Florida Feeder Question

OK so i am new to bearded dragons and soaking up a ton of info. This is a gift for my son and i am trying to teach him how to take care of his pet.

I want to start a feeder just not sure what direction to go in. We are looking for cost effective (he is paying for it) as well as not too messy. (my wife hates this stuff).

What do you guys suggest for a first timer?
also
Is there anywhere in Orlando to buy bulk crickets or phoenix worms? I want dubias but i hear that is not an option.

thanks

Unfortunately dubias are a no to FL residents, discoids are a great alternative but a little pricey. Crickets suck I'm just going to say it lol. They get loose in the house, they stink and they chirp. A really good option imo is BSFL (black solider fly larvae) aka Phoenix worms, calci worms and repti worms. They are super easy to keep, you literally just keep them in the container they come in. You don't have to do anything special for them like feed/water. And you can order in bulk from venders on eBay or Amazon both have some really good prices. These worms are also loaded with calcium which is super beneficial to your Beardie. If you want to mix in crickets too you can also order them from venders on eBay and Amazon at cheap prices as well. They usually come in the mail in 2-3 days from most places.
Hope that helps

I order all of my feeder insects from rainbowmealworms.net

As far as staples, the top 3 are Silkworms, Phoenix Worms, and Roaches. Silkworms are seasonal and pricey, so I buy them whenever I can but don't count on them as a staple. My main feeders are the Phoenix Worms, $4.99 for a cup of 100, and roaches. Since the roaches in your area might be a little more expensive, you can always have a base diet of PW and supplement with roaches when you can afford them. The PW have an ideal calcium to phosphorous ratio, so there is no need to dust them with calcium. I do every few days though, just as insurance that my dragon is getting enough.

Other feeders are Butterworms, Waxworms, Mealworms, Superworms, Hornworms, and Earthworms, and crickets, but these should be considered treats and part of a varied diet. I let my guy fill up on my feeder that week and then once he stops eating, I let him have a treat worm or two, or as many crickets as he wants.

I second that Crickets are disgusting though. They host fruit fly larvae, which is just nasty. I'd stick with the PW and grow them larger for bigger dragons. There's a great and super simple tutorial on this website for growing your PW! You'll definitely want to grow them larger for a bigger dragon, because if they swallow them whole, they'll poop out live ones.

all great information. Thanks guys. i ordered the sample pack from rainbowmealworms to see what my guys likes. How long do PW keep and how can i make them last longer? The price for them is pretty cheap but shipping seems to be pretty high. I think i am going to pass on crickets for the most part as i want to avoid disease.

Great! They are a fab company. The PW will last longest if you have a cool place to put them, like a wine chiller. They'll go dormant. But, if you grow them, then they can't pupate while moist, so that's what I do. It makes them bigger, more nutritious, and prevents them from pupating. Here's the guide: viewtopic.php?f=76&t=191525

And make sure you make the container escape proof, as they can climb when wet, so when they are in the baby food/mixture, they will try and climb out when they want to pupate. If using a critter keeper, place some paper towel over the opening and then snap the lid on. Or use a small bin/tupperware, cut a hole in the top, and use hardware mesh to cover the hole.

When you go to feed them to your dragon, put a bunch in a fine strainer and run them under warm water to rinse the stuff off, but make sure to pat them dry with a towel or they'll escape your dragons bowl.

He'll LOVE the Hornworms and Waxworms, all dragons do. You'll want to feed off the Hornworms first as they grow very quickly in warm weather and if there isn't enough food in the cup, they'll start dying. Mealworms and Supers will live forever, but do feed them so they're healthier for the dragon, as they aren't really too great for them. A lot of fat and shell and can cause impaction in young dragons . Feed mostly squishy things till he's bigger. I keep my mealies in a critter keeper and they ended up breeding without me even trying, so I will always have food on hand. I only use them every few weeks though, because I don't want my critters eating too much fat and hard shell, so they're more like candy. Just throw them some fruit and veg you have around the house and you're good to go!

Great choice! I've wanted to order that from them as well, I've herd nothing but great things. ^covered everything about the Phoenix worms.