Question about food

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ValBCN

Member
Hi,
So now I've had these two beardies for a few months. They're happy beardie-people who roam their pens in my garden, with the occasional escape to the neighbours' for a bit of foraging (I *do* feed them but they seem to like their crickets (and other beasties) wild- I live in a protected area and no pesticides are used by my neighbours, I've asked. They're looking great, normal poos, in the summer they've developed a fondness for water and both like to have a bath and a poo every day :lol: The female has laid another clutch of eggs that look like they're going in the right direction (almost a month along now). She found a corner of our garden where she dug happily during a very hot day. When she looked tired I helped her by putting her in her pool, where she drank and rested for a few minutes before going back to work.
Now I have to plan for the winter. They will need to move inside (they sleep inside every day), and I will need to get food for when it's cold, we have 20 little ones, and I'm running around all day taking children to and from school and activities, cooking, shopping and eh, yes, working (the "for money" kind of work). I'm in Britain now, for our holidays, and I've found that they sell dried mealworm for birds here. I've also found out that there is dried food for beardies. Are these items recommendable for a sort of staple kind of thing, adding fresh veg and the odd live beastie when I have the time to go and buy them? If by any chance there is anyone fromSpain around and can recommend a live feeder insect seller, I'd appreciate it. I tried to buy silkworm eggs a while ago, but they took ages to arrive (5 days instead of 24hs) and they never hatched. I feel cheated.
So, many questions about food, I guess! Can anyone give a hand?
TIA!!
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Hi there, I was trying to sort out 2 main parts of your story. :) You are in England on vacation [ holiday ] but you live in Spain ? And you will need to feed 20 babies in the near future ?


As for dried mealworms, they can be used once in a while for large juveniles up to adults but not for babies. Babies lack the jaw strength to properly chew them, and also the chitin [ outer shell] is too much for them to digest. Do you have pet stores that sell reptiles + related products ? If so, ask where they order their feeder insects from and then buy from that company. You'll possibly find crickets, locusts or grass hoppers for sale, you'd need the 1/4 inch size for beardie babies. The bugs should be no longer than the space between the babies eyes. Raising 20 babies takes a LOT of work and a lot of money !
 

ValBCN

Member
Original Poster
Hi,

thanks for your answer! I had not seen it until now... Anyway, ok, the dried mealworms are NOT to be a staple for any beardie, let alone babes. Yes, I know the babies will be a ton of work, I plan to rehome them when they're 2-3 months old (I should say "I hope to rehome them"), it was never my intention to breed them, my dragons are an adopted couple who came with the female already full of eggs! This is the second clutch and I'm hoping there'll be no more (my incubator is full!!!).
What about the bearded dragon dried food? not to replace insects or greens, but as a support, I suppose we could call it? There are pet stores that sell feeders in Barcelona (nearest city) but they won't tell you where they buy their beasties. :evil: I would like to find something easy to store at home in case i cannot get to a shop for a day or two...
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
ValBCN":q7fomupj said:
Hi,
So now I've had these two beardies for a few months. They're happy beardie-people who roam their pens in my garden, with the occasional escape to the neighbours' for a bit of foraging (I *do* feed them but they seem to like their crickets (and other beasties) wild- I live in a protected area and no pesticides are used by my neighbours, I've asked. They're looking great, normal poos, in the summer they've developed a fondness for water and both like to have a bath and a poo every day :lol: The female has laid another clutch of eggs that look like they're going in the right direction (almost a month along now). She found a corner of our garden where she dug happily during a very hot day. When she looked tired I helped her by putting her in her pool, where she drank and rested for a few minutes before going back to work.
Now I have to plan for the winter. They will need to move inside (they sleep inside every day), and I will need to get food for when it's cold, we have 20 little ones, and I'm running around all day taking children to and from school and activities, cooking, shopping and eh, yes, working (the "for money" kind of work).
>>>> this will help you : viewtopic.php?f=45&t=244111&p=1859195#p1859195

Breeders I know use
>> housefly maggots *
>> blowfly maggots *
>> medium BSF lavae
>> silkworms (about 10mm long) *
>> extra small crickets * or woodies * (roaches available here in Australia , not sure what breeds of roaches available where you live.
> small hoppers (locusts) will be a good feeder insect too if you can access them.
Here breeders tend to breed their own feeder insects marked *.
as the feeders insects for very young hatchlings .
I'm in Britain now, for our holidays, and I've found that they sell dried mealworm for birds here.
<<< dried insect lavae of any kind are not suitable for hatchlings
The hatchlings will need 100% live insects for their first few months , they are unlikely to even try green leafy stuff (will have be shredded) or veg (will need to be grated).
Lizard pellets (softened by soaking in water) can be offered as a supplemental food source - NOT AS A THE STAPLE.

I've also found out that there is dried food for beardies. Are these items recommendable for a sort of staple kind of thing, adding fresh veg and the odd live beastie when I have the time to go and buy them? If by any chance there is anyone fromSpain around and can recommend a live feeder insect seller, I'd appreciate it. I tried to buy silkworm eggs a while ago, but they took ages to arrive (5 days instead of 24hs) and they never hatched. I feel cheated.
So, many questions about food, I guess! Can anyone give a hand?
TIA!!

I live in Australia so don't have a feel for the live feeder insects available in petshops , or for online / mailorder buying in bulk.
I googled Spanish reptile feeder insect suppliers and found this company very quickly : https://en.tiendanimal.es/reptiles-c-22.html , so there is your starting point .
Try Amazon, Ebay, Etsy.
 

ValBCN

Member
Original Poster
Thanks for your answer, kingofnobbies. I have tried Tiendanimal for other pet supplies, they are always out of whatever you order, so my conclusion is that they are not a real shop with stored supplies, just a website that will order based on your order. They do not sell live insects. I am still trying to find someone to buy from, I'm asking in whatsapp groups and the like. I'll find one, eventually...

Thanks everyone for your comments, information and suggestions, I now have a clearer idea as to what to store when I don't have live insects, but I'll try to make that a rare occurrence.
Sorry for the initial rambling!

PS.: roaches may well be the best ever muttsnuts live feeder in the world for beardies, they are NOT coming into my house. I have a deep phobia to them! (for them? against them? god know what the right preposition is here, you get the idea)
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
ValBCN":1jd7s3yj said:
Thanks for your answer, kingofnobbies. I have tried Tiendanimal for other pet supplies, they are always out of whatever you order, so my conclusion is that they are not a real shop with stored supplies, just a website that will order based on your order. They do not sell live insects. I am still trying to find someone to buy from, I'm asking in whatsapp groups and the like. I'll find one, eventually...

Thanks everyone for your comments, information and suggestions, I now have a clearer idea as to what to store when I don't have live insects, but I'll try to make that a rare occurrence.
Sorry for the initial rambling!

PS.: roaches may well be the best ever muttsnuts live feeder in the world for beardies, they are NOT coming into my house. I have a deep phobia to them! (for them? against them? god know what the right preposition is here, you get the idea)

I didn't like touching roaches at all, until I read they are very fastidious insects and cant survive unless scrupulously clean. I then started hand feeding a friendly wild skink the roaches I'd find sometimes on the floor and soon got over my adversion to the roaches. Believe me there are WORSE insects to have in the house.

If you can't get live insects - your best bet is Repashi GrubPie , deccicated / freeze dried insects are very poor substitutes for live insects , caned insects are not much better ,and bottled lizard foods are a waste of your Euros..
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
ValBCN":1mu49rm6 said:
Hi,

thanks for your answer! I had not seen it until now... Anyway, ok, the dried mealworms are NOT to be a staple for any beardie, let alone babes. Yes, I know the babies will be a ton of work, I plan to rehome them when they're 2-3 months old (I should say "I hope to rehome them"), it was never my intention to breed them, my dragons are an adopted couple who came with the female already full of eggs! This is the second clutch and I'm hoping there'll be no more (my incubator is full!!!).
What about the bearded dragon dried food? not to replace insects or greens, but as a support, I suppose we could call it? There are pet stores that sell feeders in Barcelona (nearest city) but they won't tell you where they buy their beasties.
<<< ask for some take away tub fulls that pet shops seem to like sell the feeder insects in …. there should be label on the tub which will likely be that of the breeding laboratory / company.... once you have that Google them company and you'll likely find they also sell by mailorder to the public too (for a lot cheaper than the petshops will sell them).
Take the middle man out of the equation and buy in bulk enough to last 2 -3 weeks at time and you'll likely find you saving 50-70% on the price per insect.
:evil: I would like to find something easy to store at home in case i cannot get to a shop for a day or two...
 

VenusAndSaturn

Sub-Adult Member
If your female lays another clutch I'd suggest freezing the eggs for 24 hours and then throwing them away, unless of course, you think you can house them all, rehome them and then continue to house any that don't find homes.
Also, make sure the male can't get to her or they'll constantly breed and that constant breeding could kill her. Not to mention all the stress housing two beardies together causes.


From what I experienced with my adult female, Venus, only 27 eggs can quickly go up to a total of 142 within 5 months.
 
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