BEARDIE HATES VEGGIES! why??

paytongrahaam · Apr 22, 2021

Hello, so my bearded dragon is 4ish years old, making him an adult. I've had him since he was 6 months, anyways at his age his diet should be 80% veggies. Anyways, since he has been an adult I have offered him every (safe) staple veggie under the sun. He doesn't like any of it. Only insects. It stresses me out as he is not getting his proper nutrients. He has always been this way & has never really had a big appetite. He is on the skinnier side as well. I place a fresh salad in their daily and it goes untouched. To ensure he eats I hand feed insects since he refuses the veggies. Any ideas as to why or advice? Thank you

Drache613 · Apr 23, 2021

Hello,

You are definitely not alone because there are many who have a difficult time with their
dragons not eating greens or veggies.
Have you tried mixing small brightly sliced/chopped berries or bell peppers? Some will
place small worms in with the greens to try & entice them also.
A last resort is to simply make a blended greens slurry for nutritional support. You can also
get some spirulina, or chlorella powder to coat & powder the insects to try & get some of the
greens nutrition into him.
We can review your tank setup such as your UVB lighting, temperatures, etc if you need.

Tracie

kingofnobbys · Apr 23, 2021

So , show who's boss , hand feed the veggies to the dragon , might require a few desireable bugs to get the dragon interested , slip a bug into the mouth when it's not so interested in the veg.

Misomisomiso · Apr 24, 2021

I have to trick mine most of the time.

She's got bad aim so putting a few bugs into the salad usually results in accidental greens being eaten, but sometimes while she's chewing her bug, ill slip the edge of a green in her mouth the and then she's stuck eating that too.
Something else that has helped this spring in particular is letting her run around outside. I have some plants growing that she likes to jump up and eat the leaves off of. It's certainly not a full salad, but it's something.

kingofnobbys · Apr 24, 2021

Misomisomiso":cx7m8jm6 said:
I have to trick mine most of the time.
She's got bad aim so putting a few bugs into the salad usually results in accidental greens being eaten, but sometimes while she's chewing her bug, ill slip the edge of a green in her mouth the and then she's stuck eating that too.
Something else that has helped this spring in particular is letting her run around outside. I have some plants growing that she likes to jump up and eat the leaves off of. It's certainly not a full salad, but it's something.

Mine are all too cluey to fall for the bugs mixed with veg & greens lurk , they simply pick the prized bugs out and then give me "the stare".

The slip the veg or green into the mouth thing is my approach , of cause I also feed my crickets and supers the good veg and greens so they get them in disguise inside the bugs too.

I tend to give my adult dragons a feeding daily schedule like
bugs
greens + a few BSFL
fast
bugs
greens + a few BSFL
fast
etc

Drache613 · Apr 25, 2021

Moved by Moderator from Beardie ER to Feeding

BEARDIE HATES VEGGIES! why??

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