Cricket-free diet

[kikigu3]

My bearded dragon (Norbert) is about 11-12 months old and the guy I purchased him from said I can start transitioning his diet from 80% protein and 20%veggies to 20% protein and 80% veggies. I was wondering what the best way to go about this is, and if it is at all possible, could Norbert's diet be 80%veggies and 20% worms? Because that would definitely be good for me. All assistance is appreciated

 

[kickwing]

80% protein and 20%veggies is forever i i think but im new so may be wrong

 

[jsnsan]

It does switch to 80% veggies. I thought it was at 18 months though. I don't know...as I have a long ways to go.
I don't see why you couldn't go Cricket free....Oh what an amazing thought. I can't wait!! LOL.
Just make sure you are feeding a good staple, like phoenix worms or silk worms. The cost "should" be more manageable at that age.

 

[miloandrufusdragons]

Silkworms are good.

 

[LLLReptile]

Just like your diet doesn't rely exclusively on just one source of protein (you get chicken, beef, turkey, beans, etc, right?), your beardies should attempt to reflect at least a little variety in the diet.

Consider a couple different kinds of worms, as well as crickets and/or roaches once in a while as well.

-Jen

 

[Catalyst]

I'm not 100 % on when you change to the adult diet since it's been a long time since I was raising a young dragon, but far as I remember it's a gradual transition starting at 12 months and stretched out so that they are on that adult diet at 18 months of age (adult diet being 25-50 bugs per week, and a large daily salad). The biggest part of the transition (since he should be getting offered salad every day anyway) is slowly reducing the number of bugs he gets every day.

You can absolutely go cricket free. Once my dragon was old enough I switched to superworms as her staple feeder and occassionally offered other types of worms as treats and she did great with that. Crickets are a pain in the bum to deal with and I don't think they're necessarily the best feed, just the most economic of the good ones.

 

[kikigu3]

Thank you all so much, it was all helpfull