it 4 weeks should it have taken some veg by now if so how do i wean it on to some veg
Make sure to keep offering the veggies, try another veggie that you haven't offered as of yet. Most pet store BDs aren't used to eating them, so it can take a while to get them used to it.
My friend has a BD and he rocks! He never fed him veggies or fruits though so today I bought him Kale greens and Broccoli slaw. HE LOVES EM , he also eats the heck out of the mango and grapes! I also bought my friend the spray for the veggies! I don't wanna see the little guy get MBD!! Hopefully I saved his dragon! He's around 7 months old so hopefully it's not too late!!
Sounds like he's going to be fine as longas the veggies and fruits are kept up.
Make sure to supplement calcium + d3 as well as the spray vitamins.
He has the Calcium + d3 stuff for him and all that good stuff to dust the crickets with. So hopefully he lives a long life! I know more about his beardie then he does! Half tempted to get one myself!!
The locusts and mealworms I give him are gutloaded with dandelion leaves would he get any benefit from the greens I give them , Also I just bought a pot of butterworms any ideas what I can feed them?
He doesn't get any direct benefit from the insects being gutloaded with dandelion leaves. He just gets healthy food. He still needs his own greens. You don't feed butterworms; just keep them in the fridge.
I gave him chopped up cabbage and dandelion leaves today and I caught him eating some ...so good news
that is good to hear.
i have 2 bearded dragons roughly 3 months old. they havent been eating anything for the past 3 days and i dont know what to do. i usually feed them crickets. any suggestions?
i was given a bearded dragon a couple of weeks ago i am not sure but i put him out side and he keeps eating bubble bees it that bad for him? i have been watching him closely and he seems fine but i really don't know what he really can eat.
I was thinking of purchasing a bearded dragon , they are still quite small from the breeder. I believe they are only around 5 inches nose to tail. I was curious on what I will need for him. If you kindly have the time to make up a small list that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time and knowledge.
HI I read through most of this but I guess i will just ask :)
Instead of sand what do I use? I see tile and carpet but im not exactly sure what it means or where to get it
Thanks
broccoli is not good as it binds calcium and therefore is no good for the beardie
I have a 90 gallon tank set up can i put a baby beardie in it right away or do ihave to buya smaller tank first
Sera 3 days isn't anything. If it continues consult a vet. I'm hoping you offer fruits and vegetables as well.
carley bumbles bees is NOT recommended. Do not leave him unattended outside. There are too many potential dangers.
Timmy because this is for feeding, I'm recommending this article: http://hubpages.com/_reptiles/hub/Bearded-Dragon-C
Jen reptile carpet can be purchased at a reptile store, tile can be purchase at a home department store.
adz broccoli is ok in small amounts
trav I'd recommend a divider as 90 gallons is a tad big for a small bd.
Thanks for the quick response! Sorry for all the questions but BD's are very fascinating! Also , do you know any websites with lists of breeders? I am from the Southside Chicagoland Area.
It's not a problem. It's better to be informed than let your pet suffer because you think you know what you're doing. It's better to know and do all your research. I'm not sure of a listing. I'd just do a search for "bearded dragon breeders in Chicago" or something like that.
My fiance and I just bought a bearded dragon. I had done a ton of research before buying (as much as i possibly could, even while at work) and we even did a test run with the tank for a week before we got the beardie to make sure the settings would be okay. I wanted to make sure everything would be perfect. I'm a worrier by nature. Our beadie eats a ton of crickets but won't touch mealworms or veggies. I have two questions (sorry if you've already answered them).
How do I get it (Fluffy is too young to determine gender) to eat mealworms and veggies?
It seems really nervous whenever we try to handle it. What's the best way to make it more comfortable with us?
Sorry by the way, our beadie is still pretty young (About 7").
Sorry to bug you so much. Last question i promise. I've read about snout rubbing but mostly in regards to a water dragon id this something i should be concerned with in a beardie?
Mealworms aren't necessary if it's eating the crickets. If you purchased from a pet store it'll probably take a little time to get the BD used to the veggies. Just make sure to continue to offer and provide the veggies. Try different kinds with diferent colors.
As for handling. It'll take time. Make sure that you've given the BD time to adjust to the new tank and home- 5 to 7 days preferable. Start with slow handling. Some can be real fidgety at fist.
Some BDs will experience this behavior, but it's not nearly as common. Just keep watch.
i just got my dragon and i think its a boy but still not to sure. its a fire bearded dragon i dont know if the type matters to what they eat or not. but i really need to know how much to feed it every day i feed it about twice a day i offer meal worms in the morning and a fruit or a vedgi at night. its about 15 inches long, im not sure of its age but i think its like 2 or 3. its very sweet and eats just about everything i offer to it but i just dont know if i am feeding it to much or to little please help me lol thanks it would be great if someone could email me at arrayahlee@yahoo.com cuz i probably will never be able to find this same sight again so please email me thank you so much!!!!!!!
Daily veggies, and every other day crickets/mealworms. Feed as many insects that it will eat within 10-15 minutes, removing the rest. Leave the veggies in the tank all day and provide fresh in the morning the next day.
i just got a 1.5yo bearded dragon a couple days ago and while at the house i got him from he had no problem with me removing him from the tank but ever since i got him home (same tank and everything in it but just from one house to mine) hes being a butt lol he sprints towards me when i try to get something or put something into the cage and he (by the way the tank is on a stand in my bedroom and one end of it is like 18-20 inches from where i sit at the computer and he is consistantly puffing up something fierce at the end of the tank by me and the comp its the cold end and hes been there all day stareing and puffing occasionally) also as for a night time temp what is good i have a night time uv bulb that i put on the warm side at night and nothing on the cool side and during the day i put the uv night light on the cool side any help would be greatly appreciated thank you
sorry i meant to say this in the last message but i had a smaller bd 8-10 years ago (i went the pet store route on that one) and sadly it died of an impaction but i got this one and he is a big boy a 1.5 yo male and very healty the people i got him from hes been on sand his entire 1.5years and after what happened to my first i dont care that ppl say well hes big enough and been on it long enough i figure better safe than sorry and im replacing it with tile as soon as i can but like i said in the post above this he is a butt right now and im hopeing a week or so he will be accustomed and sweet again(he was very sweet before from what they said and what i saw when i first went to get him) but do u think if i wait the week or so untill he gets back to normal to get the sand out that since hes been in sand for so long one more week wont hurt
I wouldn't necessarily move the UV tube from cold to hot side. Also make sure that there is a regular bulb and an under tank heater. You can accurately measure the temps with a digital thermometer with a probe. Even though you move the entire tank ,there is still going to be that adjustment period since the environment is still going to be different. Just give it time to let the BD adjust. If you purchased from a breeder, you may want to ask the breeder any tips. He/she may be able to provide more specific information.
he is a year and a half and i got him from another owner hes tolerateing some touching and i can do what i need in his tank but holding him i guess will take a bit! but i do have a couple quick questions. 1. beard all black but not puffing or aggitated any idea on its meaning? 2. what brand and wattage do you reccomend for mercury vapor bulb (the tank is 50+" by 21" wide by 21-24" high)? and as far as vitimins like the calcium and d3 do you have in brand names and how often? i appreicate all your help and want to appoligize for asking so many questions but after listnening to the pet store and ending up badly the first time im being extra catiopus this time!!! also i got a digital thermomiter(sp) with probe and his warm side is mid 90"s basking branch is 105 and the cool side is 85.6 do those sound good? thank you uin advance
black beard could be him just trying to get more heat. They'll turn dark in coloration to get more heat. The watt bulb will depend on what the temps are in the enclosure. Best way to measure with with a digital thermometer with a probe. I prefer jurassical for plain calcium, but hertivite is a good brand as well and you can stick with the same brand for calcium, calcium*d3, and vitamins. The temps sound good, but in that case, I'm not sure about the black beard other than stress. You may could raise the basking area a bit, but not too much.
hes back to normal this morning and extremly hyper not mad just running laps lol so i think he will be ok thankyou again so much also i have i think 2 more ?'s 1 is i have zoomed reptivite is that ok for calcium if not i can get the kind you reccommend and also it has calcium phosphate in the ingrediants (i thought i read that was not good)? 2 as long as my tank temps stay good (i do have a digital thermometer with probe) would and under tank heater be needed? my night time temps with the night bulb on the warm side of the tank the tank temps stay between 71-74 degrees is that ok? and also i have zilla brand gut load cricket drink with calcium is that good gut load? sorry i was way off on my estimate of 2 ?'s but i want everything to be perfect this time!!! and the tank has two seperate mesh screen tops and sliding glass doors on the from it is 50" long 21"deep and 21" tall i believe thats around 55gallon and i just bought another mercury vapor bulb the powersun brand its 100 watts bc thats what hes been using and that bulb is 6-7months old and i figure better to raplace it than not get the uvb? so with the answers you give me plus the tank temps and set up i gave you does everything so good? and i really am sorry for all the ?'s but a tremendous thank you for all your help
Hi I just wanted to ask if you know anything about this but Im worried because today my bearded dragons stool looks very weird, I feed him mealworms and its like pieces of the mealworm are in the stool like they were not fully digested or something, I have never noticed this before and it concerns me. I am not sure what the problem could be, my beardy has been doing really good i've had him since february and he was very small then but he has been doing so well, has grown like crazy. He acts normal too, his eyes arent sluggish, he is very alert always running around, a rapid eater. I feed him a healthy salad everyday with different greens and added veggies and fruits along with mealworms, the temperature for his tank is good as well as teh humidity, I just dont know what to think of this.
Chris, you need to have a pure calcium in addition to vitamins. I find that the UTH is beneficial, but If you can keep the temps accurate and high enough, then I guess it's not needed. I've just found it easier for digestion and maintaining temps. You need the lighting and uv; uv tubs should be replaced every 4-6 months. If you're talking about the ceramin heat emitters plus uv emitter then that would be fine to, but there needs to be uv.
Wendy, sounds like the BD isn't digesting properly. Could be from temperatures too low, as that's the most common reason for reptiles not digesting properly. Just keep an eye on it and if it continues, you'll want to bump the temps up.
thank you and i currently am and i have been using a mercury vapor bulb so to my understanding that covers light, heat, and uv correct
I believe so. Typically, it'll say on the box that it emits uv. Generally, you have to have a special light for the bulb, as well, especially for those the emit uv rays.
i got him tank and everything inluded from a lady who breeds maccaws and such (i no the birds but she nos how to care for animals and has had reptiles currently and in the past) she had the zoo med mercury vapor bulb in a reflective cermic dome light holder thing (what u usually see) so i believe thats right but from what she said and everything i read the MVB's are about as good as it gets and all in one so ill keep a watchful eye thank you again so much for putting up with all my ?' lol but really i appreciate it most ppl wont help u unless there getting something in return keep up the good work and advice
The average dome is not one that is compatible with true UV emiters. If I can answer any other questions, just ask.
well the dome is the zoo med deep well reflective so im hoping it will work sorrectly i mean it fits and turns on and everything but there both zoo med so i hope there good to go! but im thinking of switching to tile and wanted to no if that will get to hot with the MVB the tank is 22-24 inchs tall and the light is raised off the top a bit so the light will probably be 26-28 inches from where the tile wold be do you think that could cause a "heat rock" situation and cause burns?
Hopefully it's the correct one; otherwise the BD isn't getting appropriate UV. I just really worry. I think there's only like one good uv emitter, but I just can't remember the brand. Is it the black zoomed clamp with the white interior? Tile should be fine. It will help with the temps. Many people use tile in BD cages.
ok i just wanted to make sure the tile wouldnt get to hot! im not really sure what u mean by the black on with white inside it is black on the outside and mirrored/reflective on the inside and the bulb is a zoo med powersun 100watt MVB so i think im good
Yea that sounds right. The more commong clamp is the one that's black coated on the xterior and white coated on the interior. But it sounds like you've got the right one.
this may sound like a silly question but i have a young BD and I think it is female so the question is do females lay eggs even if they havent been serviced by a male or do they have to have been mated to lay eggs
Some reptiles can, but I've never heard of a BD. That doesn't mean that it doesn't happen though.
is it possible for a BD to be perfectly healthy with correct tank temps and eat great yet only deficate once every 4 days or so
Yes and no. That just means that it's digesting its food slowly. That or not getting fed regularly (not saying that you're not feeding veggies and such daily).
he gets a salad consisting of kale, collard greens, romaine, carrots, endives, and a very little red cabbage occasionaly (its in the romaine mix) and crickets every other day and i have calicium supplement and vitamins with d3 and the crickets are gut loaded everytime and the tank temps are 106 in basking spot 90-95 in warm end and 85 in the cool end and he gets feed at the same time within 5 mins. or so everyday. so can it be he just dosnt go alot hes a year and a half old ? also is it normal for him to sleep or at least close his eyes alot but lay under the mercury vapor bulb most of the day and sleep on it at nite?
sorry when i say sleep on it i meant he lays on his basking branch under the MVB most of the day and sleeps there at nite. he comes down to eat and play in the morning then hes up there the rest of the day occasionally coming to head bob a bit but he seems very healthy he eats vegtables like the cricktes and hes fast and agil;e so im thinking maybe he just likes to soak up the rays most of the time and only wants to deficate every 3-4 days or so?
I'd say it's probably normal. Your temps sound right, and if he's eating daily that mix, he should have a good diet. How much water does he get?
well i havent had him long and hes just now warming up to me so i dont wanna just throw him in the bath bc i dont think anyone ever has but i keep water in his tank at all times and tho i havent seen him drink it i have caught him sitting in it a few times but im going to give him a bath this weekend other than that whatever water he gets from all the veggies! i had a ? tho is it ok he sleeps or closes his eyes under his basking spot for all day almost except when hes eating and he plays a bit in the morning but hes very active eating and such. but more than that ive noticed that he closes one eye alot more than the other and its the eye facing the light but he can move and still be under the basking light i think maybe he just likes that one spot and says if i have to close my eye i will but im not moving
If you have a water bowl, then you don't necessarily need to do baths. And many breeders believe that if you provide plenty of veggies that are rich in moisture, you really don't need the water bowl. As for the behaviors, it all sounds pretty normal.
i have just been given a bearded dragon, and he seems to be very pale and almost skinny compared to your pictures, is there any advice you can give me, i think he is about 7 years old............if you do have any advice it would be good to hear from you
Broccoli isn't supposed to be very OK for beardies :-/
Lucie, some bearded dragons are pale. It just depends on the morph. As for the weight, you'll want to make sure that you provide fresh veggies daily and crickets, mealworms, or superworms twice a week.
WC-C broccoli is ok on occassion not as a staple.
My Beardie is 3 1/2 and I have to hand feed ALL fruits and veggies always. If I leave them in a bowl he fills it with sand. If I hanf feed and drop one he looks at me like he is daying "you don't expect ME to pick that up do you?" he really is a joy and when someone else holds him all I have to do is talk and he snaps his head around looking for me. Your info is GREAT! I just picked fresh raspberried from the woods and he LOVES those. I heard Wax worms are only good as a treat as they have to high a fat content. Like giving candy to a child?
yes waxworms are junk and very addictive to reptiles. they're not really suggested but as treats definitely not a staple. it's good that your bd is eating and loves his fruits and veggies even if you have to hand feed. at least he's getting his nutrition.
My 3 1/2 year old beardie seems to like the dandelion flower a lot and is also partial to purple petunias. For some reason he won't touch any except purple. these two things aren't on your list of approved foods? I was worried he wasn't drinking water so I gave him some from the cap of a water bottle and he liked that. Drank 4 cap fulls. My vet also told me 20 minutes of outside sunshine, NOT through a window, is equal to 14 hours under a UV bulb so I have an out door screen house I can hang from the deck on a plant hook to put him in. I set the timer on the microwave for 30 minutes so as not to forget he is out there. only if the sun is out and it is 78 or above. Sometimes I let him loose and we just sit out in the grass in the sun. He never runs away... Still use the UV all the time too. It is also easy in the summer to raise your own crickets. One female will lay about 10 eggs a day for 10 days in wet dirt or sand if kept warm enough. Didn't have to buy any for about 4 months last summer.
I have read about equally as much about not using sand as substrate as I have from sources that say it's ok. I wonder what the logic is behind not using it. In the wild, beardies live in Australia, and in the sand. Why then, should it not be used in tanks? I understand the worry about it messing up their digestion - but if they are raised in sand (my breeder uses it) then is there really any harm in continuing that way?
I'm not challenging your information, just trying to provide the best, and most natural environment possible for my little boy.
what all exactly do you need and what are the prises? i cant seem to find it all in one place and ive searched a while. sorry if its trouble for you
The dandelions are ok if I remember correctly, but the store bought ones not those grown in the yard. Petunias are not recommended. Try other fresh produce versus flowers. Water bowls are fine. You don't have to give them baths. I would still make sure thaty ou have a uv tube or bulb. It's not good to just do a few minutes outside a day, although that is a great addition to the uv tube or bulb.
Allison, in the wild they do not neccesarily live on sand but more rocky terrain. We assume dessert is sand but it's really not. They can get badly impacted by sand and other loose substrates, which can be fatal. I haven't heard many reputable breeders using loose substrates.
BegginnerBoy, prices will depend on age, sex, morph (coloration), size (giant or regular), and the overall breeder's preference as to what he/she wants to charge. Pet stores will charge a higher price than breeders. Example I paid about $20 less for my pet store BD, but it was a plain jane normal with long-term health problems when compared to the citrus BD I purchased from a breeder. Even though I paid less in general, that same BD from the pet store would have costed even less from a breeder.
Hi weve got a 14 week old beared and hes lovely he loves to be held and run about he is very greedy with his food tho we feed him 3 times aday with his live food plus we give him his greens which he loves to but ppl tell me to peel grapes is this right ? and is there any other friut that has to be peeled ? thanx rach
Yes, if you are going to feed grapes, you want to peel them. I'd take the peeling off most fruits and veggetables if you can.
How Often Do You Feed Your Beardy Fruit And Veg My Dad Said Not To Always Give Them Fruit Cuz There Like Sweets To Them Sum1 Tell MEE plz
Daily. fruits and veggies daily. Fruits can be an option, but you want to feed veggies daily.
teell2 says:
2 years ago
Thank you for a great hub; interesting article. I want to try out this diet at least for a week or two.