Adult refusing to eat any veggies

[NYDragon]

Ok, I have a beardie who is about 5 years old. She's a healthy girl at 22 inches and 520g. But she just won't eat her salads :? I give her a mix of collards, mustards and turnip greens, grated butternut squash and a few blueberries thrown in to entice her (they're her fav). But she barely touches it. I held off on the buggies for at least 2 weeks trying to get her to give in and eat some veggies but no luck. The minute I throw a worm in front of her she's all for it. Grr! Should I just let her do what she wants? Trying to force her didn't really get me anywhere. Does she know what's best for herself like some animals do? I leave a salad in there everyday anyway (and throw it in the garbage every night :roll: ) Any advice? Thanks!

Erin

 

[Phoenix17June2009]

ya know, i'm glad i came across this because phoenix will be a year old next month and he went from demolishing his salads to it being a waste of money for me because like you he will eat a bite or two and then just starve it out until i get home and feed him his roaches.... :roll: they are so crazy sometimes, but they keep us on our toes

giving you a bummmmppppppppppp

 

[kariann]

What if you tried mixing small feeders, like phoenix worms since they're small, in with the salad? A lot of beardies accidentally eat salad this way and find they like it. Other times, dragons will begin to eat their salad when a little squash baby food is added. I've also heard of topping the salad with dried mealworms which have little nutritional value but can catch the eye of a dragon and get them to eat their greens.

Good luck!

 

[Phoenix17June2009]

now i've tried that before but phoenix is smart and he would eat the wormm instead of the salad, he would actually pick around the salad lol

 

[Buggsy]

I have a three yr old female who point blank refuses all things salad like!

The best thing i have been told to do is make sure the feeders are very well gut loaded, then at least shes getting some veggies through them! I just keep trying new things, change the way i offer them, time of day etc. Sometimes she looks quite interested, then closes her eyes or actually turns around!

 

[athenacp]

Well, if this is of any consolation, Digger will not touch salads, hasn't in over 5 years, sigh. I blame the meds he was on when he was a year old and had hookworms and pinworms, prior he ate salads (he just never ever ate crickets, won't touch them, thankfully!)

Lord knows I tried all the tricks, the only time he'll get any greens is if I sneak a leaf in his mouth while he gapes. He's been to 2 reptile vets, had all the tests, everything else is ok, just he...wont....eat...salads So feeders are butterworms & baby food and sometimes raspberries. He gets his liquid calcium and of course baths and that-is-all-his-royal-pain-in-the-butt-highness will eat.

He's 7 years and 4 months old now and still acts like a juvie, go figure, but he is still my baby and I love hime to death!

 

[Buggsy]

I know what you mean, luckily Gizmos favs are locusts which are super easy to gutload! (she hasnt eating in about 2 weeks though- went crazy slowed down now nothing lol! i think she loves to have me worried!)

 

[NYDragon]

Yeah, sometimes I'll throw a super or silkworm in the salad and try and trick her into eating them. But she has pretty good aim when she wants :roll: And let me tell, if she does end up getting a green in her mouth, I get a pretty mean stink eye. Such a diva!

She won't eat crickets either. I just got some silkworms and they eat their chow so I guess that is the best I can do with gut loading them. The supers I feed carrots and a mix of wheat bran and oatmeal ground up. Do you think this is good enough? What does everyone do for the herptivite supplement? Is there a liquid version like the calcium one? Thanks!