Adding Variety to a Picky Dragon Diet?

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Chip

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Hello everyone! My name is Heather, and I have been obsessively stalking this website for about a year now. I currently have one little dragon, Chip (my username). Chip is about twelve weeks old, around nine inches.
Chip is my little special guy. I worked (unfortunately) in a major petstore that I will not list here, and he was there for four weeks. He was the biggest dragon in the tank. I didn't understand because he was so gorgeous. Having been in the market for a citrus, I was attracted to his semi citrus color. So I broke the promise to myself (having sworn I wouldn't buy a dragon from a major retailer, but a breeder) and brought him home. He is a spoiled little angel and I like it that way.
However, he is also a picky boy. He likes collard greens more than anything else, including feeders. I can't get him to eat any feeder insect other than superworms. He's a slow hunter, so pretty much the more "ideal" insects (aka crickets) would be able to get away. He won't take from my hand or tongs. I have to feed him insects in his bathtub (a tote) or he won't eat them at all. And on top of that, most days I'm lucky if he'll eat three all day, one each time I feed him. Is this something that I should really concern myself about, or does he just have a smaller appetite?
He's also immensely picky on fruits and veggies, but I'm not worried too much since he's young. It's just that he NEVER likes a new food until I magically coax him into trying it (usually by mashing it with his beloved collard greens). Any advice on other ways to convince him to try new things?
Thank you guys, I feel like I already know a lot of you!
 

Mysty

Juvie Member
Personally, I would stop feeding superworms for 3 reasons.

1. They are very fatty. My adult dragons get 5 a week max.

2. They can be addictive so will not help with fussiness.

3. They can be hazardous to young dragons. The exo skeleton is not easy to digest. Supers are best as a treat for adult dragons.

Keep offering the other livefood at least 3x daily.

Best of luck with your little one's appetite.
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
What other bugs have you offered him? I would try black soldier fly larvae and silk worms. You could try different kinds of roaches too and see if he likes them. Since he's so little keep offering him the collards if he likes those and make a salad available to him but don't worry about it too much. His appetite will increase and decrease at times but keep offering bugs a couple of times every day.

Is he active and alert? How is he behaving aside from his picky eating habits? Is he curious?
 

Chip

Member
Original Poster
CooperDragon":2rbxcbqx said:
What other bugs have you offered him? I would try black soldier fly larvae and silk worms. You could try different kinds of roaches too and see if he likes them. Since he's so little keep offering him the collards if he likes those and make a salad available to him but don't worry about it too much. His appetite will increase and decrease at times but keep offering bugs a couple of times every day.

Is he active and alert? How is he behaving aside from his picky eating habits? Is he curious?

He's super active! He will be going to the vet soon anyway but I was just curious about like, picky eaters. He has a salad throughout the day available to him. I'm just worried that one day he'll be like "I don't want collards" and I won't know what to even do lol. Plus I like to add variety. He currently likes squash baby food. I hadn't thought of soldier flies! I've tried pinhead crickets when I first got him, dubias, mealworms, wax worms, and now superworms. It's the only one he's ever been enthusiastic about but he's not on them as much anymore
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
They all have their favorites and can certainly be picky at times, that's fairly common. Just keep offering and he'll take what he needs. I advise avoiding the hard shelled worms at least for now. I would avoid wax worms too due to their high fat content.
 
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Clapton is acclimating okay I think. He's quick as lightning so I'm not sure how much I should bring him out of his house yet. He's not at all interested in his salad though. I wonder if I should change what I'm giving him. Least he's eating his crickets.

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