I never know if...

With all the info on the net there's so much conflicting information on exactly how much I should be feeding my 2 and a bit month old dragon. Auto is 5.5 inches, nose to bum, round belly and starting another shed cycle.

Thing is I have no idea if he's FAT or just healthy/plump. I don't want to over feed him but I also want to avoid under feeding as his body needs all that to continue his speedy growth. I cut back to around 10 a day and have been told that's too few. Mind you the crickets are considered "large"...sec let me measure one. Okay so a little under an inch to an inch.

He does eat some veggies through the day but never really goes bananas for it like he does with crickets. I switched the crickets from the 1/2 inch to the around an inch a week ago because the little ones just seemed to be too small and he was eating 'em like candy. Now he still eats 'em fast but not as fast and really enjoys chasing 'em around.

I really need to invest in a scale for him so I can figure out where he's sitting at. This visual thing is making me nervous. He's happy/healthy other wise, likes his baths which he poops in every time, gets out time and watches the cars go by. Doesn't fuss when being taken out.

I do worry that 15 min of as much as he can eat is a bit excessive...but I don't honestly know if that's just me being over worried about impactions or...not.

So...to those with a hell of a lot more exp than I have...how much should a 2 and something month old dragon be eating each day? Should I feed all at once or x number in morning and same at night? I do dust my crickets and gut load 'em.

As you said, the standard is as many as she wants in a 10-15 minute time period 3 times a day. Most care guides say that but I think I remember reading on the 2nd edition of
The Bearded Dragon Manual: Expert Advice for Keeping and Caring for a Healthy Bearded Dragon [Book] that giving as many in a 30 minute time period was correct. I mean the others of the book are reputable but I went with the 10-15 minute thing when my beardy was a baby(5 yrs ago, though I soon switched to the juvenile dragon feeding directions since I got my dragon at him being 6 months of age. He's not obese and doesn't suffer from MBD or anything(though that's more calcium related than actual feeding)so I think that method is just fine.

Be very careful, the 1" crickets are too large and can easily cause impaction + hind leg paralysis because the large bugs press on the spine. Best to stay with the 1/2" size at the most . Smaller would be even safer.

Yes, as AHBD just said, please switch to a smaller cricket size, you'd have to have a monster of a dragon to be feeding large crickets to a 2 month old dragon

JessPets":2m5wui5f said:

Yes, as AHBD just said, please switch to a smaller cricket size, you'd have to have a monster of a dragon to be feeding large crickets to a 2 month old dragon

Click to expand...

I concur .... the crickets should be no larger than 1/4 size to 1/3 size for a 2 month old hatchling.

And 3 meals of live insects per day , as many the hatchling of suitable sized insects (crickets no longer than the space between it's eyes) as it wants per sitting, give the insect 2 or 3 at a time and keep add as the dragon catches and eats them, when it's full it'll loose interest, this is when you stop giving the insects.

Good alternative feeders , even better than crickets are white coloured BSFL lavae (the very active stage) and silkworms (a 2 month old can handle silkworms up to 30mm long (very soft and squishy).

kingofnobbys":34htb9r0 said:

JessPets":34htb9r0 said:

Yes, as AHBD just said, please switch to a smaller cricket size, you'd have to have a monster of a dragon to be feeding large crickets to a 2 month old dragon

Click to expand...

I concur .... the crickets should be no larger than 1/4 size to 1/3 size for a 2 month old hatchling.

And 3 meals of live insects per day , as many the hatchling of suitable sized insects (crickets no longer than the space between it's eyes) as it wants per sitting, give the insect 2 or 3 at a time and keep add as the dragon catches and eats them, when it's full it'll loose interest, this is when you stop giving the insects.

Good alternative feeders , even better than crickets are white coloured BSFL lavae (the very active stage) and silkworms (a 2 month old can handle silkworms up to 30mm long (very soft and squishy).

Click to expand...

I thought the darker BSFL were richer in calcium? Hmmm, I learn something new everyday.

The darker have more calcium, but the younger (white ones) tend to be more active, therefore attracting the dragon's attention more.