baby beardie diet

[verena]

Hello everyone,
Yesterday I went to the reptile expo in Long Island. what a treat! Anyway the only problem is that I came out of there a littie confused and need your expertise....I have a 7inch long beardie and I have been feeding him greens, and crickets. He eats about 25 small crickets a day. Last week I gave him one fax worm. I wanted to upgrade him to the large crickets (I can't find medium size crickets in NYC, figures) but not sure I should. At the expo I was told I could give him a superworm every other day...I gave him a superworm and he ate it, but he had to stop for a second or two after each bite. I also bought some phoenix worms and he ate those in a second. I want to make sure that I am feeding him enough and that the food is appropriate for him. I also want to know if he is eating enough for his size? Please help. Thanks. Verena

 

[Embee]

Congrats on your new beardie!

Hm, interesting advice for a 7 inch beardie. The general rule with feeders is this: the bug should be NO bigger than the space between beardie's eyes. Any bigger, and the feeders become dangerous to beardie. Large crickets are too big for a 7 inch beardie, as are super worms.

If you can't find medium crickets, stay with small for now, until beardie is bigger. Just gut load them well.

The general rule about super worms is not before beardie reaches 15 inches.

Phoenix worms are excellent, stick with those. Full of calcium, and great for a growing beardie! A 7 inch beardie can easily manage the mediums, as mine does. They can be used a staple because of their protein/fat ratio, where wax worms are too fatty to be a staple. Stay away from meal worms altogether. We use a combination of crickets and pws for staples, and plan, as beardie grows, to add some butters, larger crickets, and some supers when she reaches 15 inches. Most of the stores around us sell crickets either small or large, but I've found that one store's definition of 'small' is actually a combo of the 'larger of small size' and 'mediums.' The other store sells mainly pinheads, with a few "upper smalls" mixed in. Keep checking around, you might find something. Also, you can order on line, for specific size, if needed (it's quite a bit less expensive this way as well). Our beardie (same size) does tend to enjoy the medium size, of 1/2 inch to 3/4, and that would be about max for the size between her eyes at present.

As to amounts beardie should eat. Offer bugs 3x per day, as much as he will eat in 10-15 minutes. Beardies vary in amounts they will eat, and size of bugs of course, makes an impact there as well. With proper UVB lighting, and tank heating/temps, hydration, etc., his appetite should be appropriately stimulated, and many babies/juvies can eat as many as 50-100 small bugs a day.

What kind of UVB lighting are you using, btw? If it's a tube UVB, you will want to be dusting crickets 5x per week with calcium with D3. If you're using a MVB, the same amount of dusting, but use calcium withOUT D3. Phoenix worms do not require calcium dust, as they are naturally high in calcium, but you will want to dust 1-2 meals per week with multi-vites.

Hope this helps!

Em

 

[verena]

Thanks, this helps a lot...I have a reptisun 10 uvb flourescent bulb...I can only feed my beardie twice a day because I work and there is no one else that could feed him. I will give him the pws and the crickets.

 

[LJean]

Feeding him twice a day is ok.
My dragon is 15" and I just started on supers. We had some poo issues, so I am not sure she is ready. I wouldn't attempt them at only 7" long.

 

[Embee]

Thanks, this helps a lot...I have a reptisun 10 uvb flourescent bulb...I can only feed my beardie twice a day because I work and there is no one else that could feed him. I will give him the pws and the crickets.

Indeed, twice will be fine. In fact, our beardie seems to prefer it. I offer the third meal, but it is RARELY eaten. So, no worries.

Em