Needing a little guidance with juvenile feeding

Hey all!

So I am bringing home a beardie tomorrow or friday that was being rehomed on craigslist. I've been wanting one for a while and my life is in a good place now so I feel comfortable that I can provide a good home for this girl. I dont know how old she is, only that she is 11 inches long and looks healthy. That being said, I'm confident shes fairly young. And we will have a vet check up in a few weeks after shes settled.

My concern is that I work an early 1st shift job, leaving home about 6am. I've thought through some feeding options but I'm not sure what would be best.

Option 1- lights on at 5 or 6am
Salad on the cool side before leaving
Come home and feed insects at 12:30 on my lunch
Insects again at 4 when I'm home from work
Lights off at 6 or 7pm

Option 2-
Basically the same times but put insects in a smooth dish at 6am before leaving instead of coming home in the middle of the day.

I only live about a mile from work so I dont mind coming home on my lunch, there's just a lot of conflicting info out there and would like any suggestions! Thanks

Hiya,

So I think the schedule you suggested, with or without the bowl of insects, would work out just great. However, may I ask when you hope to interact with your beardie/when you go to bed? I might have some suggestions based on that...

If you do leave a bowl of bugs in there with her, make sure they are a species she can either get away from easily if they escape of one that poses no threat to her.

Best,
-Ellen

Ellentomologist":80de515v said:

Hiya,

So I think the schedule you suggested, with or without the bowl of insects, would work out just great. However, may I ask when you hope to interact with your beardie/when you go to bed? I might have some suggestions based on that...

If you do leave a bowl of bugs in there with her, make sure they are a species she can either get away from easily if they escape of one that poses no threat to her.

Best,
-Ellen

Click to expand...

As far as I know, her staple insect has been dubias and I plan to continue that (with others here and there for variety of course) so I'm not terribly worried about those being left in a smooth dish.

On my 2 days off/week I plan to spend quite a bit of time with her, do baths, etc. On my work days, I actually get off at 3, so I plan to have a bit of time before feeding and some time after shes had time to bask and digest. I generally dont go to bed til 9.

Would it be ok to put salad in early in the morning but have the lights come on later around 7? I have a timer, I just dont know if leaving her salad/maybe insects out that long is ok?