Looking for feedback on feeding schedule and staple foods

Hi! My dragon, Columbia, is 7 months old and roughly 35 cm, and I’m wondering if the feeding schedule I have at the moment seems okay.


- I feed him bugs once a day, every day, at 12pm (2 hours after lights go on). I feed him one or a few at a time for 10 minutes
- Veggies/greens are offered every day: I place them in when I feed the bugs, and take them out in the evening (9 pm, 3 hours before lights go off)
- I dust bugs with calcium (without D3) every day and Zoo Med Reptivite with D3 three times a week. I'm switching over to Rep-Cal Herptivite once I'm out of Reptivite


- For stable bugs I have so far only used crickets, but I'm going to order dubias this week. I really want to drop using crickets all together, and instead use BSFL - but they're not available in Norway, so I'm currently looking for European stores that ship BSFL to my country. If I can't get my hands on BSFL, would feeding exclusively dubias be okay? With occasional superworms/zophobas?
- For staple greens I use bok choy and different vegetables like carrots, aspargus, squash and bell pepper. I'll mix it up with different foods from time to time, using http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html as a guide
All the staple greens I've seen recommended (collard/mustard/turnip/dandelion greems, endive, escarole) I can't for the life of me find in my local stores, so bok choy has to do. I am keeping my eye out for other greens though.

Once he settles down in a few week from the stress, I plan to bathe him two or three times a week. Is it okay to bathe him every day during sheds?


Thanks in advance for feedback!

Does he eat the veges you offer? At his age you might consider a second feeding of bugs but if he's eating a lot and also eating some veges, a single bug meal may be fine. I usually suggest reducing to one bug meal per day at around 12 months old and slowly reducing to once or twice per week by around 18 months and focusing more on veges as they reach adulthood.

It's always good to offer variety when you can, but offering just dubia roaches is OK. Feed the roaches the leftover salads and good veges and they should be pretty nutritious on their own.

As far as veges go, the list reflects what is available in (some parts of) the US. Different regions have different availability of foods so just work around it and offer what is available to you and looks fresh. Bok choy is a good option along with the others you're offering so keep that up.

Baths aren't really necessary so it comes down to individual preference. Some of them enjoy baths. If that's the case you can offer them as much as you want (or as much as they'll tolerate). If they don't enjoy baths, they aren't worth the stress so I'd reserve them only for if they get soiled and really need it.

I haven't seen him eating from the bowl yet, he might have eaten some when I haven't been looking - not a lot though, as I can't notice the amount shrinking. But I've been offering him some by hand every morning, and he always eats a few pieces. I'm going to try out the worm trick: putting some in his bowl to make him utilize it, and hopefully eventually eat greens out of it.

His appetite has definitely picked up since he arrived and he ate about 20 crickets in five minutes today plus some greens and bell peppers. I definitely give him a second offering later in the day if he only eats a few bugs in the morning.

I got some dubias today, gave him a big, fat one and he gobbled it up instantly! I think I'll use it as my staple as another pet store in my area carry them in appropiate sizes, and then mix it up with crickets once a week or so - I saw a video of someone putting a clear plastic container in their enclosure, putting the dragon in it and feeding the bugs in there. Tried that out with the crickets today, and it worked like a charm! Now they can't skitter off and hide, lol. That fixed my main gripe with using crickets, so I don't mind buying them as much anymore Plus they carry zophobas as well, so I can offer a few of those once in a while

Thanks for the feedback!

The bugs (especially dubias) will take care of the leftover salads for you. Just drop it in their tank at the end of the day and watch it disappear =)

CooperDragon":2fozmer6 said:

The bugs (especially dubias) will take care of the leftover salads for you. Just drop it in their tank at the end of the day and watch it disappear =)

Click to expand...

Truth! Mine are discoids, but same - they make the leftovers evaporate!